Filed To Story: Their Bullied and Broken Mate by Teri Petry
River and I quickly made our way across the grounds. I could smell the rain in the air, and the clouds were getting dark. “She picked one hell of a day to make her exit,” I joked. River shot me a hateful look and said, “It’s not the time to joke Mads. She is dying, not pulling a parlor trick.”
I didn’t get upset at his being snarky, I knew he didn’t know how to process losing her. He was just upset, and I couldn’t fault him for it.
We walked into the pack house and straight up the stairs where grandma’s room was. River lightly knocked on the door, and I heard my uncle call us in. “She’s been asking for you both,” he said.
River went to one side of the bed, and I went to the other. We sat on each side, next to her, and held her hand. “Gran? It’s Maddix. River and I are here now,” I whispered.
“I know you are here, sweetheart. I felt you sit down,” she chuckled. “Thank you boys for coming to say goodbye. You forget one thing though. It’s not a goodbye, just a see you in a while. I will be back eventually, just not as you know me now. I have told you this before,” she said.
Her white hair had been pulled back into a braid, and her eyes still had a shimmer about them that I remembered as a kid. “Gran, you need to rest. Save your energy,” I said. She just shook her head and said, “Energy for what, Maddix? You don’t need energy where I’m going. There’s nothing but energy there.”
I gave her a small chuckle, and River bent to kiss her forehead. “Grandma?” he said, and tears started to fall. She cupped his face and said, “River, it’s alright to shed tears. You don’t always have to be so strong and hard-headed. It’s alright to be sad and grieve. However, I want you to promise me something. When you feel sad because I am gone, look to the stars and know that I am the brightest one up there. I will be watching over you for the rest of your days, River. You take care of your sweet mate. He will take care of you. Just be patient with him. As new as being with a mate of the opposite sex is for you, it’s also new for him too. I love you so much.”
River threw himself over her, and hugged her as tight as he could. “I love you too, grandma. I love you so much!” he cried. She then took her hand and placed it on his head. “Maddix, you and I have had many discussions about life, and even about death. I know you will do great things, as I have always said. Watch over my Riley. She doesn’t understand a lot of the wolf ways, but she is learning. She desperately wants to be as you are. If you decide to turn her, it has to be a full moon. It will make things much smoother for both of you. Willow and Sterling will grow to be strong wolves, Maddix, and Sterling won’t be Alpha of Blood Moon. He will be far superior, so don’t be surprised when you learn why. Your daughter. Our Willow. Will be stronger than any male Alpha we have ever known. She will run the pack with an iron fist and a kind heart. I love you my little man. Always remember that,” she told me.
Her eyes started to droop, and I told her it was OK if she wanted to sleep. Little did I know her eyes would never reopen. My gran passed away shortly after, and moved on to the next world. I pondered the words she had spoken, and was almost frightened to know that my children would hold great power in the world of the werewolves.
With great power comes even more struggle. There is always the fear of someone coming to try and take that from you, and a life living in fear of dangerous people isn’t what I wanted for either of my children.
When gran passed, I had to leave the room. I wanted to be there for my family, but I needed to deal with my grief. I didn’t want them to see that my heart was shattered, and my soul felt empty for the first time in a long time. I ran outside, and shifted into my wolf. Dakota ran as fast as his legs could carry him, and when he was deep in the woods he let out the most heartbreaking howl.
We made it to a stream that ran along the base of the mountain, and laid beside it. I let my block down, and linked my wife. “Ry, she’s gone. I’m sorry. I should have come and told you in person, but I needed to run. I’m near the mountain base. I’ll be at the hospital shortly. I love you,” I explained to her.
I shouldn’t have told her in the link, but I wanted her to know as soon as possible.
I didn’t linger too long by the stream, and decided to head back to the hospital. I’m sure Riley needed me, because she loved grandma as much as the rest of us. I found a clothing stash and threw on some sweats and a t-shirt that I was able to retrieve.
As I was walking in, Alette came storming out of the back. I could feel the emotions radiating off of her body. Our eyes met, and my sister fell into my arms. “I should have been with her, Mads. She left before I could say goodbye,” she sobbed.
I rubbed her back and did my best to comfort her. Inside I was breaking just as much as she was, but it was my job as the big brother to make sure she was OK.
“She knew that what you were tending to was important, Lette. She would never have expected you to abandon your best friend who was fighting for hers and her baby’s life to come sit at her deathbed. She loved you more than that, sis. She knew how much you loved her, and something deep within me thinks this isn’t the last we hear from gran. The afterlife can’t even keep her away from us,” I explained to her.
“She came to Micah when she was passed out. She sent messages to us all through Micah. She even named the baby. Her name is Aisling Brook. Did she suffer, Maddix?” she asked. I shook my head and explained how she just closed her eyes and went to sleep. She squeezed me tighter and said, “I’m going to miss her, but I’m happy she’s at least at peace now.”
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On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.