Shadows of the pack novel Chapter 97

JB had settled into a quiet vigil by his mother's bedside, the room filled with the soft murmur of his thoughts and the gentle rise and fall of her chest. But then, as if a whisper from a dream, he heard a voice—the voice he had longed to hear more than anything in the world.

"A frown has never been a good look on your handsome face."

JB's eyes widened, his heart leaping within his chest as he turned to look at his mother. There, lying in the bed, her eyes half-lidded but filled with warmth, was Lilian. A small smile graced her lips, and for a moment, all the air seemed to have been sucked from the room.

"M-Mom?" JB stammered, hardly daring to believe what he was seeing. His voice trembled as he whispered, "Is it really you?"

Lilian's smile widened as much as the pain would allow. "It's me, JB," she replied, her voice raspy but filled with love. "I missed you too."

Tears welled up in JB's eyes as he lunged off his chair, not caring about the tears streaming down his face. He wrapped his arms around his mother, pulling her into a tight, heartfelt embrace. "I can't believe you're back," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "I was so scared, so lost without you."

Lilian hugged her son as tightly as her weakened state allowed, a soft groan escaping her lips due to the pain she still felt from the loss of her mate. "I'm so sorry, JB," she murmured, her voice trembling. "I never wanted to leave you alone like that. But I couldn't fight it any longer."

JB pulled back slightly, his eyes searching hers with a mixture of relief and anguish. "What happened, Mom? What kept you asleep for so long?"

Lilian's gaze turned distant as she recounted her experience, her words laced with sadness. "It was like I was trapped in a never-ending dream, JB. I saw him, your father, and he was calling out to me. I wanted to go to him, but something held me back. It was as if our bond was shattered, and I couldn't reach him."

JB's brow furrowed with concern as he listened to his mother's words. "Is Dad...?"

Lilian nodded, a tear slipping down her cheek. "I felt his presence fading away, like a distant echo. It was agony, JB, to lose him like that. But I knew I had to hold on, for you."

JB wiped away his own tears, his heart aching for his parents and the pain they had endured. "I’m really sorry that I wasn’t strong enough to make him stay. Strong enough to keep him alive."

Lilian tightened her hands around him as a single tear escaped her eyes, “Don’t you ever blame yourself for what happened. You tried my love. We all did.”

“I know but I’m still so sorry that he is gone.”

Lilian's smile held a glimmer of hope as she squeezed her son's hand. "I know we, JB.But we are still here and we have love. Love has a way of bridging even the greatest of divides. We will be fine, I promise you."

*****************

Aria paced the room, her thoughts a swirling tempest of emotions. The past month had been a tumultuous journey, filled with moments of despair and hope. The miraculous healing of Ryder had left her in awe, the unseen power of their unborn pup a testament to the strength of their bond. But now, as the celestial eclipse loomed on the horizon, a cloud of uncertainty hung over her.

Knox approached her from behind. His presence alone calmed the restless stirrings of her wolf. His hand found its place on her waist, pulling her gently into his embrace. She leaned into him, her eyes closing as his lips brushed the nape of her neck. The sensation sent a shiver down her spine, and she let out a contented sigh.

"What's on your mind, my love?" Knox's voice was a soothing rumble against her ear.

Aria turned in his arms, gazing into his eyes with a mixture of affection and trepidation. "It's the pup," she confessed in a hushed tone. "With everything that's happening—the celestial eclipse, the dangers we face—I can't help but worry."

Knox's expression softened as he cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing away the worry etched on her face. "You don't have to carry this burden alone, Aria. We're in this together, and I promise you, I won't let anything happen to any of you."