*Sasha*
Before departing to Lycenna, I wanted to see my mom and check in with her. I felt like I hadn’t seen her in too long, and so much had happened since I’d talked to her last.
When we got to her house, she gave Lucas a strange look but didn’t say anything.
“It’s good to see you, my daughter.” She hugged close.
I took a deep breath, her scent bringing back childhood mories.
“I missed you, Mom.”
“I missed you too, Sasha.”
She led us into the living room. Lucas and I sat on the couch together. He slipped his arm around my hips and I noticed how my mom’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“I’ll get us so drinks.”
She disappeared into the kitchen for a mont.
I looked around my childhood ho, my heart swelling with nostalgia. Light ca into the windows, casting a reflection on pictures hanging on the wall–pictures of running around as a little girl, playing with butterflies, and swimming.
My mom returned and set a tray of lemonade on the coffee table.
“So, tell about your life.”
I grabbed a lemonade and took a quick sip.
“The good news is that I got so really great work-study opportunities through school.” I bit my lip and glanced sideways at Lucas.
“That’s good to hear.”
“And, I got my wolf and found my mate!” I bead a smile and put my hand on Lucas’s knee.
My mother’s eyes narrowed and she gave Lucas a hard, firm look.
“I rember you. You used to bully my daughter.”
“Mom!”
Lucas cleared his throat. “I was a brat as a kid. In working together, I’ve gotten to know Sasha so much more and I think back on how much of a jerk I was. It sickens to think I ever treated her like that.”
“Hmm....”
My mom didn’t look convinced. I saw how she fixed her eyes on my hand and Lucas’s arm. It seed to bother her that Lucas and I were touching each other.
“I suppose it’s not my place to argue with the Moon Goddess’s pairings.” She licked her lips quickly. “Though, I won’t say I’m overjoyed with this new developnt.”
I sighed and gave Lucas an apologetic look. It wasn’t like I didn’t understand my mom’s concerns. She’d always been very protective of . In my heart, I knew my mom just wanted to be happy.
“What are you two doing here?” She pulled her eyes from Lucas and gave a warm smile.
“We’re on a mission to find an orb,” Lucas explained.
“An orb?” I noticed the hitch in my mother’s voice.
“At the building site we were working on, we discovered a very unique temple. Inside, there was this orb that sort of... called out to .”
My mother gasped and I saw the blood drain from her face. Pale as a sheet, she lifted her hand to her cheek, staring off into the distance.
I continued telling the story. “After finding the orb, things got a little crazy. We’ve been trying to find out what it ans and what it wants. There’s this immortal shifter that keeps popping up and he told that my power was evil. Mom, do you know anything about that?”
“The binding spell is fading....”
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
“Mom?”
She blinked several tis and turned her eyes to . The color slowly returned to her cheeks. She still looked pale and shaky.
“The binding spell that protects you–it is fading. Sasha, it is imperative that you do not go anywhere near your father’s people. You must avoid them at all costs.”
“I....”
Lucas put his arm around my shoulders. “I promise, Clare, I will protect your daughter, no matter what. I’m not letting her out of my sight and I won’t let anyone lay a hand on her.”
My mother sniffed and shook her head. “If only it were that easy. Don’t make promises until you know what you are up against.”
I saw the confidence in Lucas’s eyes falter and my stomach shifted. There was so much about my mother and my own past that Lucas didn’t know yet.
“If they get anywhere near you, they’ll claim you and your powers as theirs. You don’t want that.”
“No, I don’t,” I agreed.
“Since you have a mate now, you should be safe.”
“Should?” I squeaked.
My mother sighed and sank into her chair. She looked defeated suddenly, like the chair was too strong and would swallow her whole, right into the stuffing.
“Tell more about this orb.” My mother waved her hand toward us.
I got the feeling that she was trying to change the subject.
“We’re still figuring it out. The orb seems to be connected to the White Queen magic, because it was found in a White Queen temple.”
My mother’s eyes flew open. “A White Queen temple in the Dark Realm?” Her eyebrows disappeared into her hairline.
“We were surprised by that too,” Lucas said.
“So far, what we do know is that my dream dancer abilities activate the orb. It has done so strange things and shown so events from the past.”
“And your quest is to discover more about the orb and your power?”
It sounded like she was speaking more to herself.
“Yes, and possibly find the orb’s twin to better understand the power of the orb and my power.”
“I see.” She nodded absently. “Sasha, I know I can’t stop you from doing this. In fact, I think it is necessary for you to better understand yourself and your heritage.”
“That’s not the only reason I’m doing it. It seems like there is sothing the orb wants to do. Fix a mistake or....”
My mother held up her hand and I stopped talking.
“Listen to , daughter. Now that you have your wolf, you should be growing into your power. In ti, you’ll be more powerful than anything.” Her voice took on a deep, somber tone.
A shudder ran through , and Lucas tightened his grip on .
“I want you to be careful. This power you have is great and strong. However, with the blood legacy of your father’s pack, it could easily turn your power dark. It could turn you dark.”
I swallowed hard, too stunned to say anything. All these years, I never fully understood what my mother was protecting from.
It was just like the immortal shifter had said. My power was darkness and could be used to hurt a lot of people.
I couldn’t let myself get sucked into that darkness. I had to only use this power for good. Otherwise, I’d beco the thing everyone feared.
Lucas and I went out on the back porch alone. After bringing up all those painful mories, my mom wanted to lie down for a while.
I didn’t bla her. She’d sacrificed so much to keep safe and keep away from the darkness inside of .
Sohow, I’d managed to dig it up, literally, and bring it right to the surface.
My hands trembled as I paced back and forth on the deck.
Butterflies and bees buzzed around the vibrant flowers in my mother’s garden. When I was a little girl, I had a butterfly net and I’d spend hours chasing the colorful insects, catching them and letting them rest on my hands and arms as I studied their colors.
“Are you okay, Sasha?” Lucas asked. He grabbed my hand, pulling to a stop.
I shrugged. “I never knew what my mom was trying to protect from. It must have been a horrible burden for her to carry that around for so many years.”
“She might have sacrificed a lot, but your mom is strong. She did what any mother would do–protect her daughter.”
I smiled lightly and nodded. “You’re right. I’m just so... grateful to her for what she’s given and what she’s done for .”
I shuddered again and rubbed my arms as gooseflesh prickled my skin.
“Then what is bothering you?”
“I’m... scared of becoming like my father. I don’t want to be anything like him. But if we follow this path with the orbs, I might beco him. I might turn into the bad guy....”
Lucas shook his head and pulled against his firm, muscular chest in a tight embrace. Steel cable arms wrapped around , making feel safe and secure.
“I won’t let that happen.”
I nodded against his chest. But did Lucas really understand?
“After the bracelet was broken... my mom was so worried. I didn’t understand why at the ti. She was worried soone would find , my father’s people,” I murmured into the cloth of his shirt.
“I know you think that his blood links you to darkness. Sasha, I don’t buy it.” Lucas shook his head.
I pulled back from him and gasped, covering my mouth as the mory of pain stung my gums, again.
“I don’t know what his blood ans for , but what I do know is that it terrified my mother enough to....” I pressed my tongue to the back of my mouth, feeling the tooth.
Lucas still had his arms looped around . He arched an eyebrow, waiting for to continue.
My heart thudded heavily in my chest and my hands trembled as I thought back to that day, all because of a stupid bracelet breaking. At least, that’s what I thought at the ti.
I closed my eyes. The last ti I had thought of this mory, it had filled with terror and tornt. But now, I had a different kind of respect for my mother.
“They needed a fresh bone of mine for a spell–I’m assuming a protection spell. My mother held down while I had a tooth ripped out. No painkillers, no... nothing. I was terrified because I didn’t understand what they were doing. It hurt so badly and I felt betrayed by my mother.”
I sighed and pressed my forehead to Lucas’s chest.
“I’m sorry you had to go through all that... and because of ,” he whispered, rubbing my back.
I shrugged. “You’re missing the point, Lucas. My mother, who loves more than anything in the world, was willing to traumatize and cause that much pain to protect from my father and his people. That’s the kind of man he was.”
Lucas pursed his lips and nodded slowly. I could see that the reality of the situation was starting to sink in, the heavy truth that surrounded us.
“That sa darkness my mom went to such great lengths to protect from... it’s inside of . It has been my whole life.”
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