Lacey Mine

Chapter 7

Lacey felt her wolf fade into the background, her vision fading away. Though strangely, she still saw slight shadows, darker than when she had seen Jordan's yesterday. Looking around, she could make out where everyone sat, just not who they were. This puzzled her a bit, but she shrugged it off internally. She would think about it later.

Then, zoning back into the conversation and listened to her Papa as he told Uncle Steven everything. She could hardly believe how much she had remembered just by seeing her family.

She remembered Uncle Joe as the man in her dreams, tossing her in the air and making her laugh.

She remembered Uncle Steven being the one to hold her mom tight and tell her things would be okay when she cried for her lost mate.

She remembered Aunt Lulu bringing her to her house when things got to be too much for her mom to handle and playing with Joey, who was only a year older than her.

Lacey gave a deep sigh and leaned on Jordan's shoulder as Papa came to the end of his story. Then she spoke, saying, "I remember so many things. I remember waking up and thinking it was still nighttime. I wasn't tired, though, so I stumbled from my bed and felt my way to the door. I-I fell down the stairs, and as I lay at the bottom, I heard my mom come and ask me what had happened. I remember sitting up and putting my hands to my eyes and crying that I couldn't see. I felt mom put her arms around me, and she just sat there rocking us and crying. S-she told me she just couldn't do it anymore, that it wasn't fair to me. She kept telling me how sorry she was as she fed me and bathed me, and rocked me back to sleep. The next morning, I woke up in a strange-smelling bed."

"You were at our house then?" Papa questioned.

Lacey nodded. "Yes. I remember hearing someone walk in and asking them who they were. A boy told me he was my new brother, and somehow he just made me feel... not so sad and scared anymore. I patted the bed, and he got on it with me. I remember the smell of pine; it was familiar to me and gave me comfort in my dark world. So, I crawled into his lap and smelled of him. He told me it tickled and giggled a bit, but he didn't stop me, and I told him he smelled like strawberry bubblegum and pine. That was the start of my relationship with my new brother."

"Do you know what happened to your mom?" Uncle Steven asked.

Lacey shook her head, answering, "No, but from everything I've heard, I figure she went rogue. I'm so glad I was able to meet my family again. It feels as if a big hole in my heart has been filled."

"We're glad to have you back, Lacey. I found my mate not long after you and your mom left," Uncle Steven said.

"Do I have any more cousins?" Lacey asked.

"Yeah, two. A boy and a girl. Their names are Ralph and Jennifer. They went to see their grandmother for the weekend, but they'll be back, and you can meet them then," Uncle Steven said. "Are you going to stay at the pack house or with the Alpha?"

Lacey was confused. Why would he think I would stay? I have a home and a mate. "Um... Uncle, I'm not staying here."

"What! Why?"

"Because I have a home, the home I've known most of my life, and yesterday I found my mate," Lacey explained.

"Your mate can come with you. We need you here, Lacey. We've missed out on so much of your life; you can't leave again," Uncle Steven said as Lacey felt him grab hold of her hand. "Please, you're all I have left of my sister. I've lost her, and I can't lose you too, Lacey."

Lacey could hear the tears in his voice, and she was torn. Now that she knew for certain she had family, she wanted to know them. However, her life was with her pack and her mate. Wasn't it? She whimpered as confusion filled her heart and mind.