Page 103 of Red's Beast

I wobble on my feet as my head starts to hurt. My parents' turn slowly to look to see if I’m coming with worried expressions on their faces.

Ma asks, "Lucian, are you okay?"

I open my mouth, but all that comes out is a whine. It's not like I can talk anyway, not like this, but I had hoped to sound reassuring.

With my next step, the dizziness becomes too much and I collapse to the ground on my side, panting.Get Emmeline. She did something to me.

Ma's eyes widen with shock as she watches me shiver. "We need Emmeline. Maybe he's sick."

Pa runs back toward her cottage, while Ma leans down to stroke my fur. "It's going to be okay, Lucian. We're here. I'm sure Emmeline can fix you."

But Ma, she's the one who did this to me. Didn’t you hear or see her?

As the thought finishes, my eyes close. When I open my eyes again, I'm in the woods around our family cottage.

I run toward it, hoping my parents and brother will be there, but I'm saddened to see it empty. "What is the meaning of this?"

My voice is loud and clear. I jump at the sound and look down, only to discover that I’m in my human form.

"What kind of trickery is this?" I shout to the sky, but no one answers.

As I check the cottage, I see it's been abandoned and lean to look in the window. Dust gathers on every surface, including all the furniture. "Why aren't you all here?"

I fall to my knees in despair, wishing my family is here. Suddenly, a twig snaps behind me and I turn to look over my shoulder.

A woman, maybe in her fifties, comes up the path, dragging her feet. She looks like she's just experienced the worst thing ever.

"Hey, what are you doing here? What happened to you?"

The closer she gets, the more I can see her tear-stained cheeks. With each step, she grows more unstable and finally collapses to the ground with a loud wail. I've never seen a wolf get so upset unless they lost their mate.

"Why?" she screams to the sky. "Why did Nigel win? You were winning, and then he cheated."

My mind becomes clear. "You are Lillian's grandmother. This isn't my past. It’s hers."

But I was in the woods when this happened. Why don’t I remember this?

Grandmother finally gathers herself and stands, her face red and blotchy from crying. She stumbles toward the house and thenstops at the door. "I guess this is my home now. At least my son is safe."

She slowly opens the door and pauses again when she crosses the threshold. Her nose scrunches up at the smell of the dust. Crunching of leaves in the woods distracts her, and she turns to look out the door. "Don't you even dare think of eating me, beast."

She slams the door and starts to explore the inside, while I'm left outside in shock. I walk over and reach for the door handle, but pass through.

With this new discovery, I pass through the door entirely to see what else she is doing. I find her standing in the middle of the living room with a pained expression.

"This is not what I had planned, but it'll have to do." She sniffles and wipes her face with the back of her hand. "I have to survive for my son. He'll need me. Just like my mate said. I have to go on without him, though it's going to kill me inside."

Time flies as it passes me by and the next thing I know, I'm standing before her again, only older. The pain is still there in her eyes, but she seems at peace.

Her smile spreads wide when a knock at the door comes. "Oh, my son has come."

She rushes to the door and opens it wide. A man and his mate stand there with a blonde headed little girl.

"Hi, mom," he says with a smile.

She welcomes them inside and immediately grabs up the little girl to give her a hug. "Oh, my little Lily. You've grown so big."

"Grandmother, it's only been a few days. I think I'm still the same size," she says as she looks down at the floor, her cheeks flush with embarrassment.

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