It's surprising what human beings can accomplish when death is staring them right in the face. When things began plummeting, few knew how to react. Most were confused, seeking guidance from the very foundations and institutions that, once meant to h...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Addie!" squeals Ally with excitement in her eyes as she crawls to the end of Malia's bed and lunges into the air like a seasoned trapeze artist.
It takes my stunned arms a minute to react and catch her small, lanky body, making sure to hug her arms securely around my neck.
Luke, following his big sister's lead as always, climbs down from the bed and waddles over too. His mop of red hair brushes the area just above my knee and his chubby arms barely reach around my leg as he clings to it.
"Adelaide...Wulf. You're Serena and Alec's daughter?" Malia asks with a quizzical brow. She scratches the top of her head in contemplation and glances over at her husband, whose face has only just begun to regain its color.
His expression shifts as he blinks away some of the initial disbelief and locks eyes with Malia. They communicate through internal dialogue, only in the way that mates do, and he slowly turns to lay the little bundle cuddled in his arms back in the bassinet.
I stand awkwardly, rooted in the same spot at the end of the bed as Ally plays with the ends of my hair. Looking from Malia's curious eyes to his back, I plan out my next words carefully; trying to gauge all the ways this conversation will play out.
"Yes. Alec and Serena Wulf were my parents," I respond, attempting to keep my tone even and expressionless. But, I can't help dropping my eyes to the floor as I suppress the emotions threatening to climb up my throat thinking about my parents.
"You already know I'm a wolf, Malia. You sensed that from the moment we met...what's going on here exactly?" With furrowed brows, my eyes grip hers in a look filled with millions of unasked questions.
"I knew you were a wolf, but I didn't realize-couldn't possibly-know you were a Wulf...wow," she laughs, tossing her head back slightly and brushing a hand through her amber, red hair.
"Sorry, making corny jokes at inappropriate times is my coping mechanism when I'm caught off guard or uncomfortable." The corners of her eyes crinkle as she smiles at me in the way that she always does.
The warm glow behind them pacifies the lingering fear and anxiety swirling around in my stomach from anticipating the downfall of revealing my biggest secret.
"This is my mate and husband Collin Steele by the way, if you haven't already guessed," she says gesturing to Collin who is now facing me again.
"Sorry to freak you out like that, we just knew your parents a long time ago. You know...before." She gives me a sympathetic look and absentmindedly strums her fingers along the fold of her duvet.
Finally able to get a full look at Collin, I notice that his emerald eyes hold a faint, distant recognition as he gazes into my silver ones. His brown hair hangs shaggy above his ears and the shadow of a beard covers most of his jaw.
As he approaches me, I see the bloody bandage covering his wrist just below the sleeve and try not to stare at the empty space where his right hand should be.
