Crossing Borders

Chapter 25 Family

We make it back to the neighbourhood, the feeling of happiness settling in me. Next to me, our future alpha kept glancing over, his tail wagging. He was happy to have my back. I was happy to be back. Warmth grows in me every time I glance over at him, knowing that I'll be back with my family soon. As we start to reach the houses, Felix lets out a howl – alerting everyone.

It's about eleven in the evening so most of the wolves are in the woods but there are still some of them in their houses – mostly the parents with young children. Yet, they still come. Wolves and humans emerge, looking at me wide-eyed. I look different at them but they know who I am.

When I see my mom and dad coming out of the woods my heart lifts. My parents... my wonderful amazing parents... I rush to them, some of the warm feeling disappearing but I'm just glad to see my family once again.

Lily?

My mom's voice vibrates through my brain and I sink into her fur, cuddling against her.

Yes mommy

My mom lets out a whimper and her tail wags. My dad is still staring at me, his eyes widened.

Daddy?

My dad lets out the same whimper, going in to join my mother in the hug.

You shifted

I only nodded, digging my face into my dad's neck. Behind me I can sense the rest of the pack looking at me. I slowly turn my head towards them, they looking at me sceptically.

My alpha stepped forward, walking towards me. He was in wolf form, his white fur glinting in the moon.

Lily?

Alpha I nodded at him, moving away from my parents.

We're glad you're back

I nodded my head, smiling.

I think you should head home and rest. Spend the night with your family and then we'll have a meeting tomorrow

Yes alpha, thank you

He nodded and the pack scattered. I headed home with my mom, looking around the neighbourhood with my wolf eyes. Everything looked so different...

I shifted back (thought I really didn't want to) my mom immediately handing me one of my dad's jackets.

"We're so glad your back sweetie" my mom hugged me, tears dripping out of her eyes. I also couldn't help but cry, it felt amazing to be back home.

"Can't believe those monsters took you from us" my dad said, also embracing me.

I didn't respond, not really knowing if they were monster any more. I actually felt quite guilty, not knowing what would happen to Chase.

"You must be starving" my mom said, "They probably didn't feed you"

"Horrible things those Hellwood things are" my dad muttered and both of them headed into the kitchen. I followed them, watching as my mom got out some leftover Macaroni and Cheese – my favourite. She heated it up while my dad made coffee.

I swear my mom has never given me more food in a week then how many mac and cheese she had given me.

"Eat up" she smiled, going to sit across from me. It was quite creepy but I understood why. My mom was probably scared I'd disappear again. Once I've eaten as much as I could and drank about two cups of coffee, my parents walked me up to my room.

My room was quite a lot fuller than my one in Hellwood. The walls were the shade of light blue with little white flowers painted everywhere. My bed was in the middle of the room, the quilt my mom had made me when I was a child thrown over it with my white wolf-teddy bear Jeffrey by the plush pillows. I even had a window seat – I had a window! That's it, I actually had a window in my room.

The wall across from my bed held my nicely BIG closet along with my bookcases filled with books and in the middle of it, my desk cluttered with everything I was too lazy to pack away. My bed even still had my laptop on it, as if my parents were too scared to even enter my room because of their heartache. I felt guilt seeping in me as I realised how they must have been feeling while I was actually completely perfectly fine in the enemy's territory. I put on my fairy lights that covered the top borders of my walls, the soft light creating a happy feeling in my heart.

"We didn't want to move anything" my mom said, squeezing my shoulder. I only nodded, leaning into her once more. I drank in her smell, feeling nostalgic. After that I get dressed in my favorite pajamas before heading to the bed and after my parents tucked me in (something they haven't done since I was five) I fell asleep.