Her Forever

Rosalie’s POV

“Michael!” Jack rubbed his hand through his hair as he paced by the fireplace.

We had just come back to our home after a long ceremonial first shift run. Normally we would spend time together as a family after the first shift. Still, Parisa started her heat just after throwing that idea out the window.

I would have called you a liar if I had woken up this morning and someone told me my daughter was coming home. Now she was home, and I wanted my daughter all to myself, but fate had a funny way of being cruel. Parisa was home; my first baby was home. Unfortunately, she wasn’t my baby any longer.

Parisa wasn’t my little girl anymore. Time moved slowly over the years, and now that she was no longer a child, I could no longer enjoy her growing up. Parisa was an adult and thankfully grew up so much stronger than I ever was at her age.

Now Michael stands before his family and tells us he was the one responsible for his sister’s disappearance.

“Hear me out, and let me tell you!” he demanded. Jack wasn’t having any of it, he was pissed, and Sampson was not going to tolerate it. Sampson had been a terrible mess when Parisa was gone, and just today, Sampson’s inner light finally sparked back to life.

“Let’s hear it!” Jack growled out. “You’ve kept enough secrets; you f*****g lied to us for years! You knew something that could have helped us find her, and yet you said nothing!” I rushed to Jack and tried to get him to sit down.

“Come on, sweetheart, let’s hear Michael out. He did not do this on purpose, I’m sure. Please?” Jack eyed me as he sat in his oversized rocking chair while pulling me in his lap. His nose went straight to my neck as he inhaled deeply. This action usually made the boys gag, but they knew they needed to steer clear when their father was angry.

I had anger built up in myself for Michael; he kept something regarding Parisa for years and never spoke up. Unfortunately, I had to be the merciful one of the family full of testosterone. I would keep my feelings at bay until I knew what to do with them.

“Right,” Michael stood up, pacing the floor. Blaze, Parisa’s little pet, had not left Michael’s side. He sat perched on his shoulder and constantly stroked his cheek with his little head. I would dare say it was cute, but my worries of that tail catching my house of fire was something fierce.

Michael spilled his heart out as everyone in the room waited for him to finish. Ares and Mariah, who had joined us earlier, sat in the corner together. I was surprised Mariah had taken this opportunity to get to know the God of War, despite wanting to wait for her mate. Jack had always preached to our pack about the importance of finding your mate and waiting. Mariah had been a strong advocate for that, and now she sits with Ares, taking glances at him when he isn’t looking. She’s not his, and he will leave when this all blows over, and I will need to be there to pull the pieces together. Being a Luna is exhausting.

They are not mates; otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to keep their hands off each other, but there is an attraction there. While still listening to Michael about the southern border and the mysterious fairy, I see Ares glance down at Mariah’s hand. He took it in his and laced her fingers together, and gave a brief k**s to her hand.

The God of War had a soft side, or was it just to get in her pants? Mariah blushed as Ares’s forehead touched hers. A hot sticky mess this was going to be when he left her in the dust.

“He isn’t your mate is he?” I mind-linked Mariah, causing her to look at me.

“No,” she said quietly. “I just feel comfortable with him. He makes me laugh, and he treats me softly, unlike everyone else.” I nodded my head.

“Just be careful. I know how you wish to find your mate.” Mariah nodded softly but didn’t let go of Ares’s hand. I sighed as I turned my attention back to Michael. Jack’s fists were shaking as he continued to listen.

“You mean to tell me that you helped a forest fairy across the border, and you didn’t tell me, the Alpha?” Jack growled out.

“Jack! He was only a child! He didn’t know any better!” I pulled on his arm as he stood up.

“He did know better! He is an Alpha’s son! Every pup has been told over and over again no one is allowed to enter the territory unless I allow it!” Jack stomped around the room, waving his hands about and muttering under his breath.

Michael stood silent while Blaze chattered in his ear. Who knows what that thing was saying, but it was keeping Michael calm. Walking over to Michael, I put my arms around him. “You were only eight and trying to do something good. Parisa has already forgiven you, and so have I.” I kissed his cheek, but the tears didn’t stop. Michael’s eyes wouldn’t meet mine as Jack growled on the other side of the room.

“Michael, you are to be the next Alpha.” Michael and my head shot up; the whole room was perfectly still as Thomas and Steffan had their mouths open. Nodding his head, Jack continued, “that’s right. Parisa has passed on her right to be Alpha. Michael is next in line but I don’t know if that would be wise, especially in just a short six years.” A growl grew in my chest towards Jack as I left Michael’s side.

“You dare punish our son because of an innocent mistake? He was a child if it was anyone else’s….”

“Then they would receive a punishment. Michael’s mistake cost us 12 years of our daughter missing, and who knows what else could have happened during that time! That fairy could have come back and stolen more children. Parisa could have been sold, raped, and killed!” Jack turned and pointed a heavy finger towards our son. “Michael, you will not inherit the pack at twenty-five. You will only gain it when you have found your mate and have finished Harvard Business school like we talked about. You are lucky you are not receiving harsher punishment being the Alpha’s son!”

Jack had been begging Michael to go to college just as he had to take over the several businesses that kept our large pack running. With Parisa still missing and our hearts knowing she was still alive, Micheal quickly dismissed the idea. Michael wouldn’t rest until Parisa was found, and now that she was, this would just revert to the plan Jack had set Michael out for.

Jack was hurt that his son didn’t feel like he could confide in his own father. I felt the disappointment radiating through our bond. The doubt that he raised a son who felt like he would be cast away for his honesty pulled sadness straight to his heart.

Finding a mate could take years for Michael. Jack didn’t find me for the longest time; who knows how long it would take Michael or how quickly? My heart skipped at that notion. Maybe he could find his mate and take over the pack sooner rather than later. My heart went out to both of my men. Both hurting for different reasons, and now was a complete spectacle with Ares, Mariah, and now Bohdi that had watched all on the sidelines.

Bohdi was always the silent watcher, and yet I never felt judged by her. She was old, ancient, yet her youthful appearance denied any part of the wisdom she carried. Bohdi came forward and handed me the small plate of cookies I had made. If a coven witch said it was time for a snack, then by the will of the goddess, we would have a snack.

Jack slumped in the chair and took a cookie begrudgingly; he knew not to refuse my food. The one time he did, he didn’t get his favorite steak for weeks. Michael took a seat without saying a word, just nodding and whispering he was sorry under his breath.

“I know this has to be difficult for both sides of this situation,” I began. “Babe, I know you had wished Michael had come to you after this all transpired, but what’s done is done. He was just a boy; you can’t have such high expectations for just a young pup who had yet to even receive his wolf. And Michael?” I walked to him and kneeled down to see the beautiful green eyes he inherited from his father.

“You didn’t know better, but as you grew, you had to have known we would never send you away or cast you out of our family. I thought I taught you we loved you no matter what.” Michael’s lone tear was wiped away by my finger as he sighed. “Parisa has forgiven Michael, and that is all that matters. We will figure out together what we can do now. We have a lead, a fairy we can….” I paused.

The fairy was seen on the Southern border of the territory; Michael mentioned that he didn’t see the red light on my cameras to let us know they were working. However, at the time, I had placed new cameras that didn’t ward off any light so no unsuspecting trespassers would see. That was my testing area for new equipment.

“Goddess,” I breathed as Jack came to my side on the floor. “Those cameras, that was around the time I was testing out that new technology. The stealth cameras that didn’t reflect any lights that our old cameras had.” Bohdi stepped forward, clutching her cloak.

“Do you still have the footage? Do you hold onto that much video streaming?” I smiled, almost evil-like.

“Of course I do; what kind of Luna would I be if I didn’t? I need to get to the packhouse; I have some digging to do.” Michael and Jack grabbed my hand gratefully.

“Kitten, you are so sexy when you are thinking up a plan,” Jack purred in my head.

“You can thank me later if you stop being a grump to our son,” I winked as we all raced to the packhouse.

…

The surveillance room had grown since the first time I had worked in here. There were more cameras, more wolves that had become the eyes of the forest. Primarily pregnant women operated the surveillance room, and several adolescents who had received their wolves yet had not shifted. This taught them the area, along with learning to keep their eyes open for anything unusual. Security had tightened since Parisa left, especially since we didn’t know if Hades’ ward worked anymore.

“You are relieved for the day everyone, Jack will mind link the backup warriors to patrol today.” Everyone in the room looked up confused, but Jack’s look let them know not to ask any questions. As they shuffled out, I sat at my desk, one that I had spent countless nights when I couldn’t sleep thinking of my daughter.

I typed in the date she was missing, November 15, along with the year, and pressed enter. The modem riled to life as the computer searched for all videos for that day. I will never regret the time I spent hiding in libraries and earning my technology degrees as a young woman. It has helped the pack and me in far too many ways.

Filtering through the Southern border cameras, I find my eight-year-old son, Michael, with his shaggy blonde hair standing on the edge of the territory. The fairy had wheat-colored hair, a tiny face, and wings that didn’t look like a forest fairy. They were slightly gold with hints of green on them. Fairies usually held a more natural look, such as a bee or dragonfly’s wings. “Weird,” Bohdi mentioned as she leaned over the computer. “She looks like a forest fairy, but those wings don’t confirm it.”

“A hybrid, maybe?” I whispered.

Ares and Mariah were whispering in the corner, and I swear I saw him peck her forehead. I rubbed my temples as I let out a frustrated sigh. This was too much to deal with right now. Mariah was a big girl, and if she wanted to mess up her first time with some god, she would deal with the consequences.

“Would Vulcan know what kind of fairy this is?” I asked the room as Jack continued to stare at the screen. He wasn’t staring at the fairy but that of Michael. Michael was uncomfortable as he shifted from side to side. My baby was all upset, and the tension between him and his father was unbearable. Nudging Jack, I mind-linked him, “go talk to your son.” I glared at him while he whimpered. “Tell him you love him, and you aren’t mad anymore. You knew you blew up, and your anger got the best of you. Now go, or you can’t make it up to me tonight.” Jack’s eyes widened as he stood up and walked across the room to Michael. He kept his head low until Jack cleared his throat.

“Let’s take this outside,” Jack led Michael out of the room while I dealt with the problem before me. This stupid fairy, which couldn’t be a forest fairy.

“Steffan, go get Vulcan, please, dear.” Steffan stood up and walked out of the room while Thomas tried to follow. “Thomas?” he g*****d as he turned around.

“Go check on the mated warriors that are watching the mating cabin. Make sure they are fed, and the next shift will be ready to go when it is time.” Thomas did an exaggerated bow as he left the room while I laughed. That boy could make anyone laugh besides Tamera. Tamera never laughed or smiled.

I had worried for her. When she first showed up, she was nothing but a shell of a woman. As the past few months progressed, she opened up to me, and now she was more willing to talk about what happened to her. That wreckless Alpha from Cool Springs had lost our alliance with us once I told Jack what he did. Rumor was he has women in and out of his room every night and has felt the effects of a bond he stripped. Luckily, Tamera was human and has been able to last longer than a werewolf would. Death would have been immediate, but thankfully Selene was gracious to humans thrust into a world of supernaturals. However, Tamera’s time was short, and I didn’t know how much longer she wanted to hang on.

Bohdi had mentioned her soul was just down to a dwindle. Her physical features were sunken, and her skin had turned ashy. Tamera was such a sweet girl, I couldn’t imagine how a wolf taught the significance, and the importance of a bond would throw her away. Tamera reminded me so much of myself, her desire to learn, and the craving she had to be wanted.

My heavy sigh didn’t go unnoticed as Bohdi touched my shoulder. “Everything will work out. Whether it be for our against our favor, the strings will begin to unravel.” I nodded my head while we heard the door to the surveillance room open.

Vulcan walked in with a smile on his face as he held Tamera’s arm in the crook of his own, rubbing her hand calmly. Tamera glanced at his face, and a blush of color painted her face.

“Goddess,” I breathed as I gripped my chair. That was the first smile I had seen cross her beautiful face.

“They’re not mates,” Bohdi whispered as we both stared. “There isn’t a bond there.”

“I don’t care,” I shook my head. “That look says it all.”