23 Chapter twenty-three: back "home" part 1

Romero kept his hand on his daughter's back as she continued to cry. Her weeping subsided but her tears kept flowing. Rodney stood off to the side with his father. And Juan kept back in the kitchen doorway looking at the scene. All three men and shifted and put on shorts but were bare chested.

The front door handle juggled and a key was inserted but none of those inside heard it oddly enough since they are werewolves and have keen hearing.

Belinda let her self in her mother's home and blinked at the sight before her. Good thing she had Molly drop her off and not come in with her. She locked eyes with Juan and half smiled. Rodney looked over and started to walk towards her. Belinda held up a hand to signal for him to stop where he was.

"Mother?" Belinda said.

Romero looked up with a tear stained face and smiled. Anne was still not registering much.

"Daddy, I am so sorry." Anne said as if she was a young child again. Romero teared up instantly. "Shh,baby girl. Moma will be so happy we found you." Anne hugged her father tight.

"Mother?" Belinda said again a little louder.

Anne looked towards Belinda but had not really registered who was speaking or what was being said.

"Mother?" Belinda tried again.

Rodney spoke, "Let her be, child. She isn't coherent quite yet. "

Juan walked behind Roberto and Rodney to join Belinda and embraced her.

"I was so worried when I could not.find you anywhere," he whispered into her ear giving her goosebumps.

"I am so sorry.I had to see her and talk with her. I did not mean to make you worried." Belinda whispered back while snuggling into the comfort of Juan's arms. Rodney smiled at the two.

Anne finally stopped crying and looked up at her father. She saw nothing but affection in his eyes. "How can you not hate me?" she uttered dejectedly.

"My child, I love you."

Anne snuggled into her Daddy's arms when more as if her life depended on his arms holding her. "Daddy, I have done a horrible thing! You might never forgive me!"

Romero gave a small chuckle, "Nothing you have done or will do will ever be unforgivable to me,Anne."

"I...I ...I" she stuttered. How could she tell him ...why was this so hard to own. Hadn't it been her choice. Wasn't she the one jealous of humans and their free will that she sought to kill her wolf and be free of her so called "destiny." So why was this so hard to tell him. He was an Alpha as was her mother...as was she. "Was" ... that was the keybword. She WAS an Alpha. Shw swallowed and tried again. Romero waited patiently although he knew what she was going to confess.

"Father," Anne straightened her shoulders and lifted her head, "I killed my wolf." Then began to sob ...she wailed. It sounded so horrible. How could she have ever thought that killing her wolf was a good idea.She had lived for over two decades now "wolf-less." She had not had any real genuine emotions as her wolf was her heart. She had relied entirely on logic and her rational mind to navigate life. She had been an exacting mother because of it. Not only had she deprived herself of depth of relationship, she had lied to her eldest daughter about everything. Anne was falling into a dark place quickly.

Romero took her daughter's chin with his fingertips and raised is so she had to look at him.

"I know. I know what you tried to do." he stated flatly.

"I didn't try. I did.I have not felt my wolf since... since..." she was struggling to say what she had done and who she had gone to to have the deed done.

"The old witch??" Roberto finished her statement. Anne jerked her head back.

"How did you know?!" Anne asked.

Roberto smiled sadly, looked deeply into Anne's eyes and spoke,

"Child, we knew you were jealous of human children. We knew you wanted to 'be your own person.'We knew you wanted to avoid your destiny at all.cpsts. We figured you would try something severe. All witches new our pack were given a warning. When you sought out the old.witch, she already was aware of your request and prepared for it. Those pills you have taken every day are suppressors. They have only suppressed your wolf.She is not dead. When you stop the pills in 3 days time you will be able.to feel your wolf. Now she may be furious with you and you will have to deal with her wrath but she is still within you."

Anne blinked and rubbed her head. It had been 3 days already. Was her wolf there? She tried to find their shared mind space. It had been so long it felt cobwebby to her. She searched their common space and heard a low growl. Anne bolted up from the floor and raced put the hole where the door had been in the back. She shifted immediately and howled and jumped and ran and jumped and howled like a crazy pup. Hernwolf was alive. Pissed! But alive. Romero ran out as well and shifted and ran near his daughter. His tail was wagging as he watched his one and only daughter rejoice in wolf form. This was something he never thought he would ever see. He praised the Moon Goddess. Anne finally stopped and sat back on her honches.Romero nuzzled her neck. Anne basked in her father's nearness and nuzzles.Anne looked at her father and tried something she had not attempted in over two decades. She mindlinked her father. Romero was stunned as he heard his beloved daughter's voice in his head. He snapped his head towards her and smiled... a huge smile. He answered her back. They only exchanged "Hi" but ut was enough.

Meanwhile inside the house, Belinda, her mate, her father and her paternal grandfather starred at one another for a while. The Roberto began to laugh, a deep and almost hysterical laugh. Rodney joined him and then so did Juan.Finally Belinda joined as well. The four laughed until tears came and their stomachs hurt.

"Child, why did you come here? Why did you leave us?" Roberto was asking. "I could not rest that night thinking of my mother...her killing her wolf...her lying to me...her rejecting you, Father...her fleeing home and hiding...her threatening to kill me if you sought me out.. I had to confront her myself and immediately since so many lives were counting on our bloodline." She looked down at the ground and tears rolled.down her face. Rodney,Roberto and Juan all surrounded her and hugged her. Her father and grandfather kissed her templea and Juan kissed her lips gently. Belinda felt love pour into her as she had never experienced.

"How sweet. " a sarcastic female.voice said behind them. Louisa entered. "What have we here, Jim?" Jim was right behind her. "Prodigal daughter couldn't make it and fled home,eh?" Jim said nastily with a smirk in his face. Rodney and Roberto pulled away from Belinda and Juan put her behind d him protectively.

"Oh my goodness...she has a protective man...no, not one man, three! Whore!" Louisa said.

Juan growled.

"Did he just growl? What is he a dog?" Louisa said. Jim laughed.

Rodney and Roberto stepped forward standing beside Juan. Belinda could not see either Louisa or Jim.

Rodney spoke, "Beware. That is MY DAUGHTER you are speak of."