Chapter 5: My Mother And Brother

"Abigail, Abigail, Abigail." A voice calls out, my mother's voice rings through the darkness.

I open my eyes, and I find her above me, smiling down at me, her beautiful long hair falling on me and caressing my cheeks.

"It's time to go now." She says, with her usual gentle and sweet voice.

I rub against my eyes, and I rise off her lap, where I had been napping.

"Already? Can't we stay a little longer?" I ask, turning my gaze in every direction, as I scan the beautiful greenery of our regular camping sight.

It is always quiet, and tranquil.

This is a place we always come to stay, every weekend, it's our spot, and I love it.

"I'm sorry darling, but we can't stay."

"...I... understand." I say, feeling deeply saddened, which Mother catches.

"You don't have to be so sad you know, now you're making me sad." Mother says, pursing her lips like a baby about to cry.

I smile, then I hold onto her.

"I'm sorry Mom, I'm not sad anymore."

"That's my lovely girl, okay now." With just a single move of her muscle, she is already on her feet, the power of a Luna, which makes me envious and excited to one day become one.

She pulls me up.

"We mustn't dally any longer." She smiles, pushing the hair in front of my face to my ear.

"Mom, the car's ready!" My brother's voice echoes from beyond the foliage and trees.

Following his voice, is him, as he comes in, hands pushing away leaves and branches, and revealing his face.

"Where were you?" I ask him.

He walks up to me, and bends in a condescending manner, so as to reach my eye level.

"What? Can't I take a stroll because it's your eleventh birthday?"

"No, you can't, you're supposed to be by my side at all times."

He turns to Mom.

"And you said I was always the difficult one." He jests.

"You were Burke, you were."

She pulls me along, and Burke follows.

"At least hearing the word were is comforting to me, now I'm quite the gentleman."

"A gentleman that leaves a lady on her birthday." I say, annoyance tinting my tone.

He's always gone, as father's eldest and only son, being groomed to be alpha, he is always busy, and I always miss him.

To think he wouldn't stay with me this little time we have, even if I was asleep.

"Okay Abigail, first off, you're not a lady yet. Ladies bare weapons on their person, that render men defenseless, weapons you obviously lack." He eyes me, trying to annoy me.

Mom smacks him on the head.

"Ouch." He exclaims.

"Don't say such things in front of me."

"But it's true isn't it?"

Mom threatens him and he scurries back, which prompts a chuckle out of me.

"Difficult." Mom says.

"Anyway, second, you were asleep."

"Even so." I say, quick to snap at him.

He sighs and gets in front of both me and Mom.

"Fine, I'll make it up to you?" He raises his shoulder, askance.

"Is that a question or a statement?" I ask, feeling annoyed.

"What would you like me to do for you, Abigail?" He asks.

I tap my chin and point my gaze to the sky.

"Now you're making me worry."

"How about, you spend the whole day with me?" I ask, in all honesty.

"Is that it?" He cleans the sweat off his brow. "Then, so be it!" He erects himself, gesticulating with his hands pointed upwards, as though making a decree. "so long as my wallet is safe." He mutters, and I turn to Mom, who exchanges a smile with me.

I pull her forward, continuing towards the car.

"Of course, the whole day would be us visiting every fast food restaurant in this part of D.C." I say with a smug look on my face, not that he can see it, as he is behind us.

"What...whaaaat!?" He cries out, before rushing towards and in front of us.

"Abigail, anything but that. How about we just stay at home and play all day huh?"

I don't meet his gaze, I push past him, still clutching onto Mom, whom I can hear giggling.

"Mom, Mom, do something."

"Don't be difficult Burke." Mom smiles a cynical smile.

"I'm not difficuuuuult!" He whines, making me and mom burst into laughter.

We make it to the car waiting for us at the edge of the small meadow ahead.

We waste no time getting in, and with Burke at the wheel, we head home.

I stay at the window of the back seat, where Mom and I are seated.

The view I get from peering out the window is always enough to lift my day, no matter how ugly it may be.

Burke turns on the radio, and just when I thought my day could not get any better, I hear my favorite song playing.

Surrender, by Natalie Taylor.

We all enjoy the drive, each of us peering out the window while rocking gently to the song.

It couldn't get any better.

My eyes are dead set on the incredible scenery of green and life.

Nature really is beauti....

*CRASH*

My heart sinks, everything goes dark, but when light surfaces, the world turns red.

I'm upside down, in pain, and nauseated.

The smell of smoke and steel permeates the air.

I try to get my bearings, so I turn in every direction, I don't see Burke, but I find Mom beside me, hanging upside down, with the seat belt holding her in place.

Footsteps bounce into my ear, and in an instant, the door beside Mom is flung a hundred meters away.

A hand covered in fur and claws slitter into the car.

Reaching for Mom, I try to scream, but my voice is mute, I try to wake Mom up, but my hands freeze, I try anything.

But I find I can't even blink.

The hand reaches for Mom, and I jolt up, screaming.

"Lady Abigail!?" A voice I know all too well echoes into my right ear.

I force past the fear, the shivers, and the aches, and turn to my right, only to find Rosemary reaching for me, and holding onto my arms.

"Lady Abigail, what's the matter?"

"Ro... Rosemary?" I ask, trying to make sure I am not dreaming.

"Yes, it's me." She says, a faint smile on her lips.

My eyes sting all of a sudden, and at once, I find comfort in her, squeezing her tight with every fiber of my being.

Before I know it, the tears building up at the edges of my eyes, flow in full force, onto Rosemary's back.

I wail, and I wail, and I wail.

It takes me more than 20 minutes to fully regain my composure, I hadn't spoken another word since I had awoken in this hospital room.

Even after the doctors examined me, and found nothing wrong, I still didn't speak.

Rosemary sits on a chair beside my bed, eager to hear my voice.

Though I tried more than once, I couldn't help but lose my voice upon remembering memories I worked so hard to forget all my life.

Now here I am, sealing them out yet again as they scratch and claw at the doors of my mind.

I have to distract myself somehow, so I force myself to speak.

"Rosemary." I call out, and she rises off her chair in painful elation.

"Lady Abigail."

"Just... don't, okay?" I say, pointing my remark at the formal 'Lady' in her sentence.

She forced a smile and tookmy side on the bed patted, prompting her to do so.

"Are you okay Abigail?" She asked.

"No, I'm hurt all over, it's not like there are Kerigore wolves everywhere or anything," I said with sarcasm in my tone, hinting at her and her pack's incredible healing abilities.

The same pack that runs this hospital, especially for wolves.

"That's not what I meant," She responded, and I completely understood what she was getting at.

"A near-death experience can be traumatizing." I sit up, leaning on my pillow.

"I heard names in your sleep." She is careful not to mention said names to me.

"Drop it." I say, no hint of a joke in my tone.

"Abigail..."

"What happened to me?" I ask, cutting her off.

"..." She is hesitant to speak.

"Rosemary?" I call.

She takes a deep breath, then speaks.

"An assassination attempt, on the Leviakon pack...on alpha Darius, so I've heard."

That's two times now, is this just a regularity for Darius?

"How did they get into Darius' house?"

"The details are not being shared, all we know is he and his most trusted are handling it."

As she speaks, my mind drifts into the distance, and I remember my mate, Elias.

I lean off of my pillow.

"I...I..."

"What is it, Abigail?"

How do I even go about asking for him?

"The guests, the guests, any casualties?"

"None actually."

Rosemary has no idea how much of a relief it is to hear that.

"Are you sure?" I make certain.

"Yes, I'm quite sure."

I breathe a sigh of relief, then I lean back into my pillow.

"Thank God."

Rosemary raises a brow.

"It's nothing." I stupidly blurt.

"Is it your mate?" She doesn't even hesitate to say that.

Annoying Rosemary always has a freaking nose for things like this.

"No, what made you say..."

"Don't lie to me, you met your mate today didn't you?"

"You did huh?"

The air freezes in my lungs when I hear and see Darius walking in on us.