Page 281 of The Broken Aztec Princesses

“What’s going on? Is everyone okay?”

“Yeah. Everyone’s okay, but we forgot what today is.”

“It’s Saturday,” I replied. I knew I was a little tired from staying up all night looking after the twins, but I wasn’t that far gone.

“I know, My Queen. But we forgot about what’s supposed to happen today.”

“Can you just tell me instead of making me worry?” I asked as he helped me down from the horse before removing the saddle and putting him in the stall.

“Today’s the day, Bells.”

“What day?”

“Violet’s day.”

I gasped, and felt my aura slip out, making the horses neigh as they sensed a predator. I pulled it back in before they could freak out completely, and we hurried back into the pack house.

“John, do you and Sally mind looking after the twins for a few hours longer? Violet’s shifting today,” I asked when we entered the nursery.

Sally was John’s mate. She used to be a member of Blue Moon, and John had met her on the first full moon pack run we did with the other three packs. She was a lovely woman. Her family was originally from China, and she still spoke in a heavy accent when she was tired or annoyed. They moved to Arizona when she was twelve, after her father was wrongfully accused of embezzling funds from the pack house by the alpha, who had mismanaged the pack finances to fuel his gambling habit.

Thankfully, her mother knew a few people here after spending five years here as an international student, and after pleading their case, David and Areli gave them a chance. As far as I knew, my sister was over the moon to have them there. The man had whipped their books into shape, and she was a psychologist, which was helping them because of all the trauma people were still getting over following the massacre last year.

Sally’s family was still in Blue Moon, which was about an hour and a half away from here. She fit into our group seamlessly, and they were already expecting their first pup.

“Of course. They are being angels,” John answered.

I smiled and looked over at my sleeping pups. They were angels when they were asleep, alright, but they were already showing my personality while awake. Mom kept gleefully telling me I was going to find out what it was like to raise me. I wasn’t that bad. I just knew what I wanted, and refused to compromise. What was so wrong with that?

Cade bent over and kissed their little foreheads before we went into the bedroom and changed into tearaway clothes. After discussing with Dr. Campbell that Nenetl finally felt strong enough to shift, Violet had asked us to be there with her and help her shift. Dr. Campbell had suggested to her that it would help to have family near, just like it did during a wolf’s first shift.

“I can’t believe I forgot,” I lamented as we drove to Crescent Moon.

“You didn’t forget. You’ve been excited and supporting her for months. You even mentioned it two days ago. We just haven’t slept much this week and it slipped your mind. It happens.”

“Bu—”

“We’re not leaving her alone, Bells. We’re here, and we’re going to support her. Blame it on new parents’ brain if you must. Everyone knows what it’s like to have a newborn at home, and we have two.”

“You’re right,” I sighed. “I just hate that she’s there for me for everything, and I would have missed this if Cory hadn’t called. Why did he call you, anyway? He could have just mind-linked me.”

“He said you had your mind-linked blocked. He called your phone after that failed, but you left it in the bedroom.”

“I blocked it?”

“Probably by accident. Most of us have done that while learning to keep our aura suppressed. You’re concentrating so much, you shut down everything else. It will get easier with practice.” He reached over and took my hand, giving it a squeeze before saying, “You’re a good sister, Bells. Violet won’t hold it against us that we needed a phone call to be reminded today was the day.”

Instead of parking near the pack house, Cade drove us to the training grounds. They were empty today, as Cory had asked the pack members to utilize Guardian Moon’s training grounds if they needed. Only family would be allowed inside.

“You made it!” Violet said when we entered. She looked excited, but very nervous. As usual, Chris was standing right beside her, one arm wrapped around her waist.

“I wouldn’t miss it.”

“Oh, I wasn’t worried about that. I just figured you might need a gentle reminder that today was Saturday. I know you haven’t slept more than a few hours in the last three days,” she reassured me right away before pulling me into a hug. “To be honest, I was hoping everyone had forgotten and I could just put it off to next week,” she mentioned in a small voice when she pulled back.

“You’ve worked hard to get to this point, Violet. You’re so close. It’s okay to be scared about it. That’s what we’re here for. You can lean on us to help you make it that last bit,” Cade tried to reassure her.

“I’m scared we’re not going to be able to do it, and we’re going to disappoint everyone.”

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