Chapter 18

Scarlett’s POV

I woke up to the sound of mom sobbing on the floor,

“Mom, what’s wrong?” I asked as my feet touched the ground,

“Scarlett, thank god!” She said launching herself at me knocking me back down on the bed, she sobbed with her arms around me crushing me with her body,

“Mom… mom I can’t breathe” I said taping her on her shoulder,

“Sorry sweetheart” she said getting off and wiping the tears from her face,

“how are you feeling?” she asked squeezing my arm and examining my entire body,

“I feel fine” I said siting up,

“Are you sure?” she asked

“Yes, I guess a good rest is all I needed, was I asleep for long?” She started crying again at my words,

“Mom, what is it?” she looked at me in disbelief,

“You died Scarlett, you were dead, your heart stopped, you were gone?” she was trembling now.

“I’m here mom!” I said touching her hand to my face, trying to make her realise it was me she was talking to,

“see, right here”, she gave me a sigh of relief,

“I’m hungry, what’s for dinner?” I asked getting up, walking towards the door,

“Seems you’re back to your old self again” she said with a relieved look on her face,

“Do you feel any pain at all?” She asked walking behind me to the kitchen,

“No, actually I feel fine” realising that my body was back to normal,

“Well, this can only mean one thing”,

“What” I asked opening the fridge,

“Aiden is in town” I turned towards her, how could I not connect the dots, stupid, stupid, stupid, I scolded myself.

“And judging by your full recovery in a matter of minutes, he must be very close by”, my breathing quickened, and my heart pounded at her words.

“What are you going to do Scarlett?” she asked sitting at the counter.

“I don’t know, mom, please tell me what to do” I asked not caring that I left the fridge door open, I walked to her and sat on the seat next to her,

“what would you do mom? I mean here is a guy, yes he is hot and keeps saying I’m his mate, but I know he isn’t, he keeps saying he can scent me from anywhere in the world and that he will wait for me for the rest of his life if he has to, I mean I realise that any girl will count themselves lucky to be told those things by the future Alpha but he marked me without even asking, he is not my mate mom, I know it, what would you do?…What should I do?” I asked burying my face in my folded arms on the counter.

She laughed; I raised my head and looked at her, urging her to answer me.

“Mom, I’m serious, my life depends on this, literally”, I pleaded, and she put her hand on my face

“Oh sweetheart, we need your father for this” she said standing up,

“What are you talking about” I called after her as she disappeared into the study, she emerged holding an envelope,

“Your father gave me this to give to you and..”,

“It’s open, did you open it?” I asked interrupting her,

“No, he never sealed it, anyway, he said I should give this to you at the time you were the most lost, frankly he hoped you would never have to read it, but it seems your father is still watching over you” she said, her eyes watering,

“now go to your room and rest, I know you say you’re fine but I’m still worried, I’ll call you when dinner is ready”.

I nodded and made my way to my room, I was very close to my dad, we did everything together, he was the best dad in the world. He started to get sick when I was nine, and little by little he got too sick to do all the things we used to do together, it just wasn’t the same doing those things without him, so I stopped doing them completely, if dad couldn’t do them anymore then I can’t do them anymore, and that’s how I lived, strangely it made me feel closer to my dad somehow. I sat on my bed with tears running down my face and I opened the letter…

My Dearest Scarlett

If you are reading this letter it means you have gotten yourself into trouble and left your mother no other choice, I wish I could be there with you and hold you in my arms and tell you everything will be okay. My sweet girl, I miss you so much.

I had hoped that you would have gotten the strength to continue and live your life, I’m not saying losing a father is easy, but it seems I have lost you already, I am not gone yet, but it seems to me that my little girl is no more.

You have stopped living, you don’t laugh as much anymore, and you have stopped hanging out with your friends and most of all, you have stopped shifting.

My heart stopped,

“Dad, but how did you know?”, I tried to keep my sadness hidden, you had enough on your mind, I didn’t want you warrying about me too, and friends wouldn’t have understood that I had to be home early to help mom take care of you, the sicker you got the more help she needed,

“I did it for you dad, why couldn’t you see that?” I whispered with tears running down my face, remembering how skinny and pale he looked in his last days, I remember thinking,

“this is my dad and yet not my dad at the same time”

I am afraid the longer you stay without shifting the weaker your instincts as a wolf will get, it will get to a point where your mate is standing right next to you and you won’t even know it, and that will be simply because your wolf is half dead.

“What, oh my god”, I said slapping my hand over my mouth

“The only scent that calls to me is yours” Aiden’s words echoed in my ears, I swallowed and read on.

You have to shift sweetheart; I know it’s hard but trust me it’s not as painful as never finding your true mate. I had hoped that you would come to this realisation on your own, but knowing you and how stubborn you can be, I had to write this letter. You are your father’s daughter after all.

I know that I’m not long for this word, but I just couldn’t leave you without a last bit of wisdom from your dad. Go out and live your life sweetheart, you have so much love to give, do not stop yourself from receiving it too.

Love always

Dad

XOXO

“I have to turn”, I said placing the letter down on the bed, a new energy filled with determination fuelled my body, I got up and headed to the front door.

“Eat something before you go” mom said looking knowingly at me, I smiled and nodded siting down taking my plate, we sat there and ate in silence, my dad’s words playing in my head.