The Heir of Crescent Moon

Chapter 12 - A mother's hug

Cory POV

After consoling James about putting his foot in his mouth, we went back to work. I was running the parameter of the pack land borders. I wanted to make sure all the cameras and patrols were in place. I've had everyone checking, but right now, Tenoch wanted a run, and I'd finished my morning schedule early. I got nods and bows as we ran around the parameters and a bit further out to check on the scent markers. I didn't have to worry about the borders shared with Guardian Moon, but Tenoch felt better if we checked theirs as well, so I ran to the bridge connecting our two packs.

The guards knew me well. They knew Tenoch as well, so when they saw us running, they simply nodded and alerted the guards that I was around the packs. We ran the perimeter, then doubled back a few hundred yards past the borders. I could smell Uncle Helios' scent markers getting fainter, and when I couldn't smell them anymore, I began my run back. We were almost at the river that bordered both packs when Tenoch smelled something else.

It wasn't a wolf, but there was a similar marker to that of Guardian Moons. There was something similar to them, but not quite. The scent was faint, so there was no one here anymore, but I would need to ask Uncle Helios about it. Maybe it was one of his siblings. I had noticed the same scent present in them. I would have to ask them next time I got a chance. I was on my way back when I caught the smell of cinnamon and caramel. Before I could do anything, Tenoch took full control and took off toward the smell.

Stop. Go back! - I told him.

I want to see her. - He answered, not slowing down even a little.

You're going to scare her, - I told him.

She's seen me before.

Not in years.

Just let me see her. - He growled.

What are you planning on doing? - I asked.

I just want to see her. Will you relax?

Will you behave? - I asked, giving in. In truth, I wanted to see her too. This morning was cut short too quickly.

I settled in the back of our mind but alert in case I have to take over. Tenoch's feelings for Evie matched my own, but his feral nature makes it more dangerous. He's likely to act inappropriately and scare Evie away. I know we can't have her, but I need to have her in my life, even if it's just as friends.

Tenoch stopped in his tracks the moment we were close enough for Evie to recognize us. When she looked over, he trotted over until he was about twenty yards away.

“Tenoch?” she asked, squinting against the sun to see us.

Tenoch, my mighty Alpha wolf that is feared by many, let his tongue hang out happily at being recognized. He got down on his belly and started crawling slowly toward Evie, his tail thumping the grass excitedly.

Fucking graceful. - I groaned when Evie giggled at him. She walked over to us while Tenoch continued to crawl toward her. When they reached each other, Evie squatted next to him and held out her hand. He gave it a lick, and Evie started scratching his head, making Tenoch purr.

I wanted to die of embarrassment.

Can you at least pretend to have some dignity? - I begged him when his leg began to twitch when she scratched a spot behind his ear.

Tenoch continued to ignore me and instead flopped over on his belly, letting his tongue hang out.

“You're just a big puppy, aren't you?” Evie continued to giggle and gave the Alpha wolf of Crescent Moon a belly rub.

“All the wolves are scared of this mighty pup, but I know the secret spots now, and it's not the throat,” she teased when she scratched by a rib that had Tenoch twitching his body everywhere.

Careful! You're going to hurt her! - I warned when I saw one of his paws knock her glasses off.

Why is she even wearing glasses? I wondered. Wolves had better than 20/20 vision.

‘Why do you wear glasses?’ I reached out to Evie while Tenoch continued to act like a puppy.

‘They are blue lenses. They help eye strain from staring at screens all day. It just reduces headaches,’ she explained.

‘That makes sense.’ They also made her look nerdy hot, but I wasn’t going to mention that.

‘Son, we’re home. We brought Lucien, Cecilia and Violet home,’ Dad reached out.

‘I’ll be right there,’ I answered. Tenoch sighed and licked Evie in the face before he stood from where he was.

‘Goddess, he’s embarrassing. I’m sorry.’

“It’s alright. He’s adorable.” She giggled, wiping her face with her arm. Tenoch finally stood up proudly and puffed out his chest, growling lowly at her.

“I’m sorry. I meant, please don’t hurt me Mr. Wolf, you’re very fierce and intimidating,” she said seriously, a hint of laughter in her voice.

Tenoch’s tongue fell out again, and his tail wagged furiously. I wanted to facepalm.

‘Mom and Dad are home. I’ll catch you later.’

“OK,” she said more quietly. She knew the conversation I was going to have with them.

Before I left, though, I asked, ‘How’s Zi?’

‘Embarrassed. She knew she was overreacting, she’s just been on the defensive for so long. It’s a hard habit to break.’

‘It happens. I hope she will like it here.’

‘I think she will. There’s no place like home after all.’ She smiled and watched us take off.

My good mood was gone by the time I arrived at Mom and Dad’s new place. Dad was outside, waiting with a change of clothes in hand for me. I changed quickly and relished the hug he gave me the moment I was finished.

“We’ve been so worried,” he said. We pulled apart and went into the house. Lucien was helping make Cecilia comfortable on the couch.

“How are you guys?” I asked, feeling guilty that I hadn’t been able to step away to go see them.

“Better. We’re both better, though someone doesn’t listen,” Cecilia answered, but her voice held warmth while she looked toward her mate.

“The Doctor said bed rest, and that’s what you’re getting,” Lucien said before kissing her and coming over to hug me.

‘How are you?’ he asked via mind link.

‘I’m OK,’ I lied.

‘You’re not. None of us f*****g are,’ he said roughly, and I squeezed him tighter.

“How’s Areli?” I asked.

Dad’s face showed the pain we were all feeling. “Still in a coma, but the doctor has confirmed her wolf is still alive. The damage was just intensive. He’s hopeful she will be back in a week or so.”

“And Violet?” I said quietly, looking over to the stairs where I knew Mom must have taken her.

“She keeps saying she’s alright, but that’s all she says,” Lucien answered. “She’s not. We all know she isn’t, but she won’t let us in. It’s like she’s shielded her feelings the same way she shields herself when under attack. Nothing will penetrate it until she lets us.”

“I can’t even imagine. When I thought I’d lose your mother…” Dad’s voice cracked. “To actually see your mate taken from you. Violet’s always been so sweet and shy. I don’t know who she will be when she comes out on the other side of this.” He sighed.

“We’ll all be here for her. We’ll help her when she lets us and even when she doesn’t,” I said. Everyone nodded their heads, and a mournful silence filled the room.

“What’s the update on the count?” Dad asked.

“Twenty-five total. Six on our end. I’ve already gone to speak with every family affected. Evergreen has taken some warriors and is fitting every security measure we have on Blue Moon.”

“Rhett should have listened to me when I told him. He’s so stubborn. He’s devastated. Blue Moon is without an Alpha right now. David won’t leave Areli’s side until she wakes,” Dad said.

“I hope you didn’t say that to him.” Mom called out from the stairs.

“Goddess no, Tuli. He would never forgive himself.” Mom nodded and came over to hug me.

“Mi Bebe precioso (My beautiful baby). I’m sorry we weren’t here to help you through this.” She whispered in my ear. I don’t know if it was her words or her embrace, but I suddenly felt like I was five years old again, and all I wanted was for her to hold me. I felt my eyes water, and as much as I wanted to show that I could handle all of this with courage and strength, I couldn't. This was my mother. All I wanted right now was her hug.

I haven’t allowed myself to think about the deaths as anything but a tragedy that happened to my pack when, in reality, I knew these people. I grew up with many of them. Dad always took us to meet the pack. Not just me but all of us. We knew their histories, their happy moments and their bad. The pack was as much family as my blood was. I felt a couple of tears escape me before I could stop them. Mom pulled back and held my face in her hands.

“You don’t have to be strong here. Not here,” she said, wiping my tears. I kissed her forehead and held her in a hug again.

“Helios is on his way home as well. Theo told us your theory, and I think we have to accept that you may be right. Someone has betrayed us,” Mom said when I pulled away. There was hurt and anger on her face.

“I’ve been running the perimeter. There’s an odd scent just outside of Guardian Moon’s perimeter. Just outside the scent markers. The smell is familiar, but not. Like they should belong to Uncle’s pack, but they don’t.”

“We’ll let Nat know when she’s back. I think they arrive in a few days. We’ll need to meet to figure this out and figure out what we need to do. If they’re ramping up now. We need to be prepared,” Mom said, looking like the Luna she will always be.

“Rhett wants to be involved. This is personal for him now,” Dad added. I nodded.

“Evie is working on the phones. Hopefully, she will be able to get some sort of information out of them,” I said.

“Oh, is she working for the pack now?” Mom brightened up.

“Yes. She’s replacing Evergreen as head of the department,” I said proudly.

“That’s amazing. I didn’t think she would ever come back to the pack for good,” she said.

“She’d been helping Evergreen out on some projects as a contractor already. I had hoped you would be able to bring her back into the pack. She’s definitely got her father’s genius.” Dad approved, making Tenoch puff out again in my mind.

“I would like to have a family dinner tonight. Just us,” Mom said. “I need to spend time with my kids. That was just too close for comfort.”

“Mom, just ask Cory straight up to come over. We’re all staying here right now,” Lucien joked.

“Why are you guys staying here? I thought you were fine,” I asked.

“Because I’m going to be a grandma, and my grandchild needs bed rest. So while Lucien goes back to work, I’ll be helping Cecilia,” Mom said.

“You’re pregnant?” My eyes were going to bug out of my head. Cecilia blushed and nodded.

“Man, you guys didn’t waste any time! I’m going to be an uncle!” I said, clapping my brother on the shoulder and giving him a hug.

“This is the happy news we needed to hear after everything. I’m so happy for you both,” I said honestly.

“Yes, but we’re keeping it quiet for now. So it’s not making light of people’s loss,” Lucien said, and I nodded. I understood.

“Violet also wishes that we keep her news to ourselves. She doesn’t want the pack feeling sorry for her,” Mom said.

“But that’s not healthy...” Dad started.

“I know my love, but that’s how she’s choosing to cope at this moment, and we need to respect her wishes. Only family knows, and she’d like to keep it that way,” she told everyone. Then she sighed. “I’m hoping she’ll go to therapy once she’s out of her shock.”

I went back to work after lunch but came back for dinner. It was quiet as we gave Violet space. She looked like a shell of herself. She had always been the quiet one of us all, but you could always see the love and joy she had in her eyes. They were dull right now. She ate a few bites before she left, but not before she gave me a hug. She said nothing to me, but for one moment, I could feel her love for all of us underneath all the pain. We would need to bring it back to the surface little by little.

I walked home after dinner, and as I approached the huge pack house, I couldn’t help but feel so alone right now. I was the only Salonen left in this big house. Everyone had left me and continued their lives. I felt like I was stuck in a holding pattern. Life was moving forward, but I didn't feel like I was going anywhere. Not with half of my soul missing.

My thoughts went back to Evie and the words Tenoch had said the night we got drunk. For the first time in my life, I seriously considered if taking a chosen mate was my destiny. But even if I was willing, would she? Evie was always more Bell's friend than mine.

I was the one that always secretly crushed on her. She'd gone off and found boyfriends and a life outside of the pack for the last decade while I stayed the same person I've always been, in the same place, with the same people. If she could walk away from me before, what made me think she could possibly want anything to do with me now? Would she be willing to give up the most precious thing to wolves to be with me?

We need to woo her. The old fashion way. The way humans do, - Tenoch suggested.

Are we really going to do this? Take her away from her goddess-given mate because we don't want to wait for ours? What if she finds him one day and rejects us or resents us? - I asked.

Tenoch whimpered at the thought. I looked up at the sky, wondering why I deserved to be in this situation. I went up to my room, showered and changed. My mind and my heart were in turmoil.

I wish I hadn't figured out that this was more than just a silly childhood crush. I was much happier before that.