Loved By Him

Chapter 4

Justice

"So the camp has to be somewhere that is at least four hours away in wolf form because there's no way it's a neighboring pack," I stood up from the table and stretched.

"Let me call Ian and see if there has been any rogue activity," Mom said. "Tyler, Brady, bedtime." The young boys whined, wishing to be a part of the action. "Hush, let's go boys," she grabbed Brady's hand and ruffled Tyler's hair as she walked them out.

"I'll call a few other alphas and ask about neglected masses of land," Uncle Rocky stepped into the hall. 

"Axel, you pick the men for my group. I know I can trust you with that. I'm gonna find Dad. If I'm going to be ready for this mission in his eyes, I have to train," I stretched again and cracked my back. Axel nodded and stood, leading the way out of the room. 

"I'm not going to lie, I have a bad feeling about this," he said quietly. I hum, dragging my hand along the wall as we walk down the hall.

"You might just be paranoid. Dad's rubbing off on you."

"No," he scoffed, bumping me gently. "Call it twin intuition." I made a face.

"I don't think that applies here."

"Don't disregard me, Isa," he grabbed my arm and looked me in the eye, stopping our trek. 

"You're serious," I sighed. He only called me Isa when he was being vulnerable or when he really needed me to listen.

"You're my twin. We have a stronger mind link than even Mom and Dad. If we get cut off, I don't know what I'd do." I pulled him into my arms tightly. We just stood in the hall holding each other in a silence that simply said "I love you and I worry for you."

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"Kick, block, punch, guard up," Dad's voice echoed through my head. "Anything could happen and you're my only little girl. I can't lose you." I quickly realized that Dad felt like a failure because he hadn't gotten the rogue situation under control before hand. I left gym to go to my room and get my satchel ready. I quickly laid out a pair of leggings and a tight long sleeved black top and grabbed a similar second outfit. Mom's scent got stronger as she poked her head through the door. 

"Ian says everything is normal in his pack so it's clear that the rogues are antagonizing our pack and Rocky may have a lead on the abandoned land. I brought you a pack of food in case you need to stakeout," she placed small bag into my satchel. 

"How do you feel about all this, Mom?" I sat on my bed. She sat next to me and sighed.

"I remember the night you two were born like it was yesterday. I gained two babies but suddenly my first was gone and my motherhood began again," she placed a hand on my cheek. "Your dad and I were so scared you two would be next so for the first five years of your lives you slept on your dad's chest, you bathed with us, we never even set you in high chairs to eat. We felt that if you left our arms, even for a moment, you'd be gone. My mother came to visit a few times over the course of those years and she never held you. Then, on your fifth birthday, she snapped at us."

"Bet Dad took that well," I chuckled, knowing my father's reaction to criticism of any kind coming from any one other than my mom.

"He was a bit angry but he got her point," she smiled. "She told us that if we didn't let you go sometimes, you wouldn't be able to grow as people. Basically, she felt the same way we did when my father was killed, but she didn't hold us close as long because that's not what my father would have wanted. He would've wanted us to grow as individuals and become who we wanted to be. And I know he'd be proud of us if he could see us now." She rubbed her legs and sighed. "So how do I feel about this? I'm terrified but I have to let you go sometimes."

"I love you mom," I hugged her tightly. She kissed the top of my head and murmured the words back. Axel poked his head in and smiled weakly.

"Uncle Rocky confirmed the location and the team's ready to go at nightfall."