Chapter 18

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Nellie sat nervously as her inlaws sat across from her and Ethan in silence. Ethan had taken it upon himself to explain the truth about werewolves and about him and Nellie being true mates. It was Brian who spoke up first with the shake of his head.

"This.." he swept his arm around at nothing in particular "this is incredibly... strange."

Ethan nodded.

"We get that sir. It's a lot of information to understand."

Irene looked at Nellie with her eyes wide open and stared for what seemed like forever before she asked;

"Did you ever really love my son?"

Nellie cried out before putting her hands to her face.

"I loved... and still love Sam... more than you can imagine."

"Then why is Ethan saying that you were destined to be together? Why did you come here? You lost your memory, if you'd stayed then surely you and Ethan would have been together?"

Tears streamed down Nellies face as she shook her head.

"I was meant to be with Sam. I loved, still love, him with all my heart. Sam made me feel like a princess. I'm glad I lost my memory because I got to have the love of a man without doubting anything he said, anything he felt. He loved me for the person, he accepted my size, my silliness... Sam accepted me in a way I didn't know existed. Being with Sam felt right and if Sam was still alive..."

She broke off and looked at Ethan. The sadness in his eyes as he nodded to let her know the words she was about to say made her choke back a sob before she spoke.

"I'd still be with Sam."

Irene's tears fell freely. Brian found himself choked up. Stacy sat quietly.

"I believe you" Stacy spoke for the first time. "I believe everything you've told us."

"How can you be so sure Stacy?" Brian asked her.

"Well... Alex growls and not just little cute baby sounds, when he doesn't like what's happening he growls or when someone he doesn't know gets too close he growls. I always played them off bit now I know the truth. He's a wolf. It all makes sense now. Alex has a different nature to any of us. He basically reeks of strength."

Ethan nodded.

"Hannah was like that for the first year of her life. It was worse after Holly was killed. She became very protective of the people close to her."

Brian sunk back in his chair.

"So what does this all mean?"

Nellie started to cry. This was the part that scared her the most. Would she have to say goodbye to the only people outside her mother and Ethan to have accepted her?

"We've been ordered home." Ethan's voice was quiet as he delivered the words that landed on them all like a bómb.

Cries of horror and distress filled the room. No one wanted this to happen. They'd believed that Nellie was here to stay... with Alex.

"You... can't!" Stacy choked out as Irene and Brian cried into each others shoulders.

Ethan tried to gather Nellie to him but she pulled away and went to Stacy. Grabbing her hands she fell to her knees in front of her.

"Then come with me, us. Please."

Stacy looked at her on shock.

"I can't leave Mum and Dad..."

Nellie looked at them as they cried out at her words to Stacy.

"Come too. All of you. Please say you'll think about it. I need you. Alex needs you... and Hannah... that little girl loves you like you're her very own Grandparents... please say you'll at least think about it... Please!"

Stacy's hands squeezed hers as looks between her and her parents didn't go unnoticed by Ethan as he sat with his elbows leaning on his knees. It was obvious to him that they were making the decision that would either make his girl happy or break her into tiny pieces. He hoped with everything in him that Nellie was happy. She'd had enough disappointment in her life already.

"We need to know more" Brian suddenly spoke.

"Ask whatever you need to sir" Ethan sighed in relief that they hadn't said an outright 'no'.

"And you'll need to prove this" Irene waved her hand around "whole wolf thing."

"You want to see my wolf?" Ethan was surprised as the three of them all sat nodding their heads.

"If we're to consider moving to live with a bunch of wolves.."

"A pack" Nellie said quickly.

"A pack of wolves then we need an idea of what it's like, what to expect" Brian reasoned.

"I can do that sir but Nellie isn't able to just yet."

"You're a wolf aren't you?"

Nellie hung her head down and bit down on her lip to stop the sob that threatened to escape.

"Nellie... things hapened and her wolf is resting. I'm sure when things settle a bit then she'll tell you but for right now, my wolf Sander is happy to meet you this evening after dark when no one else can see."

Brian nodded.

"Fine... but now you explain this whole pack thing to us."

The next few hours were spent with a thousand questions being asked as the children's routines were followed. Every possible question was thrown at them.

Brian got Ethan to the side and asked him what it was that he was holding back from them.

"Sir, there's something that Nellie doesn't know. The Alpha has named her as his heir."

Brian smiled widely.

"So our girl's gonna run the show huh?"

Ethan grinned as well.

"Sonething like that."

"Well I'll be.. and I'll keep it to myself till you say I can talk about it."

"I appreciate that sir. The Alpha wants to tell her himself."

"Was she happy there?"

Sadness fell across Ethan's face.

"No sir. She wasn't."

"So why the... Why go back?"

"She has a destiny to fulfill."

"Destiny be blowed. If she wasn't happy there..."

"Sir, I promise that things will be different. She has me, her mother and with any luck she'll have all of you as well. It won't be easy for her to go back but she won't be alone."

Brian nodded a quick nod to show that he heard what Ethan had told him but in his mind he wasn't convinced that taking her back was the right thing for Nellie or his grandson.

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