Shocked murmurs rippled through the crowd. The atmosphere had shifted, the air practically stilling with how silent the stage had become. Texas heard little of the noice. Blood pounded in her ears as her vision wavered. She had not blinked since the moment they stepped into view. Dressed just like the last time she saw them, but instead of the bedraggled clothing and sick skin her parents looked right as rain. Flush with health, expressions stern as they gazed out at the rest of the pack assembled in the crowd. A sword was sheathed at her Father's hip. No sheath could hide the faint glow the Texas family weapons held. It made the reassuring weight of her dual blades that much more comforting.
But it was hard to feel any comfort with her heart beating this fast.
Thump.
THump.
THuMP.
THUMP.
Mom. Dad. How are they here?
How are they alive?
She remembered the last time she saw them. Dallas and Alice had both been ill, terminally so with the Infection. Unlike Lappland, who had lost a good chunk of her sanity back in the early days of infection, her parents had deteriorated at an alarming rate. At first, they tried to hide it from her. She was still a child then —was a child when they died— and they had not wanted her to worry. Parents never wanted the thing that caused their child pain, suffering and fear to be themselves. Well, not good parents. And her parents had been good. Maybe not as available as she always wanted, yet they were loving all the same.
She regretted not getting to spend more time with them. When Dallas and Alice had passed, she had wanted nothing more than for them to return, for their deaths to be a terrible dream. Seeing them now should have been a dream come true. Her heart should be soaring for joy at the sight of them standing alive right in front of her. But it can't be them . . . can it? They died. I was at the funeral. I saw them dead. They were gone. So how are they . . . Her thoughts kept racing in a rapid train.
"Texas. Texas!" A voice whispered harshly. There was a slap to her back, not loud but painful enough to snap her forward a little.
"Gah." She nearly bit her tongue at the jolt. Her head snapped to see Sora staring at her with wide eyes. The same worried expression seemed to be reflected in Exusiai, who was holding the blonde's hand.
"Texas, those are . . ." Exusiai trailed off.
Texas nodded, though uncertainty crept around her spine like a noose beginning to tighten. Something had to be wrong. Her parents were dead. She was there. And yet, how is this possible? This should not be possible . . .
"How are they alive?" The question came from neither Sora nor Exusiai. Texas knew Lappland was being silent for so long because she was just as shocked as Texas felt. The white wolf's mouth was half open, the sharp ends of her incisors poking out.
Are they alive she wanted to ask, but did not dare. At her core a war was playing out. The deepest part of her, where the child who had grown up too soon was held in remnants still wanted this to be truth. If her parents really were here this part of her could rejoice. But the other part of her, far more realistic than idealistic, knew that somehow, someway this was fake. Her parents could not be here when she so clearly remembered them being laid to rest.
"I don't know," she whispered. "I can't explain it."
She really could not. This was all too confusing, the objects of her confusion making her head hurt as they stepped up to speak. Just like all those years ago, their voices easily silenced the crowd. Respect was an easy thing to come by when you were an alpha. It was instinctive for a wolf to want to heed their words. A few of the crowd members were even shedding tears. It's been so long since they've had a real alpha here . . . I'm sorry everyone.
"We were sick for a very long time, and we are sorry for not being here for you. That being said, not even Infection could keep us from ruling the pack the proper way." Alice announced. Her mother's voice was like a nostalgic memory, sending a rippling shudder through her. The calm waters of her mind were full ripples now. And it just kept getting worse.
"How are you still alive?" Someone in the crowd called out. Texas hardly paid mind to where the source was, attention too drawn to Dallas who was stepping forward to answer. There was Dallas, wrapping an arm around her mother. He wore a proud smile on his face.
"No Infection could keep us down. As alphas, we will overcome every tribulation."
The members of Penguin Logistics shared glances. The confusion riddling through them was understandable. Rhodes Island was working on a cure for Infection, had been working on this cure for decades. And they still do not have one. As far as I know, they're the only ones looking too. So how have they been cured?
"That's not possible right?" Exusiai asked. "Rhodes Island—"
"Ain't they the only ones working on a cure? The only ones who care? I'd say that's about right." Croissant's voice was grim. She knew the defender was frowning, could hear it in the redhead's tone.
"Hmm . . ." Sora hummed, lost in thought. Texas looked at her, finally disengaging from her parents, if for only a second. The blonde was frowning, eyes screwed tight with thought up at Dallas and Alice. It was almost as if she sensed something Texas was unable to.
"Then what do we do?" Bison murmured. "I don't think these wolves will believe us outsiders. Well, maybe Texas but—"
Texas shot him a sharp look. "I won't stand against my parents." Not if they truly are my parents. This all feels wrong. "If I do find wrongdoing . . . of course my answer will change then. But until then . . ." I cannot raise a hand. It would go against everything I was taught.
While not the current alpha one must be obedient.
She had never had trouble with this as a child.
But now . . .
There was doubt clawing its gaping hole.
"Hail the alphas!" Someone happily called.
"We will do as you ask of us." Said another.
"You've returned to us!" Another cried.
Texas resisted the urge to clamp down on her ears. Wolf ears always were more sensitive, an alpha's taking on a further level of advanced hearing. All this noise was drilling into her. It was hard to clear her mind to simply think. She gritted her teeth, tail furling and unfurling. Lappland, who recognized her actions for what they were, placed a hand on her shoulder. Anything to calm her. The sensation of the squeeze there had her loosing a breath.
But, any semblance of composure was once again swept away by a newcomer in their midst. Texas sensed her moments before a hand took hers. Yet another familiar face appeared in her vision, one from a distant time she hardly thought of up until recently.
The writer of the letter which brought them here.
"Texas. I need you to come with me."
********
Lappland held back the snarl which rose up to meet the newcomer. Someone had approached them during all this chaos, without alerting any of them. And while it had been a great many years since she saw the woman, her face was impossible to miss. It was so similar to Texas's own. The shock of blonde hair falling past the woman's shoulders was the difference though as well as her namesake.
"Amarillo. What are you doing here?"
Of all the things she thought to ask, the most obvious question rose up. Why did you ask us to come back? What danger lurks here? And then, upon a closer gaze at the woman's face, she saw the bags under her eyes, the pallor to her skin frail compared to the last time she saw her. It hasn't been that long so why . . .
"You're the one who wrote the letter." Exusiai murmured in understanding. Dallas and Alice were continuing to speak about the Pack and restoring the natural order of the society. The Penguin Logistics operators readily ignored it to pay attention to the newcomer.
Amarillo tugged the hood she wore tighter around her head. Her clothing was subdued in color, from the cloak she wore to the dress with its washed out colors. It was so different from the bright attire she normally wore. "Yes, I did send a correspondence. Are these your friends Texas?"
Texas nodded slowly, like she was still processing what she was seeing. With all the surprises of today, Lappland could hardly blame her. "Yes. They wanted to come."
"And of course I came too." Lappland added, slinging an arm over Texas's shoulders. It felt good to put emphasis on their relationship. Back together again, nothing was going to separate them this time. She would make sure of it.
"Ah yes." Amarillo leaned close to Texas, blonde hair falling forward. "And are you sure she's . . . alright? After what happened . . ."
A dark look flickered over Texas's face. It was gone before anyone could comment on it. Lappland felt the same darkness whip around in her vision, creeping around the corners. While it made sense for Amarillo to ask this question, it did not make it any less painful. It seemed there was even more people whose trust she needed to regain after all.
Texas's next words did ease the burden somewhat.
"She wouldn't be with me if my trust in her wasn't absolute."
"I see." Yellow eyes slid over to scan the others. "And the others are the same I presume?"
"Yes." Texas nodded.
"Alright then, they should come too." And with that, Amarillo turned to go, not giving them any further signal to follow. Lappland watched Texas cast one last side glance at Dallas and Alice who were talking about policy onstage before darting off to follow Amarillo. Lappland and the others followed swiftly behind her.
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A/N: Another chapter down! See y'all next time! And don't forget to vote and comment your thoughts and theories.