Shadow wolves: A burning desire (Book 5) - Complete

Chapter 3 - You will be a family again!

Erik

“Mom?” I knew her scent. It was familiar. She held out her hand and I took it without a second thought. “I’m here, mom. I’ll never leave you. I’m here.” Tears started to form in my eyes when one ran down my cheek, and I quickly wiped it away. I needed to be strong for my mom. She looked so fragile and weak. I looked over my shoulder to find Dr. M. Maybe she can tell me what is wrong, but nobody is there.

“Erik?” Her voice was so hoarse. She kissed my hand, pulling it up close to her face. She sniffed my scent while the tears streamed down her face.

“Mom, I never thought I would see you!” I put my arm around her fragile body, careful not to hurt her, as I held her while she cried in my arms.

Megan

“Anthony, how could we not know? How did Matt not know? Where has she been all this time?” I give into the emotions I’ve been feeling since Matt called us and we saw her the first time. So many years she was alone and forgotten. Just looking at her made me sick to think what she must have gone through and none of us even knew.

“I don’t know, sweetheart. I’m sure all our questions will be answered on time. For now, I think let’s all just get over the shock of it first and let her rest up. Okay? There is nothing to be done until she is better.” Anthony pulled me into his arms to comfort me.

Matt

I walked into the house, seeing the mud and blood still on the couch cushions from when I carried her inside. I didn’t look too great myself. I needed another shower. When the emotions of it all hit me and I slid down the wall next to the front door, tears spilled down my cheeks without end. I put my head back against the wall, looking up.

“You were there! Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you tell anybody? Why? Why didn’t I feel her through our bond, Moon?” A cloud of blue smoke appeared in front of me and Moon walked through it looking just as sad and stunned as I felt.

“I… I don’t know what to say. She was hidden from me in some way. I have no idea why you didn’t feel her, Matt. I didn’t know what the Wolf King did and how bad the damage was until now. We might still not know everything he did to his men and what their abilities were.” Moon sat down on one of the bar stools in the kitchen looking helpless. Except for my tears, the house was silent. After all, what do you do when even the moon goddess is speechless?

After a while, she stood up, removed the covers from the couch pillows, and put them in the wash. Helping me get up, she walked with me to my room so I could get clean up. When I returned, she created grilled cheese sandwiches, knowing it was always my favourite.

“I’m sorry, moon goddess. I had no right to ask those questions of you. What you decide about our lives is your choice. You have your reasons even if we don’t understand them.” I sighed.

“That is where you are wrong, Matt. I don’t decide. I simply give you two choices. What you decide is up to you. But what happened here was not of my making. It was hidden from me by a power I have not yet encountered.” She no longer looked concerned.

“But why? Who would do such a thing and why? And why wouldn’t I feel it in our mate bond that she was still alive? I have so many questions.” I felt frustrated.

“I don’t know yet, but I promise you that I am going to find out.” She sounded angry and determined to find out how this could have happened.

“She had been kept in some camp, locked away in a cage like a wild animal, Moon. Who would do such a thing?” I felt my heart ache as Moon shook her head, handing me a cup of tea. “UGH, what did you put in this cup!?” I pulled a face as soon as the tea touched my tongue.

“Sleeping tablets and warm water … Oh, and some tea to make it look good.” She smiled at me as if it was nothing. “Shall we?” She waved her hand in the direction of my bedroom, holding out her elbow to escort me to bed.

“You know what?! This is sooo … Typical … Of … You girls …” My eyes started blurring when we reached my bed and she opened the covers. I just climbed into bed, pulling the covers up to my chin, and thankfully darkness pulled me in.

Anthony

Arriving at Matt’s house, I wasn’t sure what to expect. He left without a word and I haven’t seen him in years. I knocked on the door and heard a female voice.

“Come in.” Moon opened the door. She was busy putting the covers back onto the couch pillows.

“Mom? What are you doing here?” I felt slightly confused because she hardly ever showed herself.

“Matt called me … Or at least he kind of crapped me out. Now I’m cleaning up a little and then I’m leaving again.” She sighed and I felt even more confused.

“Do you have any idea what’s been going on right underneath your nose?” I glared at her.

“Yes, Matt told me.” She put her hands on her hips, and walked to the kitchen to make coffee.

“Where is Matt?” I looked around the house.

“Oh, I drugged him with sleeping tablets and put him to bed.” She waved her hand through the air as if it was nothing.

“MOON?!” I growled.

“What happened to mom? Anyway, something is brewing somewhere Anthony.” She handed me the cup of coffee, taking hers with her other hand on her hip, seemingly deep in thought.

“Are you going to tell me or do I have to phone one of your daughters?” I raised a brow as I looked at her. Moon had become the mother none of us had. Helping with the babies when they were climbing over everything. After losing Star, she kind of adopted me and Megan and we got into the habit of calling her mom.

“Untwist your panties, dear Anthony. I’m getting there. I didn’t see Fiona’s death, nor did I see her being taken. Everything around her up to the point where she ended up back here is one black cloud.” Her one arm waved wildly around. “Which could only mean dark forces are at work. That could also explain why Matt didn’t realize through the bond that she was still alive.” She put her cup down and looked away again, humming. “I have to go.” And without another word, she was gone in a puff of smoke … Leaving me to wonder what the hell just happened. I checked in on Matt who was knocked out after whatever she gave him and I left, feeling confident that he would at least rest properly tonight.

Fiona

I woke up in a hospital room with all sorts of wires and pipes and needles connected to me. Some kind of alarm was screaming when I tried to sit up. The only light in the room was a small lamp on a table, next to what looked like a very uncomfortable chair and on it, there was a young boy with the same color red hair as mine. Erik! He was all grown up! He jumped up at the sound of the alarm going off and ran over to me.

“Mom? Mom lay back down. Dr. M said you need to rest.” He looked concerned.

“I will, I am. I just wanted to see your beautiful face while you were sleeping. I didn’t think there would be an alarm going off. I’m sorry Erik.” I couldn’t stop touching his face and just drank in every feature of my baby boy.

“Mom.” He complained when the nurse walked in and switched off the alarm. Blushing blood red, he moved out of her way so she could check on me.

“Fiona, Dr. M said to rest. You are not resting. I am going to bring you a sedative for the night.” The nurse frowned. “You young man, I’ve called Alpha Anthony and he is on his way to pick you up. You also need rest. You can come to see your mother again in the morning.” Both of us complained, trying to get some more time out of her, but we were simply dismissed when Anthony and Megan walked in a couple of minutes later. Happy to see both of them, we had a quick talk and my sedative started to work as the darkness called me to join in the fun.

Megan

Walking into the hospital room and seeing her awake gave me so much more hope. Dr. M told me that the next twenty-four hours would be critical. She was severely dehydrated and malnourished and some of the cuts on her body had become infected. How she made it home and where she came from nobody knew. Anthony explained that he had been to see Matt and about the weird conversation he had with Moon, which kind of made this entire situation seem more mysterious than it already was.

“Hey Fiona. How are you feeling?” I had no idea what to say to my best friend.

“Good. Glad to be home.” She smiled as her eyes kept going to Erik.

“You are such a liar. You are just saying that so you can go home.” I reprimanded her as she cringed with pain when she laughed.

“Ah, you know me too well. I’m fine though. All I need is a good night’s sleep and I will be much better in the morning.” She patted my hand beside her.

“I am just not even going to respond to that. How are things with Erik?” I laughed.

“So great. He has grown into a wonderful boy. Matt must be so proud.” I hesitated for a second, looking up at Anthony. His hand on my shoulder was pressed slightly while I sat next to Fiona’s bed, talking.

“Yes, he is very proud, but sweetie, we can talk about all that in the morning. We just came to take this young man home. You need to sleep.” I gave her a soft kiss on her cheek, trying not to hurt her fragile little body, and we left.

“What are we going to tell her Ant?!” I felt the turmoil growing inside me.

“We … Are going to say nothing. That is a family matter and Matt will be the one to tell her.” Anthony sighed.

“But … She will need the support of friends around her. What if she …” I started.

“What if she what?” Anthony interrupted me.

“Oh hell, I don’t know! She is going to find out that none of us went to look for her! What if she is angry at us when she heals? What if she can’t forgive us? If she can’t forgive Matt …” I threw my hands in the air in desperation.

“First let’s concentrate on getting her out of the hospital, sweetheart. Are you going to prepare the spare bedroom for her?” He distracted me so expertly.

“Why would I do such a thing?” I frowned.

“Oh, I don’t know … She is your friend and she will need a lot of care and help?” He shrugged.

“Which she has a mate to do for her …” I waved my hands in the air in a duh kind of way.

“But she is your friend.” Anthony grinned at me.

“Yes, and he is her mate. Wouldn’t you rather look after me than have me stay with a friend and have them look after me?” I felt confused.

“Meg, honey, these are very different circumstances,” Anthony sighed.

“No, they aren’t. They are mated. They belong together and will stay together.” I frowned, feeling agitated.

“I would prefer mom stayed with you, aunt Megan. I know she will be taken care of at your house.” Erik spoke up and I had almost forgotten he was there.

“Oh, didn’t I mention that you would be moving out of the packhouse and back into your old house tomorrow? Damn, I must have forgotten to do that earlier.” I smiled at Anthony. I would be damned if their family broke up because I didn’t force them into one damn house together!

“WHAT?! Are you being serious?! No! I refuse, I won’t live in the same house as him!” He shouted like a typical teenager, blowing up like a pufferfish and I sighed, waiting for the Alpha voice in Anthony to pop up and tell him he had no other choice but to do what I said.

“This way, Erik, you will be able to make sure your mother is taken care of and not leave your responsibilities in the hands of others … Like you have been accusing your father of doing. Don’t you agree, my love?” Anthony smiled.

“I do. It would be good exercise for Erik. How to do what you have to do when you have to do it.” I could see him rolling his teenage eyes without even looking at him sitting in the back seat. Oh boy, the next couple of weeks are going to be fun! Can you see the smile on my face?! Can ya?!