Enigma

Chapter 23

Lillian and Jennifer were stopped by more than one curious pack member.

Jennifer saved Lillian from telling the story of the night over and over by herding them towards the lake. The usual clearing where they held pack meetings was already full of pack members. Speculations reigned over their conversation, and all of them waited impatiently for the rest of the pack to gather.

Lillian spotted the twins' from a distance. They were hanging off Noah like two little monkeys. Ezra was wrapped around one leg and Elijah was hanging off Noah's board back.

He was talking to Jake, Sean and Liam. Before she was close enough, his scarred face angled her way. Although she couldn't make out his features, Lillian felt those bright eyes boring into hers. She looked away first.

As soon as the twins caught sight of her, they jumped off Noah and ran toward her. The weight disappeared from her chest, and her grin matched theirs. Lillian laughed, sitting on the ground and bracing herself for the full impact of their strong little bodies. She still ended up on her back under two chattering bundles of energy.

"One thing at a time, boys," Lillian said. "I can't understand what you're saying."

She sat up, hugged her sons and smothered them with kisses. Listening to their overly juiced up accounts of their first night without her, Lillian reacted with sounds of wonder and laughed when necessary. Slowly, their smell, their voice, their familiar warm touch chased away the death and darkness of the previous night.

After the boys ran out of breath and words, Lillian and Jennifer joined the pack members gathering around Noah. Everyone seemed to be here.

Lillian sat down, resting her back against a tree. The twins burrowed close on either side of her, and she wrapped her arms around them. With the weight of their heads, the heat of their bodies seeping into hers, Lillian felt the presence of other wolves around them, and listened to the hum of the woods underneath Noah's deep, calm voice telling the pack how they had found the girls. Her eyes grew heavy and her body relaxed. Home. It felt so good to be home.

Lillian closed her eyes, just for a little while she wanted to enjoy the sense of serenity that came over her. She didn't know how much time had passed when she felt herself floating, surrounded by a firm warmth. A strong, steady beat pulsed in her ear, and an earthy scent wrapped around her.

She stirred, half asleep, and mumbled meaningless words.

"Shh, go back to sleep." The intimate whisper tickled her ear, soothing her back to deep slumber.

Considering the eventful night she'd had, Lillian didn't expect to wake up in her own bed incredibly rested after a dreamless sleep. She blinked, yawned, stretched her body like a cat then sat up. The blinds were closed, but the sun sneaked through the gaps. It was late morning.

A link to the twins told her they were in the backyard. Odd. They were usually in their lessons this time of the day. Face washed and teeth brushed, Lillian slipped in her shoes and headed to the backyard. As soon as she opened the back door, she stopped dead in her tracks. Her brows climbed up her forehead.

Lillian had always wondered at the use of the table in her backyard. One that all cabins had. Then one day she saw a man butchering what looked like a deer on top of it.

She had accepted right then and there that her own butchering table would only collect dust in her backyard.

She was wrong.

Noah was busy dismembering a poor deer on the table. The twins stood on chairs, watching Noah through bright amber eyes. Their wolves were close to the surface. She rarely saw them so still except when they were asleep. Lillian leaned on the door frame and crossed her arms around her middle.