“Chica!!” Meadow comes bounding from seemingly nowhere, darting at me like a lioness pouncing its prey, like a freight train and a tornado all in one, and sweeps between us, hauling me off my feet in a bear hug that momentarily dazes me, and spins me around with alarming strength for a girl shorter than me. “Dios mío, niña, te extrañé”
She smothers me in Latino love, squeezes me so my ribs almost crack under the strain and then dumps me on my feet and grabs me by the face with an insane clutch like grip. She starts kissing me all over the cheeks, nose, and forehead, like an overbearing momma, and it’s a furious fast barrage that doesn’t give me a second to counteract. I can only screw my eyes shut, pucker up my face to protect my poor features and accept this ambush while trying to unhook her fingers around my cheeks before she leaves bruises. She’s strong and persistent with her very aggressive affection.
“Mead….ddd…oowww” I try and wriggle free of those claw-like hands and the lipstick smeared attack on my face, giggling wildly at the ridiculousness, but she’s relentless. Finally, once I’m sure every inch of my face is in matching rouge red from her lips, she lets me loose.
“Oh my god, my baby girl, she’s come to me and now I can die happy, knowing my Chica is home.” She’s being overdramatic, her accent heavier than usual with the surge of emotion she’s spewing. She’s still holding me in her arms, but I have to say the feeling is mutual. I’ve never been so happy to see another femme in my life, as her. I throw myself at her for a second hug, this time one I can actually participate in and she squeezes me once more, so I get to wrap my arms around he properly.
I can tell Colton has moved away, as his invasive presence releases the strangle hold on my heart and a quick glance tells me they’re at the rear, removing his mother’s bed as members of the pack move into help. There’s a lot of chatter as people figure out who’s coming out of the truck and I can feel the whispers spreading through the pack as the atmosphere is charged with shock and excitement. I can see some pulling out the machines and cabinet and putting ramps in place. A hive of activity over there, with the doctor directing with that unique accent of his above the drone, issuing orders to his new mass of helpers.
“Let me look at you.” Meadow drags my attention back to her, pushes me back to arm’s length and even though its dark out here, lights from the pretty huge and towering house, standing tall in front of us, illuminates this area enough that we can see each other with clarity. That was the light which hurt my eyes when I woke up.
“You look so good, so healthy, your hair has grown, your losing your puppy face and…oh, god! What are you wearing?” Meadows face and tone completely drop as her eyes run up and down my attire and she visibly gawps. The look of sheer disgust which envelopes her expression makes me laugh.
“Escape clothes!” I shrug under her scrutiny, amused with the way she’s now holding the arm of my sweater between two nails like it’s an unhygienic rag and let’s go before rubbing her fingertips as if to expel the grime. I’m not dirty but her reaction is priceless as she shakes her head at me.
“Why do you keep letting that boy pick your clothes, huh? It’s not a good look. Colton has no taste when it comes to female things. I mean, he dated Carmen for two years, that says it all, Chica.” She bobs her head side to side waving a very pointy red nail in the air and I let out an involuntary snort laugh. She’s so hood sometimes; I love her to bits.
“He didn’t … Dress me, I mean. He found me like this. It’s all I had to hand.” I look down pulling at the grey sweats a little as I take in my baggy outfit and oversized boots, but it’s not as bad as she’s making out.
“We need to remedy that. Once we get our Luna inside and comfortable, you and I, we need to burn these. Maybe bury them and perform some kind of last rights.” She tugs at the hemline of my sweater and then runs a set of talons through my hair to push it off my face and draws me back to her. “You do look different though…. like you maybe only left for a few weeks, but you’ve grown in years. You look beautiful, and less tortured. My baby growing up so fast.” It’s an insightful perspective, but she’s right. These past weeks I do feel like I’ve matured some, and definitely grown as a person in subtle ways, and I knew I had shed puppy fat while being out there in the wild. Eating less, exercising more, I probably look slimmer.
I’m no longer in that frame of mind that I’m some feeble no one that isn’t important. I know I’m the center of something, and this is where I need to be for now. I’m not sure about less tortured given my current state of affairs; cheating mate, relearning my past, and finding out my entire pack was murdered. I would say maybe, I’m just handling it better than I would have a few weeks ago. I feel mentally stronger.
“Why thank you, although I’m tired. I need sleep. I must look a wreck, but you’re right, we need to get Sierra inside.” I nod to where they all seem to have everything under control, catching sight of the bed coming into view and Colton stuck to his moms side, her hand in his once more, even though she is still dead to the world. He’s looking at her with so much adoration, fixated, that it does make me feel completely broken as I watch him. A longing for that without complication, without this mess between us. To have him look at me the way he’s looking at her, that unconditional love that’s so hard to find.
We move out of the way as they swing past and I flatten against the truck as the entire entourage gets by us and follow close behind, meadow sliding her hand in mine and guiding me with her to tag on at the end when they get past.
“Ahhh, Alora.” A voice comes from my side and then I’m dive bombed by an enthusiastic male who footballer style wrestles me into a hug before I’m hit from behind by another. Equal stealth and strength and I almost fall over with the weight of two heavy boys hugging the life out of me. Unable to breathe and not sure if this is an attack, I crumple almost to my knees.
Domi and Remi near choke me to death, ruffling my hair, picking me up between them before I get ground into the mud and I get a kiss on each side of my face in unison. Sloppy, wet, a bit ewww but overall, it’s kind of sweet.
“Our little sister came home. Our puppy!!” They both state in synchronized perfection, sounding like a melody in their sing song playfulness. I get yanked from side to side, set on my own feet then let go just as Cesar appears in front of me, Meadow moving aside with a look of joy on her face, smiling like a proud mother.
“Don’t you ever do that again, missy. Do you know how worried your pack has been?” Cesar swoops in between the twins, that equally heavy accent as his mates and a stern paternal tone to match that serious frown he is giving me. He gives me a less ferocious cuddle, a quick squeeze, and kiss on the cheek, before he pulls back, and the rest of the sub pack seem to appear around me.
Matteo, Radar, Jesus, all crowd in at me and I guess they were part of our escort to get us here. All of them take it in turns to lean in and welcome me back with a short embrace and a peck on the cheek, a few words of welcome back, until I’m blushing and awkward with all this attention.
“We missed you. Don’t run like that again. We’re your pack, man, we were all crazy worried.” It’s Jesus, and he bops me on the head with a soft closed fist and shakes his head at me, a real frown on that face that shows his genuine emotion.
“Yeah kid, little pups like you shouldn’t be out there alone!” Cesar reiterates his earlier statement.
“Colton has been unbearable, dude. You girl, are getting chained to him so we don’t have to endure that again.” Matteo pushes the twins aside and clears a path in front of me as he tries to move us along, and Meadow ducks into the center beside me, catching my arm in hers and starts walking me in behind the boys as they turn and starts leading the way. Some turning to walk backwards as they interact and throw me smiles and genuine looks of relief that I’m home. I can feel it all around me, that it’s real and honest. The genuine relief, the love from my adopted pack that swells my heart so much it hurts. None of them faking it at all, and I don’t qu
estion where that certain femme of Colton’s is, because right now, I don’t want to know, and I don’t care.
“You missed a war. Colton put his daddy on his ass. It was epic.” Jesus seems a little too gleeful over that fact, skipping sideways in front of me somewhat boyishly and Matteo shoves him in the shoulder playfully, out of the way. A warning tone to his words.
“Shut up. Colton hears you talking like that he’ll put you on your ass. You know how sensitive he is about all this right now.”
“Yeah pipe down, bro, he’s only a few feet ahead. Have some respect.” Radar the voice of reason leans in; he pats me on the arm in afterthought, with a nod, and a wink, to say hey. That always terrifying white eye, blank, dead, but his good one is kind of shiny and happy and it makes him a little less scary to look at. The scar isn’t as much of a visual draw like it was when I first met him and he steps in, speaking a little lower, nearer my ear.
“Welcome back…. and thank you. For finding her. She’s been missed for so long, some of us were losing hope.” There’s a strange tone in what he says, a distant look in his eye and as he talks his gaze wanders to the bed ahead of us, he shoots off instantly, to go catch something one of the trolley pushers drops. Scooping it up before it hits the ground and merging into that hobble of people to replace it on the bed.
“Radar always had a thing for Sierra. You’ve no idea how much this means to him, for her to be home.” Meadow whispers in my ear, hushed so the rest of them don’t catch on. Like it’s some sort of unknown secret and I quizzically glance her way.
“What? Isn’t he too young? Aren’t they like son and mother aged?” I flash a look at him again in the crowd, then back to her in confusion, but she shakes her head.
“Radar is our Papi. Every pack has a mentor who’s mature. He’s older than all of us, mid-thirties. He went to war as part of the Luna’s guard. That scar on his face, he got by protecting her with his life, and it almost ended him. God damn silver and wolfsbane, I shudder to think. He’s always been a slave to Sierra and never mated because his heart lies with her, devoted, and loyal. It’s kinda sad, to be that crushed on someone that even in her absence you still pine them.” Meadow is hushed, but the torn tone of real empathy drags through her voice, a hint of real pain for her pack mate.
“They had an affair?” I gasp, my head spinning on that point alone, and I can’t help but staring back at Radar in the people before us, seeing him in a whole new light. He’s not exactly ugly or unattractive. That scar is obviously a major, but he has a nice face despite it, and a strong, tall build, like Colton. The white eye I guess kind of makes him a little bad ass. In that rugged, hero type, way
“No, you know the laws on adultery with a mate bonded wolf. Radar is straight down the line, not a rule breaker. He never told her, she never knew, never even had the courage to look her in the face all those years because he was completely submissive in the hierarchy to her. It’s forbidden for the guards to look upon the alpha’s mate and make eye contact. The Luna had many guards, and he just blended in, I guess. He was the only one of her guard to make it back alive though, probably because he was so badly wounded and recovering. that he was taken down and missed the last battle they ever fought. The Luna’s guard were all massacred in that last fight, then everyone came home, and she was gone before he recovered enough to regain his duties.” Meadow shrugs, retelling what she knows, and I inhale heavily as pieces click in place and it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.
Juan probably had them all slain too because they would have been loyal to their charge. Their Queen. She was their focus, not Juan, and Radar escaped only down to being almost dead. Which means he missed what happened with my mother and knows nothing of what Juan did. He would be dead too if he’d been there, and it removes any shadow of doubt that he was ever involved. He didn’t even get the chance to save her from being sent away. I think if he had been, he would have died to rescue her all over again.
The adultery thing though, highlights how much Colton doesn’t respect or care about me if he expects me to throw aside the laws and have an affair with him anyway. We all know the shame it carries, and I could be completely exiled from this pack if we went through with it. His alpha role would be dissolved, and he too could be dethroned to live in shame. He’s an asshole of the highest order if he thinks that’s a solution to him marking that Puta. He can’t have his cake and eat it.
I blink in Radar’s direction, trying so hard to get my head around this new information as we sweep into the brightly lit grand foyer of a huge entranceway of this so-called homestead. I mean Colton grew up in a manor that was more of a castle and housed hundreds…. this is small by that standard, but still a freaking castle in its own right. It’s amazing, and huge. Prehistoric, and the décor is definitely old-world witch, but I don’t doubt it can house a vast amount.
The hub bub of the crowded hall, and wave of bodies moving up and down the stairs, and around in general, as word spreads, they have their long-lost Luna back, makes this place feel pretty overwhelming. It’s not enough to distract me from watching Radar follow the group though, stopping when they get so far, as Colton and the doc wheel Sierra’s bed in the direction of a narrow hall to the left.
“I should go with them.” I nod after them as more of the group of helpers drop off, leaving a bare minimal body count to turn her bed into a door. Mainly Colton, the doctor, and a couple of femmes who are helping with the cabinet and her machines.
“Yeah, you should. We’re all going to go back out on patrol of the borders to watch for your tail, we have to keep this place safe. Tell Colton to link me when he wants me back to take care of you, and to find you some decent clothes. I’m sure for right now, Sierra is his priority.” She clasps my hand tightly, squeezes it, and leans in kissing me on the forehead, before nodding towards the door that Colton and his skeleton crew went through.
“Meadow…. I’m so glad to be back.” I answer honestly, in afterthought, as she goes to move away, warmed by the tearful smile she gives me, and that little rub of my shoulder that it’s all going to be okay. Despite everything, even finding out that I could survive out there alone, I really have missed her and being around people. Being in a place that’s warm, and safe, and I don’t have to hunt for my meals anymore, it reminds me what a pack can be like. I can do it alone; I just prefer this…. not out there. Being here reinforces it. I don’t want to go back out and disappear anymore. Everything’s different and I don’t want to leave again.
“We are all happy to see you back. I made a mistake in letting you leave… Colton is still trying to forgive me. Don’t do it again.” She half laughs, but there’s a serious edge to her tone and a look that hints at a real warning.
“I’m not planning on it. All of this is bigger than us now. Priorities have changed.” I point out and she exhales with another nod.
“Good, because he’ll strap your ass to him and put guard duty on you twenty-four seven if he even gets a hint you might take off again. That boy is not playing no more, Chica!” That head wobble and finger point that always makes me smile at her, but I ‘hmmm’ then gesture I should go. I don’t care right now what Colton thinks, or wants. I need to see what’s going on and then sit. I only dozed in the truck for a short time and I’m physically exhausted and could do with a little moment to get used to this buzzing house. After weeks of nature and solitude, this human chaos is a bit much to get my head around. This whole thing is mentally overwhelming, and sleep is all I want, even though I’m not going to get it for a while.
I turn and head after Colton, trace their steps down a corridor, turn right through the door they went, which takes me along a short hall, through two double doors into a proper set up infirmary. It’s already like a mini hospital wing, which is weird given our kinds ability to heal, so I guess this is from when the witch side of Colton’s family who stayed here. It’s white, large, yet crowded with cabinets full of potion bottles on every wall. Some of it looks dated, but mostly there
are modern additions, obviously brought with Colton’s own medics who are hurriedly wading in and helping move Sierra to a central bed that’s more substantial than the one she’s on.
I mean wolf packs do have medical staff and doctors. We do sometimes need them, especially in the younger ages when we are not turned yet, and we catch diseases or get injured. We’re vulnerable in youth, much like mortals are. It’s irresponsible for a pack to not have the means to protect all in our pack.
They switch over her machines to full size ones, change out her tubes, and hang up her saline bag on a trolley to the side, as some of the wolves already in here file out, gazing longingly her way and nodding at Colton as each and every one leaves. I know the link between pack members is generally the preferred mode of communication, but it sucks that to me it’s a silent wall. Watch in envy as so much translates between them, but I hear nothing.
I miss pack linking, and the sense of unity it gave you as a whole, it reminds me I’m never really going to be part of this pack. I mean Colton could initiate me in general, now he’s alpha and has that power, and I could maybe link that way, but once his mate gets a whiff I’m here, I don’t doubt world war three will erupt. She’ll never let him put me in the pack to have more of a bond with him.
I have no idea where she is, but she has to be around here somewhere, I mean, she is his Luna now. Mates never stray far apart and as Luna, her job is to care for the vulnerable in this massive palace. She probably got left behind here when he came for me, because he knew she would just aggravate the situation and make things worse between us. Not that it needs much help.
Awakening: Book 1 Page 44