Rori- POV
I gave Adalwolf a last kiss before I walked out of his office. I have to be honest, seeing Adal sitting in that seat as the Alpha of his people, I couldn't help but be proud.
Back in the days when we were just kids, Adal would tell me that he was nervous to one day take all these wolves under his wings. He used to say that he was scared of growing up because it would mean taking responsibility for all the of the wolves in the pack.

Now, he did look the part. He sat in his chair and led a meeting just as he was born to play this role.
I walked out of the office with a soft smile on my face.
"Hey, Sweetie." My mother called out for me and I turned around to look at her.
"Hey, Mom. What are you doing here?" I asked.
My mother bit her lower lip as she slowly walked over to me.
"Can I talk to you?" She asked and I slowly nodded my head.

My mother led me to the back of the pack house to the little pond. I really wanted to tell her that we should talk somewhere else. Because I did not want to be here right now, at the exact same place where Adalwolf had rejected me and changed our lives for ever.
But mom really looked like she wanted to talk somewhere quite and peaceful. So, I silently followed after her.
Once we were near the pond, my mother dropped herself down on the ground and she patted the earth right next to her.
Walking closer, I sat down and bent my knees to lean both of my elbows against them. I planted my eyes on the cute little pond as I waited for her to talk.

"So... How did the meeting go?" She asked and I glanced at her for a few seconds before I looked back on the pond.
"It was okay. We managed to come up with a plan that might be better than just blindly attacking the enemy." I answered.
"Good, Good. That's really good to hear."
Mom went silent for a few seconds before she spoke again.
"Have you been getting better with your Lioness?" She asked.
"Not yet. I still haven't felt her so, I'm hoping I'll feel her soon."
"Don't worry about it too much. I'm sure your beast will come back soon."
I nodded my head as I turned around to look at my mom.
My mother's throat bobbed as she swallowed thick before she took a deep breath and then blew it out.
"How are things going with you and Adalwolf?" She asked, and this time, I narrowed my eyes at her.
"What did you want to talk about?" I asked straight forward because she did not seem to be getting to the point she wanted to make.
My mother sighed one more time before she looked over to the pond.
"It's about your father."
"Oh..." I sighed. "Not you too. Mom, I get that you guys want me to talk to him but I need time and space to think things through, Honestly, I feel like no one is putting any consideration to what I've been through..."
"I know, Honey." Mom cuts me off. "I'm not trying to get you to talk to him. I'm just trying to tell you something..."
"Okay..." I drew out. "What did you want to talk to me about?" I asked.
"Your father and I... We're back together. I'm stopping my request to break the bond."
My eyebrows raised up and I turned to looked back at the pond as she continued.
"Honey..." She sighed. "When you were taken a few days ago, I broke down. It felt like it was all happening again and that I wouldn't get to see you ever again. I thought I lost you again. Your father was there for me and I was vulnerable but he didn't let me lose hope. He was there and we ended up talking to each other."
Mom stopped for a few seconds before she continued. "I didn't realize how much I've missed my mate, Rori. After you came back a few weeks ago, I was starting to see him more and more and... I felt this large hole in my heart that only my mate could feel."
Mom sniffled, causing my head to snap over to her only to see that she had tears in her eyes.
"I really don't want to go a day without him. I know it makes me a bad mother but I just can't."
"Mom..." I whispered before I scooted closer and wrapped my arms around her. "You are not a bad mother for wanting to be with the person you love."
My mother shook her head as she softly sobbed.
"Stop it, mom." I rubbed my hand up and down her back. "I get it, Mom. I really do. I have a lot of drama with my mate yet I still want him by my side day and night. I get the hole in your chest that only a mate can feel because I've lived with it too."
I pulled back a bit to make my mother look at me.
"Don't ever feel guilty for wanting dad back in your life. I promise you mom, I will never hold it against you for wanting your mate back."
My mother gave me a watery smile. "Are you sure?" She asked, to which I nodded my head.
"Thank you." She whispered. "It means the world to me to hear you say that. I have been meaning to talk to you and so has your father. We were just a bit scared and didn't know how to approach this subject. Especially after what happened before breakfast."
I sighed as I looked at my mother wipe her tears away.
"I'll talk to him later." I said, surprising both my mother and I.
"Really?" Mom looked at me with wide eyes. "Are you sure, sweetie? You don't have to talk to him unless you are ready..."
"No, It's fine." I waved my right hand. "It's fine. I should talk to him one way or another. Better sooner than later."
My mother smiled at me as she nodded her head.
"Thank you, Rori. And, I'm really sorry about everything, for not being the mother you needed."
I quickly shook my head and cut her off before she said more.
"Don't say that again." I smiled at her. "I think we should leave that in the past now, don't you think?"
My mother nodded her head as she shot me a big smile.
***
I looked around the field, searching for my father.
I meant everything I said to my mother. It looked like she really wanted her mate back and the last thing I ever want to do is stand in the way of her happiness.
So, I wanted to talk to my father as soon as possible and get this over with... and hopefully move on.
I'd found Harke training with some of the warriors and he said that my father would be somewhere on the field, training some wolves.
I remembered how passionate her used to be about being a beta. He loved his job and position. It looks like, even after passing down the title to Brandon, he it still going at it with the training.
After searching for him for about thirty minutes, I finally spotted him amongst the younger wolves, instructing them on a strategic moves.
I took in a deep breath, trying to collect all the strength and courage I could get before taking a step closer. I walked one step closer, and then another, followed by another.
But I don't get to make it to my four step before I saw a wolf stalking out of the woods, it looked like one of our wolves so none of them were paying attention to it. It took me a few seconds to see a shadow looming over it and I knew that it was possessed.
The wolf launched itself at the group my father was standing in and a scream ripped out of my throat.
"Look out." I screamed out and luckily, my warning made them immediately look over to the wolf and they were able to dodge its attack.
I saw the warriors and my father try to fight off the wolf but it was too strong for them.
I started running and my heart dropped in to my stomach as I watched more of our wolves running out of the woods with those shadows looming over them.
By the time I started running over to them, the commotion had caught attention and all the warriors on the field were ripping off their clothes and shifting before they ran over to my father.
Wolves ran past me in a speed of light and try to help but I was still running. I felt slow and my legs were starting to burn because I had lost my Lioness.
Just as I got close to the wolves, a hand caught my wrist and dragged me back.
I threw a punch out as I turned around but Adal stopped me.
"What the hell do you think you're doing? Do you want to get killed?" He yelled at me as he pulled me away from the possessed wolves.
"I have to help..." I tried to argue as I pulled at his hand but he wasn't having it.
"You need to get back in to the main pack house and make sure you don't come out until I figure this out. I am not losing you again." He yelled at me before he pushed me over to the direction of the main pack house.
"Fine." I screamed right back at him before I started walking away.
I heard bones breaking and I glanced backwards to see that Adal was shifting as he ran over to the group to help his wolves.
I stayed standing there for a few seconds before I saw more wolves shoot out of the woods and the blood drained from my face and I realized that almost half of the warriors are all possessed by the shadows, out numbering my mate, my father, and the rest of my people.
I didn't know when I started to run again. But when I saw three rouges jump on my father and he struggled to fight back, I felt my muscles tense and I picked up speed.
I felt the wind pick up as I ran, cooling down my burning body before I heard a snap. And before I knew it, I was jumping on the three possessed wolves in my Lioness form.
A single impact send all three wolves flying off of my father's wolf.
I stretched my neck up and let out a loud, ear deafening roar and it almost felt like time stopped.