Her Forever

Rosalie’s POV (Parisa’s Mother)

Today was not a good day. I had many emotions running through my head as I tried to prepare lunch for my family. Parisa has been gone for over 11 years and the storm last night blew my memories to the forefront of my mind.

I sat in her room again last night as heard the rain pittering on the window. That same window that my oldest daughter was taken. The dark shadow that withdrew from the room and the footprint left on the windowsill haunts me every storm and every birthday. Pictures that Parisa had drawn just the day before my birthday flew around the room in my visions. Wet papers, ruined cards, markers dripping their ink into the carpet. I saved it all. All of them sat in a box on her desk, where she sat for hours to make them.

Jack found and rescued me when I was just 19 years old, living in a run-down apartment running away from an abusive foster father. The mate bond he couldn’t deny, so he did everything in his power to get me to his pack to keep me as his. Jack is the Alpha of the Night Crawlers and the strongest in North America. I’ll never forget the day I found out about this life after I came here to work for him as a computer security specialist.

I had come to work for him. That was all the intention was to be his employer, but the tingles he left on my skin told me there was something else. His kindness overshadowed anyone else that tried to become my friend, and he made me fall for him hard. Despite my battle scars, both physically and mentally, he waited for me, nursed me back to health.

Deciding to become like Jack, a werewolf, was a no-brainer. I was to become Luna, to help the pack grow and, most of all, take care of our own family one day. Who knew that once I changed that, I would literally fight a demon, Charmunda, from one of Hades’ horrible experiments of trying to find love on his own.

“Parisa, where are you?” Regret filled me. I changed to become stronger, a better warrior; I became something I only read about in fairytales to protect my children from ever facing any sort of torment I went through as a child. I gave extra care, attention, and love that I never received so my family would grow up an average family. A typical werewolf family.

Even with the ward that Hades had provided us, saying it could keep out unwanted humans, rogues, and deities on the territory was a blessing. When there is a will, a motive, there is a way to break even a god’s protection. Our warriors never found a lick of evidence, and our trackers couldn’t find our daughter, an alpha, whose smell was strong enough in itself.

Bhodi, our new resident witch, and her coven had merged with us after Charmunda was killed, saying they wanted to practice their magic in peace. Which they have, they had become most helpful in keeping in touch with Jack’s distant family in Bergarian. The only person we had wished to call for the past 11 or 12 years was Hades. No summoning could call him to ask why the ward didn’t work or who broke through.

Days turned into weeks, weeks into years the witches had tried to contact Hades. In the confines of our territory and in Bergarian, no one was able to contact him. Bhodi came back with terrible news each time when she returned from Bergarian. “No one can summon the God of the Underworld.”

No one, not one living creature, had been able to reach him. Bhodi researched through thousands of spell books only to come up with one conclusion, someone had put a barrier around the Underworld. Hades never leaves the Underworld, and if he did and you were not summoning him, then you were out of luck.

The day that Bhodi was able to reach him gave us hope. We were to see him in a week, but he never showed and never contacted us back. Again, our hearts sank, thinking it was all just a mirage.

A giant yell came through the mind-link, and I dropped the ceramic plate to the floor. Scattering in a thousand pieces, I reached down to pick it up. “Mom! Steffan fell out of the treehouse North of the territory.” Michael’s wolf could be a bit loud when reporting when he was on duty. Michael had been the most helpful when it came to my days or nights when I lost sleep. He stood up like the Alpha he would become if we didn’t find our dear Parisa.

“Thank you, Michael; mind-link your father and have him pick him up. I’m guessing he broke his leg again, and he is having trouble healing it?” Michael grunted as I heard him tell Steffan to sit by the tree.

“Yes, he’s fine. Bhodi just teleported and said that Hades is coming and needed help. They should be at Parisa’s old treehouse any minute!” Michael rushed through his words as I dropped every last piece of ceramic.

“What?” I breathed

“I’m going to lead them here now; I’ll tell father to meet us near her treehouse! Hurry, mom!” I dashed out the door quicker than the lightning that took Parisa. No shoes, just the long maxi dress I wore.

“Thomas!” I screamed as I saw him at the end of the porch. He was chopping wood, getting ready for the winter storm the elders had predicted in a few days time. “Hades is coming! We need to go,” Thomas threw his ax back on the stump and ran with me holding my hand. My sons had become everything I had hoped for, even if I was a little overbearing. My hand started to heal. I didn’t realize I had cut it on the way out.

Thomas grabbed my hand but didn’t question. He knew I was careless when there was any possible news of his sister. Licking my hand, so the wound shut completely with his Alpha-strengthening saliva, we dashed to the treeline.

A girl, no taller than me with strawberry blonde hair, stood, holding hands with the God of the Underworld. He was just as I remembered him. Blonde hair, deep dark eyes, and his intimidating aura. Underneath it all, I knew he wanted to be loved, and this girl that had her hands intertwined with his, I knew he found the one. I smiled, knowing what happiness he must have found, but my heart told me not to be so excited.

Our Parisa was still missing, and this was my chance to have him help us. The girl turned from facing Hades, and her green eyes looked into Jack’s and mine. Jack held me tightly to his chest as both of our hearts stopped.

The other wolves around us faded into the distance; Michael brushed his fur up against my leg in comfort. “Daughter,” Marigold, my wolf, cried. The howl in my head rang clear as I felt the wetness of my cheeks. Jack’s grip tightened, Sampson’s wolf was speechless like he usually was, but the whimpers were loud and clear.

“Mama, Daddy?” Parisa took a step away from Hades as he held her hand in confusion. Parisa looked back, being just as emotional as I, nodded at him as he gently smiled and let go of her hand.

Another giant step towards us, and I couldn’t hold back anymore. I let go of Jack as we ran into each other’s arms. Wails left my mouth as Parisa cried in my arms. Not long after, I felt Jack run-up to the both of us, squeezing us making sure we never left. “Gods, Parisa,” he heaved a sob. Jack’s hand ran through Parisa’s hair while I continued to k**s her cheeks.

All of us were in the dirt, clothes muddy from the rain the night before, but I didn’t’ care. I would roll in it all day to have this moment repeat itself.

“Parisa!” Thomas yelled as he came tumbling in. His dark blonde hair, down to his shoulders like his father, whipped Parisa in the face as she laughed. Michael had returned, shorts in hand, and flew to us in an instant. The large dog pile left in the middle of the pack grounds was a sight, I was sure.

Cheers, applause, and howls lit the entire territory. Wolves patrolling came to a screeching halt as they saw the whole Alpha family hugging each other. Steffan, the youngest who would not remember Parisa stood beside the dogpile while limping. His leg was healing but not fast enough to join the fun.

Parisa stilled as she saw Steffan. “Steffan?” Her l*p wobbled. “You grew up so big,” she whispered. Steffan limped towards her, and Parisa gave him an enormous hug. “Last time I held you like this, you were only days old,” she sniffed. Steffan was now eleven, and she had missed his first steps and words. I knew that Parisa had a strong connection with him, and the emotion I felt in her was intense. We all felt it. She had missed us as much as we had missed her.

A loud growl cut through our thoughts as Jack stood up menacingly. His back was ridged as he marched halfway over to Hades. Fur was coming over his arms, Sampson was coming out, and now was not the time.

“You take my daughter?!” Sampson heaved a breath as his claws came forth. I ran to him to pet his arm. “You broke ward. You took Parisa!” Hades stood with his arms crossed as he narrowed his eyes.

“You dare talk to me that way?” Hades smirked as Parisa let go of Steffan.

“Stop! Daddy, stop!” Parisa ran past Jack, and Hades opened his arms. Parisa buried her head in his chest as the onlookers stood in amusement. “He’s my mate; he saved me! He saved me!”

Sampson retracted his claws and retreated back. Jack shook his head and grabbed my arm for comfort. “He saved me,” Parisa breathed again as she attached herself to his cloak. “He took me out of that terrible place and took care of me. I lost my memory,… I.” Hades put his finger on her lips and gently brushed back her now dirty hair.

“I think it is best if we take this inside,” Hade’s voice wasn’t loud. It was low and possibly more dominating.

“Let’s go to our home, in the study,” I cooed at Jack. He was still on edge, and I knew I had to calm him before anything else was said. “Let’s go, come on. I’ve got lunch in the oven too.” Our family all huddled around Parisa, giving plenty of room to stay away from Hades and his touch. The wolves were mind-linked to prepare a large feast for dinner in celebration of Parisa’s return home.

Marigold paced in my head and nudged me. “I think there is a lot more happening than Parisa returning home.” I nodded silently.

“That, I would have to agree with you, Marigold.”

Hades POV

Parisa was back in my arms, where she should be. Her family found their lost daughter, and I had wished I had put the pieces to the puzzle together sooner. Parisa was gone for 11 years, Bhodi has tried to contact me for the same amount of time. My mind was too busy wondering about the missing gods to even think of this coincidence.

We entered a large home, a little smaller than you would see as a Southern Plantation house. It was white with shutters on the outside, and the inside was clean, bright, and lit with green plants. There was a roaring fireplace in the middle of the living room, but instead of the brightness of the main room, we went to the study. A small wandering orange tabby cat hissed as it scampered away.

The study was just as significant but darker in wood than the rest of the house. I felt more comfortable here, and I had wondered if Luna Rosalie would have picked up on that. The large couches and chairs were scattered around a large desk, and I had Parisa sit with me, despite just finding her parents.

Parisa would glance between her mother and father. Jack glared at me, unbelieving that I would not have taken his daughter. Rosalie’s eyes continued to brighten as time went on. How depressed she could have been? I knew her past. It was dark and full of terrible memories caused mainly by my demon. Parisa would soon put the pieces to that mess of a puzzle together, and I wasn’t looking forward to that.

“How did you find her?” Jack’s voice boomed. He wasn’t scared of me when it came to his daughter away. Bhodi had warned him countless times before to be careful and tread lightly, but that was thrown out. The thought must have triggered Bhodi because she came in barreling in the room.

“My Lord!” She bowed down and touched her face to the dark wooded floors. “We are so grate-“

“Get up, Bhodi. No time for formalities. Just sit,” I waved my hand as Parisa scowled at me.

“That’s not nice,” she whispered, but they all heard it. Rosalie giggled and nudged her mate.

“Sound familiar, dear?” She nuzzled into his neck.

Jack continued to glare at me, waiting for me to speak. Her brothers were sitting on the long couch, and my mind continued to play scenarios of how this will go.

“I found Parisa at a human trafficking club disguised as a strip club.” Gasps went around the room while Jack slammed his fists into the mahogany desk. It broke in two, and Rosalie just glared at Jack.

“Babe, that is the 24th one since you have known me. You need to chill!” The boys snickered, but Michael’s guilty look caught my eye. He rubbed his hands together, and a trickle of sweat filled his brow.

Interesting.

After another hour of explaining where Parisa was and how she was my mate, the room was silent. I told them how I found her, the helm, the immediate threat of her being taken away from me, and how three gods were now missing. I trusted this pack more than my brother, and they had helped me before. They could do it again and help protect their daughter. It was my fault that she was taken; if I had just listened to Selene, none of this would have happened. I dare not tell Jack this could have been prevented, and Parisa seemed to understand.

“We don’t need to tell them everything,” Parisa winked. “Some things are better left unsaid,” she spoke to her parents while they nodded reluctantly. Now that the Alpha and Luna know of Parisa’s hardships, the real issue arises. Her shift.

“You haven’t shifted yet?” Jack looked concerned. Parisa shook her head no as she twiddled her thumb. Pulling her close, I kissed her temple while Jack scowled.

“She was weak, remember? All the spells on her made her human, maybe even weaker. They are slowly going away and Parisa being able to remember you all is a miracle. We just have this hurdle to face.”

Jack rubbed his chin. “We need to get the elders in here. I haven’t heard of an adult wolf going through a shift.”

“Hey, I did it.” Rosalie pushed Jack in the shoulder.

“That’s different, baby,” he pulled her to his lap. “You were human turning into a wolf. Rosalie is a werewolf that has been suppressed from her wolf side for far too long. With her being weak for so many years, she will have difficulties.” Jack looked at me pointedly. I knew what he was talking about. There was a chance she might not make it if her bones hadn’t become strong enough. Rosalie looked between the both of us to try and read our thoughts but came up blank.

“How about lunch then?” as we all let out a huge sigh.