Chapter 23: My Pack's Allies

"No, that, that was just. She clung to life Elias."

"That isn't what happened. She was gone, she was dead, but you brought her back."

I turn away from Elias, feeling colder and colder with each breath I take, that I can't help but stroke my arms.

"And that isn't the exten..."

"How did you know about...no, forget that. Why, why are you with the woman that tried to kill me?" I ask, the cold seeping into the tone of my voice, as I remember the car crash and the tattooed hand that reached out for Mother. "Why were you there that day Elias?"

He says nothing, making me further anxious about his response.

I turn to him, but I don't find his eyes.

"Elias? Answer me." I ask again.

But again, he takes several breaths, before he finally moves his lips.

"I'm sorry Abigail." He takes a deep breath and cleans out his face with his hands. "It's just, my pack, and the Charon pack had been close allies for generations." He meets my gaze, and I find hurt in his. "That didn't change with this generation."

He walks closer to me, but subconsciously, I shift back, only feeling the sting of my action on him a second later.

He doesn't press, and he continues.

"Your mother, knew me when I was a child." He says, and I can't help but stifle a gasp.

He steps to the left, and behind him, I find light and color spark, grow, and then form into a forest, with several cabins lined across the field.

I know what this is.

It's a gathering of wolves.

Father's pack always gathered in a place like this once every two years.

I always loved it when our pack from every part of the country would gather in one spot to bond and connect with their roots.

But, mother's pack never did the same, because we were all there was to the Charon pack.

I force myself out of my head and focus on the scenery unfolding before my eyes.

More so, when, I see Mom, getting off a truck, and stretching her arms.

I leave Elias' side, and take several steps towards her, my heart pounding.

"Mom?" I call out, but she doesn't answer, she doesn't even acknowledge me.

"She can't hear you," I turn to Elias, wondering what is going on. "This, all this is a recreation of my memory."

I return my gaze to my mother, feeling my heart sink, but I don't question it, I just watch.

Seeing her fills me with emotions I try to suppress, because it hurts too much.

I smile at her fashion choice, she dawns a t-shirt, with jean pants, and a face cap, that's it.

Mom always dressed like a boy, similar to Celine, perhaps, that is one of the reasons I clung to her so easily.

I remember that whenever she was at home, she would wear the most boring clothing.

Most times she would not even bother, and just put on father's clothes.

Which always seemed to make us laugh.

Save for formal outings and meetings, she never really cared what she looked like.

But no matter what she wore, she was always as beautiful as a celestial portrait.

Elias takes my side, and we watch as she heads towards the center of all the cabins, and the wolves present gathering to welcome her.

"From time to time, she would visit the Seufris pack, my pack." He says, and now I realize why these wolves felt unfamiliar.

"What was she like?" I ask, not sure if I did so to test the solidity of his claims, or, to just be shown her being her, even for a moment.

"Your mother. She was the kindest woman I had ever met," The scene before us changes to Mom helping out around the gathering site. "She was always so fun and bombastic." I see her running around, leaping from tree to tree, challenging other wolves, and laughing exuberantly when she wins. "She never cared about things like status or social standing, I remember she always visited the orphaned cubs and would tell jokes, laugh, and play with them all day."

The scene before my eyes makes my heart sink further.

I don't want to watch anymore, but yet, I do, I miss her so much, I miss them so much.

I get closer to her, watching carefully as she caresses and plays with the children.

I want to touch her, but a part of me tells me otherwise.

She gets up and rushes a child who just walked into the cabin.

When she gets to him, she lifts him up and spins him around.

There is a familiarity about this child, which makes me analyze him for several seconds before it clicks.

I turn to Elias.

"You, you were an orphan?" I ask him.

He gets to my side and finds a seat on the floor.

"I was, but I never really felt like one when she was around." He turns to Mom. "She would always come with gifts and joy and laughter, and anytime I would look at her smile, I would feel everything else, all my worries and pain, fade away."

I can't control my hand reaching for my chest.

That, that was her alright.

"She kept close ties with the Seufris pack for many years, that is, until she was mated to the Gerendail pack. After which she stopped visiting as often, until, she stopped altogether." His gaze sinks, as the scene before us changes to him, waiting by the spot where trucks are parked.

I can tell he is expecting Mom, but he won't find her.

"When I was old enough to join the fighters for my pack, we found out that your family was in danger, and would be attacked."

Everything goes dark, he doesn't show me anymore.

"We struggled to find out the details, to find out who, when and where." He takes a deep breath. "We found out, and at once, two dozen wolves were sent out to intercept the attackers. I...was a member of these wolves."

His words click in my head, and several pieces start to fall into place.

"What happened?" I ask, placing my hand on his, as he turns to meet my eyes.

I don't know if I am ready to hear this, but I have to.