“Now we're so far into nature I can feel your power growing.” As she glances sideways at me she shines with awe and love. “It's stronger than I ever imagined. The way your connected to your surroundings is wonderful. You've taken to itso easily. You’re going to be an incredible Nymph Krista.” My mums pride warms me completely. She takes a deep breath and glances at me again. “Which I why I know you’re ready to hear more of our history and know all about your Dad.”
My heart skips when she mentions him. She never talks about him. I always thought it was because it was too painful for my mum to talk about. Long ago I came to the conclusion he must be dead. Otherwise, where is he? I watch her in silence, listening intensely to what she says.
“His name is Carter. He's an alpha werewolf and he loves you more than anything. He's so proud of you.” Tears are in her eyes and she tries to blink them away. “He was captured by Hades when I was pregnant with you. He's been kept prisoner in an attempt to get information of our whereabouts ever since.” I try to control my reaction but the more I hear the more my jaw drops. Nothing could have prepared me for this. My heart clenches and shatters as I realise the depth of her words. The heartbreak they have been through. My Dad not being there to see me grow up.
She continues to tell me her heart-breaking story. How Hades found them in Yellowstone. They tried to fight them off but they used explosives to wipe out the pack. My dad was captured and Seth, my dads’ best friend, managed to get my mum into the woods where they ran for their lives. Until Alistair caught up to them. He killed Seth but my mum used the last of her energy to turn herself invisible within the forest by morphing within a tree. They couldn't find her and she was able to slip away. For months, she kept running. Never stopping in one place too long as her baby bump grew.
“By this time, you were ready to pop. I used the last of my money to buy our home and you were born the day I got the keys. I thought it was a good sign so I kept us there. I know your Dad is alive because we can read each other’s minds. That'sone of the main reasons for them keeping him prisoner. He's been watching you grow up through my eyes. It’s a connection called Moira. It means Fate. Every Nymph has someone they are fated to be with. When you find yours, you will be able to share thoughts as well. You dad sacrificed everything to keep you safe and he will continue to do so for as long as it takes.”
I have no words. I've never been so shocked. My Dad knows me. Has watched me grow through my mums eyes. Not being part of my life must have been torture for him. Through his and the packs sacrifice I was able to grow up safe from Hades. They still fight for that safety every day. I thought he was dead! I stare at her with tears in my eyes. I know my mum is strong but what she went through and how she kept us both safe is astonishing. She's wonder woman. I don't know what else to do so I just hug her the best I can in a moving car. She rests her head on my shoulder.
“I love you mum.”
“I love you too baby.” She kisses the top of my head.
I guess now I know why sometimes my mum would have a faraway expression. She must have been sharing thoughts with my dad. It's amazing to think that even though he wasn't here with us he's still been able to watch me grow. I want nothing more than to see him. I've always been jealous of other kids with both parents. A proper family. My mum is amazing but I want so much to know what having a dad feels like. Knowing that he's alive but kept from us makes my chest hurt. I dread to think what he must have gone through as a prisoner of the God of the Underworld.
“Can't we save him?” If there is the tiniest chance of us being a real family I have to try.
“It's impossible. If your caught in the process everything the pack and your dad sacrificed to protect you will be for nothing. Just know that he loves you. I know it's not enough butthere is no other way. I'm so sorry. I wanted a much different life for you. I thought with the pack you would be safe but Hades is too powerful. In a way, we're lucky that Alistair found us and not him. One God we can deal with, barely. Even though he is incredibly strong. But if Hades finds us, I don't know what we'll do.” She holds my hand tightly as we continue to drive.
What weird feelings had started to grow for Alistair are stamped out. In their place is a dark mass of anger. He was there when my parents’ world fell apart. His dad has tortured my dad for information on my mum and me. Maybe Alistair even tortured him himself. He sent my pregnant mum running for her life completely on her own after his coven destroyed everything she had. Who knows how many people he killed in that battle 18 years ago. Or how many innocent people he's drained of blood. How could I think there was anything about him that was good. He had the audacity to flirt with me and kiss me after everything he's done! My anger for him is nothing compared to the anger I have for myself. I feel vile for letting him hold me the way he did. Kiss me and touch me the way he did after everything he's done to my parents. He is in for a world of pain and suffering if I ever see his lying, manipulative, treacherous face again.
My hands ball into fists making my nails cut into my palms. I'm done with his mind games and seduction. The memory of last night and what we did makes me feel physically sick. What I did and how I felt about him yesterday is humiliating. I never want to be near him ever again. He's dead to me.
Rage swirls around inside me like a humongous beast ready to rip everything to pieces. I want to scream but I keep my energy in and harness it so that when I see Alistair again, he has no chance of hurting anyone ever again. In some twisted way, I want him to find us so that I can show him just how royally pissed off I am. He thinks I'm some stupid little girl with a crushon him but that little bitch is gone. My dad is an Alpha and I'm going to make him proud by making Alistair pay.
As my anger and frustration grows, I hear loud thunder rumbling overhead. I look up through the wind shield and see thick, black storm clouds swirling above us. As I watch, lighting strikes the cliff face next to us sending an explosion of rock and debris onto the road. I jump back in my seat as my mum slams her brakes on. She turns to me as the storm intensifies.
“Krista look at me.” She cups my face and I stare at her wide eyed. “Breathe. Don't let your emotions control your power.”
Lightning strikes next to the car again as thunder growls and groans in anger. I can feel it fuelling my emotions. Or am I fuelling it? Reality dawns on me that I've created this. All my rage has culminated into a terrifying storm. I do as my mum says and breathe. I created it so I can control it. On each breath out I release my anger and slowly the clouds get lighter. Then I remember Alistair and it boils up again. Tears fill my eyes as I try to focus on my mums’ voice to get my churning emotions under control. Slowly I try to let go of it. Anger isn't going to solve this. Breathe. The rumbles get quieter.
“That's it baby. Calm. Just like that.” With one last deep exhale I feel the energy around me balance. “There you go. You have to be so careful. You are so strong for one so young. Which means you have to try even harder to ensure you maintain balance.”
“I'm sorry.” I look around at the mess of the road and forest around us. I'm supposed to protect it not destroy it.
“You can fix it. Just concentrate and keep control.” Her tone is reassuring but stern. “Reach out to it with your mind. Get closer to it outside if you have to. Put everything back in its proper place.”
I get out of the car and walk towards the rubble scattered across the road. I reach out to it mentally and picture the rock lifting up in my mind. They hover in the air seemingly suspended by nothing. I feel the weight of the boulders in my hands and lifting my arms I will them to go back into the cliff face. It all slots together like an enormous vertical puzzle until finally the crater in the cliff is smooth again. Next, I turn to the trees that were damaged and I feel the pain of the huge fractured branches. This time much more gently I use my emotions to sooth and heal them. It takes a bit of time but eventually I manage to right the wrong I caused in my anger. I feel fatigued but as I turn back to the car, I feel the power from the forest around me trickling back into me like a small stream. Replacing the energy I used to fix it. It's a bottomless fountain of power. A battery that's constantly recharging.
When I get back into the car, my mum smiles at me as she turns the engine on and continues driving.
“Now you can see why Nymphs don't come into their powers until their 18. Can you imagine the carnage of a toddler tantrum if we were born into our powers?” She laughs and it has me laughing to. “Don't worry, what you’re going through every Nymph has gone through. The only difference is your much stronger than most new Nymphs.”
“Why though? Why is it different for me?”
“I don't know. Gaia must have big plans for you for her to bestow such greatness on you. Try not to worry I know you'll do fine.”
Her confidence in me is like a warm blanket and it helps me to relax. My mum and I can get through this together. We've done fine so far and besides it looks like we'll have some supernatural friends to help us soon. Which reminds me I need to check for the next full moon. I whip my phone out and that's when I see my text to Cassey has sent. Dread drops like a weightin my stomach. It must have been a dream when that bastard stole Cassey's phone right? I'm sure it was. Cassey will text back in no time. If I ever get signal again that is.
The longer we drive the more this feels like a road trip holiday than a run for our lives. My mum tells me all about her and dad. I realise me and him have a lot in common. Like our love of reading and drawing. Most of the time I have my head in a book. Apparently, because werewolves don't need to sleep much, my dad used to while away the midnight hours by reading. My sketches on the other hand are more like doodles but I find it therapeutic and enjoyable. My mum tells me that dad can see a landscape he liked, take a seat and draw it until it was near enough identical. I'd love to see some of his drawings one day but those chances are slim to impossible right now.
She tells me how they met and became Moira when she was starting a small gardening business in Hampshire. She knocked on dads’ door to drop off a business card and since that encounter they started sharing dreams. The rest is history. It sounds like love at first sight. My mum looks so happy as she takes a walk down memory lane. It's like when I was younger and she'd read me stories before bed. This one is hands down my favourite. The flood gates have opened and now mum won't stop telling me about her and dad. It's wonderful and I don't want the story to end.
The next hour flashes past and we turn down a long dirt side road. Either side are a couple of wooden signs. One saying 'private property' the other saying 'warning dogs loose'. I chuckle to myself. At least werewolves seem to have a sense of humour. Despite that I feel nervous and I become aware of my dishevelled appearance. My pretty peach skater dress is covered in dried blood. Alistair's blood. My stilettos are destroyed and my legs are covered in mud. Not the best way to make a first impression. Nothing I can do about that now though.
The lane is long and the woodland around us closes in tightly. Through the thick branches I begin to make out a large building up ahead nestled tightly between the trees. The bottom half is made from rock and the top half from wood. Like a modern log cabin. The closer we get the more is revealed. There's a wooden stair case that goes up the side of the house. The banister is broken and the door it leads to on the second floor is hanging by one hinge.
