Her sobs were ragged, but it was the screams that broke me. We crumpled to the floor as she screamed her pain, and all I could do was hold her and allow her to release it. She wouldn’t listen to me until she did. It wasn’t until I heard the door shut that I realized Rowan had left.
I grabbed her around her shoulders, and under her legs and I picked her up. I carried her to my bedroom and laid her on my bed. And then I did the only thing I could. I pulled the phone out of the lockbox and I dialed my father.
It was late, but I could only hope he would answer. I slid in behind my mother and I waited for the ringing to stop. I closed my eyes in defeat when the call went unanswered and his voice played in my ear.
“Hi, you have reached Alpha Gavin Maclean. I’m currently busy, but I will get back to you.” My mothers screamed again as she heard my father’s voice.
“He’s gone.” Her scream shook the sliding glass door. I hung up the phone and called back. “I told you he was gone, baby.” She grabbed a pillow and screamed into it again. I nearly cried out in relief when I heard the call connect.
“Hi.” He started, but I think my mom’s sobs stopped him mid sentence.
“Stop calling him. He won’t answer.” Her voice wobbled. “I just got him back and now he’s gone.” Her eyes popped open when I handed her the phone.
“My love?” My father’s calm voice came over the speaker and my mother froze.
“How?” she choked out. She looked at me and I saw the confusion and ache there. “Please tell me this is real.” Her voice was a whisper, and I could only nod. “Gav?”
“Hey baby. I’ve missed your voice,” He answered and I could see the shudder run through my mother’s body.
“You’re dead.” She pulled the phone away. “You’re dead.” I watched as she clicked the video call button and she waited. “Please don’t be dead.” She watched the call connect and my father’s face filled the screen. She dropped the phone and covered her eyes as she sobbed harder.
“Baby? Look at me.” My father’s voice was muffled, the phone laying on my mother’s chest as she sobbed into her hands. I picked up the phone and held it up. “Hi pup.”
“Hi daddy.” I snuggled next to my mom, holding the phone out to where she could see. “Momma. It was a lie. One that we couldn’t explain over just any phone or mind link because, you know, Vince and the others are watching.” I wrapped my arm around her as her sobs started to get quieter.
“Baby, we are all here. All safe. We moved to the Agora cabins, out of the way of prying eyes.” My dad had a slightly panicked look in his eyes. “I am so sorry, I wanted to warn you, to tell you. But we needed this reaction.”
My mother pulled her hands down. “This reaction?” Her voice still held her pain, her anger, but she was focusing on him now.
“Yes baby. Vince and Morgan aren’t stupid. They know you were still holding love for me. If you didn’t have this reaction to my death, then they would have known something was up.” I could see the need on his face. “I wish I was there to hold you. To kiss you. To prove to you, I’m not dead. But I can’t.”
“But everyone is alive?” My mother’s voice was hopeful.
My dad nodded. “We all made it to the Agora. Including the five other packs we are helping. I sealed off the way to the cabin for Carl and Carly after making sure deliveries were set up from my account every week for supplies and building materials. We hope that all of this is handled before he completes the cabin.” His voice was soft. “I have told no one where the cabin is actually located, so they should be safe and sound there.” My dad glanced at me. “Carly said that when it was time, Amy would find them.”
I just nodded, and I leaned in and kissed my mom’s temple. “You two have a lot to cover. I will leave you here to discuss it all.” I popped up. “I’m exhausted. I have to meet up with everyone early in the morning and I know this is going to take a long time to go through. So I am going to go to sleep on my couch.” I smiled and grabbed a blanket and pillow. I went and dropped it on the couch and then went back to my room to grab clothes to shower and change.
“I can’t believe you are still alive. I love you so much, Gav.” My mom’s words faded as I closed the bathroom door.
I woke with a jolt. My mother was standing over me with slightly swollen eyes. “Baby?” I wiped my eyes.
“Mom, is everything okay?” I grabbed for my phone on the table. It was six in the morning and I wanted to cry. I finally crawled under the covers at almost midnight, and I loved sleep.
“It’s morning. I didn’t mean to scare you, but I’m heading out.” I sat up and rubbed my eyes again.
“Are you sure?” I grabbed for her and pulled her down by my legs. “How are you doing?”
“I’m okay, baby.” She leaned in and kissed my forehead. “I shouldn’t have come here.” She ran her hands down my hair.
“Of course you can come here, mom. Any place I am you can come. Anytime.” I reached for her other hand. “I will never be too old to not need my mother.” I smiled at her.
But she shook her head. “No, baby.” She closed her eyes and looked over my shoulder. She was thinking about something. “I was selfish.”
“What do you mean?” I felt her hands convulse in mine.
“If, goddess forbid, your father was actually lost…” She shook her head. “I never should have come here to cry to you. You would have just lost your father and here I am coming to make the pain so much worse by layering my pain on top of yours. I was selfish last night. Thankfully, your father is still here, and you knew it. But I need to do better.” I watched as her eyes hardened. “I will get back to who I was when your father loved me.”
“He still loves you.” I whispered, and the smile that broke across her face was amazing.
