"Why? How?" between saobs Anne's mama tried to ask while clinging to her daughter and looking at her mate. Romero,through tears of his own, muttered out, "Itxs complicated, my dear." Anne closed her eyes and relished her mama's hug. It had been so long. Too long. Memories flooded through her heart and mind. "Mama, I'm home. I'm home for good.I promise." Her mama hugged her even closer. "My baby. My baby!" Romero was thanking the Goddess for his family finally being together again. He knew it took Belinda coming to understand their world to bring Anne home. If Belinda had not left to confront her mother this never would have happened. And yet Romero realized his granddaughter never really confronted Anne. She just let Anne know she knew the truth.She just showed up and that was enough. Had Anne deep.down know all along how much she had deprived Belinda of? Was Anne ready even before then to come home and it just took Belinda knowing the truth to send her over the edge? Romero wasn't sure he would ever know.But did that really matter? No, what mattered is here was his beloved daughter right here...home.
ELSEWHERE
Rodney stood before his father's office desk. "Dad, I need to go see Anne." He set his jaw determined to not allow his father to discourage him. Roberto looked into his son's eyes and knew he could not stop him now any more than her could have stopped him 25 years ago. "Yes, I know,"he said in resignation. "Dad, I won't stay away long or will I beg her. I will simply go and check on her and let her decide for herself if our bond is still there." Roberto shook his head affirmatively. Rodney walked around the desk and hugged his father. Then walked out of the room.
As soon as he hit the steps leading outside the pack house he shifted into his black wolf. His wolf was larger than most Alpha wolves. Rodney had extreme power as a wolf. He was supposed to have been the Alpha of this pack. His love for Anne and his devastation at her rejection had left him a nomad of sorts. If Belinda had not been born he probably would have died. It was watching over her that had kept him somewhat sane. And now Anne was back. He had to try. He never rejected her. Would there be a bond there still for her?
Rodney raced through the forest and up and over mountains until he arrived at the borders of the Manobo pack. He took a deep breath. He shifted and dressed in the clothes he had tied onto his legs and started down the mountainside.
JUAN
"Belinda?" he was calling for his beloved in the pack house. "Belinda? Where are you?"
"Here, Juan. I am in the library!" she responded.
He entered the library and saw Belinda sitting at the table with a number of old books laid out.
"What are you reading?"
"The history of our kind." Belinda answered. Juan cocked his left eyebrow up,"Why?"
"Well,you grew up in a oackand were taught the history of our kind. I did not. I am ignorant like a small child. I must learn."
Juan smiled at her. He was so proud of her. She had had her whole world.rurned upside down and yet she adapted. She learned. She forgave. She stepped up. She was going to make a.wonderful female Alpha. He had come to.understand she would never be just his Luna. She was destined to be Alpha herself. That did not threaten Juan. He was strong enough to stand beside her and rule with her. Belinda was amazing. He thanked the Moon Goddes for his powerful, beautiful, intelligent mate.
Belinda blinked and cleared her throat, "I should probably go see my Father soon."
Juan shook his head in agreement.
Belinda hugged Juan and laid her head on his chest. The two just stood there together. Each was lost in their own thoughts.
Juan kept thinking about how extraordinary Belinda was. She had just had her world rocked. Everything she thought she knew about her family and herself had been turned upside down. She was resilient. Her courage to face facts and betrayal (what else was it but betrayal when your own mother lied about ...well...about almost everything?) surprised him. He had expected a lot more resistance, even anger. She had pleasantly surprised him. He was proud of her. She indeed is an Alpha. He hugged her just a bit tighter.
Belinda was reflecting. So much had changed. So much of what she thought about her family, herself was based on lies. And yet, she had a strong sense of belonging like.she had not ever experienced before. She had a peace she had not ever known before. Seeing her mother cry was oddly healing and freeing. Meeting her father, grandfathers, grandmother was ...she was unsure how to describe what she felt meeting them. Being with Juan was completing. How much her world had changed and yet it hadn't really. Inside she was still herself only now she felt whole. No longer did she feel like there was something wrong with her. No longer did she feel she was insane and locked up. Of course, discovering she was a werewolf probably explained why she felt nuts and restricted. Belinda thought back to the day she shifted for the first time. She began to chuckle into Juan's chest.
"What? What is it?" Juan asked her.
"Oh nothing... I was just recalling my first shift." she pulled back a bit from his embrace and looked into his eyes. "I fainted a lot with those first few revelations of truth." she chuckled again and shook her head a bit at herself.
Juan chuckled a bit as well, " That you did." They stood together in silence. They were enjoying just being together. For now that was enough. For now...before life would once again require much of them. This was enough. There was so much yet to dealt with in the coming hours, days, weeks. So much was going to have to be figured out. But for now, this right here was enough.
THE END
Be looking for the next short story of the saga of Belinda and her family: THE ALPHAS RISE