I was sitting in the living room when I got the call. After had been a couple of days since my father's funeral and I was chatting away from Eliza on the couch.

Part of me missed the conversations I used to have with Lia when she came to Black Dawn with Jack, but I knew that wasn't going to last long. She was officially the Luna of Golden Redemption, as was Jack the officially Alpha of Golden Redemption.

Their ceremony was the day after my father's death, the pack automatically needed a new leader and my mother was in no shape to lead a pack so big.

"And I don't even know what's taking him so long!" I rolled my eyes at Eliza's exclaim, throwing her hands in the arm.

"Maybe he's nervous," I suggested to her, she waved her hands at the suggestion and shook her head before face-palming.

We were discussing the lack of attention Grey was giving Eliza's dream to be married. They have been together for years ago and Eliza believes it's time for a proposal.

"Why though?" She scoffed. "It's not like I'm going anywhere," She grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. I let out a little chuckle, earning myself a hard glare from the Bridezilla- to-be.

Before I could reply to her, the phone Theo had bought for me began to ring, the phone shaking violently on the table. My brows furrowed-- the phone was new, not many people knew the number.

I glanced at the caller ID and my face brightened as I read Jack's ID. Immediately I answered the phone, leaning back on the couch as Eliza flicked through her magazine.

"Jack!" I exclaimed on the phone, my mood lifting instantly. I hadn't spoken to my brother in a hot second. The last I saw him was at our father's funeral two days ago.

"Hey Holly," I immediately knew something was wrong, his tone didn't match the excitement mine held. I shot up in my position, sitting straight as I directed my full attention on the phone.

"Jack, what's wrong?" I asked, my body automatically racked with nerves. Life wasn't going too well lately, a part of me wasn't surprised that Jack called with bad news.

I heard his sigh on the other side of the phone, my heart skipping a beat while I waited for his response. His voice was shaky. "It's Mum,"

His words instantly made my heart stop.

"She's not doing well, Holly. It's bad." I could feel myself shaking as I listened to the silence on the other side of the phone.

My mother.

It broke my heart in two thinking of my mother in pain. It must be from the mate bond shattering, that along with her constant illness wasn't going to be good for her. I knew that, but I could only pray that that wasn't going to be the problem.

"How bad?" My voice was just as shaky as his. I could tell he was worried.

"Very bad," I heard a sniffle on the other side, he was crying. "Holly, I think you should come to see her before--"

"Jack!" I hissed at him through the phone, my fingers tightening around it. "Don't you dare--"

"Holly!" He snapped back at me, cutting me off mid-sentence. "It's time to face facts here, she might not make it this time it's different. She's weaker and she doesn't want to fight it anymore." My eyes widened further at his words, I could feel them burning with tears as I stared down at the ground.

"What do you mean she doesn't want to fight it?" My mother always fought her illness, it was reoccurring but she was always able to get back from it after a while-- why was it any different now?

Jack sighed. "She doesn't have Dad anymore, and we are both grown up with mates." I gulped as I listened to Jack speak, my eyes watering further but I begged them not to fall. If I started crying, I don't know if I would be able to stop.

"Jack..." I choked out, trailing my sentence off. I didn't know what to say, was my mother going to die?

"Please, you need to come home."

I gulped, my hand shaking as I knocked on the door.

I was in front of my mother's bedroom door, and I didn't want to do in.

As soon as Jack ended the call, I ran to Theo and told him I had to go back to Golden Redemption to see my mother. He couldn't come with me due to Alpha meetings and paperwork but he got two warriors to accompany me for protection.

I didn't complain, I didn't care who wasn't or was coming with me. The only thing I called about was my mother.

I looked at the door, my tears burning before I had even walked in. Soon after my knock, the door opened and behind the door was one of the nurses for Golden Redemption. She bowed in respect for me and I did the same before ending the room behind her.

I felt my heart jump to my throat as my eyes fell upon my mother as she laid on the bed.

She looked so fragile.

It has been two days since the last time I saw her-- how did she get so bad in only 48 hours?

"Holly?" She spoke, her voice cracking as she looked up to the door. A smile slowly fell upon her face when her eyes met mine. "Holly, my baby."

"Hi Mama," I gave her a smile, pushing down the emotions that threatened to overpower me. I won't break in front of her, I had to stay strong for her-- that's the least I could do.

"Come here, you're too far." Her voice continued to crack, slapping her hand lightly on an empty space on the bed next to her. I hesitated at first before I slowly made my way to her.

The closer I got to her, the worse she looked. It took me everything to hold in the sobs, tears still threatened to fall from my glassy eyes.

I lowered myself on the bed, lying next to my mum as she turned her head to the side to look at me. The smile on her face didn't move an inch as she scanned me with her eyes.

"It's been too long since I last saw you," She spoke, her voice a whisper. I turned to look at her with a heavy heart.

"I'm sorry," I croaked out, the weak smile on my face threatening to fall. Her eyes fluttered close as she shook her head softly.

"Don't apologise, you met your mate." She could barely let out a giggle, her breath getting heavy. "Tell me about him," She asked, her eyes shimmering with interest.

I let out a sigh before telling her about Theo, from beginning to end. I managed to skim over the parts involving my father-- she didn't need to hear about her mate in that manner.

I told her how Theo would treat me like a queen, how he would always be by my side in a heart regardless of the situation. He truly wanted to come with me when I came to visit my mother, but I insisted that he stay for the pack.

They needed him more than me and I wasn't going to be selfish with him.

She watched me with proud eyes while I finished my story, an unconscious smile spreading on my face at the thought of Theo. In this sad time, it was refreshing to tell my mother about the one good thing in my life.

"I'm so happy for you, my baby," She said, her voice cracking more and more. I sat up slightly.

"Do you need some water? I'll get you some wa--" She shook her head, putting her hand in the air and stopped me mid-sentence.

"No, no. I just want to lay with you," I gulped, looking back down at her before lying down and with her. She pushed closer to me, resting the back of her head in the nape of my neck.

With her not being able to look at my face, I couldn't help but let tears fall as I gently ran my hands through her hair.

I squeezed my eyes shut and my face scrunched up as I trembled with tears, my hands still running through her thinned hair.

"I love you," She said, her breathing tickling my skin as she nuzzled together.

I instantly wrapped my arms around her, biting my lip in hopes to hold in the sobs that threatened to rack in my body. I breathed shakily, my bottom lip trembling and my nose stuffed.

I lowered my head down, pressing a kiss upon the top of her head.

"I love you too, Mama,"