Chapter 42
Ellie's POV
The silence that followed was deafening. Mom's eyes went wide, her mouth falling open slightly. Her mug of hot chocolate tilted dangerously in her hand before she caught herself and set it carefully on the coffee table.
"Ellie." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "Is there... do you already have someone in mind?"
"No!" The denial came too quickly, too forcefully. My cheeks heated. "I mean—I'm just asking hypothetically. For future reference. Because if the answer is absolutely not, then I won't... I mean, I'll just..."
"Sweetheart." Mom took both my hands in hers, her grip firm and grounding. "You don't 'just ask' these kinds of questions without a reason."
"I wanted to know if it was even an option!" My voice rose slightly. "If you're going to tell me it's completely forbidden, then I need to know now so I can just... stop thinking about certain possibilities."
The words hung in the air between us. Mom studied my face with that uncanny parental ability to see straight through defensive walls.
"You've met someone," she said softly. Not a question.
"I haven't— it's not— we're just friends!" The protest sounded weak even to my own ears. "I literally just want to know if it's theoretically possible. That's all."
Mom's expression gentled, a small smile playing at her lips. "Okay. Theoretically." She emphasized the word, clearly not believing me for a second. "The answer is yes. It is possible."
My heart jumped. "Really?"
"Really." She settled back against the couch cushions, but kept hold of one of my hands. "I knew a woman—an elder in the community I grew up with. She married a human man back in the seventies. He was an environmental scientist. They met working on a wildlife preservation project."
I leaned forward, hungry for details. "What happened?"
"She told him the truth. Everything." Mom's voice took on a distant quality, remembering. "It took time—months of building trust first. But eventually, she showed him what she was. And he chose to stay. Chose to protect her secret. They had forty-two years together before he passed away from cancer."
"That's..." I breathed out slowly. "That's beautiful."
"It was." Mom squeezed my hand. "But Ellie, I need you to understand—it's not always like that. I've also heard of cases where it went terribly wrong."
The warmth in my chest cooled slightly. "What do you mean?"
"Some wolves choose to hide it forever. With strong enough willpower, it's possible to suppress the transformation indefinitely. They live entire human lives, marry humans, have children—and never tell."
"That sounds exhausting."
"It is. And lonely. The stress of maintaining that lie—it destroys relationships from the inside out." Mom's expression turned grave. "And then there are the darker stories. Humans who discovered the truth and reacted with fear. With violence. There are still hunter families out there, Ellie. Not many, and most have moved on, but some..."
She didn't need to finish. I'd heard the stories—whispered warnings passed down through generations. Of wolves captured. Studied. Killed.
"So how do you know?" I asked quietly. "How do you know if someone is safe?"
"The same way you know with any partner, human or wolf." Mom cupped my cheek with one hand. "Time. Trust. Character. You look at how they treat others, especially those weaker than themselves. You watch how they handle anger, stress, secrets. And most importantly—" her eyes bored into mine, "—you trust your instincts. You've always been good at reading people, Ellie. Better than most."
Was I though? A voice whispered in my mind. I didn't see Lucas's betrayal coming.
As if reading my thoughts, Mom continued, "Lucas blindsided you because you loved him. Love makes us vulnerable, makes us want to see the best in people even when warning signs are there. But you learned from that, didn't you?"
I nodded slowly.
"Whoever you choose—wolf or human—they need to be worthy of you. Of your trust. They need to be someone who respects you, supports you, and has the courage to stand beside you no matter what that means." Mom pulled me into a tight embrace. "Your happiness matters more than bloodlines or tradition, sweetheart. More than what your father and I might have hoped for. If you find someone who loves all of you—human and wolf—then we'll support that choice."
My throat tightened with emotion. "Even if they're human?"
"Even if they're human." She pulled back to look at me, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "Just promise me you'll be careful. Take your time. And tell us when you're ready."
"I will." The words came out thick. "Thank you, Mom."
We sat in silence for a moment, just holding each other.
The study door creaked open.
"Is it safe?" Dad's voice called out. "Can I come back yet? The game went to commercial and I refuse to watch ads for erectile dysfunction medication alone in a dark room."
Mom and I burst out laughing.
"Come on back, you goof," Mom called.
Dad emerged carrying three steaming mugs of fresh hot chocolate, somehow managing to look both sheepish and pleased with himself. "I thought you ladies might need refills. And possibly this." He produced the apple pie with a flourish.
"How long were you listening?" I accused, but I was smiling.
"Who, me? I would never eavesdrop on my wife and daughter's private conversation." He set the mugs down and cut three generous slices of pie. "I was completely absorbed in watching Aaron Rodgers throw touchdown passes. Didn't hear a thing about potential future sons-in-law or—ow! Elena, why are you hitting me?"
Mom had swatted his arm, but she was grinning too. Dad settled onto the couch on my other side, effectively sandwiching me between my parents. He handed us each a plate of pie.
"For what it's worth," he said quietly, suddenly serious, "your mom's right. We just want you to be happy, kiddo. With whoever makes you feel seen and valued and safe."
I looked between them—these two people who'd chosen each other across species lines, who'd built a life of love and trust and terrible dad jokes. Who'd raised me to be strong and kind and true to myself.
"I love you guys," I whispered.
"We love you too, sweetheart," they said in unison, then looked at each other and laughed.
We ate pie and sipped hot chocolate while the fire burned low. Dad told more ridiculous client stories. Mom shared her book club's latest drama (apparently someone had spoiled the ending of their mystery novel and nearly caused a riot). And I soaked it all in—this moment of perfect, simple happiness.
Later, as I headed upstairs to my childhood bedroom, I paused on the landing. Through the hallway window, I could see the Miller house, dark now except for a single light in Caroline's room.
My phone buzzed.
Jackson: Hope you made it home safely. Sweet dreams, Ellie.
I smiled, typing back quickly.
Me: Just finishing pie with my parents. Thanks for checking in.
Jackson: Pie at 10 PM? Living dangerously, I see.
Me: It's how I roll. Rebel without a cause. Absolutely wild.
Jackson: lol. Get some rest. See you tomorrow?
Me: See you tomorrow.