Chapter Twenty-One

“Your mother has done you a disservice. That is going to change right now. Everyone, close your eyes.”

“What are you trying to pull now?” Aurora started, but I just glared at her and growled. She just rolled her eyes before closing them.

“Now, I want you to focus on yourself, your center. Picture a deep, dark forest. You are walking through the dark forest. Tell me what you hear.”

“Bugs,” someone said.

“The wind in the trees,” Tina said, and I looked over to find both the beta and gamma with their eyes closed as well.

“I feel the grass on my feet,” another girl said.

“Something is here with me,” Cass whispered, and I smiled.

“Who is it?” I asked.

“I’m too afraid to look,” she whispered back.

“Trust me when I say this to you… whoever is in your woods is not to be feared. Turn and look. Say hello.” I squatted down in front of Cass, and I watched as her face morphed into surprise.

“It’s… Lily.” Cass’ eyes flew open, and I smiled and nodded.

I stood up and watched every girl’s face take on a look of surprised wonder. “Say hello to your wolf. Talk to them every chance you get. Spend the rest of the day getting to know your wolf. It will take a while, but they will become your closest friend. The one person you can tell anything to.”

Aurora laughed. “These pathetic wolves didn’t even know how to talk to their wolf?” She laughed harder.

“I don’t see what is so funny. Your own niece didn’t even know how to speak to her wolf, and that was something you could have remedied yourself. But this pack hasn’t had a Luna in almost seventeen years. It isn’t anyone’s fault but the fault of the alpha and luna of this pack. Something else I will fix before I go back home.” I turned back to the group. “Dismissed. Spend the day with your wolves.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

“Dad.” I slammed into his office and dropped into a chair.

He just looked up from his phone call to me and raised a finger. “Yes, Steven. She will be returning in the next month. But if she wants to move here permanently, you can’t refuse the request.” He paused and met my eyes. “I understand you think she might be your son’s mate, but if she isn’t, you can’t block her again.” He nodded. “I’m happy we could come to an agreement. Thank you Steven. I will see you at the Alpha summit.” He hung up the phone and smiled up at me. “Come on in, Amy. What can I do for you?”

I smiled and shook my head. “Dad. What was that about?”

“Just clearing the way in case something changes and you want to come back here, or stay.” He smiled up at me, and I just laughed. My father was the trouble maker alpha.

“What made you bust in here just now?”

My smile turned into a grimace, and I flopped into a chair. “Our family is failing this pack.”

“What do you mean?”

“You have had no one heading the wolf classes since Mom left?” I huffed out a breath as he froze.

“Well, fuck.” I nodded. “I honestly forgot about them after the first year.” He scratched his head and leaned back. "How did you figure it out?”

“I asked Cass if she was talking to her wolf, and she was confused.” I cut my eyes away from the ceiling to look at his face. “None of them had…”

My father cursed again and stood, pacing away from his desk. “It’s second nature to talk to our wolves.”

“Not when they first awaken, and if your wolf isn’t accepted, they stay quiet until you talk…”

“But…” He looked at me, and I saw devastation.

“I know. Once you hear your wolf for the first time, you never stop talking to them, and it becomes second nature… but if you never knew to say hello…well, it’s lonely for the both of you.” I shook my head. “I released them once I introduced them to their wolves, so they could catch up. I know training will go a lot smoother now.”

My dad nodded and collapsed into his seat. “I have failed this pack, haven’t I?” He dropped his head into his hands and huffed out a breath.

“No…we all have,” I got up and wrapped my arms around his shoulders. “Mom, too.”

“Your mother didn’t fail-”

“Yes, she did, because a good luna would have made sure the classes and everything continued with her beta female, and she just took off. Hurt or not, she had duties.”

“Amy!” my father admonished, but I shook my head.

“Mom has been teaching me how to be a luna all my life, and I learned my responsibility from her. She needed to practice what she preached.” I rubbed his back and then sat back down. “I will set up the classes with the beta female before I leave.”

“Thank you, baby girl.”

“Can I go into Mom's old office to see what books she left there, so I can hand them over until you get a new luna?”

“You know I will never have a new luna, Amy,” my dad started, but then the phone rang. “I have to take this. Go ahead, darling. You know where to go.”

I kissed his cheek as he answered the phone, and I headed to my mother’s old office, the place my father hasn’t touched or let anyone else enter. He goes into the office to dust, but no one else.

I open the door and nearly growl when I scented the room. Aurora has been in here. I slam the door shut, and I stomp over to the desk, searching to see if anything was missing. I knew this office was like my room at home. Everything had a place, a place I memorized growing up during my time here.

I looked around for an hour, and nothing was out of place. Aurora’s scent was coming from my mother’s chair, and I knew my father would lose his mind once he came in here next. It looked like she rustled through some of the paperwork and tried to get into the cabinets, but she didn’t have the key for access. Thank the goddess.

I sat down at her desk and unlocked it from a key around my neck. I pulled out her books and looked through everything until I found the one I needed. It was the one with her notes on the coming of age. I knew she had a book on it. This is what I would give to Tina, so she can restart the classes.