Page 37 of Seeking Hades' Ember

Chapter 19

Under the Moon

The rain came down in heavy sheets as the thunderous Alpha Werewolf trudged through the mud. Training had been demanding that morning due to the warm nor'easter that had come the previous night. The Alpha thanked the goddess that it wasn't yet cold. This would have easily been several feet of snow.

Wolves began running to their small cabins, away from the packhouse. The packhouse now only housed visiting wolves and single wolves waiting to be mated. Alpha Wesley had promised his mate, Charlotte, that he would make her the perfect small plantation home on their territory after their mating. He kept that promise, and Charlotte kept the house a safe haven until that one unfortunate night.

Wesley took the key and opened the door to the dimly lit home. His three sons were in bed, but the faint light from the stairway indicated his mate was still awake. Wesley sighed heavily, knowing precisely what she was doing on a night like this.

Trudging the stairs one by one, hoping that his mate would leave the room, he slowly gazed at the pictures on the walls. His three boys were growing to be strong wolves, and Dante proved that he would be a strong Alpha once Wesley relinquished the title, which still would not be for a long time, his mate would tell him.

Charlotte had an extreme attachment to all her children ever since that night that haunts her memories. The night before her birthday will remain a stain on a usually happy occasion. She will wait until her daughter is brought back home if she ever wants to celebrate another birthday.

It had been eleven years since their daughter, Ember, was taken. It was on a night like this. The storm raged on the outside of their two-story home, and Charlotte often thought to check on her first-born daughter, Ember. However, Ember told her before she went to bed she was a 'big girl' now and that the future Alpha female could handle a little rain. Charlotte smiled at the thought of her baby girl, thinking Ember was an actual significant Alpha. She had yet to gain her Wolf, which wouldn't be for another two years and then a few years after that until her first shift.

Charlotte, never growing up a Werewolf, had to learn the hard way when her eldest son, Dante, started yelling to his mother someone was talking in his head. Immediately, she called Wesley, who only laughed and playfully added he forgot to tell her about Wolves waking up at the age of thirteen. Charlotte gave an excellent scolding to Wesley, who only had to give her extra pleasure in bed that night as punishment.

Wesley stood at the top of the stairs; he could hear Charlotte humming in the rocking chair in the lavender-painted room. Holding onto the overly stuffed calico cat, she pets it lovingly while staring at the bed. Giant sighs, and a few tears fell down her face as she clutched it tightly.

Leaning up against the doorframe with his hands in his pockets, he stared at his beautiful mate. Charlotte took it the hardest, saying she was a mother, and a mother should always protect her babies. She continued to rock into the chair, holding the stuffed cat while silent tears tickled her face. She began singing Ember's favorite lullaby.

"Lavender's blue,

Dilly dilly, Lavender's green.

Let the birds sing,

Dilly dilly,

Let the lambs play.

We shall be safe,

Dilly dilly,

Out of harm's way.

I love to dance,

Dilly dilly,

I love to sing.

When I am Queen,

Dilly dilly,

You'll be my King.”

Wesley's emotions got the best of him, and he let out a light sniff and rumble in his chest. Charlotte didn't turn as she knew he was there the entire time.

"Do you think she is still alive?" Charlotte whimpered as her tears soaked the stuffed animal.

"Of course, she is I haven't felt our bond break from her. Wolves know when they have lost a pup; it is painful as the connection breaks. I've told you this." Wesley squatted down beside Charlotte and brushed her hair back. Charlotte had been a strong Luna, even with the loss of a child. She made sure her sadness never got in the way of raising her three boys, but in private and often away from Wesley, she would sit in Ember's room and stare at the window. Charlotte felt weak once in her life before she met Wesley, and she wasn't going to let anyone else see it.

Wesley worried for his Kitten. He loved her more than life itself, and it killed him to watch her slip away as the years went on. Her birthday was the worst, and the entire pack made sure that they never mentioned or celebrated. They would leave gifts by the door for their Alpha to pick up and give to her at a later time.

"But my heart continues to break, my Alpha. It breaks every morning when I wake up and every sunset that she isn't here. She should be training to be the next Alpha if she wanted it." Her breath heaved as she leaned her head to Wesley's chest.

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