Her Forever

Parisa’s POV

I blinked.

I blinked a few times more as Elea and I stared into my brother’s wolf’s eyes. “What?” I whispered through the link. “That isn’t true,” I went to stand up, but Michael whined for me to say back down on the flat rock.

“Just listen, and I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you every bit of it,” I could hear Michael silently crying; the remorse dripped from him as I tried to shield myself from the many emotions swirling.

“You never told our parents, did you? That’s why you have been extra helpful, the guilt. It has plagued you through so many years?” I kept my voice quiet, even though I didn’t have to. This conversation was linked to just the two of us, and no one could come in unless our father used his power.

“I was so scared, so scared they would cast me out. Apart of me died that day you were taken. The screams, the crying I could hear from your room… I tried to get out; I banged on the door until my own fists bled to get out, but all the house doors were locked from the outside. Dad couldn’t get out of his room either; there were vines everywhere pushing against the doors as everyone in the house tried to get you.”

They did hear me; when I cried and screamed, they did listen and didn’t just leave me. The thought never crossed my mind that they would just let me be taken, but I had wondered why my family didn’t come. Grandpa Odin was supposed to be there too.

“Once the doors were set free, we ran to your room, and you were gone. Nothing but vines littered the hallway, strong ones, and they led all the way out the door and into mom’s garden.” More questions plagued me as he told me about the massive amount of growing mother’s garden did in a short time. The tomato vines had grown and slithered in each window on the upper floor, besides my bedroom, of course. Persephone was the daughter of Demeter. Could Persephone have procured the vines to grow and control them?

“From the beginning, Michael. I need it from the very beginning because I don’t’ see how this links up to you being involved at all.” Michael let out a huff and closed his eyes as he spoke. Remembering just twelve years ago.

“Like I said, it was the day before mom’s birthday. You always could make amazing cards, and I wanted something as equally as good. Uncle Keith told me there was a time when Moon Orchids grew on the territory. They are native to Bergarian and when mom and dad came back from visiting before we were born, some seeds caught in someone’s clothing. They started sprouting around the property, and for a few autumns, they flourished, that is until humans started spraying for mosquitoes fifty miles away from here. The Moon Orchids are fickled plants, so they started to die. Keith mentioned how much mom liked them. They only bloomed on the week of the full moon, and the white flower would glow purple as the moonlight settled on its petals.”

I stared at Michael in awe as he explained. I had heard of the flower only in passing but never gave it much attention because they didn’t grow here anymore. Who cared about plants anyway? I just liked spending my time outside and living in nature as opposed to trying to raise nature. I did not have a green thumb.

“So I set off to scout the territory. I went south, where a lot of wolves didn’t trample the ground. I was hoping to find at least one, so I brought a bucket and a shovel, and I was going to bring it back, and mom could take care of it. You know how she likes plants.” I nodded.

“I get to the edge of the southern border, no other wolves were around, and the cameras weren’t blinking. Sensing someone was there, I turned to leave, but I heard a small voice. It was a tiny fairy, I had never seen one before, so I walked up. It sat just on the other side of the border. The fairy said she was looking for safe passage but needed permission from the Alpha to cross. I told her I would have to go get my father, and she shook her head, saying I could tell her it was alright to cross. Repeatedly telling her no, I wasn’t acting Alpha, just the Alpha’s second-born. She sat down but sprung out an idea.

She wanted to give me something for trade. I asked if she knew what a Moon Orchid was and where I could find one. She laughed and said, “of course I do; there is one right over there!” Looking over her shoulder, there was one! It was just over the log, but it was on the other side of the territory, and I couldn’t grab it. Dad always told us he couldn’t protect us if we crossed because of the ward.” My heart began to sink as I continued to listen.

“A trade, a deal, that is what we did. Besides, it was just a fairy. The fairy was so small. She brought me the Orchid, and I took her across the pack lands to the northern side and dropped her off,” Michael sighed.

“Since you are an alpha and brought her on the territory, the ward thought she wasn’t a threat,” I breathed. “That’s how someone got in.”

“I didn’t mean for any of this to happen! I swear it! I just wanted the Orchid, a stupid flower! That flower took you from us; you had to suffer because of me!” My wolf’s body jumped over to Michaels, and I nuzzled into his neck.

“It was not your fault you were tricked and coerced. You cannot blame yourself for something this stupid!” I argued. “Not your fault, none of it is! It is just a series of unfortunate events!” I spoke harshly. While consoling him, I couldn’t help thinking that everyone’s choices affected me so intensely and for the worse. Shaking my head, I nudged him.

“Not your fault, now suck it up, Alpha.” Michael shook his head. “I’m only mad you didn’t tell dad, our Alpha who protects his pack, that a fairy crossed the border. Alpha’s can’t protect if they don’t know what is going on, even if you thought it was harmless.” Michael hung his head in shame. “A child, you were only a child. You can’t blame yourself for this mess. There are so many other factors that played into this.” My body started to shake, I felt not just my emotions but Michaels hitting at me in full force. Trying to concentrate on my body, I scooted closer to him, so our fur was touching each other. Laying my head on top of his, I purred in my chest.

“I am not blaming you, never will. Please forgive yourself because I already forgave you. We were so young,” I breathed deeply. “Just tell dad and mama okay? They won’t be mad about that, just the fact you didn’t tell them and kept a secret after all these years. That is what they will be mad about. It will work out in time…”

“Promise me you will tell them. Tell dad and mama what happened. I’m not going to tell them for you and get you out of it like some stupid vase on mom’s window,” I laughed. “Find courage and be the Alpha. Stop the guilt. What’s done is done.” I huffed.

“I can do that, just know-“

“That you are sorry, yeah, yeah.” Feeling a smile on my maw, I began to fit my own puzzle together. Vines, plants, wildly growing nature, and even a fairy had something in common. They all pointed to Persephone, but how far does Persephone’s power go? Could her own power be able to do all of this herself?

Nero was an angel; he was limited to fighting and helping humans. Was he the one who took me while Persephone used her magic? There was a burn in my chest that I tried to scratch, but it proved to be difficult with paws. Michael nuzzled me in my neck as I felt a terrible burn where he touched me.

My body felt a jolt as I whimpered and rolled off of Michael. Heat radiated through my body as I tried to pull in all the emotions I was feeling. I felt hot, horny, lustful, excited, and scared all at the same time, and I couldn’t block my own emotions, let alone Michaels, who was now freaking out.

“Parisa!” He yelled as he hovered over me. My fur started to retract as I felt my body’s bones breaking. It wasn’t as painful as the first time, but it was still uncomfortable. “You’re shifting back; it’s alright.” Michael shifted in a blink of an eye and ran to the trees. I whimpered for him to come back, but he brought an oversized shirt for me and shorts for himself.

Pain wracked through my body again as he touched me, putting on the shirt. “What is wrong?” He growled out. Howls were heard in the distance, and Michael tried to pick me up, but the burn of his fingers left hot spots in its wake.

“Don’t’ touch me!” I screamed as he laid me back down.

“I need to get you back!!” He growled out. “f**k, Parisa, I’m taking you.” Michael tucked me in his arms as I screamed, trying to get away. His footsteps were heard as he trampled through the line of trees, coming back into the shifting area where we started. Several males started growling and pacing in their wolf forms while other men gathered closer. That were NAKED!

“Michael put her down!” Dad growled as I continued spurting profanities. Rubbing my skin where he held me, I curled into a ball, not caring if my butt was half hanging out. Where the hell was Hades?!

“Hades!” I cried. He was the only one I wanted as Elea howled in my head. She paced the back of my mind while scratching the dirt. “Hades,” she m****d as she laid down. “Get them away!” I heard dad growling and mama ran to my side.

“Oh honey, I’m so sorry,” she kept her hands away from my body as she tried to comfort me. My hand jutted out to touch her, I needed contact, but even her touch hurt.

“What’s wrong with me?” I stuttered as I wiped tears from my eyes. “Hades!” I cried again, and he rushed towards me.

“The f**k is wrong with her!?” Hades growled out as his hand slung to the side. Several wolves fell backward, and whimpers and yelps left them.

“I’m here, Parisa, I’m here,” I flinched before Hades touched my head, but the coolness of his palm relaxed me. The burn didn’t feel as awful as it had been, and for a bit, I felt relief. “Why are those naked fuckers trying to come over her? They are looking at what’s MINE!” Hades yelled again, going to stand up, but I grabbed his hand.

“Don’t leave,” I cried as I felt the cool hand touch my forehead.

“Get back!” I heard Michael and Thomas growl as they shifted back in their wolves. Ares pounced in his massive form from the other side of the clearing. A loud roar that sounded as ancient and ferocious as he was bellowed through the forest. “Back!” He yelled in his wolf form, stunning the crowd. Mariah stood beside him and took a battle stance next to him.

Blaze came out in his lion form. His fire tail heaved as the wolves cowered back, not enough to keep anyone in my family comfortable, however. Wolves kept approaching, and my dad was getting restless. Feeling the conflict in his heart to protect me and keep his pack safe was causing him to second guess himself as Alpha.

The little chatters that Blaze would make on my shoulder were now as loud as Ares as they both corralled the unmated wolves away from us.

“Hades, you need to take Parisa and go to the cabin I told you about….” Mama looked behind her as she saw male wolves trying to find an opening. “You can’t leave the territory, she’s still healing, and Elea still needs the assurance from the pack. Put a ward around your cabin, and don’t come out until her heat is over.” Hades darted his head to my mother with his mouth agape.

“Her heat?!” Mom nodded her head frantically.

“You wanted to bond with her. You got it, both of you LEAVE! Her alpha b***d is ten times stronger than that of a normal wolf in heat! Even Jack’s Alpha voice can’t keep them at bay for long!” Hades gripped me in his arms as the smoke came around us as he stood. Smoke tendrils lit fire to the dried leaves that had circled us as the tornado-like smoke hid us from the now ravaging wolves that were considered my family and friends.

Michael’s POV

That wasn’t how I planned for everything to go.

I wanted to tell Parisa in a more secluded setting and not in our wolf form. She had other ideas; she always did. When Hades explained her empath abilities, I knew I was screwed; she felt it on me this very day when I led them here.

The heavy guilt and sadness weighed on me for years while she was gone. I lead most of the expeditions to surrounding packs and states trying to find her. Her smell was gone; without a trace, no one could track her. At eight years old, I couldn’t connect the dots while my family ran around frantically looking for her.

There were no footprints or smells that could help us. Just the twisty vines that had taken over the house and climbed into our rooms, shutting doors that could lead to Parisa’s escape. The flower that I had gotten for my mother had been hidden in Parisa’s room, just like the fairy told me I needed to do. My instructions were for me to put it at the top of her closet, it would be the perfect hiding spot, and with her Alpha b***d, mom wouldn’t be able to smell it. Even though mom was strong, she had been part human and only gained some of dad’s alpha abilities.

Omegas came by and helped cleaned Parisa’s room while I sat staring at the window. I was just across the hall, and I heard nothing until her screams echoed through the halls. Replaying it over in my head as an eight-year-old, the thought of a flower bringing the destruction of a happy family never occurred to me.

Once cleaned, I dragged my feet to the closet to see the Moon Orchid not only wilted but crushed. Nothing else in the cabinet had been harmed, just the flower.

My tiny gears turned in my head, and that was when I realized the fairy had tricked me. She was able to get on the territory and take my sister. I howled for hours after finding the flower; my mother found me clutching it as she tried to console me.

Mom certainly thought it was because of my sister being gone and her birthday being ruined. “It was a beautiful flower, Michael,” she kissed my head. “We will celebrate my birthday again when your sister comes home,” her breath deepened as she carried me back to her bed. Mom laid with me that night, as well as my brothers in their large bedroom. We all slept in mom and Dad’s room for at least two months after Parisa was gone.

My mother slept with her monster child that led an evil entity to her innocent daughter.

That moment on, I swore to find her. I couldn’t bear losing my parents, too, so I never told them what had happened with the tiny fairy. Now was the time to come clean, and I wasn’t going to hold it in anymore.

Parisa knew the truth, and she says she forgives me because, let’s face it, she’s like mom. Mom always had a heart of gold. I thanked the goddess that Parisa was gifted with empath abilities because I could not put into words the feelings I had for Parisa and the sorrow I carried with me for years.

Wolves started to disperse as Ares turned back into his god form. I heard Parisa call the little fireball Blaze, and he shot back down to his petite size and hopped on my shoulder. His head rubbed against my cheek while I stood in shock. “He likes you,” Ares spoke. “You have a strong wolf too that’s in distress. Blaze is trying to comfort him,” he chided. “Anything on your mind?” I looked away from him. Hell yeah, I’ve got a lot on my mind.

My family walked up to me, concerned as they waved for me to follow them.

“Maybe it’s best we all go inside. Everyone is going to need to hear this.” Dad nodded as he patted my shoulder as he led us back to our home.