Thorn (Werewolf) ✔

Chapter Forty-Seven

Holding Thorn's hand is like when you climb into a warm bed at the end of a long and stressful day. There's that tiny moment of pure relief when you think. . . finally, I made it. I made it through that day and now everything is going to be alright.

Malese gave her life for mine. I'm still trying to wrap my head around that. I'm grateful that she finally put things right but what was the real cost? I don't know enough about magic to start panicking yet but I can't imagine that cheating death would bring good karma.

That's a problem for another day because today, I am just appreciative that I am alive. And nothing screams alive like the distant stares from my stunned and disbelieving parents. We walk back to the camp to silence, apart from Sky trying to explain to them what the heck is going on. Most of the pack are still disposing of the bodies, I watch as they drag one of Cole's minions by their ankle and toss their remains into the flames.

I wait at the perimeter as Thorn kisses my hand and then lets it go.

"I'll give you some privacy."

He walks over to Kira and Shadow and takes a seat at the far end, almost out of my sight. My parents are still staring, my mother is the first to approach me. I've imagined this moment since the first time I saw her in that motel room. I almost gave up hoping it would happen.

Her walk is slower and slower as she observes me. I notice that she is wearing a seal too. It's like mine, only except for copper hers looks forged from gold. Malese must have passed it on to her son and the blood alphas kept it hidden over the years.

Madison is so beautiful. Her eyes are a muddy brown, like Sky's, there is a certain soreness to them, as though they've experienced a lifetime of pain. Her hair, like mine, is thickly blonde and curly. She has the tall physique of a woman but her face is youthful. She wears a red dress that blows around her knees. It's only then that I realize she is dressed for my funeral.

"We went for a walk and when we came back, Sky said. . ." She swallows her words. "How is this possible?"

"Magic," I whisper, eyeing my father over her shoulder. "Malese's magic."

"Malese saved you?"

"She's gone now. Thorn said that she died after. I'm okay. I mean, as far as coming back to life goes, I feel great."

Crasuel comes closer and I see the slash across the side of his throat. It's healed now and it's starting to scar but I feel uneasy as I remember Cole doing it to him. I thought he had killed him.

Madison almost bursts out into tears as she holds her arms open. "Can I...?"

I contain my own tears as I nod. We meet somewhere in the middle and I fold into my mother's embrace. Her scent is mesmerising. Her hair smells like wildflowers but her natural scent is something that resembles strawberries.

"I have waited twenty years to hold you," she whispers. "I wouldn't blame you for being angry with us."

"There is no anger left inside of me," I say. I smile at my father. "Only love."

He joins the embrace and I try to hold myself as their scents overwhelm me. I can smell their DNA so closely. There is a magnetic pull to it, as though our bloods are trying to connect. My mother is the first to break us apart and she holds my shoulders, wiping a tear from under my eye.

"You must have so many questions."

"Only one," I say. "Did you ever look for me?"

"Yes," she says. "We watched over you as best we could. We had to be discreet so Cole wouldn't get suspicious. I would sit at a distance and watch you walk aimlessly around the grounds outside of your mansion. You always looked so lonely. It broke my heart."