Un•A•Were

22| Mom's Story

Amanda's POV:

Four years. Four years gone. Four years of memories. Four years of hurt and anger for what? Nothing?

After leaving the restaurant, we drive to mom's hotel room. Once all four of us get settled, my mom begins to tell the story. The one she always told me she couldn't bring herself to tell. I wait impatiently for her to begin as I'm already on edge.

"I think it's time you hear the truth. So, strap in because this roller coaster won't stop until the ride is over. This will also be the last time I tell it." I sit next to her on the bed while Sam and Luke anxiously listen from the couch in the room.

"Your father had a special "talent" which made him very successful in his career. However, a man, a very evil man, discovered your father's "talent" could be used to make him very, very rich. He began tormenting your father until he finally turned to threats. He threatened to kill you and me if your father didn't do what he asked. Your father had to make a plan of escape. He called Mayor Xavier for help. They were meticulous and kept the plan top secret. I wasn't even told every part." She takes a breath to calm her nerves.

"Unfortunately, the plan had to be rushed when your father fell ill. He discovered this evil man had somehow poisoned him and there was no cure. We couldn't wait any longer. There was no time to call Xavier and let him know what had happened. We just grabbed our emergency bags and left that night." My mom pauses and inhales another deep breath. Before I could speak, she continued.

"Brace yourself babygirl." She takes a quick, stern glance as if what she is about to say will alter my entire existence. "We knew Alpha Xavier would accept us, but we had to get into pack territory without alerting the patrol units. So, your father once again used his powers to create a diversion. He made himself resemble a werewolf hunter. This would insure the patrol team would come after him and allow me to run to the pack house with you." She slowed in her story as I could see her trying to control her emotions. I'm trying to process all of these new terms...Alpha? Pack? Hunter? What is she talking about? I finally voice my confusion.

"Mom, I don't understand what you are talking about." I glance at Sam and Luke who also looked shocked, but for an entirely different reason. They looked like some huge buried secret has just been revealed. "What? You guys believe this?" I question them. Neither of them speaks as their wide eyes remain glued on my mother.

"Please Amanda, you must let me finish and all will be explained. I promise." My mom pleads. I gulp at my mother's tone.

"But you're talking crazy mom! Werewolf hunters? Alpha? Pack territories? This sounds like my Creative Writing class, not reality!" I huff out, exasperated.

"What if reality and fiction are one in the same?" She asks getting my attention. "Your father knew he didn't have long and he had to convince Marcus he was dead and no longer of any use to him. He planned to get caught. I don't think he expected Bryan to be the one to catch him, but he was. He did enough to make sure you and I were saved. Then, he let the poison take him."

"Alpha Marcus?!" Luke stands looking tense and extremely pissed. What the hell is going on? Who is Alpha Marcus? How does Luke know this man from so many years ago?

"Yes." My mother replies. "He was the evil man after my husband and family. He's obsessed with power and will stop at nothing to use people to get it." She sighs again. She continues tell her story. "When we reached the pack house, Luna Rachel escorted us to Alpha Xavier's office. He was immediately on his feet, shocked we were there. When he asked where Michael was, I could only shake my head and begin to cry. He rushed to the scene to see he was already gone. He brought Bryan and several other patrol officers to his office where we waited patiently for the news I already knew was coming. You think you are prepared, but when Rachel sat next to me and Xavier rested his hand on my shoulder, I just broke down. He was gone. My love, my husband. He had done his duty in protecting me and you as well, pumpkin. They allowed me to cry it out. Rachel had already made arrangements to conceal our presence in their territory, alter your memory, and solidify work so I could support you." She ended her story. Tears streamed down my face hearing my father sacrificed himself for his wife and child. My mind was swirling.

"Alter my memory? Is that why I have very little memory of that night?" My mom just nods in response. "So you're telling me that werewolves, vampires, witches....are real?! The things of nightmares actually exist?" I mindlessly question.

"Yes, babygirl they are, but they are not all bad, you see—" she's cut off by my immediate rush to the bathroom. I couldn't hold back the contents of my stomach. I threw up everything from lunch. My anxiety spiked to the point of no control. I concentrated on my breathing. This can't be real! It just can't be! I flushed the toilet and splashed cool water on my pale face before entering the room again.

Sam and Luke have worried, anxious looks on both of their faces. My mom continued to stare down at her hands. I look back at my friends for any objections to what my mother has said, but their resignation tells me she was telling the truth.

"So, if, and it's a VERY big if, this is the truth, why does Bryan still think he killed my father?" I ask plainly. I try to minimize my mom's story into manageable chunks my brain can process. So far, I've been unsuccessful.

My mother says just above a whisper "I can only speculate that in the whirlwind of events, Alpha Xavier never fully explained to him about the plan. He was only 10 years old. I'm sure he was trying to protect him in some way. He being the future Beta, it's one of his duties to protect the pack and rid their territory of rogues or intruders. It was probably a simple oversight on everyone's part. I-I never knew he felt responsible, but that does explain why he always looked so sad when he saw me. That poor boy." My mom explained.

Part of my heart broke for Bryan who has walked around with this guilt when, in fact, he wasn't to blame. I was mad at myself for blaming him. I was also pained knowing my father sacrificed himself to ensure his family's safety. I stand there allowing all of the information to process through my mind. I stare out the window of my mom's hotel room.

No one spoke. Sam and Luke sat next to each other staring at me. Waiting for any response, any reaction. My mother stared down at her hands, probably reminiscing about the past. The emotions begin to crash in on me like waves and tears begin to flood my cheeks. I see the clouds roll in and the once sunny weather turns dark and ominous. Sam and Luke look at each other and then towards my mom. My mom sighs and says "there's more."