Forged in Fire (Forgotten Series, #2)

Chapter Sixteen

A Week Later

"What's going on, Luka? Why are we here?" My mother gives me a soft, confused smile and I smile back at her before wrapping my arm around her shoulders and kissing her cheek. She was worse, she spent more time confused than somewhat lucid and she wasn't sleeping properly according to May.

"Just watching the garden, mum. The flowers are beautiful." I gestured to the numerous flower beds with my free hand and my mum sighed deeply, relaxing into my embrace.

"They're so beautiful. I don't remember your father building this." She looked happy but bewildered and I shushed her gently.

"It was a surprise for you. I think I ruined it." I gave her a sly wink and she swatted at my chest gently.

"Oh no, you couldn't have possibly ruined it. You always love to give me flowers." She let out a happy sigh and I watched her as she stared at the garden. "When your father shows it to me, I'll pretend to be surprised. It will be our little secret, my sweet pup." She smiled up at me and I leaned over, kissing her forehead gently. She looked so frail. The wrinkles around her eyes had gotten worse and the dark smudges under them had only grown deeper.

She looked old and fragile and it the ache it left in my chest was nearly debilitating but I pushed it away and rubbed at her arm. Time. I had been given time with her and I would be a fool not to take it. I just hated watching her waste away in front of me. I felt utterly useless because despite all of the power I had been given with the Alpha position, it would never be enough to save her. Not from her illness, not from fate or reality.

"Who are we?" She asked it softly and I squeezed her gently.

"We are us and we are happy. Aren't you happy, mum?" I glanced at her and she nodded quickly, a bewildered smile on her face.

"Very happy, Luka. Where is your father?" She look at me and I forced another smile on my face.

"Probably in the office." I swallowed hard as she nodded, a small frown on her face.

"He works too much. This pack means the world to him, Derek." She paused and stared at me hard. I felt my throat close up slightly at the name and the fact she was scrutinizing me so intently as if just seeing me for the first time. "I'm sorry, Luka. You just look a lot like your brother." That was it. I didn't look like Derek or Benjamin. They had looked like our father, I looked like our mother and my heat clenched in my chest. It was already starting.

"Why are we here?" She looked around and I rubbed at her arm. Ezekiel sat up and rested his head in her lap and she chuckled softly. "Strange thing to have a dog for a pet, Luka." She scratched at Ezekiel's scars and I nodded.

"Very strange, mum." I let out a small sigh as I leaned my head against hers. We had been sitting out in the garden for nearly two hours. I looked up with a small sigh. It was starting to cloud over and I didn't want her to catch a chill. "We should head into the house." I let my arm drop and she gave me a small smile.

"What was that, Luka?" She made a small humming sound in the back of her throat.

"I said we should go into the house." I watched as she looked around as if completely puzzled as I stood up. The clouds were moving in rather quickly and I could almost smell the rain in the air.

"Where are we?" She looked up at me and I smiled at her softly.

"We are home." I watched as she nodded at that before giving me a frail looking smile. She looked so small in her wheelchair, so worn.

"Okay. Where are your brothers?" She smiled up at me and I gestured to the house.

"They are probably inside. Do you want to come with me and see?" I grasped the handles of her wheelchair and she nodded, patting Ezekiel's head. I jerked my chin and he quickly moved out of the way.