92. Echoes

92. Echoes
Raelyn’s pov

It felt nice and safe in Torin’s arms as I watched Willow do her spell. After cutting my finger with her knife and collecting some blood, she began chanting words I couldn’t understand.

‘We’re on the right path,’ Siyo reassured me.

‘Do you think we’re descendants of the first wolf?’

‘It wouldn’t surprise me.’ Siyo replied before she too went quiet.

It was just Willow’s soft chant, and I wish I could have focused, but I was freaking out. I was told for years I wasn’t important, that my opinion didn’t matter, and that nobody cared about me.

And now…

I could be the only one left on my mother’s side.

And on my father’s side… If I am the alpha-heir’s firstborn, does that make me next in line? How does that even work?

Soon shapes started to appear; it looked almost like a movie projected on the wall. No, the image became clearer. It was almost like ghosts.

“They’re echoes of real moments,” Willow explained, her face strained like she was focusing. “I’m looking for moments that can tell us anything helpful.”

She moved her hand from side to side, as if she was scrolling through the memories to get a clear image.

There was Grandma. Next to me, walking around the house.

And a little girl.

Mom?

Now the girl was bigger. Grandma still looked pretty much the same, but like she had more energy.

They were laughing and cooking. Everything went fast. Every moment lasted a second.

Then Mom got even older, and it looked like she was fighting with Grandma.

Willow took a deep breath and began to chant again, softly. Her hands looked like she was holding an invisible ball or something, as if she was trying to keep the moment here.

“Mom…”

It was my mother speaking.

“Ada… You can’t.” Grandma said. She walked past me, and I reached out, only to see her body go straight through my hand.

“He’s my mate,” mom said. “I’m twenty-eight, and I’ve barely lived, Mom. I always kept myself hidden and never even met anyone who was a werewolf until now. But he’s the future alpha; maybe he can protect me.”

Grandma scoffed, “protect you? The Moon Valley pack is a tiny pack, nothing compared to what you’ll have to face. How did he even find you?”

“He smelled me on you and followed you here.” Mom smiled with a slight blush. “He’s nice, Mom. Joey is kind, and he promised to keep us a secret.”

Grandma shook her head, “if you become his luna, I won’t be able to hide you. The only way to hide who you are is to bind all your power. It would take away your wolf. I should have done it from the start.”

Mom shook her head, “no, Mom. It would cost you too much. Besides, nobody from the Lunar Pack even knows I’m alive.”

Willow tried to keep the memory here; I could hear the strain in her voice, but the moment disappeared. Instead, flashes from other memories were seen. Mom’s belly was bigger, and in some cases a man was in the house.

Was that my dad?

Willow was scrolling through the memories, and I wanted so badly to ask her to stay in some of them, to let me see my parents happy. But if she lost focus, I wouldn’t be able to see anything at all.

Then, just in front of me, sat my mother in a kiddy pool. Naked.

“Really, Cerce? This?” My dad spoke.

“I’ve given birth a dozen times myself, and I’ve helped women give birth for over six hundred years. Are you really going to tell me you know better?”

“Could you both shut up? I’m trying to have a baby here,” Mom joked.

“Joey? Could you sit next to me, please?” Mom asked my dad.

“Raemando, remember?” Grandma said. “You have to get used to the name.”

Dad sighed, “Ray. Just call me Ray then.”

Mom had a contraction, and they all focused on her.

“Do you know I was there to help your mother give birth?” Grandma said.

“Really?” Mom asked as she took a deep breath.

“Yes.” Grandma looked sad as she sat on a stool next to Mom. “It was hours before the attack. And maybe it was a mother’s intuition, but your mother asked your father to wait to make the announcement. She said she wanted a moment with just the three of you together. She gave you your name and nursed you before going to sleep.”

“So, how did you get her out?” Dad asked.

“You were born prematurely, and even though you were perfectly healthy, your parents asked if I could check your health.”

“Not the packdoctor?” Dad asked, surprised.

Grandma shook her head, “I can see things doctors can’t. Besides, I was there to help with your parents when they were babies, your grandparents, your great-grandparents… call it a tradition or superstition. I was always the one to handle the alpha heir’s first checkup.”

Another contraction hit my mom. Dad stroked her back and breathed with her through the pain.

“When the attack happened, you were in my cottage with me. I cloaked your scent and used the tunnels to escape. It was too late to save your family, but I could still protect you.” Grandma wiped a tear from her eye.

I couldn’t stop myself from crying too.

“You gave up a lot to protect Ada,” Dad said, looking at my grandma with admiration.

“You too. Your title, your pack…” Grandma replied before the memory disappeared.

I thought this was it. That it was all we would see.

But it wasn’t. Dad walked into the room, “they’re asking questions about you, Cerce. We should leave. Maybe we should split up.”
Mom walked towards my dad, holding me. “I am not leaving my mom.”

“She’s a witch,-“

Mom stopped Dad with a loud growl, “she raised me; she’s my damn mom!”

Grandma sighed, “I can protect Raelyn. I can use the spell.”

“No.” Mom and Dad said at the same time.

“Okay, then we leave. Tomorrow. Ray, go into town and get some supplies, and we’ll pack up everything here.”

Mom shook her head, “no, I’ll come with. It would be nice to have a moment just with my mate.”

Dad smirked, “it’s a date.”

Willow exhaled slowly, and everything disappeared.

Was this the last time my parents were alive? Was that the day they got into their accident?

‘I don’t think it was an accident,’ Siyo said.

I agreed with my wolf. They were hunted and killed.

Torin held me as I let myself feel what I had just seen. Nobody spoke, and all that could be heard were my cries.

My parents looked happy. For a moment at least.

“He gave up his pack for love… just like you.” Enya spoke first.

Willow looked pale as she wobbled towards us. She plopped down on the floor. “I knew you were special,” she spoke in a weak tone.

“What do you need?” Enya quickly asked. “You look like crap. Sorry, but you do.”

“Rest.” Willow replied. “And sour candy. It’s in my bag.”

My breath was shaky as I watched my sister-in-law and a witch I had only known for a few weeks. Cerce had no blood relation to me or my mother, yet she raised us both. She protected us.

And now I was being helped by two women who had no obligation to help me. Was I risking their lives?

As much as I loved seeing my parents and grandma, it only proved Dylan right. Everyone always leaves me.

My parents, my grandma.

Torin held me tightly, his touch a reminder that I had him. That he wasn’t going anywhere.

“You don’t need to stay and help me on this journey anymore.” I spoke as I tried to keep my voice steady. “I won’t let you risk your lives for me.”

Willow scoffed, “let me? This is my choice, and I’m not stopping now. I’m going all the way.”

Enya nodded along, “yeah, princess. We’ve come this far.”

I thought Torin would say something to convince them otherwise, but when he spoke, he said something I didn’t expect at all.

“Queen. If you’re calling her werewolf royalty, then she’s a queen. The last of her line.”

“Queen Raelyn Long-,” I stopped Willow from finishing.

“Moonveil. I’m not changing my name to anything else. It’s the last name my grandma chose for her and my mom.” I said. “And I’m no queen.”

“An alpha, then?” Enya asked.

I shrugged, at this point I wasn’t sure of anything. “Maybe.”