Chapter Fifty-Five
h.” My mother laughed. She waved her hand. “I think all parents want their kids to have high standards for the one they mate with.
Don’t you Alpha Vince.” My mom wrapped her arm around me. “As“O parents, we just want the absolute best for our pups.” She looked over at Brandon. “Take your son, for example. You want him to mate with the best female he can find, don’t you?”
Vince seemed to settle, and he nodded. “Yes. Yes, I do.” Vince stared at me but I turned to Carl.
“Sorry Carl, I wanted to help, but I don’t know how to check someone out.” I smiled and waved my hands over the register.
“I told you to lock up.” Carl walked over and sniffed. “Did you drop a descenting spray bottle?” He pointed to the mop bucket next to the counter.
“Yeah. I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention and bumped into the shelf when I went to lock the door. I was cleaning the mess when the Alpha knocked to come in.” I grabbed the mop. “I’m sorry for not listening.”
“No, it wasn’t her fault. It was our fault. We should have waited outside for you guys to return.” Brandon jumped in, trying to save me, but I knew it was just his act. He pretended to care at first.
In our first life, he was the perfect mate until the actual mating ceremony.
Once I was bonded to him, he switched the act off. His mask dropped, you could say. He became aggressive. Abusive even. He took my strong, amazing wolf and turned her into a submissive creature.
His wolf chipped away at me and Megan. He turned our love for him into something perverse. Nix’s voice whispered in my mind but I heard a thread of worry in her voice.
What’s wrong? I sent strength to my two wolves.
Megan is struggling. Thorn has been talking to us, or trying to anyway.
She is having a hard time not accepting him as her mate. It’s chipping away at our resolve. Nix called back to me and I felt my face tighten. I turned back to Brandon.
“Excuse me, Brandon. Could you please speak with your wolf?”
“What do you mean?” He played dumb and I think that irked me even more.
“Nix told me he has been trying to speak with her. She doesn’t like it. She asks that you keep him in line.”
Brandon almost staggered back. “She doesn’t even want to speak with him?”
“No.” I turned and left it at that. “I’m going to clean this up. Can you call me when we are ready to go, Mom?” I could feel Vince’s and Brandon’s eyes on me, but I pushed the mop bucket towards the back.
“Of course, baby.” She had turned back to the store and started grabbing things she wanted.
“That will be fifty-four sixty two, Alpha Vince.” Carl’s voice snapped them back to him and I entered the back room. My eyes snapped to the little girl on the floor, eyes wide and clouded as drool slipped down her cheek. I felt panic crawling up my spine, but I pushed the door closed behind me.
I dropped the mop as quietly as I could and rushed over to Carly. Her little body was icy from the floor, and I picked her up and cradled her. I bit my lip, hard to keep from screaming for help, and I looked around to see if there was anything I could cover her with.
She convulsed, and a soft whine made it out of her mouth, but I covered it with a cough. She was shaking, and her little body was slipping out of my hands until I tucked one arm under her legs and held her shoulders to my chest. I made my way to the sink and turned the water full blast before I walked to the very back of the room behind the boxes of stock and slipped down to the floor. I held Carly close until her little body calmed down. Her breathing grew even, but her eyes remained clouded.
I was not equipped to help this little girl in any way, not when I had no idea what was going on. I heard the back door open and Carl’s voice was
deep. “You are not allowed in my back room.” The door slammed shut with a loud bang and voices raised.
But after a few minutes, everything became quiet, and the door opened up again. I looked around to see if there was anywhere I could hide, or put Carly down, but there was nowhere. I tried to push some boxes to the side to fit her on a shelf, but then I heard two sets of footsteps heading towards us, and I froze. They were moving quietly, suspiciously quietly. If it was my mother, or Carl, they would call out wouldn’t they?
I looked down at the little girl in my arms, with the white, clouded eyes and knew that I would do anything to protect her. She wasn’t my pup, but that didn’t matter. She was helpless. Nix and Megan surged forward, and I lifted my hand. Claws and black fur flowed down my arms. I held Carly to my chest as footsteps came closer.
I felt my fangs descend, and then Megan, beautiful smart Megan, tapped into our power and it too, flowed down my arm. I held my hand out. As the steps came closer, my power sent white whipping tendrils down my arm, ready to snap out of whoever came around the end of the shelves.
I bent my knees, ready to run. It seemed like time froze and the realization hit me like a ton of bricks. I would kill Alpha Vince and Brandon for this little girl. Because I had this feeling in the pit of my stomach, that if Vince found her like this, he wouldn’t let her go.
He would either take her. Or kill her.
And I knew Carl and my mother wouldn’t allow that to happen. So it was them or us, and I chose us. I let the realization settle. And I opened my mouth to scream as the steps rounded the corner.
And Carl and my mother both stood with their mouths dropped open, staring at me.
I felt my arms slump; the adrenaline draining like water out of me. My power and fur receded, and I was left a little shaky. Carly thrashed again, and I held her closer to my chest so I wouldn’t drop her.
“I don’t know what is happening to her.” I looked up at Carl and he rushed over. “I found her on the floor, but I knew I couldn’t call out for you two.” I held her out to Carl as he got close enough and I watched as realization hit him square in the face.
He paled and looked back at my mom, and shook his head. “Fuck.”
“What’s wrong?” My mom rushed over and saw her face and she paled.
“Fuck.”
“What is going on?” I looked from Carly’s face and back up to theirs.
“She is a shaman.” My mom looked at me and I could see she was afraid.
“Okay…” I looked up at Carl. “So is her dad.”
“You don’t understand, baby.” My mom gripped my arms that were still holding Carly. “When Carl came into his power, shamans were accepted.
Rejoiced even.”
“Okay, so why does that matter?” I looked at Carl. “He’s your age.”
“No baby. Shamans live longer than most wolves. And there is only one at a time.” My mom looked at Carl.
“What are you saying…” I pointed to them both.
“It means that now that she is coming into her powers, I will…” Tears appeared at the side of his eyes. “I’ll be…” It was like he couldn’t finish the sentence and my mom laid her hand on his arm.
“It means that Carl is going to die.”
I reeled back. “What? Why?”
Carl swallowed. “Shamans are rare. Something I think you have a little bit of understanding of.” His eyes met mine. “But there has to be a balance.”
“Too many would throw the world into chaos.” My mom finished.
“How long?”
Carl shook his head, and a tear fell on his daughter’s face. “There is no way to tell. She has to come fully into her powers, and the Goddess, in her wisdom, gives the current Shaman time to train them.”
“So we have time.” I swallow past the lump in my throat.
“Not enough. She shouldn’t have had her first vision until she came of age.” My mother traced a finger down Carly’s cheek.
“Explain.” I furrowed my brow. “Her eyes…she is in a vision?” My eyes looked at Carl. “You had one earlier too.” He nodded, finally taking his daughter into his arms.
“I did.” Carl hugged his little girl to his chest, and he buried his nose into her hair. “I am so sorry, baby.” His voice caught, and then he hit his knees. I watched as this enormous man, this wolf, broke down.
“Mom.” I looked up, lost only to find her just as lost as I felt.
“We don’t have long.” My mom’s words barely carried over his sobs.
“Carl once told me he started having visions when he was sixteen and by eighteen, his grandmother was gone.” She bit her lip. “The earlier the
visions start, the more powerful the Shaman, the faster they master their powers…”
I felt my mouth drop open. Carly was four or five. Her small body was still flopping around, stuck behind the veil of her vision. “The faster the last Shaman dies.” I finished, and she nodded.
The silence settled around us as Carl mourned over his daughter. “But we aren’t for sure…” I waited, hoping someone would say something, anything. But my mom and Carl stayed quiet.
“Amy.” My mom started.
“Can we delay her learning somehow?” I tried to think of any other solution that didn’t leave a little girl without her father.
“No.” Carl’s voice was soft. “If I even try, then the universe kicks in and we have a Shaman that doesn’t know their full potential.” He finally looked up from his daughter. “Ainsley…I hate to ask this of you.”
“You don’t have to ask.” She leaned down and kissed his cheek.
“I need to know how long…” I pushed.
“Why?” Carl looked at me.
“Because.” I walked away and came back. My skin was itching to tell them to leave now. Something was screaming at me to tell them to pack up their shit and hide.
“What do you feel?” Carl’s voice was deep, thoughtful, and terrifying.
“What?” My mom looked at Carl, but he wouldn’t move his eyes from me.
“You need to hide. You need to leave. Nothing good comes from you being here. It just leaves her in danger.” My voice was deeper. I felt the world shift, and my eyes did too. Only this time, it wasn’t the eyes of my wolf. I went from seeing the world around me to nothing.
“What’s happening?” My mother gasped. “How is this even possible?”
“I don’t know.” Carl’s voice was a whisper.
“Darkness surrounds this pack. If the Three Spirited one takes too long to figure it out, or the Shaman falls into the hands of the tainted Alphas, the world as we know it will be lost. Darkness and evil will seep into the world and corrupt everything bright.” I felt my body turn and looked down at the little wolf. “You need to hide her.”
I heard an intake of breath and my mother’s hands came up to cup my face. “The Three Spirited one?” I felt her lean in. “Who is the Three Spirited one?”
I felt my head tilt. “You know who the Three Spirited one is. Luna, you need to find out the truth of your past, before you ruin your future.” She shuddered, but pulled me into her arms.
“Carl?” My mother’s voice trembled, and I wanted to reassure her, but I wasn’t myself.
“I know it’s terrifying. But just like me, Amy will come out of it.”
“What is it? She has done nothing like this before.”
“What changed lately?”
“Nothing.” My mother started, but then stopped. “The beginning of the summer, she woke up and was just different.” I heard her shift. “She said she needed to hide her scent, and I called my ex. I knew that his family had power. It wasn’t really hidden in the pack. And he could help her. She came back with an unfamiliar scent, but that’s it.”
“Wolves can’t change their scent, not alone, and not for long.” Carl’s voice was strong but quiet. “The only way for Amy to have changed her scent would be if the Goddess herself granted her the power of her father.”
“What does that even mean?”
“There are some wolves that come from a family that have human ancestors, ones that have powers.”
“Yeah, Gavin’s grandmother had power. Well, he said she did.”
“Any descendants of hers will have to go through an awakening. Just like a Shaman. If their powers are awakened and they are able to balance them with their wolves, then they can shift and use their Goddess given power.”
“Three Spirited…” I heard her intake of breath. “Goddess no.”
Carl was quiet for a minute. “Have you told her?”
“No.”
“You have to. She needs to know.” Carl shifted.
“The Three Spirited one already knows. She has been watching.” My
voice was thick and foreign.
“Carl?”
“She is right, she has three. Her wolf, her human witch, and-”
“Stop.” My mother’s voice was sharp. “Not here.”
“Fine, but you will have to tell her soon. She obviously has things she has to do, and if you keep her in the dark too long, you might jeopardize everything.”
The two of them were quiet for a minute. “What are you going to do?”
My mother questioned.
“I’m going to listen to your daughter. I’m going to pack up and take Carly
with me.”
“Where will you go?”
“I don’t know. We have nowhere safe.”
The voice came from me. “Silvermoon will be a safe haven for you and your child. There is a pathway under the gazebo. Take it to the sea. You will find a burnt husk of a cabin there. Rebuild. She will be safe there from all who wish to find her.”
“Daddy?” Her soft voice was terrified. “What happened?”
“Hey baby.” Carl’s voice softened. “How are you feeling?”
“Are you going to leave me now?” Her voice quivered, and I heard Carl
choke up.
“Not yet, baby. But soon.”
My eyes finally started to clear. “He will never truly leave you, young Shaman. That I can promise. Our ancestors live on through us. And he will watch over you.” The voice was softer, and when my vision fully cleared, I
held her face in my hands.
“Amy…you promise?”
“I promise.” I kissed her head, and she sighed.
“I saw what’s to come.” Her voice was stronger. “I know my daddy will go, but you will be there with me. Every step of the way.”
“Of course I will.” I didn’t even think about it. I promised to take this baby in.
“Amy!” My mom cut in, but Carly looked up at her.
“I know my daddy asked you, but you have your own path, and she and I have our own.” Her voice was so much older than it should have been.
I looked at my mom. “She’s right. I don’t know how we know, just that she is meant to be mine.” I looked at Carl. “You feel it as well.” He just nodded. I turned back to my mother. “It seems we have a lot to talk about.”
I watched her swallow and then nod. “Yes, I think we do.” She turned to Carl. “We have to go. We have spent too much time here as it is. But I will come back tomorrow.”
Carl shook his head. “Don’t bother, I’ll be leaving tonight.” He hugged Carly closer. “Can you call Gavin for me?”
My mother shivered, but I pulled out my phone. I dialed my father’s number. “Amy? Is everything okay?” His voice came over the line and I felt
the part of my soul settle. Every time I leave him and the pack, I leave a part of myself back there.
“Yeah Daddy. Everything is okay. I have a favor to ask you.”
“Whatever it is, it’s yes.” He chuckled. “You know I could never say no to you.”
“Please. Just listen.” He heard the seriousness in my voice, and his
chuckle trailed off.
“Okay baby. What can I help with?”
“Have you ever had a feeling?” I stumbled over my words. I didn’t know
how to explain it.
“I need more of an explanation, Amy.”
“Have you ever met a shaman…”
“Your mother introduced you to Carl?” His voice was surprised. “How is the old bastard?”
Carl chuckled. “I’m good Gavin.” I hit the speakerphone and my father’s surprise filtered through. I saw my mom sag against the shelf at his voice.
“Carl, it’s good to hear your voice.” They went through the idle chitchat that people do, and then my father steered the call back to the matter at hand. “This isn’t why you called, is it?”
“No.” Carl’s voice was frank. “I need your help.”
“You need my help? And you convinced Amy to help you?” He sounded a little taken aback.
“No daddy. I had…” I looked at Carl. “I don’t know what happened.”
“She had a vision of sorts.” Carl tried to help.
“A vision?”
“Is that normal with your line?” Carl hedged his bet.
“Not with me, but my grandmother did.” My father became quiet. “What did you see?”
“Destruction. Death. The end of our kind,” Carly and I said together.
“What is going on, Amy?”
“Carly’s come into her power.” I watched as Carl tried to push down his
feelings.
“Who’s Carly?” My dad asked.
“Carl’s four-year-old daughter.” I looked down at the girl, but she shook her head.
“I’m four and a half.” Her little voice made me smile.
“Oh Carl. I am so sorry.” My dad comforted him, but he was already
shaking his head.
“Nothing you should apologize for.”
“What can I do?”
“Grandma’s cabin…They need to go there.”
“It’s a burnt husk baby, you saw that for yourself.”
“Carl will rebuild it with Carly. When the cabin is done…” I trailed off, I looked up and met his eyes. He gave a small nod. Carl knew and understood that as soon as the cabin was rebuilt, his time was up.
“We can’t stay here.” Carl put out.
“You are more than welcome back.” My dad was quiet for a moment.
“Does your mother know? I don’t want her to be surprised by this. I don’t want to hurt her.” I watched as a tear slipped down her face, and she turned away.
“Yeah daddy, she knows.” I looked back at Carly. “If Carly falls into the wrong hands, then everything we are trying to protect will fall.”
“I understand.” He was quiet. “This is becoming a bigger mess than I thought possible way faster than I expected.”
