Chapter 126: Chapter 125

Chapter 36 Mother vs. Mother

“There is no greater warrior than a mother protecting their child.” – N.K Jemisin

Kiya

I didn’t expect my parents to be here. I didn’t want them to be here.

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How is it hard to see that I’m perfectly fine? And they took it a step further to request back up from Mom and Dad? It’s been weeks since we last saw one another, and the only difference is that worry contorted their faces when their eyes landed on me. Peaches, mangos, apple cider, and pumpkin amalgamated together into a single scent that warms my heart, even on my darkest days.

I love Mom and Dad. So much. But I didn’t want them to worry about me. This pack finally understands that I’m the wrong person to be f*cked with. Whenever I walk by, they cower in fear because they know I them with a flick of my finger. Now, I’ll never use my avatar powers on anyone–but, sometimes, that desire is

there.

I want to crush them. They deserve to bleed under my heels. I’ll show them the consequences of their actions! So, why can’t I have my moments of victory without people calling up my parents to ruin it?!

“Whether or not you know it, you need your parents, Kiya.” Artemis suddenly spoke. “We both do.”

Speaking of, who called my parents?

My left eye twitched in irritation as I slowly turned to face Neron standing against the wall with his arms crossed. “It was you, wasn’t it? You called my parents!”

“It was my idea, but I asked your friends for permission.”

Right on cue, my friends minus Darien walked into the common room. Their faces lit up like fireworks when they spotted Mom and Dad, but faded when they spotted the furious look on my face. “You all conspired against me?”

“Whoa, Little Bit.” Jackie walked up to me. “It’s not like that. We collectively decided that it would be best if Lyra and Nikolai were here as extra support. You’re slipping into a place that we believe warrants our

concern.”

“How many times do I have to tell you I’m fine?” My fury bubbled, threatening to boil over into a hot mess. “My word isn’t enough for you? Unbelievable!”

“You’re not fine, and you know it!” Sapphire retorted. “You don’t notice it, but we do! Kiya, you’ve changed since Tristan died. You closed yourself off completely from us. It’s been two days, and it’s scary.”

I’m fine.

I’m fine!

I’m fine!!

“I don’t need a f*cking intervention!” I shouted, feeling a headache crawling from the corners of my vision. “The last thing I needed was for you guys to drag people into shit that doesn’t involve them! I don’t need

Chapter 35–Mother vs Mother

more drama on top of everything I got to deal with and-”

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Without warning, someone drew my body into a soft wall of heavenly warmth. My body stiffened at the sudden invasion, but relaxed once it recognized who it came from. Peaches and mangos invaded my nose in a delightful concoction that batted away my dark, almost possessive feelings. Mom’s sweet scent immersed me in a fervid sea of security. Her arms encircled my smaller frame as her nimble fingers rubbed gentle circles on my backside.

I didn’t know whether to scream in anger that she and Dad are here, or to sob because I needed them.

Mija…” Mom whispers into my hair. Goddess, her loving voice does things to my heart that I can’t explain. “You’ve become so cold. Even your hugs–they aren’t the same. What happened? What did this place do to you to make you like this?”

I wanted to tell her everything; from Darien’s betrayal to Odessa’s craziness to Jonathan’s hatred to Tristan’s death, but nothing came out. The words were stuck at the base of my throat, burning their way in a futile escape attempt. So much has happened. I’m scared if I open my mouth, I’ll just start crying again.

And I didn’t want to cry. I’m tired of crying.

I continued to hug my mother, burrowing my head on her chest. Artemis hums calmly, delighted at Mom’s warmth.

A part of me writhes in fury. I wanted to handle the invidious bullshit myself. Since the day I revealed my secret, the air shifted. Things changed. But I’m not incompetent. I didn’t need Mom and Dad to watch and worry over me. I’m an adult and I don’t need to be coddled.

It elates the other part of me that Mom and Dad are here. I missed and craved their presence. No matter what I do here, I’m incredibly overwhelmed by the memories and familiar faces. Every corner I pass by holds a reminder of my pain. And not enough people wanted to acknowledge the past because it didn’t happen to them. It happened to the most unwanted person in the pack, so why would care? So, I wanted to run into my parents‘ arms and cry the agony out.

I look up from Mom’s chest to gaze at her beautiful face. She held unconditional love for me, unlike Ashley. Her thumbs gently caress my cheeks like soft feathers, sending her love deep into my pores. Dad walked over and placed a fatherly hand on my shoulder, the other smoothening my hair.

I became lachrymose when the anger left, leaving behind a hollow void. Hollow and unfilled despite the sheltering presence of my real parents–the people who selflessly took in a broken wolf and gave her the love she desperately needed.

“Tell us what happened,” Dad whispered lovingly. “Spare no details. Neron and Jackie didn’t tell us everything. But we want to hear it from you, Kiya.”

“Let us in, mi rayo de luna.” Mom continued to smoothen out my face. “We won’t judge you.”

The words that burned to escape finally did. I told Mom and Dad everything as my former family, Neron, and

my friends surrounded us. But, for that moment, they weren’t there. It was just my parents and me.

And their faces shifted rapidly from concern to shock, to sadness, and finally, righteous fury.

Oh, no.

Chapter 36 – Mother vs. Mother

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“Where the hell is your father?” Dad’s vehemence rolled off him in flames as his scorching glares landed on Neron, who flinched slightly. When my father speaks in a stentorian voice, I knew he meant business. “Dom:16 lie to me, boy.”

Oh Goddess, what is Dad going to do?

“He should at his home on the southeast part of the territory. When you see a bed of carnelians, you’d found it.” Like a lion on the hunt, Dad departed from the house, but not without throwing the front doors open first.

Mom k*ssed my forehead once more before she turned her frightening fury towards my sperm and egg donor.

Feeling great trepidation Raina tried to shuffle away but when Mom said ‘quieto, my sister stayed, albeit shaking in her shoes. Unlike her, Ashley defies logic and glares at the former Luna as if she’ll eat her alive.

This should be fun.

Lyra

Isabella wanted blood, and I’m more than happy to let her have her way with this pathetic excuse of a family. My heart broke when my Moonbeam recounted the events of the past weeks, and I wanted nothing more than to whisk her back home. How could a pack do this? I thought I heard the worst of it, but when Kiya revealed the secret she held within for years, I saw red.

Raina looked away in shame and fear. Steven tried to hold his mate’s hand to calm her down but said mate defiantly stares me down as if I’ve stolen from her. Jealousy is a nasty thing. Her face slowly reddens as her eyes flicker from brown to gold. Her fists shake at her sides and her teeth are barred.

A foolish way to challenge a former Luna. I may be old, but I can still kick ass.

“Who are you to look at me like that?” I demanded Ashley, wrapping my arm around Kiya’s shoulders. Happiness bubbled when she relaxed into me again. “Are you angry that I’m a better mother than that sorry ass?”

“She’s my daughter. Not yours.” The surly woman hissed at me. “She belongs to her real family.”

I let out a sardonic laugh. “She is with her real family. You forfeited all parental rights over her when you abandoned her for the Beta luxuries. You loved prestige more than your flesh and blood.”

her!”

“I still love her!”

“Could’ve fooled me.”

“You have no right to judge me!” Ashley shouted as tears cascaded down her face. “I made a mistake! Yes, I should’ve been better, but don’t call me a bad mother!”

…But you are a bad mother.” I rolled my eyes. “Just as you were an equally poor father,“–I pointed at Steven “And you were a horrible sister.” I glared at Raina. “Family sticks together as a solid unit, but never in my life have I’ve witnessed the horrific damage you inflicted on a sweet pup. And for what? Because your former Alpha blamed a child over the loss of his mate?”

“It was a mistake…” Ashley breathed in a tone above a whisper. “But we couldn’t go against our Alpha. His

Chapter 36 – Mather vs Mother

word was law.”

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“But you allowed him to condemn your baby to abuse. Jonathan losing Celeste and Nuria was a tragedy, and I can’t imagine his pain. However, you threw away a child and erased her out of your life. That’s the bigger tragedy. You’re weak.”

I marched up to Ashley and stared deep into her eyes. “Riddle me this; if Kiya hadn’t escaped, would you have eventually? Were you willing to give up your place in the pack to protect your daughter?”

Ashley’s eyes searched mine before falling in a heap of shamefulness. As tears continued to fall, faint hiccups rocketed through her. “Your silence is your answer. Not one of you would’ve stopped her enslavement if it didn’t put your extravagant lives at risk.”

How could a family ignore a child’s suffering to save face? If Lyria was condemned to that hell, I’d fight tooth and nail for her freedom–no matter the sacrifice. Disgust isn’t the right word to describe the Lanes.

“Kiya is my blood. I made her; you didn’t. She came from my womb! I breastfed her and did the best I could for her! She’s my baby girl!” Ashley’s outburst grated at my ears. “What we did was unforgivable. I don’t expect Honeybee to forgive me…just…don’t take her away from me again! Give me the chance to earn her forgiveness!”

Anyone can make a child; it’s not that hard. However, there is a difference between being a mother by physicality and by choice. She’s your blood, but she’s mine by choice. You left her to die. I helped her grow into a woman she never got the chance to me. Nikolai and I adopted her, and she accepted us as her parents.”

“A child isn’t a thing to possess–they are people with actual emotions, dreams, and hopes. You’re a pathetic excuse for a mother, Ashley.”

“She will never be yours! Not as long as I still breathe!”

“Then stop,” Kiya muttered. “I don’t give a shit.”

Her blunt and callous comment shocked me. I strongly believed, along with Anthony and my love, that if Kiya faced her demons, she’d be okay. She’d come out stronger than when she left. But I underestimated the number of demons and their strength. There were too many I can count, each holding more power than the other; ready to snatch my baby girl and throw her into a pool of misery.

And now, she’s killed a man. That horrible man deserved death, but it killed the light in Kiya’s eyes as well. It’s like I’m back at square one, trying to get her to open up more to me. This place changed her.

“Steven.” Alpha Neron spoke. “Take your mate away to calm her down. If she starts a fight with Kiya’s mother, there will be consequences.”

“B–But Alpha-!”

“Don’t go against my orders. Kiya is staying at her mother’s side. Respect her wishes.”

“No! I’m her mother!” Ashley cried out mournfully. “I want my baby girl back! Is that too much to ask for?!”

I look down at Kiya, who said nothing. Her gaze is away from the commotion, deep in her thoughts. Her body no longer shakes but is stiff again. I hug her again, k*ssing the top of her forehead as Steven takes a wailing Ashley away.

Chapter 36 Mothers Mother

“Moonbeam?” I ask her, pinching her cheek gently. “Are you okay?”

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01:10

She said nothing. Instead, she turned and stared at me with glassy eyes. Burrowed herself into my chest again, Kiya wrapped her arms around my waist and squeezed. Sighing, I rubbed her head again before looking at the

four warriors..

“Pack your bags,” I tell them through mind–link. “You all will return to Gamet Moon tomorrow morning.”

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