Anaya
"My beautiful baby girl, you're so big!" my mother continued.
Well, she was right, considering the last time she saw me, when she decided to leave us, I was but a child.
She approached me slowly and started lifting her arms to hug me but then lowered them again. She was afraid of what my reaction would be.
I knew I should be angry and I supposed I was, deep down. But really, I was happy to see the woman who I had spent my life remembering with pictures.
Tim was lucky, he was older and had spent more time with her before she left. He had actual memories of her. I lived off of other people's memories. What I knew of my mother were pictures other people had painted in my mind.
So I made the first move and wrapped my arms around her. Her body was weak. I couldn't explain it, she wasn't frail but I could feel the support my body granted hers.
"Ho- How are you here?" She asked as she released me. I saw her glance at the mark on my neck and at Alex.
I had actually forgotten he was there with the Queen.
"You're mated?" she gushed.
I exchanged looks with Alex, "Well sort of."
"Well, tell me. How did you end up here?"
I sat down with her and told her everything. I told her all about the raids and how I had ended up at Alex's pack and found out he was my mate. I obviously left out the part about us faking being together.
"Where are Vance and Tim?"
It was silly, but I had been hoping she wouldn't ask about them. I didn't want to have to be the one to tell her.
"When we went on our raid of the Darkhide Hounds, we lost Tim-"
My mum clutched her chest and I hastened to correct myself.
"He's not dead. I just don't know where he is, I'm still looking..."
"And Vance?"
The Queen stepped forward now, "I think that's enough for today. Dahlia honey, should I ask somebody to bring breakfast up for you?"
My mother ignored her, "Anaya?"
I joined my hands on my lap, squeezing so tight that it hurt, "He's dead, mum."
She was still, as all the blood drained out of her face.
"Dead?" she whispered, "Vance is dead?"
Tears started streaming down her face and I was at a loss concerning what to do.
"I'm sorry."
"But that's impossible" she said, "He can't die. Vance can't die. He wasn't old. It's old people that die."
My heart was breaking watching her like this. "I'm sorry," I repeated.
Her cries were louder now.
"Come on," The Queen said to Alex and I.
I stood up and we all headed to the door but I stood. Something was nagging at my mind.
I turned back to my mother, "Why did you leave?"
The Queen said, "Anaya." just as my mother said, "What?"
Ignoring the queen, I went back towards my mum, "If you loved him this much and everything. If the fact that he's dead hurts you so much, why did you leave us? Why did you abandon your mate, your son, and your 2 year old daughter?"
"Anaya, that's enough," the Queen warned.
"No, I have to know. Or is this all a show? Are you faking the tears?"
"Leave," my mother said.
"You left, not caring what would happen to us but you are devastated that he died? I call bullshit. You know what I think? I think y-"
"It was too hard!" she screamed suddenly, cutting me off.
I kept quiet, waiting for more.
"Don't you dare question my love for Vance. He was my mate. I loved him more than I've ever loved anybody. I ran away with him when he was banished because I couldn't bear the thought of losing him. So don't you dare. But it was too hard," her voice broke.
"When I left with him, I thought I would be fine as long as he was around. But suddenly, me who was used to Royal life and being waited on, hand and foot, I was now living in the woods. Nowhere permanent to call home. Then I had Tim and things got even harder.
"We didn't have any food or money. Sometimes, Vance would go out to hunt and sometimes he was lucky and killed a big animal, other times, it was just a rabbit or something similar.
Then he got the bright idea to raid small packs and things did get a lot better. We built that cabin and we weren't going hungry anymore. But it was still too hard for me Anaya. I couldn't. I couldn't take the anxiety when your father went on a raid and I wasn't sure if he would return. I couldn't stand being around two toddlers who constantly needed my attention.
So, I left. It wasn't easy but I found my way back home. I've regretted it ever since. I considered returning but I couldn't find my way anymore. I didn't think I would ever get the opportunity to see any of you ever again."
She looked at me now, "But here you are. My beautiful baby girl."
My heart thumped loudly in my chest. I stared at the woman I had wanted nothing more to meet and all I felt was disgust.
Without saying a word, I walked out of her room. I heard her wails get louder as I got farther away.
I somehow found my way back to our room and I collapsed onto the bed.
The door opened and Alex walked in. He headed straight for me, pulling me towards him and wrapping his arms tight around me.
He kissed my temple, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry you had to go through that."
I allowed the tears I had been holding in to fall, "I need to get out of here, Alex."
"Of course. Let's go home."
"Now? Won't the Queen be mad?"
"Screw the Queen!"
"Alex!" I laughed.
"Okay maybe not screw her. But we're leaving if you want to leave."
I looked at this kind man and I felt grateful to have him at this time.
We hadn't brought any luggage so leaving was easy. The Queen wasn't pleased but she was all that angry because she told us we could come back when we wanted.
I slept through the journey back to the Darkhide Hounds pack. When I opened my eyes and saw the familiar tall trees, I felt weirdly comfortable. I felt like I was home.
Alex parked the car in front of the house and I got out and stretched, I really hated travelling long distances in cars. I headed to the front door but I noticed Alex was still standing by the car.
"You coming?"
He scratched his head, "Actually, I'd like to show you something."
"Okay?"
He led the way to the back of the house and I realised we were heading to the bunker where I'd been kept when I'd first arrived here. That seems like ages ago.
"Now, I want you to know that I had no idea," Alex started, as we descended the stairs into the bunker, "It was when you were telling your mum the story of how you ended up here that it clicked."
"What are you talking about, Alex?"
He looked... afraid as we stopped in front of a door, "I'm very sorry, Anaya."
He nodded at one of the guards stationed outside the door and the guard brought out keys and unlocked the door.
The guard pulled the door open and wondering why Alex was acting so weirdly, I looked into the room.
It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the poor lighting well enough to make out what the figure crouched on the floor was.
I gasped.
"Tim!"
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How do you think Anaya us going to react to this? Comment and like guys!