Chapter 12

Through Elroy’s Eyes

My mother lived in the southern tower. I made my visits here as frequently as I could to help ease her seclusion, but this was the first time in a while I’d had actual news to share.

I was internally giddy to inform her she was going to be a grandmother, but I hadn’t actually asked Olivia. As desperate as I was to see my mother’s face light up it would be wrong to spill the proverbial beans without Olivia’s say-so, so I begrudgingly decided I’d tell her on my visit tomorrow and stick to the other news.

“I found my Mate.”

My mother’s eyes widened, and for a moment all she did was stare at me. Then she smiled so brightly I forgot about everything else—my mom was happy. I’d made my mom happy.

“Oh, Elroy!” she gasped, immediately shuffling to my chair with tears in her eyes. I returned her embrace. “When? Who? How? Tell me everything!”

I chuckled as she pulled away, just enough to look up at me. “Also, why did you wait until the tea was done steeping to tell me?!”

“Sorry, Mom,” I smiled back. “But I think you’re going to want it. I…want to invite you to the Luna ceremony.”

That sucked a little of mom’s life out of her; suggesting she leave the tower always did. She sighed, stepping a little more away to reach for her cup. “Well, you’re not wrong,” she chuckled, “this does call for tea.”

I’d known it would happen like this, but worry still rose sharply in my chest. She always drank raspberry oolong tea when she was upset, and we both knew what she was really saying was ‘This is going to be a hard conversation.’

Mom opened her mouth to speak but she was cut off by a quick, firm knock at the door. I went ramrod straight. No one ever came here outside of delivering food, and dinnertime was long past.

“Wait here,” I said in a hushed voice, keeping my eyes trained on the door. Mom, despite the startle, shook her head.

“No,” she said firmly. “I think it’s one of the maids—she asked me for a discrete birth control potion and I told her to pick it up later today. You just stay behind the screen, and if I need help I’ll yell.”

I frowned, but I couldn’t argue with her. The knocking came again, a little more frantic. I just pursed my lips and ducked behind the mesh divider mom motioned to, close enough to the door to be able to jump in and able to see through the screen to assess for threats but far enough that my silhouette wouldn’t be noticeable through the divider.

“Who is it?” Mom asked through the door.

“My name is Olivia Harp.”

Oh, what the fuck?

“You probably don’t remember my name,” Olivia continued, “but I carried a letter to the Moonshadow pack on your behalf when I was a little girl. You told me if I ever needed medical help to come and find you.”

The way my mother’s face opened up in recognition only fueled my confusion. When had Olivia ever been here before, let alone spoken to my elusive mother? And what goddamn letter?

Still, Mom was much more friendly when she opened the door, smiling as she ushered Olivia in. “Come on in, dear! Goodness, you’ve grown.”

Olivia was tense, her face drawn, and all my internal alarms started going off. She had looked at ease when she was sleeping—did she wake up in pain? Did I hurt her?

I cursed myself. I’d tried so hard not to give in to the urge to just fuck her, not wanting to hurt her or our pup, but had I not tried hard enough? I’d thought fingers would be safe!

“So what seems to be troubling you, Ms. Harp?” my mother asked. Mom was once among the greatest apothecaries in Lunaris, so I was sure she could brew something up to help my Luna with whatever she needed, but it still chafed that she needed anything. I was her Alpha—I was meant to provide for her.

What came next was something I was completely unprepared to hear.

“My wolf is dormant.”

There was a long pause.

“…Sit down, Olivia,” Mom said. “Tell me everything.”

“Well, I presented normally, maybe a little early. But my wolf was barely awake an hour before she fell into a coma, and no doctor in Lunaris has ever been able to wake her up. They ran out of things to try, so eventually they just quit.”

Mom took Olivia’s hand in hers, releasing calming hormones. “Dormancy is rare,” she said kindly, “and traditional medicine is much younger than herbal practice. I’m not surprised they didn’t have the knowledge to help you.”

Olivia looked up from her lap, chewing her lip nervously. “But do you?” she asked, looking desperate. “Can you bring her back to me?”

The pain in her voice broke my heart.

“Yes, sweetheart, I do,” mom smiled.

I watched silently as mom bustled around her room, pulling ingredients and tools down while she explained the ceremony. It sounded more like witchcraft than medical advice, but I trusted my mother. She moved efficiently, grinding herbs and drawing a sigil in chalk on her table.

“You should call your Mate here,” mom said, and Olivia put her hand up to the new Mark I’d given her with a blush. I liked that look.

“I can do this alone,” she said, shattering something in my chest. I could begrudgingly understand why she hadn’t told me about her wolf yet, with how quickly everything was moving, but she was being handed the opportunity!

Did she trust me so little? I felt anger, and hurt.

“Are you sure?” Mom pressed. “It’s a very painful experience. Your Mate can help you shoulder the pain.”

“No,” Olivia said stubbornly. “I can handle the pain. And…I don’t want to be indebted to my Mate.”

My wolf howled, furious and in agony. How could she say that? There was no debt between Mates!

My mother, though, nodded understandingly. “Very well then,” she said, and I wanted to shake her. “Swallow this, and get ready.”

And, well, I wasn’t about to let my Luna suffer when I could do something about it, so I braced myself and reached out into the Mate Bond. The pain was immediate.

I almost grunted, but held it back at the last second. Olivia didn’t want me to know, then fine, I’d let her believe I didn’t know. I stayed silent and just screwed my eyes shut as the agony rose.

I realized Olivia was also silent, and worried, I looked up. Through the screen I could see her pursed lips, the sweat on her brow, but she bore it stoically. In that moment I saw her strength as almost…beautiful.

It took a few torturous minutes before it was over, and I quietly slumped against the wall as my mother explained that they’d have to repeat this again twice more. Great. I barely heard the door open and close again as Olivia left.

I definitely noticed when mom pulled back the screen quickly. “Is she your Mate?” she asked. I blinked.

“How did you know?”

“Her Mate mark was glowing. Her Mate was helping her, and the only person who knew was you!” I cringed.

“Yes, that’s her, Mom. I—”

“She’s from Moonshadow,” mom said seriously, eyes drilling into mine. “I raised you better—”

“It’s not that!” I yelped, putting my hands up to defend myself. “Mom, it’s not the prophecy. That’s not—I would never do that, I promise.”

I tried not to let it hurt that she’d ever thought I’d choose a mate due to the prophecy, but she softened quickly. “You’re right,” she said apologetically, “you wouldn’t. I’m sorry, Elroy.”

“It’s okay,” I lied. “I get it.”

We stood in silence for a long moment.

“Don’t tell Olivia I know, please,” I said eventually, sagging a little. I felt exhausted after that—and yet Olivia had walked out like it was no worse than stubbing her toe. Her strength floored me.

“…Alright,” Mom said reluctantly, probably torn between honesty, her client’s confidentiality, and her thoughts as a mother. “Will you come tomorrow?”

“Yes,” I nodded, already dreading the idea of going through this again. “I’ll get here early enough to hide.” Mom smiled up at me.

“I’m so happy for you,” she sighed, her love shining in her eyes. “I think you found a wonderful Mate. I’m sure you’ll end far happier than your father and I.”

I bit my lip. It wouldn’t be hard to have a better relationship than my parents, but I didn’t have the heart to tell my mother we weren’t marrying for love. We’d made a deal; she was carrying my pup, and I would help her.

That was all.