Chapter 13 #2
Mum talks about Lukas quite a bit and it’s clear that she has a huge amount of respect for him.
She emphasises on his good qualities a lot.
Like how brave, trustworthy and caring he is.
I guess she’s learnt all this from my dad.
She says he’s the one that’s going to help me get settled, so I guess I’m going to be spending a lot of time with him.
She also tells me that honour and loyalty are what the pack is based upon.
They are a tight unit like family and support and protect each other the best they can.
Werewolves and Nymphs have lived together since they were created by Gaia and Zeus.
There’re barely any Nymphs left, compared to Werewolves.
They out number us 20 to 1 since Hades pushed Nymphs to near extinction.
That has only made werewolves hate Vampires more, as nearly all Werewolves take Nymphs as their mates. The vast majority of them being Moira.
Sounds to me like werewolves need to up their game.
Considering their meant to be our protectors and we’re the ones that have saved them.
I can’t deny that I’m nervous about meeting them.
Mum makes it sound like they’re my long-lost family.
I guess that’s true. It’s just hard to go from it being my mum and me too eight of us.
I promise myself to face this with an open, positive mind.
After a couple of hours chatting, I feel myself begin to doze.
I can finally close my eyes without the worry of something bad happening.
We’re on a plane full of people, thousands of feet in the air.
No Vampires. No Alistair. Everything is OK now.
I can relax. I close my eyes and see grey eyes in my mind.
I’m jolted by an excruciating pain in my chest. I can’t breathe. I clutch my chest as I gasp and groan. My mum is instantly awake and she’s trying to calm me.
“Krista, calm down. Nothing’s wrong. Just take a deep breath.
” Her voice is soothing and it helps me calm down.
I force myself to take a deep breath and I feel my lungs fill with oxygen.
I let it out slowly and as I do the pain in my chest lessens.
I look around and the lights are dimmed as it's nighttime.
I see Loads of people staring at me. Some in concern, others in annoyance.
An air hostess comes over looking worried.
“Is everything OK? Would you like some water?” She says in a half whisper.
“No, thank you. I’m fine. Sorry.” My voice is scratchy.
She nods and walks back up the aisle. Everyone else goes back to their conversations, laptops and naps.
I take a moment then turn to my mum. “That was the bond. Wasn’t it?” I whisper.
“I think so. Your connection is growing.” She says sombrely.
“I don’t want a connection to him. I’m not ready to have my future planned out for me.” I mutter.
“I know.” She squeezes my hand. “I don’t know how this will work out. Nymphs have only ever bonded werewolves.”
“Well, I won’t ever see him again. I’ve just got to learn to deal with it and move on with my life.” I force my mind to shut out Alistair’s pain. Instantly, like an elastic band it’s snapped away and my mind is my own again.
Mum takes my hand. “I’ve kept this from your father and the pack for now. With the history between them what it is. I fear what this may mean for the pack and you. They’ve been through so much that they need some simple happiness.”
I can’t help but feel hurt. Like I’m tainted and dirty.
Something to be ashamed of. Is that how my mum feels?
I look down at the floor to hide the tears forming in my eyes.
My mum squeezes my hand and tilts my head up.
“Sweetie it’s OK. The pack will love you.
You saved them. You are everything I hoped you’ll grow up to be and I love you so much!
” She hugs me tightly and kisses my head.
“But if they find out then what? They’ll hate me?” I Sniff.
“It’s a totally new situation. Werewolves don’t do well with change. They’re stubborn with their traditions but no, I don’t think they’ll hate you.”
I sigh and look across my mum out the window feeling alienated.
I try to immerse myself in the earth to help centre myself, but it’s faint.
I reach, but can’t quite get a solid hold on it.
I feel exposed. The sooner we land the better.
I check the time on my phone. 4am. Only 4 hours to go.
Then I’ll have a pack of werewolves to live with along with this secret. Shouldn’t be awkward at all.
Eventually we land and collect what little luggage we have.
We head to the exit and that’s when I see him.
Looking exactly how I imagined. Standing tall, broad and proud.
His barely shoulder length hair matches the colour of mine.
He’s much more well-groomed then how I saw him in Alistair’s memory.
Dressed in a smart white shirt and dark blue jeans with brown boots.
The crows’ feet in the corners of his eyes grow longer as his grin stretches across his bearded face.
His eyes are welcoming and warm. Full of love, happiness and maybe a bit of disbelief.
He stands there alone. As we get closer the immensity of our excitement is too much to contain.
Mum takes my hand as our pace speeds up.
We get closer to him and I see tears fill his hazel eyes.
His arms open as he runs towards us. We crash together in a tight embrace, sobbing with joy.
He smells like a fresh woodland morning with a touch of cologne.
He squeezes us tighter as his shoulders shake.
“My girls.” He breathes out. Like all the pressures of the world have been lifted from him.
This is home. This is love. This is everything I’ve ever wanted.
The crying ebbs and we lean away from each other without letting go. He looks at me with so much love and pride that my eyes water again. His smile is infectious as he cups the side of my face.
“My gorgeous, brave daughter. Never in my wildest dreams did I think we would be freed. Let alone you be the one to save us. I’m so proud of you.
” He kisses the top of my head then turns to my mum.
“Gwen.” He whispers. “My wife, my mate, my heart. Never will I be from your side again.” He kisses her deeply and passionately.
It’s an all-consuming kiss from years of accumulated longing and sorrow.
After being away from each other for so long.
Being able to communicate but knowing they will never be together again.
Two broken halves now whole.
Never have I seen so much love than in this moment. I’m so filled with happiness I could burst into a shower of glitter and rainbows! Nothing could be better than this.
My parents walk hand in hand as we head to the car.
Dad brings us to a big Jeep 4x4 thing that you have to jump to get into.
I get comfy in the back seat with a big bag of pickled onion Monster Munch.
Even as my dad drives he holds my mums hand.
I take this moment to enjoy looking at the both of them.
This is such a normal family moment. Kids starring at the back of their parents heads from the backseat of a car, but for me this is a dream come true.
I never thought I would have a view like this.
A goofy grin spreads across my face and my dad catches it in the rear view mirror and smiles back.
“So!” His says. “You ready to meet the rest of your family?”
My stomach twists with nerves and I swallow. “Umm, yeah! Of course!” I say in my cheeriest voice.
Mum looks round at me and smiles reassuringly. Luckily dad doesn’t notice my unease as he answers even more excitedly.
“They can’t wait to meet you! It was hard stopping them from coming with me to pick you both up!
I managed to convince them to stay behind to continue setting up the ranch.
It's in much better shape than it should be after 18 years!” He laughs.
“Honestly it looks like there's been caretakers looking after the place.” His tone is slightly bewildered.
“Cupboards full of food, toiletries, clothes.
The smaller cabins could do with some work but the main house is just fine.
No one has been living there though. No smell of anyone anyway.
Like it's been waiting for us this whole time!”
His excitement is contagious and I lean forward in my seat as he tells us more.
“A couple of the cabins survived quite well so there’s enough liveable space for everyone. It’s a whole lot better than what we’re all used to that’s for sure.” He laughs half-heartedly. “I just never thought I’d see home again. Let alone with my two girls.” His voice cracks at the last.
I see my mum squeeze my dad’s hand and the car goes quiet.
It’s hard to know what to say. They’ve been prisoners for 18 years in those glass display boxes.
Hades’s trophies. Treated like objects. Now they’re free and I’m going to make sure it stays that way.
After what they’ve been through, they deserve the best.
It’s a really long drive up into the mountains.
The ranch is far from the beaten track. The higher we go the stronger I feel.
The entire mountain range has an unbridled power and energy thrumming through it that resonates through my body.
Welcoming me in. Welcoming me home. Animals are in abundance and even the ones I can’t see, I can feel.
Hundreds, no thousands of lives bustling about the forest. The energy feels pure and wild.
Having access to this amount of power makes me feel unstoppable.
Who knows how far I can push the limits of my powers when I’m here?
I’ve never felt anything like it. It’s immense, surreal… Epic.