A Chosen Daughter

Chapter 17*E

A hand on her shoulder registers as Marie stands behind her "Sister? ... I can tell by your face where your thoughts are going!  What we've witnessed these last few weeks does not mean the future is definitely heading in that direction!!".  Leah closes her eyes, her heart breaking knowing she will have to tell Marie, as well as her other sisters what she's come to realise.   "And even if these are more signs of that to come, here, today, we've also seen the promise of redemption!  You saw how they have reacted to your words!  Your teachings!  There's still hope to turn things around, to prevent ..." Marie falters as Leah silently shakes her head.  Marie's face pales as Leah raises her face to her sister, her tears filling her eyes.  She reaches up to clasp Marie's hand still resting on her shoulder.  Marie's eyes widen as she slowly starts to shake her head in denial. "What - what do you mean?"

Leah stands and gently strokes Maries cheek.  As she blinks, tears slide down her face. "We were wrong!" She tells her quietly
"Wrong?" Marie whispers and Leah nods. "How were we wrong?"
"We read the signs too late" Leah frowns "Or maybe it's more likely, we misinterpreted"  Marie shakes her head.
"What we took to be signs of what is to come, is actually signs of what has already started ... think about it!" Leah stresses "That's why it never made sense!  Why the pieces never fitted together; we were trying to put together the wrong the picture!" Marie shakes her head, tears falling freely down her cheeks.  "Sweetheart the opportunity to prevent this has already passed us by!"

Marie let's out an heartbroken sob "sssoo wwweee fffailed?" She stutters out.
"No!  No!" Leah quickly reassures as she pulls her into a hug stroking her hair "we didn't fail!  We have done what we've always done; we have tried our best!!  That is all mother ever asks of us!"  Marie sobs brokenly on Leah's shoulder as she comforts her sister with a gentle 'ssshhh it's going to be ok' and stroking of her hair.

Future Alpha Chris clears his throat "Errr .... what are you two on about?"  Leah ignores him and continues to comfort Marie.  "Leah? ..... Marie?" Future Alpha Arron questions "Damn it!  One of you speak!"
Leah's head snaps up to glare at him.   Arron rubs his neck nervously "Sorry ... your being frustratingly quiet!"
"Come on sis, tell us what's going on!" Matt pipes in.
Leah sighs quietly "For the last two generations there has been a belief amongst the daughters .... well not a belief that whole time ..."
"Maybe it should have been" Marie scoffs. Leah steps away from her, an eyebrow raised in annoyance and disbelief "They tried their best!"  Marie sullenly looks away muttering "just saying"

Leah growls in warning at her.