Her return

Chapter 7

Riley's POV:

I shot up at the sudden images that collapsed the hidden walls of my mind, bringing back those memories that were locked up eleven years back. I bring one hand to my forehead feeling the light throbbing.

I hear movement and I lift my head to look where I was laying. I was in my old room and my heart contracted at the sight of a twelve-year-old girl's room. I wasn't that little and innocent girl anymore, and that fact just hit me hard.

I see my whole family, my dad, and my mom sitting at the feet of the bed while my three older brothers were sitting two on the floor and one on the single seat that there was.

They were staring at me, with so many emotions in their eyes and I could feel my wolf whining in my head, she was an emotional wreck right now that she was reunited with our family. I was too.

It felt kinda weird. Now that I got my memories back with a lapsus of eleven years, it felt as if it all happened just yesterday, but looking at their faces and bodies, it was obvious that wasn't yesterday the incident, but several years ago.

I could see gray hairs growing on my father's hair and beard, his face looked softer but there were noticeable wrinkles around his eyes and mouth. His body seemed to be intact, but now seemed less tall now that I grew.

My mother was almost the same, but looked more tired and had wrinkles around her eyes too. Though her hair was still its black color but now shorter.

Now looking at my bothers, I have to hold a gasp. They looked so different. They were now taller and there was muscle everywhere. They matured, their faces getting sharper. But they looked good, healthy, and now that they were looking at me, I didn't see irritation or dislike, they were looking at me like they wanted to hug me and never let go. And I wanted that, I wanted to feel the love of the family I thought I lost forever.

"Mom" I whimper. Tears already running down my face. It seems that my parents needed that signal of recognition to be all over me.

They both got on their feet and in an instant, they were hugging me, all of us a mess of tears.

"My baby" my mom cries. "I thought I'd lost you forever, that I'll never see you again". Her arms tighten around me but I don't complain. I take all their love in.

"My little girl, I'm so glad you are okay and safe" my dad whispers getting a hold of my face to clean my tears, his blond hair falling over his eyes. I have never seen any of my family cry, even less my dad, he was an alpha, after all, a man of power and strength. It took me aback seeing him so... broken. "I am so sorry, Riley".

I frown despite my tears.

"For what?" I ask, confused. We just reunited, what would he be apologizing for? He hadn't gotten an opportunity to do something wrong to me.

"You ran to the forest because I upset you. It is my fault you went missing" my father close his eyes, despair and guilt coming out of his body in waves.

I open my eyes wide and hold his face so he would look at me.

"Dad, is not your fault, please. I would have gone for a run eventually" I say to make him feel better. The thought that he spent all these years blaming himself for my disappearing, made my heart clench.

Without saying anything, they move away to make space for my brothers. Cole, Dylan and Noah sat around me and hug me in turns. I never thought they would ever hug me willingly, or even start the hug. It shocked me.

We spent a great amount of time hugging each other, looking at one another, and just being in family in the room, as if there was a way to get back all those years that we lost.

Then, a woman entered the room. Mom walked toward her and my mouth dropped to the floor when she introduced her as the Queen, that became her best friend after the incident. I was baffled but instantly stood and bowed to her but with tears in her eyes -which confused me- laughed forcefully and with a wave of her hand dismissed my bow and took me into a big hug. And I hugged her back, because it felt so freaking good to be hugging the Queen of all lycans and werewolves.

Now, we were all sitting in the living room of the house, where I tell them what happened after I woke up the night of the incident.

They were speechless. My mom wouldn't stop crying and hugged me sideways.

"I'm so sorry you lost them, honey, it's clear they meant the world to you" start saying my dad because my mom was trying to control her constant sobs. "We all be forever grateful and in debt to them for taking care of you. I'm just really glad that you were taken care of all these years. Safe and loved"

I smile through unshed tears. Thomas and Meggan Dyson saved my life. They were my guardian angels, and I will forever cherish their memory.

"We thought the rouge took you. We searched everywhere for you" says Cole, the middle brother of the three. After him came Dylan that was two years older than me. "We should have searched better" he sighs with remorse.

"It's nobody's fault but mine. I should have known better" I say struggling with my thoughts.

A part of me, wishes I had been smarter and more cautious that day, but the other part doesn't want to regret what happened because then I wouldn't have met Thomas and Meggan. So I was torn as to what to feel, but I refuse to keep pondering about the 'what ifs' because it was already done. What happened already happened, and I was now back with my family after spending eleven years with two great people.

Because now, my adoptive parents didn't have a lonely death.

"Well, my darling" start saying the Queen and all eyes go to her. "We wanted to celebrate your return to your family and the kingdom, so I was planning to throw a small party at the palace so everyone knows about the good news" she beams.

To be honest, I don't think I'm that big a deal but I couldn't say no to the Queen.

"Sounds good, my Queen. Thank you" I say with a shy smile on my face.

"Oh no, dear. Call me Ellie, please" she says and I force a smile. It will totally feel completely uncomfortable and weird to call the Queen by her name, but I will try, because the last thing I wanted was to offend the Queen.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Hello beautiful people! How ya doin'?

I'm kinda frustrated because my teacher couldn't figure out how to turn on his mic and after one hour and a half decided to postpone the class to another day... ugh! There went my morning!

After that decided to walk my dog. That lazy bitch. Lol.

Here's a photo of my baby n°1 to make your day even better:

Have a nice day and DO NOT forget to vote, comment and you are always welcome to follow!

See ya on Thursday!