It Started With a Scent

It's Seven

There was a strange sense of peace that had attached itself to Rachael and she was pleasantly surprised by it when she got out of bed in the morning. The feeling overshadowed the slight prickle of unease that always seemed to linger within- the unease that spoke to something being missing, out of place. 

It was a nice change.

She looked at the clock as she got out of bed and then scurried into the kitchen to turn on the heating, toying with the idea of calling her parents before she had to go to work. 

Mind made up, she softly padded back to her bedroom and unplugged her charging phone, finger pressing the screen until she found the landline number she was searching for.

She counted exactly four rings before it connected.

"Rachael? What time do you call this?" Was the greeting she got from her mother. Not the warm reception she was hoping for.

"Um, it's seven?" She huffed, "good morning to you too, mother."

She heard her mum give a mirthless hum. 

"Good morning." Pause. "So...?"

Rachael coughed, wracking her thoughts for what had possibly upset her mother so early in the day. "So... how are you? We haven't spoken in a while."

"I'm not going to beg you, Rachael."

"What are you talking about, mum?" Irritation was starting to creep up her spine, she couldn't understand why her mother was acting so cold. "I just called to see how you are and what you're doing for Christmas. Did I do something that I'm not aware of?"

"Our pack bond feels hollow. It's almost like you're not there anymore. When were you going to let us know it had broken? That you joined a new pack?"

That almost stunned Rachael silent and it was then that she heard her mother sniffling on the other end of the line.

"I didn't." She exclaimed, the words flying out of her mouth. 

She instantly felt guilty, mind flashing back to the previous night.

"No? Well, I didn't think you would ever go lone wolf." Her mum said. Rachael could hear the cogs turning in the woman's head. "Maybe it's time you came back home. Being away from the pack must a lot to handle."

And there her mother went, clucking over her like was still a teenager and not halfway-to-thirty.

"Mum. Mum, stop." She said, until her mother stopped spewing her concerns. "I have been a little stressed lately, that's probably why the bond broke," she admitted quickly, then added, "but I'm okay now. Honestly, I'm over my little crisis- when I come down and see you, I'll just reestablish it."

"It's not that easy, Rachael." Her mum told her, sighing. "You were growing that pack bond for over twenty years before you moved away. For it to break, just like that, there must be something wrong. You won't be able to establish a similar one after just one visit."

She scratched at the back of her neck. "Yeah, well I'll do what I can. Even if I only manage to form it again with you and dad, that'll have to be good enough."

"What do you mean good enough?" The woman gasped. "Were you ever planning on moving back home?"

"Of course. That's why I'm going to fix the bond. I promise."

Fortunately, the topic switched and she spoke with her mum for a bit longer until the conversation came to a happy end.

"I'll call you again soon. Tell dad I said hi."