85
“Somebody get this man away from me before I make him explode.” I rub my temples. “This conversation is done with. There is no debate, and if anybody tries to argue with me, their lands and money will also be seized and handed over to the humans. And this time, it’s just because you’d be annoying me. Alex is the one dealing with this, not me, so stop showing up here and wasting my time.”
Brian has his people usher the elders of the Cross River Wolf Pack out of the conference room and I sink back into the chair. “Stop letting them in. It’s bad enough I’m being forced to deal with all these other problems.”
None of the Northern Alphas look insulted. “The North needs a leader. You are the Silver Wolf and you saved the North Alliance. This is your rightful place.”
“According to the pack laws,” I begin, not for the first time, “It was Alex who killed Karina. He took her life, so he could become the next King of the North Alliance. And let’s be honest here, it was his position all along. I don’t know why you think having me wear that title is going to magically transform the North into something special.”
“If you rule the North, Alex Stone will be right by your side,” Another one of the Alphas argues.
“Maybe we should just…” I begin, but I don’t get the opportunity to finish my sentence, because the doors of the conference room are thrown open, and Nathan barges in.
I am on my feet before I even realize it. “What’s wrong?”
Nathan isn’t one to barge in like this unless something has happened.
“Your parents,” Nathan says quickly. “You have to come with me.”
I thrust the files in front of me into Brian’s hands and leap over the table, hurrying after Nathan. I hear Brian sigh heavily just as the doors close behind.
“What happened to my parents?” I demand as I run after Nathan.
“They’re awake.”
I was so desperate for my parents to wake up, but as I stare at them, it’s awkward. I still have a hard time imagining Logan as my father. When I enter the room, my mother is leaning against him, the two of them speaking in hushed voices.
“Logan…” I begin, only for my mother to stop me.
“Caleb.”
Her eyes are clear. I don’t see a hint of the person I recall from the banquet. "Your father’s name is Caleb, Sophia.”
I open my mouth to say something, but my voice gets stuck in my throat. What am I supposed to say? How do I start a conversation with them?
But it turns out I don’t have to speak. My mother gets to her feet. She looks at my father expectantly, and he helps her walk. She’s not quite steady on her feet yet, but with his help, she manages to walk across the room to me. Her hands cup my face as she watches me. “Look at you. You’re so beautiful. I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect you, Sophia.”
Her words are followed by a hug so warm that it reaches into the most broken part of my soul. “I did everything I could possibly think of to keep you safe from Robert."
My mother's shoulders are shaking as she holds me. “And yet you had to grow up like an orphan. Elsa told me what you went through.”
"Y-you talked to Elsa?" I feel a little bit betrayed that Elsa did not come and get me as soon as my mother woke up.
She laughs lightly. "No. She would tell me when I was in a coma. I heard everything you said to me, sweetheart—what you said, how you cried."
She pulls back slightly and her face is wet from the tears, a sad smile on her lips. "I heard everything. And I am so proud of you. I had no job in raising you, but somehow you grew up to be so intelligent and resourceful, and such a good person. I guess most of the credit goes to Elsa for always looking out for you.”
I just shake my head, sinking into her arms. I don’t care what she has to say. She can keep talking to me. I just want to be in her arms. I’ve never been held by my mother before, but when I am for the first time, her hug feels like being wrapped in the world's safest cocoon. I feel like nobody can hurt me when my mother is holding me. My eyes water, and I close them.
My mother studies my face. "I did everything in my power to keep both you and Caleb safe. But I did fail you, Sophia. Your father and I always dreamed of giving you a life unlike ours. But we never got to do that. You lived in hardship and heartbreak. I am so sorry for that."
I shake my head. "I'm just glad you're awake now."
Caleb steps toward me. “I could always feel some link to you. I couldn’t explain it."
His voice is gruff. “I’ve seen you fight, Sophia. I’ve seen the person you are, and that was when I was looking at you through the eyes of a stranger. From the eyes of a father, you are perfect in every way. You have your mother's smile."
He’s reluctant to approach me, but I am not. I step toward him and hug him. Caleb’s first reaction is to become stiff and then he relaxes and holds me.
"I have questions," I finally say after a couple of hours. "There are so many of them."
"I'm sure you do." My mother smiles at me.
"Not yet." I get to my feet. "Right now, I want you to rest. We have time. We have all the time in the world."
The two of them exchange a look. "If you want to ask us questions now…"
I shake my head, feeling overwhelmed. "I'm just glad to no longer be an orphan. I need time to process that as well."
I leave them be, and they don't protest.
But once outside, I find myself sinking to the ground,
My parents are awake.
My mother is not dying. My father is alive.
I can only thank the Goddess as I weep.