New Age Werewolf Series Book 2: Hunter's Daughter, Alpha's Mate

Part 3: Runaway Home

Instead of driving down to the ground level, we parked by the upper level where the bridge was. I turned off the ignition and just looked at the cabin I had spent so many summer vacations and Christmases in.

"What?"

I glanced at Didi. "Looks the same."

"Yeah."

I sat there for a second. Why was I hesitating?

Suddenly, the door opened and I saw my father walk quickly across the bridge. He looked worried and I felt worried. I remembered the last time he looked like that.

I ran down the corridor of the hospital, my heart racing as it seemed to thud in my throat. It sounded bad, really bad. I started talking the minute I saw the employee behind the desk. "Hi, I'm here to see Elaine Martin? She's my mom."

THe clerk tapped on her computer, and then wrote up a visitor's pass. "Six thirty-one."

The elevator ride seemed long. All I knew was that Mom had been attacked while they were trying to apprehend some bail jumpers. Dad said they thought they had them but they were led in into a trap. 

I  walked into the room without knocking. Mom was in bed. She was awake but she looked so weak, so terrible. A small gasped escaped me before I could fix my face.

" Hey Junebug," Mom said sweetly.

I smiled. I was born in June and Mom told me that the junebugs  and fireflies came out every year to celebrate. When we went to the summer cabin, we never used those bug lamps because of it. It was either candles or nothing at all outside. Of course when I got older I knew better, but in the summer it was a nice idea. "Hey, Mom."

She held  her arms open and I raced into them. "Oh, my little junebug, I'm sorry so sorry."

"Mom," I said again. I looked at Dad  sitting on the other side of the bed, and I felt a sense of dread. He had tears in his eyes. I pulled back to look at her. "Did you get 'em?"  She blinked at me. "The fugitives?"

She and Dad shared a look, and she answered sadly. "No. "

"It's getting more like a feud, really." His head was bowed.

The  air was different, I could sense it. "What's going on?"

Dad cleared his throat. "Mom needs more operations. She suffered alot of injuries. She is...amazingly stable, but it's a long road, baby."

I looked at her. "She looked like she was passing out. "Mom?"

"Tired." She whispered. "Love you."

"Mom?"  I watched her close her eyes, and looked at Dad.

"She's real weak, baby," Dad told me. "She didn't want to do the next surgery till you came."

I gasped, not sure if that was a good or bad thing. "I came as fast as I could--"

"I know," he chuckled. "You were fast, firefly."  It was his nickname for me when I was in gymnastics in elementary school and track and field in high school and college.

I put my head on her chest. Her heart was still beating but I was afraid...so afraid. 

It was the last time I saw her alive. She went into a coma and died. I never understood the extent of her injuries, only that Dad looked like his life was ending. All I knew was that our life was ending. I only got to see them in the summers, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Until my father's parents died I spent spring break with them. I never really met my mother's side; they  died before I was born, but Mom did say they saw me when I was a baby.

"He looks mad, Lani." Didi said, breaking into my thoughts.

My mind's eye closed to physically see my Dad looking somewhat angry as he got closer. I rolled down the window. "Dad--"

"You shouldn't have come," he growled. "and you've got to go now."