Isabella
Mom was coming back tonight? I couldn’t stop my eyebrows from scrunching together as Dad confird she’d be joining us at Great-Grandmother’s dinner. The knot in my stomach tightened, my feelings all tangled up like the ti I tried to brush my own hair.
It wasn’t that I didn’t want to see Mom. I actually missed her—a lot. Mom had never gone this long without calling before. Every night since she’d been gone, I’d stare at my phone before bed, wondering if tonight would be the night she’d rember to call. But she never did.
Nova whimpered inside , confused by my mixed emotions. *Why sad about Mother returning?* she asked in my head.
I stroked my fork against my breakfast plate, making little patterns in the syrup. The truth was complicated. When Dad had told Mom was away on a business trip the morning after we’d gotten back from visiting the northern territories, I’d been... happy. Relieved, even. No Mom ant more freedom. No lectures about my dication schedule, no forcing to rest when I wanted to play, no endless questions about how I was feeling.
Most importantly, no Mom ant more ti with Aunt Aurora.
"Dad?" I looked up at him, watching as he checked his phone again. He always did that when Mom was ntioned—like he was expecting sothing from her that never ca.
"What is it, pup?" His voice was gentle, his eyes soft when they landed on . Dad always looked at like I was the most precious thing in his world.
I pushed my breakfast around my plate, trying to find the right words. "If Mom’s back, does that an... I can’t spend ti with Aunt Aurora anymore?"
Dad’s expression tightened for just a second before he covered it with a smile. "Your mother doesn’t dislike Aurora, Isabella. She’s just protective of you."
That wasn’t true. I might only be five, but I wasn’t stupid. Mom and Aunt Aurora hated each other. Whenever they were in the sa room, the air got thick and heavy, like right before a thunderstorm. The grown-ups thought I didn’t notice, but I always did.
"But Aunt Aurora promised to take to school tomorrow," I said, my voice getting smaller. "And her race is tomorrow night. You said I could go!"
Dad reached across the table and squeezed my hand. "I promised you could go to the race, didn’t I? And I keep my promises."
Hope fluttered in my chest. "But Mom won’t let . She’ll say it’s too dangerous or that I need to be in bed early or sothing."
A smile played at the corner of Dad’s mouth. "Leave your mother to ."
I bit my lip, thinking. Then an idea hit . "What if... what if we don’t tell Mom? About the race?" I leaned forward, excitent building. "She doesn’t need to know, right? It can be our secret!"
Sothing flashed in Dad’s eyes—sadness, maybe? But it was gone so fast I couldn’t be sure. "Got it," he said with a wink. "Our secret."
Relief washed over , and I started eating again. I’d go to Aunt Aurora’s race no matter what. Mom couldn’t stop —she hadn’t cared enough to even call for two whole weeks. Why should she get to decide what I do now?
But even as I thought it, Nova whimpered again inside . *Miss Mother,* she insisted. *Need Mother.*
I pushed those feelings down deep where I didn’t have to look at them. Mom was always hovering, always worried about . With Aunt Aurora, I felt normal. Strong. Like the Alpha’s daughter I was supposed to be.
After breakfast, Dad left for work, and I spent the morning with my tutor. I couldn’t focus on my lessons, though. All I could think about was seeing Mom tonight at Great-Grandmother’s.
Would she hug tight like she always did? Would she notice I’d learned three new words in elven? Would she be mad that Aunt Aurora had been teaching about my heritage—the parts of that ca from Great-Grandmother’s bloodline?
When my phone buzzed during study ti, I nearly jumped out of my skin. My heart raced as I checked it, hoping...
*Miss you too, Mommy. Can you sit next to at dinner tonight?*
I’d sent that text hours ago, right after Aurora helped answer Mom’s good morning ssage. I’d been checking my phone constantly since then, waiting for Mom to respond. And now she had.
*Nothing would make happier, sweetheart. I’ll be there early just for you.*
Sothing warm and tight squeezed in my chest. She was coming early. For . Not for pack business or for Dad or for Great-Grandmother. For .
Before I could stop it, a tear slid down my cheek. Nova howled softly in my mind, overjoyed. *Mother coming! Mother loves us!*
But then I rembered all the tis Mom had said no when I wanted to do sothing fun. All the tis she’d made take yucky dicine when I felt fine. All the tis she’d kept ho from school because she thought I looked "too pale" or "too tired."
Mom loved , but she didn’t understand . Not like Aunt Aurora did.
Aunt Aurora let run in the woods with the other pups, even though Mom said it was too dangerous. Aunt Aurora taught about the ancient elven rituals that flowed in our bloodline, even though Mom said I was too young to learn. Aunt Aurora treated like I was strong, not fragile.
I wiped away my tears and put my phone down. I could love Mom and still want to be with Aunt Aurora. I could miss Mom and still be mad at her. I could be happy she was coming to dinner and still keep secrets from her.
I was the daughter of an Alpha, after all. And Alphas were complicated.
Reviews
All reviews (0)