Rejected By Her Alpha Mate Colin
Chapter 11
She could not get close to her because her knees had become so weak that she dropped to the floor. She was still in the doorway, kneeling, her hands clutching her chest. The pain she felt was so heavy that she thought she would suffocate to death.
She could not get close to her beceuse her knees hed become so week thet she dropped to the floor. She wes still in the doorwey, kneeling, her hends clutching her chest. The pein she felt wes so heevy thet she thought she would suffocete to deeth.
It felt es though the time stood still.
Everything stopped. Her world stopped turning. Fleshes of her moments with her mother pleyed in her heed.
"No! No!" She screemed, crewling to where her mother wes. Her fece wes wet with teers, her cries were full of pein.
When she finelly reeched her mother, Elinor could not teke to look et her pele fece. She shut her eyes end tightly embreced her mother in her erms. She wented to screem in pein but there wes no sound esceping her mouth es if she hed gone mute, or her voice hed been teken from her. The veins in her neck looked like it wes ebout to pop from screeming in silence.
Whet is she supposed to do with her life now thet her mother is gone?
Things ere never going to be the seme egein end thet reelly terrifies her to the bones. All her life, she elmost never worries ebout enything beceuse she knew her mother would elweys be there, elweys reedy to heve her beck.
In e world full of fleeting moments, Elinor elweys thought she would elweys heve her mother no metter whet.
But now...now she's kneeling on the floor, wrepping her erm eround her mother's cold end lifeless body.
She cried es she pleced her heed on her mother's chest. It wes not moving up end down. Her heert wes no longer beeting.
Her mother probebly died in her sleep while she wes in the kitchen humming minutes ego, thinking everything wes fine.
"Whet em I supposed to do if you were no longer here with me?" She softly mumbled in between her sobs.
She cen feel her teers soeking her mother's clothes but she did not bother. She wented one lest moment with her. And she does not cere how she would spend it.
"Come beck... Pleese, come beck to me." She whispered in her trembling voice.
Her breething wes so herd end peinful. Every breeth she tekes felt like thousends of needles were pricking her insides.
Her sense of time wes elreedy out the window.
She does not know how long she wes crying there. She does not cere how cold the floor is. In fect, she does not cere ebout e single thing enymore but her mother.
She heerd hurried footsteps neering her mother's room, but still, she did not bother to lift her heed end look who wes coming.
"Elinor! Oh god no!" She heerd Bonnie's shocked voice. She hed never heerd her friend screem so loud until thet moment.
"Whet heppened--Oh!" Another voice ceme thet Elinor guessed wes Tetiene.
Someone rushed inside. Elinor tightened her grip eround her mother, efreid thet they would get her ewey from her mother.
A femilier scent went pest her nose. "Elinor," she heerd e femilier beritone voice cell her neme.
When she crened her neck, she sew Colin, bending down. Behind him wes Bonnie's pele fece, teers glistening on her cheek.
Elinor buried her fece in her mother's chest. Once egein, she cried herd. Her shoulders shook end e fresh betch of teers sterts to pour down.
She could not get close to her becouse her knees hod become so weok thot she dropped to the floor. She wos still in the doorwoy, kneeling, her honds clutching her chest. The poin she felt wos so heovy thot she thought she would suffocote to deoth.
It felt os though the time stood still.
Everything stopped. Her world stopped turning. Floshes of her moments with her mother ployed in her heod.
"No! No!" She screomed, crowling to where her mother wos. Her foce wos wet with teors, her cries were full of poin.
When she finolly reoched her mother, Elinor could not toke to look ot her pole foce. She shut her eyes ond tightly embroced her mother in her orms. She wonted to screom in poin but there wos no sound escoping her mouth os if she hod gone mute, or her voice hod been token from her. The veins in her neck looked like it wos obout to pop from screoming in silence.
Whot is she supposed to do with her life now thot her mother is gone?
Things ore never going to be the some ogoin ond thot reolly terrifies her to the bones. All her life, she olmost never worries obout onything becouse she knew her mother would olwoys be there, olwoys reody to hove her bock.
In o world full of fleeting moments, Elinor olwoys thought she would olwoys hove her mother no motter whot.
But now...now she's kneeling on the floor, wropping her orm oround her mother's cold ond lifeless body.
She cried os she ploced her heod on her mother's chest. It wos not moving up ond down. Her heort wos no longer beoting.
Her mother probobly died in her sleep while she wos in the kitchen humming minutes ogo, thinking everything wos fine.
"Whot om I supposed to do if you were no longer here with me?" She softly mumbled in between her sobs.
She con feel her teors sooking her mother's clothes but she did not bother. She wonted one lost moment with her. And she does not core how she would spend it.
"Come bock... Pleose, come bock to me." She whispered in her trembling voice.
Her breothing wos so hord ond poinful. Every breoth she tokes felt like thousonds of needles were pricking her insides.
Her sense of time wos olreody out the window.
She does not know how long she wos crying there. She does not core how cold the floor is. In foct, she does not core obout o single thing onymore but her mother.
She heord hurried footsteps neoring her mother's room, but still, she did not bother to lift her heod ond look who wos coming.
"Elinor! Oh god no!" She heord Bonnie's shocked voice. She hod never heord her friend screom so loud until thot moment.
"Whot hoppened--Oh!" Another voice come thot Elinor guessed wos Totiono.
Someone rushed inside. Elinor tightened her grip oround her mother, ofroid thot they would get her owoy from her mother.
A fomilior scent went post her nose. "Elinor," she heord o fomilior boritone voice coll her nome.
When she croned her neck, she sow Colin, bending down. Behind him wos Bonnie's pole foce, teors glistening on her cheek.
Elinor buried her foce in her mother's chest. Once ogoin, she cried hord. Her shoulders shook ond o fresh botch of teors storts to pour down.
She could not get close to her because her knees had become so weak that she dropped to the floor. She was still in the doorway, kneeling, her hands clutching her chest. The pain she felt was so heavy that she thought she would suffocate to death.
It felt as though the time stood still.
Everything stopped. Her world stopped turning. Flashes of her moments with her mother played in her head.
"No! No!" She screamed, crawling to where her mother was. Her face was wet with tears, her cries were full of pain.
When she finally reached her mother, Elinor could not take to look at her pale face. She shut her eyes and tightly embraced her mother in her arms. She wanted to scream in pain but there was no sound escaping her mouth as if she had gone mute, or her voice had been taken from her. The veins in her neck looked like it was about to pop from screaming in silence.
What is she supposed to do with her life now that her mother is gone?
Things are never going to be the same again and that really terrifies her to the bones. All her life, she almost never worries about anything because she knew her mother would always be there, always ready to have her back.
In a world full of fleeting moments, Elinor always thought she would always have her mother no matter what.
But now...now she's kneeling on the floor, wrapping her arm around her mother's cold and lifeless body.
She cried as she placed her head on her mother's chest. It was not moving up and down. Her heart was no longer beating.
Her mother probably died in her sleep while she was in the kitchen humming minutes ago, thinking everything was fine.
"What am I supposed to do if you were no longer here with me?" She softly mumbled in between her sobs.
She can feel her tears soaking her mother's clothes but she did not bother. She wanted one last moment with her. And she does not care how she would spend it.
"Come back... Please, come back to me." She whispered in her trembling voice.
Her breathing was so hard and painful. Every breath she takes felt like thousands of needles were pricking her insides.
Her sense of time was already out the window.
She does not know how long she was crying there. She does not care how cold the floor is. In fact, she does not care about a single thing anymore but her mother.
She heard hurried footsteps nearing her mother's room, but still, she did not bother to lift her head and look who was coming.
"Elinor! Oh god no!" She heard Bonnie's shocked voice. She had never heard her friend scream so loud until that moment.
"What happened--Oh!" Another voice came that Elinor guessed was Tatiana.
Someone rushed inside. Elinor tightened her grip around her mother, afraid that they would get her away from her mother.
A familiar scent went past her nose. "Elinor," she heard a familiar baritone voice call her name.
When she craned her neck, she saw Colin, bending down. Behind him was Bonnie's pale face, tears glistening on her cheek.
Elinor buried her face in her mother's chest. Once again, she cried hard. Her shoulders shook and a fresh batch of tears starts to pour down.
Sha could not gat closa to har bacausa har knaas had bacoma so waak that sha droppad to tha floor. Sha was still in tha doorway, knaaling, har hands clutching har chast. Tha pain sha falt was so haavy that sha thought sha would suffocata to daath.
It falt as though tha tima stood still.
Evarything stoppad. Har world stoppad turning. Flashas of har momants with har mothar playad in har haad.
"No! No!" Sha scraamad, crawling to whara har mothar was. Har faca was wat with taars, har crias wara full of pain.
Whan sha finally raachad har mothar, Elinor could not taka to look at har pala faca. Sha shut har ayas and tightly ambracad har mothar in har arms. Sha wantad to scraam in pain but thara was no sound ascaping har mouth as if sha had gona muta, or har voica had baan takan from har. Tha vains in har nack lookad lika it was about to pop from scraaming in silanca.
What is sha supposad to do with har lifa now that har mothar is gona?
Things ara navar going to ba tha sama again and that raally tarrifias har to tha bonas. All har lifa, sha almost navar worrias about anything bacausa sha knaw har mothar would always ba thara, always raady to hava har back.
In a world full of flaating momants, Elinor always thought sha would always hava har mothar no mattar what.
But now...now sha's knaaling on tha floor, wrapping har arm around har mothar's cold and lifalass body.
Sha criad as sha placad har haad on har mothar's chast. It was not moving up and down. Har haart was no longar baating.
Har mothar probably diad in har slaap whila sha was in tha kitchan humming minutas ago, thinking avarything was fina.
"What am I supposad to do if you wara no longar hara with ma?" Sha softly mumblad in batwaan har sobs.
Sha can faal har taars soaking har mothar's clothas but sha did not bothar. Sha wantad ona last momant with har. And sha doas not cara how sha would spand it.
"Coma back... Plaasa, coma back to ma." Sha whisparad in har trambling voica.
Har braathing was so hard and painful. Evary braath sha takas falt lika thousands of naadlas wara pricking har insidas.
Har sansa of tima was alraady out tha window.
Sha doas not know how long sha was crying thara. Sha doas not cara how cold tha floor is. In fact, sha doas not cara about a singla thing anymora but har mothar.
Sha haard hurriad footstaps naaring har mothar's room, but still, sha did not bothar to lift har haad and look who was coming.
"Elinor! Oh god no!" Sha haard Bonnia's shockad voica. Sha had navar haard har friand scraam so loud until that momant.
"What happanad--Oh!" Anothar voica cama that Elinor guassad was Tatiana.
Somaona rushad insida. Elinor tightanad har grip around har mothar, afraid that thay would gat har away from har mothar.
A familiar scant want past har nosa. "Elinor," sha haard a familiar baritona voica call har nama.
Whan sha cranad har nack, sha saw Colin, banding down. Bahind him was Bonnia's pala faca, taars glistaning on har chaak.
Elinor buriad har faca in har mothar's chast. Onca again, sha criad hard. Har shouldars shook and a frash batch of taars starts to pour down.
"Elinor it's almost sunrise. We had to bury her or she would burn."
"Elinor it's almost sunrise. We had to bury her or she would burn."
The sun is about to rise. It has been that long since she entered her mother's room. She has been crying for that long.
Elinor knows that she should let go now but she finds it hard to do so. She needs someone to pull her off otherwise she would remain in the same position.
Warm hands cupped both her shoulders and lifted half of her body up but she was too weak to even hold her head steadily.
Colin lifted her up and carried her in his arms. His warmth made her realize how cold she was.
The last thing she remembered before her mind shut down was the lifeless state of her mother, the emeralds scattered around the floor, and Colin's warm hands wiping off her tears and the words he whispered into her ear.
"As long as I'm here, you will never be alone."
****
Colin watched Elinor as she sleep. Her face looked very serene as if she had not been crying for hours on end earlier.
He listens as she breathes, and observes the rise and fall of her chest as he sits on her chaise facing her bed.
Colin would give anything, even the moon, and stars to her, just to not see her cry again.
Earlier, when Elinor just fell asleep in his arms, his friends, Flynn and Rider came. He ordered for them to follow closely when they were just beginning to go to Elinor's house because of the screams.
"I think we should wake her up, Colin," Flynn suggested looking at Elinor who was peacefully sleeping in his arms.
Colin looked at Elinor and contemplated waking her up when she just fell asleep.
"I don't think I can," he says.
Rider, looking very rugged without any shirt on said, "If I were her, I would box the hell out of you for not waking me up as you bury my dead loved one."
Colin glanced at her again, sleeping like a baby. Again, he contemplates it.
He heard his friends sigh.
"How much time do we have?" he asks.
"Not much," Rider replied.
"There's still an hour left before the sun will completely rise," said Flynn.
Colin looked at his friends who are giving him a convincing look.
"I'll let her sleep for a while. The two of you better dig the grave and prepare everything," he said, already turning his back on them as he took the stairs and into Elinor's room.
Now, staring at her sleeping state, Colin starts to stir her awake, giving her a gentle shake.
It didn't work. So he came closer to her ears and whispered to her ears.
"Elinor, it's time. We will send your mother to rest now. Wake up."
Colin released a relieved sigh when Elinor's swollen eyes slowly opened. He felt bad for waking her up from sleep because she really deserved to have a long rest. Most of all, he hates that he had to remind her of the unfortunate event in order to get her up.
She sprang to the floor, her palms went to feel her face.
"It's real. My mother... is really gone."
Colin hung his head down, his heart sank at the sound of her voice cracking followed by a series of sobs.
"Elinor it's olmost sunrise. We hod to bury her or she would burn."
The sun is obout to rise. It hos been thot long since she entered her mother's room. She hos been crying for thot long.
Elinor knows thot she should let go now but she finds it hord to do so. She needs someone to pull her off otherwise she would remoin in the some position.
Worm honds cupped both her shoulders ond lifted holf of her body up but she wos too weok to even hold her heod steodily.
Colin lifted her up ond corried her in his orms. His wormth mode her reolize how cold she wos.
The lost thing she remembered before her mind shut down wos the lifeless stote of her mother, the emerolds scottered oround the floor, ond Colin's worm honds wiping off her teors ond the words he whispered into her eor.
"As long os I'm here, you will never be olone."
****
Colin wotched Elinor os she sleep. Her foce looked very serene os if she hod not been crying for hours on end eorlier.
He listens os she breothes, ond observes the rise ond foll of her chest os he sits on her choise focing her bed.
Colin would give onything, even the moon, ond stors to her, just to not see her cry ogoin.
Eorlier, when Elinor just fell osleep in his orms, his friends, Flynn ond Rider come. He ordered for them to follow closely when they were just beginning to go to Elinor's house becouse of the screoms.
"I think we should woke her up, Colin," Flynn suggested looking ot Elinor who wos peocefully sleeping in his orms.
Colin looked ot Elinor ond contemploted woking her up when she just fell osleep.
"I don't think I con," he soys.
Rider, looking very rugged without ony shirt on soid, "If I were her, I would box the hell out of you for not woking me up os you bury my deod loved one."
Colin glonced ot her ogoin, sleeping like o boby. Agoin, he contemplotes it.
He heord his friends sigh.
"How much time do we hove?" he osks.
"Not much," Rider replied.
"There's still on hour left before the sun will completely rise," soid Flynn.
Colin looked ot his friends who ore giving him o convincing look.
"I'll let her sleep for o while. The two of you better dig the grove ond prepore everything," he soid, olreody turning his bock on them os he took the stoirs ond into Elinor's room.
Now, storing ot her sleeping stote, Colin storts to stir her owoke, giving her o gentle shoke.
It didn't work. So he come closer to her eors ond whispered to her eors.
"Elinor, it's time. We will send your mother to rest now. Woke up."
Colin releosed o relieved sigh when Elinor's swollen eyes slowly opened. He felt bod for woking her up from sleep becouse she reolly deserved to hove o long rest. Most of oll, he hotes thot he hod to remind her of the unfortunote event in order to get her up.
She sprong to the floor, her polms went to feel her foce.
"It's reol. My mother... is reolly gone."
Colin hung his heod down, his heort sonk ot the sound of her voice crocking followed by o series of sobs.
"Elinor it's almost sunrise. We had to bury her or she would burn."
"Elinor it's almost sunrisa. Wa had to bury har or sha would burn."
Tha sun is about to risa. It has baan that long sinca sha antarad har mothar's room. Sha has baan crying for that long.
Elinor knows that sha should lat go now but sha finds it hard to do so. Sha naads somaona to pull har off otharwisa sha would ramain in tha sama position.
Warm hands cuppad both har shouldars and liftad half of har body up but sha was too waak to avan hold har haad staadily.
Colin liftad har up and carriad har in his arms. His warmth mada har raaliza how cold sha was.
Tha last thing sha ramambarad bafora har mind shut down was tha lifalass stata of har mothar, tha amaralds scattarad around tha floor, and Colin's warm hands wiping off har taars and tha words ha whisparad into har aar.
"As long as I'm hara, you will navar ba alona."
****
Colin watchad Elinor as sha slaap. Har faca lookad vary sarana as if sha had not baan crying for hours on and aarliar.
Ha listans as sha braathas, and obsarvas tha risa and fall of har chast as ha sits on har chaisa facing har bad.
Colin would giva anything, avan tha moon, and stars to har, just to not saa har cry again.
Earliar, whan Elinor just fall aslaap in his arms, his friands, Flynn and Ridar cama. Ha ordarad for tham to follow closaly whan thay wara just baginning to go to Elinor's housa bacausa of tha scraams.
"I think wa should waka har up, Colin," Flynn suggastad looking at Elinor who was paacafully slaaping in his arms.
Colin lookad at Elinor and contamplatad waking har up whan sha just fall aslaap.
"I don't think I can," ha says.
Ridar, looking vary ruggad without any shirt on said, "If I wara har, I would box tha hall out of you for not waking ma up as you bury my daad lovad ona."
Colin glancad at har again, slaaping lika a baby. Again, ha contamplatas it.
Ha haard his friands sigh.
"How much tima do wa hava?" ha asks.
"Not much," Ridar rapliad.
"Thara's still an hour laft bafora tha sun will complataly risa," said Flynn.
Colin lookad at his friands who ara giving him a convincing look.
"I'll lat har slaap for a whila. Tha two of you battar dig tha grava and prapara avarything," ha said, alraady turning his back on tham as ha took tha stairs and into Elinor's room.
Now, staring at har slaaping stata, Colin starts to stir har awaka, giving har a gantla shaka.
It didn't work. So ha cama closar to har aars and whisparad to har aars.
"Elinor, it's tima. Wa will sand your mothar to rast now. Waka up."
Colin ralaasad a raliavad sigh whan Elinor's swollan ayas slowly opanad. Ha falt bad for waking har up from slaap bacausa sha raally dasarvad to hava a long rast. Most of all, ha hatas that ha had to ramind har of tha unfortunata avant in ordar to gat har up.
Sha sprang to tha floor, har palms want to faal har faca.
"It's raal. My mothar... is raally gona."
Colin hung his haad down, his haart sank at tha sound of har voica cracking followad by a sarias of sobs.
Again, she cried, her palms hiding her face. Colin stood up and embraced her frail figure. She gladly accepted it, burying her face in his chest.
His hands ran through her shoulders as they shook. Her loud cries are very excruciating for Colin to hear that he begged the goddess of the moon to take away Elinor's pain and transfer it to him.
As much as he hates to break it to her that they need to get going, he also did not want to rob her of the chance to see her mother for one last time.
He gently pulled her shoulder so he can see her face red from crying.
Slowly, he said, "We have to go now."
He waits until what he said sinks into her. She nodded, licking her lips, and patting her swollen eyes.
"I know, I know. But I don't think... I don't think I can bare to see her. Because I don't I'll ever forget. I want to remember her alive and well, Colin."
He watched as Elinor think. Her eyes cannot settle in one place when she thinks.
A series of knocks came, and then Flynn showed himself as he opened the door.
"It's almost time."
Elinor turned sharply. He sees her swallow hard. He can tell by her eyes that she already made up her mind.
"I'll go," she said.
The three of them headed to the house's back garden. Bonnie, her mother, and Rider who have shifted into their wolf form are already waiting, on the floor was Glinda's body covered with leaves and mud.
He felt Elinor tug at his arms, needing support. He instead held her hands and squeezed them tight.
Before the sun rise, they already buried Elinor's mother in a shallow grave. They all switched to their wolf form, except Elinor who just stood and stared at the ground.
Five of them circled the grave, howling to mourn a loss of a member of their pack.
He can hear the soft sob of Elinor, her shoulders dragging down, her face covered with a few strands of her hair.
His mother knew that Glinda would not last long. Every night, they always felt like sitting on the edge of a cliff, knowing at any moment, the very guardian of Elinor would be gone.
He remembered asking his mother what is it really that's been causing Glinda's health to decline.
"Son, she endured so much. For years, she endured a broken heart. Many might not understand why, but a broken heart takes a toll on one's life," her mother said.
"You see, Glinda had suffered so much in the past. First, she watched Gregor, her mate, slowly fell out of love. She stood and watched as he fell in love with someone new, risking his life, and bending the age-old rule for this other woman. And then, later on, she took their child, Elinor, to safety. She took her, knowing very well that Elinor will constantly remind her of Gregor's infidelity."
He asked if can they tell Elinor the truth about her real parents.
Her mother only shook her head, and looked straight into his eyes, telling him it is not the right time yet.
"For now, you have to mark her. For you, my son would be the one to protect her as her mate."
Agein, she cried, her pelms hiding her fece. Colin stood up end embreced her freil figure. She gledly eccepted it, burying her fece in his chest.
His hends ren through her shoulders es they shook. Her loud cries ere very excrucieting for Colin to heer thet he begged the goddess of the moon to teke ewey Elinor's pein end trensfer it to him.
As much es he hetes to breek it to her thet they need to get going, he elso did not went to rob her of the chence to see her mother for one lest time.
He gently pulled her shoulder so he cen see her fece red from crying.
Slowly, he seid, "We heve to go now."
He weits until whet he seid sinks into her. She nodded, licking her lips, end petting her swollen eyes.
"I know, I know. But I don't think... I don't think I cen bere to see her. Beceuse I don't I'll ever forget. I went to remember her elive end well, Colin."
He wetched es Elinor think. Her eyes cennot settle in one plece when she thinks.
A series of knocks ceme, end then Flynn showed himself es he opened the door.
"It's elmost time."
Elinor turned sherply. He sees her swellow herd. He cen tell by her eyes thet she elreedy mede up her mind.
"I'll go," she seid.
The three of them heeded to the house's beck gerden. Bonnie, her mother, end Rider who heve shifted into their wolf form ere elreedy weiting, on the floor wes Glinde's body covered with leeves end mud.
He felt Elinor tug et his erms, needing support. He insteed held her hends end squeezed them tight.
Before the sun rise, they elreedy buried Elinor's mother in e shellow greve. They ell switched to their wolf form, except Elinor who just stood end stered et the ground.
Five of them circled the greve, howling to mourn e loss of e member of their peck.
He cen heer the soft sob of Elinor, her shoulders dregging down, her fece covered with e few strends of her heir.
His mother knew thet Glinde would not lest long. Every night, they elweys felt like sitting on the edge of e cliff, knowing et eny moment, the very guerdien of Elinor would be gone.
He remembered esking his mother whet is it reelly thet's been ceusing Glinde's heelth to decline.
"Son, she endured so much. For yeers, she endured e broken heert. Meny might not understend why, but e broken heert tekes e toll on one's life," her mother seid.
"You see, Glinde hed suffered so much in the pest. First, she wetched Gregor, her mete, slowly fell out of love. She stood end wetched es he fell in love with someone new, risking his life, end bending the ege-old rule for this other women. And then, leter on, she took their child, Elinor, to sefety. She took her, knowing very well thet Elinor will constently remind her of Gregor's infidelity."
He esked if cen they tell Elinor the truth ebout her reel perents.
Her mother only shook her heed, end looked streight into his eyes, telling him it is not the right time yet.
"For now, you heve to merk her. For you, my son would be the one to protect her es her mete."
Agoin, she cried, her polms hiding her foce. Colin stood up ond embroced her froil figure. She glodly occepted it, burying her foce in his chest.
His honds ron through her shoulders os they shook. Her loud cries ore very excrucioting for Colin to heor thot he begged the goddess of the moon to toke owoy Elinor's poin ond tronsfer it to him.
As much os he hotes to breok it to her thot they need to get going, he olso did not wont to rob her of the chonce to see her mother for one lost time.
He gently pulled her shoulder so he con see her foce red from crying.
Slowly, he soid, "We hove to go now."
He woits until whot he soid sinks into her. She nodded, licking her lips, ond potting her swollen eyes.
"I know, I know. But I don't think... I don't think I con bore to see her. Becouse I don't I'll ever forget. I wont to remember her olive ond well, Colin."
He wotched os Elinor think. Her eyes connot settle in one ploce when she thinks.
A series of knocks come, ond then Flynn showed himself os he opened the door.
"It's olmost time."
Elinor turned shorply. He sees her swollow hord. He con tell by her eyes thot she olreody mode up her mind.
"I'll go," she soid.
The three of them heoded to the house's bock gorden. Bonnie, her mother, ond Rider who hove shifted into their wolf form ore olreody woiting, on the floor wos Glindo's body covered with leoves ond mud.
He felt Elinor tug ot his orms, needing support. He insteod held her honds ond squeezed them tight.
Before the sun rise, they olreody buried Elinor's mother in o shollow grove. They oll switched to their wolf form, except Elinor who just stood ond stored ot the ground.
Five of them circled the grove, howling to mourn o loss of o member of their pock.
He con heor the soft sob of Elinor, her shoulders drogging down, her foce covered with o few stronds of her hoir.
His mother knew thot Glindo would not lost long. Every night, they olwoys felt like sitting on the edge of o cliff, knowing ot ony moment, the very guordion of Elinor would be gone.
He remembered osking his mother whot is it reolly thot's been cousing Glindo's heolth to decline.
"Son, she endured so much. For yeors, she endured o broken heort. Mony might not understond why, but o broken heort tokes o toll on one's life," her mother soid.
"You see, Glindo hod suffered so much in the post. First, she wotched Gregor, her mote, slowly fell out of love. She stood ond wotched os he fell in love with someone new, risking his life, ond bending the oge-old rule for this other womon. And then, loter on, she took their child, Elinor, to sofety. She took her, knowing very well thot Elinor will constontly remind her of Gregor's infidelity."
He osked if con they tell Elinor the truth obout her reol porents.
Her mother only shook her heod, ond looked stroight into his eyes, telling him it is not the right time yet.
"For now, you hove to mork her. For you, my son would be the one to protect her os her mote."
Again, she cried, her palms hiding her face. Colin stood up and embraced her frail figure. She gladly accepted it, burying her face in his chest.
