Shifting Love

Chapter 17: Memories Never Fade

At the end of the funeral a boy, who looked identical to the other one, stepped forward to speak about his mother. While he spoke I took the time to glance at him. He looked exactly like a grieving son should. His blue eyes were full of sadness and longing for his departed mother. He looked like he hadn't slept in days and spent all his time crying. He had red puffy eyes and his midnight black hair was disheveled. It stuck up in all different directions. His tie wasn't tied neatly and his shirt was rumpled like he didn't own an iron.

When he finished speaking he threw himself at the open casket and began to sob. No one spoke or made a move to soothe the boy. That was until father and mother stepped forward and walked over to him. Mother rubbed his back in slow, calming circles like she would do whenever I was sick. Father placed a hand on his shoulder and whispered something in his ear.

After a few minutes of silence the boy finally stood up. Mother put an arm around his shoulder and led him out of the mausoleum with father behind them. He looked back at me and motioned for Logan and me to follow them.

We took the boy back to our pack house and mother made the three of us a grilled cheese with tomato soup for lunch. We sat at the table in silence until I couldn't take it anymore.

"Who are you?" I boldly questioned him.

"Dante," the boy whispered without looking up at me.

"I'm Arianna and this is my best friend, Logan."

He finally turned his attention from his sandwich to me. When his eyes locked with mine, my breath felt like it was punched out of my lungs.

Looking back on this if I had remembered that moment I would have known that the thirteen year old boy was my mate. But I had been repressing that memory for years. What little kid wants to remember their first funeral?

Last night we both shared our memories about the funeral. He also remembered the 'wind knocked out of me' feeling he got when we first met. The subject quickly turned from his mother's funeral to my father's.

I was a little shocked to learn that he had actually attended. But I knew he was there. Most of my time was spent avoiding his brother but at one point I remembered seeing him standing a good distance away in the cemetery. The whole day had been traumatic so I forgot about the mysterious stranger.

I should have known that bringing up my father's funeral would bring back the horrible nightmares about the worst night of my life. But I wasn't prepared for the dream that would plague me last night.

The wind howled as it swirled around the meeting hall causing tree branches to knock against the building creating a haunting noise. The basement was pitch black. You couldn't even see the end of your own nose. All that surrounded me was the breathing of the other Alphas and Alpha females.

Duct tape covered my mouth and silver shackles bound my arms and legs. It prevented them from moving an inch or shifting. My ribs seared in pain from a beating that had taken place earlier that afternoon.

A bright light suddenly appeared from the top of the stairs when a door swung open. Three men made their way down into the dank basement. One of them pulled a string that was dangling from the ceiling. Two lights flickered on.

Tristan stood less than two inches in front of me. His head was lowered and his breath tickled my skin. His mouth twitched into a smirk.

"Hello, Arianna. So nice of you to join us."

I narrowed my eyes but I couldn't speak. The tape was still covering my mouth.

"As you would have felt earlier today, my dear twin brother has left this world. You refused to cooperate with us and that forced our hand to murder him. Now there is nothing holding me back from claiming the Shadowlands. I figured I would give you the benefit of the doubt and not push me into taking the pack by force."