Thicket

Wilder

Sometimes the hardest thing

and the right thing

are the same.

            I was intrigued with the way Kalyke buried their dead. I was even more intrigued that Beckett had no family, leaving only the Alpha and Beta to bury his ashes under the tree. As I stared at the base of the tree, I couldn't help but think about the man who now lay dead.

Why did he think that he was more special than the man who was buried not even five minutes before he started making everything about him? Maybe he deserved to die.

My eyes stayed on the base of the tree as those around us began to fade. Olympia was exhausted as she leaned heavily onto me, she's been exhausted lately. Wearing herself out to the point that she was beginning to fall asleep standing up.

I didn't move, letting her get a few moments of rest. She was going to need it.

If I focused hard enough, I could feel Ellis' pain, throbbing. Just like I could feel my own. It felt like fire. A slow-burning fire that flowed through my veins doubled as I tapped into Ellis'. But I continued to as he straightened up when the pain lessened.

He was in more pain than I was. His leg had snapped in three places. His lower femur, ankle, and foot. In a way, I wish I could have taken that injury for him. But instead, all I got was an ear that was stinging with itchiness.

Wrapping an arm around Olympias' shoulder, she stirred, her eyes prying open. "C'mon," Ellis nodded in the direction of the house. "Mom wants to talk to us."

Olympia yawned as she wrapped her arm around Ellis' waist, comfortable between the two of us as we walked. She was still mad at him for what he said, so was I. Her anger was simmering under the mate bond.

We walked into the house to find our mother looking extremely worn down, the bags under her eyes were heavy and swollen. The familiar dark brown eyes were tinged red from crying as she just looked loaded down with sadness. "Hi loves," She tried to smile, but a tear slipped from her eyes in a slow trail down her cheek.

"I've talked to many about what you are saying is happening with the Lycan you share." I hadn't even noticed Nan on a high wing backed chair until she began speaking as we settled across from our mother.

"You are purposely blocking out the beast. You are afraid of the power he holds, of the way you shift."

"Were not afrai-," Ellis went to cut off the woman before she gave him a sharp glare.

"You are blocking out the beast. You need to accept what you are, there is no going back from it now. You are something that has never been seen before and may never be seen again." She licked her lips before folding her wrinkled hands.

"It is time to accept that something is going to happen to your sister if you don't do something about it. I have been informed of the prophecy and so far, it is coming true. If something doesn't happen soon, the Luna-" She cleared her throat, her voice breaking over the title. "The Alpha Female of Kalyke will be dead. Our pack left without an heir as the Alpha will no doubt go rogue without her."

Her wise eyes met Ellis and my own as we sat there shocked, Olympias tight grip keeping us grounded to reality. "You have to decide if you're going to roll over to this prophecy or if you're going to fight for your family."

She looked at the three of us, staring into our eyes as if she could read our soul before casting a glance at our mother. "The decision is yours." She uttered before carefully pushing herself up and hobbling away.

I frowned as I thought to myself. Seeing a Wolf that old was off in and of itself, but damnit she was right. I was afraid of letting the beast back through, afraid he will hurt Mia or the pack on accident.

But I couldn't be afraid anymore, Ellis and I needed to face the fears, so he could help us heal so we could be out there looking for Bexley. If we did nothing this prophecy was going to come true and we wouldn't have our sister in our lives anymore.

The decision was fucking ours, and I know what path I was picking.