•Mara's POV•

"Hey!" I smile and wave as I get out of the car.

Mum and Dad come rushing out of the house and engulf me in a large hug.

"How was it?" Mum asks as Dad goes around and shakes Ryder's hand from the driver's side.

"It was amazing! You should of seen the beaches, they were so nice." I lie with a smile.

Ryder hands me my 'fake' luggage and Mum guides me inside.

"I'm a little disapointed that you didn't personally say anything to us." She says after we enter the house.

"Sorry Mum, it was a last minute decision and the hotel could only take us in that day." I reply.

She nods, "Just let me know next time, okay?"

"Of course." I reply.

She hugs me again, "I'm glad you're back."

I laugh in her shoulder, "I was only gone a week and a half."

"I missed my baby." Mum replies.

I lightly push her off, "Okay, enough with the mushy stuff, let me unpack."

She giggles like a teenager and nods, "Did you guys eat anything for breakfast on the road?"

Ryder shakes his head, "We wanted to get back a soon as possible." He replies.

Mum claps her hand together, "Alright, well you go unpack and I'll whip something up."

"Thanks Mum!" I shout as I go up the stairs.

I enter my room and throw the empty suitcase in my wardrobe.

"Done already? That was fast." Ryder says smirking.

"I'm just that good." I reply.

He laughs and pulls my down on the bed so we're facing each other. He brushes my hair out of my face and situates it behind my ear.

"Does that mean that you're staying here now?" He asks.

I nod, "I can't just tell them I'm living with you from now on." I reply.

"What if we told them the truth?" He asks, leaning up on his shoulder.

That's not the first time somebody's mentioned that, Layla and Mandy said that when I was getting ready for my Luna ceremony.

"What if it goes wrong?" I ask.

"You shift into a tiger, how bad could it be?" He replies.

I hold a hand to my heart, "Are you dissing Snow?"

He leans forward and brushes his lips teasingly against mine, "I love Snow."

I pout as he moves away and wrap my hands around his neck pulling him closer again.

"I think we should seriously consider acting as a profession." I say, closing my eyes.

He chuckles and rolls on his back, I snuggle closer into his side and he runs his fingers up and down my arm.

"We're holding a Pack meeting which everyone must attend that's when we'll bring up that Claire and you have returned." He says.

I nod, "Sounds good."

"But right now, we have to get breakfast, and something smells really good." Ryder says, standing up.

I groan, "I'm too comfy, I don't want to walk."

He rolls his eyes with a smile, "Get on my back."

"Really?" I ask with excitment, standing up on the bed.

He chuckles, "Well that got you up. Come on." He turns around and I hop onto his back, wrapping my arms around his shoulders.

He starts descending the stairs and rounds the corner into the kitchen.

"Ah, perfect timing you two." Mum says and then turns to look at us, "Oh, you're so cute together."

"Mum." I whine and slip off Ryder, going and sitting on the benches.

She holds up her hands, "Only saying."

Ryder laughs, "Well, thank you Katrina."

She smiles and pinches his cheek, "You're such a handsome man, Ryder. I'll get great grandchildren from you."

I choke a little, "Mum."

She laughs and brings some cooked breakfast over, consisting of scrambled eggs, bread with avocado and tomato, and a hashbrown for me. Then she brings the other plate, which has bacon, sausages, mushrooms, hashbrowns, toast, and cooked tomatoes on it for Ryder.

We dig in while Mum and Dad talk in the living room.

When we've finished, I collect the plates and rinse them in the sink.

"Are you going to tell them?" Ryder asks.

I sigh, "I don't know."

He pouts, "I don't think I can last the school year without you in my house."

I giggle and look to where they're sitting, "I might be better."

Ryder sits up straighter, "Yes, it will now come on."

I purse my lips and nod, letting him take me by the hand to the living room.

We stand and wait polietly for them to finish they conversation.

"What's up kids?" Dad asks.

"We need to tell you something, and you need to keep an open mind." I reply.

Mum frowns, "You're not pregnant are you? Because before I didn't mean I wanted grandkids now-"

"No! Mum, I'm definitely not pregnant." I say.

They let out a breath, "Okay then, what is it?"

Ryder and I look at each other, he motions for me to continue.

"Ryder's a werewolf." I blurt.

You couldn't miss the shock that crosses their faces.

••••*••••

I grip Claire's hand tighter as we get ready. As I glance over at her, I feel a little bad at how queasy she looks.

"Hey, it'll be fine. I'll be right here." I assure her.

She opens her eyes and smiles at me, taking a deep breath, "Thanks Mara. For everything you've done, I think this would be a lot harder if you weren't here."

I smile back at her, "It's no problem."

"Okay, come out." Ryder mind-links me.

"Alright, lets do this." I say and tug on her hand.

We walk around the corner just in time for Ryder, "And I would like to welcome back, your Luna and my sister Claire."

We walk up the steps and I smile, squeezing Claire's hand to smile to. The crowd is silent for a while, but then someone breaks into a cheer, causing the whole pack to join in.

I laugh and Ryder gesture's to the microphone.

I pull Claire along with me and stand up to the microphone, the pack goes quiet as they wait for me to talk, "Thank you all for coming, it was quite a rough week I had, but I realise if I didn't go there, I wouldn't have found Claire and she wouldn't be here now.

"I guess I learned a lesson in a way, and that lesson is that you just have to accept fate. Sometimes it leads to something wonderful, other times it leads to loss. That just seems to be the way it works, we are all destined to be something, do something, see something even. But at the end of the day, fate is what drives our world, and we just need to accept that."

I smile and then step back, knowing Claire won't want to speak. The pack errupts in to loud cheers and clapping, all mind-linking me how good my speech was.

Ryder says some more stuff to the pack, I've noticed how off he's been today. He's looking around everywhere and I know some of the warriors are out around the boundries.

When he dismisses everyone, I go to him and put my hand on his shoulder, "Are you alright?"

He gives me a smile, "Fine."

I give him a look, "Ryder, I know you. What's up?"

He sighs, "I just don't want a repeat of what happened last time, don't be mad at me for being safe."

I frown, "Be mad at you? Why would I be mad at you? I understand, don't worry." I reply and kiss his cheek.

He smiles, "Alright good. Nice speech by the way, I think it was just what the pack needed."

I smile back, "Thanks, I'm glad."

Walking down the steps, I see Claire talking and laughing with Josh, I forgot to ask her about her date the other night.

"Lovely speech honey." Mum says from beside me.

"Thanks Mum." I reply and give her a hug.

After Ryder and I explained everything to my parents, they wanted to see it do believe it and we went outside and Ryder changed.

They weren't as surprised when it happened, probably because they were used to me.

"We have a present for you when you get home." Dad adds.

"Really? You didn't have to." I reply.

"Of course we did." Mum says.

"What and amazing speech Mara." Taliah says as she comes up to me, "Are these your parents?"

I nod, "This is Taliah, Ryder's Mum." I introduce.

They get stuck into a conversation and soon Harry joins in too.

I finally get to Claire again and take her off for a bit, "So I forgot to ask you about that date." I say as I link my arm through hers.

"He's really nice, so sweet and caring. We decided to do it again." She replies.

"Did you kiss?" I tease her.

She laughs and shakes her head, "No, but I can feel my wolf going crazy."

"Trust me, the first one is always the best." I smirk.

I look over and see Torah talking with Layla, quite a weird site since the last time we were at one of these gatherings.

"Hey guys." I smile as we approach them.

"Hi, great speech Mara." Layla replies.

I laugh, "Thanks."

Suddenly there's a loud commotion.

"I told you not to go in there! Ryder!" I hear Taliah call.

I pass my drink to Claire, "I'll be back."

I start walking to where the everyone is crowding.

"Excuse me." I say, I was a little surprised when people were making a path for me.

When I get through, I see Harry, Taliah, and Ryder crouched around Finn, who lays on the ground.

"What happened?" I ask.

Ryder stands up, "We need to get him in the pack house, we think he's damaged his spinal cord bad."

"You can't move him." I stop Ryder, "It could make it worse."

"What are we supposed to do then? For some reason he's not responding." Ryder says.

"Ryder, calm down. Let me see." I say.

He sighs and makes room for me, I crouch down and look at Finn. I then look at Taliah and Harry, Taliah cries on Harry's shoulder as he tries to get a response out of Finn. It's when I see the worry in their eyes that my hands start to tingle.

I think back to when I saved Trent, the same sensation happening then too. I reach my hand out and put it over Finn's chest, earning some weird looks from Ryder and Harry.

Taliah just looks curious, "What are you doing?" She asks.

"It feels the same." I reply.

"Feels the same as what?" Ryder asks.

"With Trent, it feels that same as it did with Trent." I reply.

The tingling starts from deep within me, building up inside. I look back to Finn, seeing his lips slightly tremble, and that's when my veins in my arm start to glow and glides to my hand, building a little there before the light escapes onto Finn.

It only lasts a second and I pull away.

Finn gasps and sits up, like he woke up from a nightmare.

Taliah pulls him into her and whispers things in his ear. Harry looks shocked but still gives me a smile.

Ryder pulls me up and I move into him, "Come on, lets go inside." He says.

The pack are looking shocked, they just watch me as I move with Ryder into the house.

When we get inside a collapse onto the couch, "They're going to think I'm weird."

He shakes his head, "They're going to think you're amazing."

"I just magically healed your brother Ryder! There's going to be questions!" I reply.

"Mara, stop." Ryder says, sitting next to me and putting his hands on my shoulders, "Take a deep breath."

I close my eyes and inhale, cooling myself off a bit.

"Better?" He asks.

I nod, "Better."

"You need to understand that the pack get their strength from their leaders, what you just did will show them how strong they need to be." He says.

"What are you hiding?" I ask.

"What do you mean?" He asks back.

"You have warriors in the forest, you're looking around every two seconds and now your brother is hurt for some reason. What do you know that I don't?" I ask.

"Nothing. Everything is fine, like I said, I'm just staying safe and Finn lost his footing." Ryder replies.

I stand up, "After everything you're not telling me what this is?" I ask.

"Trust me, you don't need to know-"

"So there is something?" I ask, turning around.

"Mara, wait you need-"

"To be careful? Of what? Oh, that right! You won't tell me." I reply.

"Mara." Ryder says.

"No Ryder, just leave me alone." I say and walk out.

I let a single tear fall as I walk, why can't he just tell me?

___________________________________________________________________________________

Hi!

So I hope everyone's going okay :)

I'm dedicating the chapter to @Eletee, thanks for the support and letting me brag about this book to you! :D

Also you should check out 'The Story Of Hayden And Kaiden' by @tHeMaSkEdAuThOr202, it's extremely good and I love it <3

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Thank you! xx