Pride, Mates, and Past Mistakes

Going To the Bathroom Should Not Be This Complicated

*Sierra*

She blinked at me in shock, still gaping. Her mouth opened and moved wordlessly, but no sound came out.

I braced myself. Oh, man. Was she breathing? "Look, mom," I said hastily, stumbling over the words to get them out. "I know I left—and I’m sorry—but I had to do it, and there were all these—complications—and I just—"

And the next thing I knew, I was engulfed in her arms.

She still hadn't spoken, but she was now sobbing. I could feel her small body shaking.

I did this.

I hadn't realized how much I'd missed my mom. I couldn't help the tears from stinging my eyes as I breathed in her scent. Oh, how much I missed her.

I heard footsteps around the corner.

"Celine? The movie’s just starting, where are y-" my dad choked up, gaping at me.

"Sierra," he breathed.

I gently let go of my mother and blinked at my dad, the gigantic teddy bear, and opened my arms. "Hi."

His hugs were the best, and I’d missed them so much. "You’re back," He mumbled dazedly as he wrapped his arms around me in a bone crushing embrace. He pulled back and held me at arm’s length. "You’re back," he said again, looking as if he couldn't believe it.

"I know, and I’m sorry," I said in a rush. "Look, I honestly don’t even know if I can explain but I just wanted to let you both know that I never meant to hurt you—"

"Grant, where'd you go? The movie’s about to start." Alpha Rogerson—Cody’s father—appeared around the corner.

Something leaped in my stomach. His resemblance to Cody was striking - so striking, that I could feel the familiar ache start up again in my chest.

Upon seeing me, his jaw dropped in surprise. "Sierra!" he gasped. "You came back!"

"I’ve heard," I said ruefully, blushing. "look, I—"

"Why are we still standing here?" My mother suggested, her voice feeble. "Let’s go into the kitchen and sit down."

My mother looked so fragile and emotionally unstable that I wordlessly shook my head. I let my mom guide me to the kitchen, as I examined the pack house, drinking it in like I'd never see it again. Of course, nothing had changed at all, but it was strange how you could walk by something, every single day, but only notice the smallest details when you don't have it anymore.

Like the picture by the stairs.

It was a picture I was so used to seeing, it almost became a part of my background, but seeing it after all the complications and drama within the last year...the picture was almost a sad reminder of what used to be.

It was a picture of the two Alpha families, and it had both of our families—both mine and Cody's—arm in arm, laughing on a summer day. My dad's arm was slung around my mom's waist, and Alpha Rogerson was hugging Luna Rogerson from the back, his head resting on her shoulder. And then, in the front, were us kids, Cody, Nolan and I. This was taken when I was about six or seven, when we were all innocent, all happy...

Nolan and Cody were arm in arm, and—I realized with a shock and a pang through my chest—Cody's arm was slung around my shoulder.

I only had gotten a glance at the picture as I walked by, but that glimpse was all it took for my nerves to be overcome with a sudden sense of déjà vu.