Sins Of The Mother.

Chapter Six- Cryptic Conversations.

MIRA

Almost a month had passed since that day up at the waterfall and nothing much had changed except the nightmares. The voice had been quiet, instead whispering words of encouragement and promising answers. Lolls and I speculated that it was because the decision had been made, it was only a matter of how and when. Whatever it was, I wasn't complaining, after weeks of nightmares it was good to get some sleep.

After training two weeks ago, dad told Lolls to go onto school without me. Wondering and slightly panicking if he knew what the two of us were up to, I tried to calm my racing heart, knowing he would pick up on it. Dad stood with his back to me, his imposing six foot two frame blocking the sunlight as I stood behind him. Deciding to kickstart the conversation, I stepped up beside him and bumped my shoulder against his arm, "What's up dad?" for once unsure of his mood.

"Mira, you know I love you don't you? I mean I know you're growing up and you'll be thirteen soon. In a couple of years you'll be preparing for the shift and I guess you won't need your old man quite so much.” Inwardly I scoffed. I didn't need nor want him now, I hadn't for a long time but I stayed quiet, waiting to see where this was leading. "You're special Sweetpea, anyone can see that, you're top of your class and you excel at everything I throw at you. And I know I push you harder than I do Laura, but to succeed in this world you need to push yourself to your limits and beyond, life has a habit of pushing back. Hard. You'll have difficult choices in your life that will pit your head and your heart against each other and you need to be strong enough to know which path to take, even if the right path is the most painful." He trailed off, seeming to be lost in his thoughts.

"No offence dad but you're being kinda cryptic." I said, after a few minutes of silence.

Shaking himself out of his reverie, he looked down on me, I came up to his shoulder already, werewolves are naturally tall but at twelve I was tall even by wolf standards. He laughed, throwing his arm around my shoulder. "I guess I am, all that really matters is that you know when life pushes back at you that you're strong enough to get through anything. I love you Sweetpea, I'm extremely proud of the young lady you're turning out to be and I know that in the future you'll continue to make me proud." Red flags immediately went up in my mind, my wolf struggling to stay behind her walls as both of us wondered what the hell he meant by that. My future was mine to decide and if I had my way, he wouldn't be in it. My wolf shut herself off completely. I was growing angry enough without her adding to it. "Anyway," he continued, "enough with the heavy stuff, your birthday is in a couple of weeks, any idea what you want to do for it?"

Seizing the opportunity to put the plan Lolls and I had discussed into motion, I filed his words away for later, slumping my shoulders as if I was sure his answer would be no and looking up at him from beneath my lashe. Lifting a hand to twist my hair round my finger like I was known to do when I was nervous, I fell into character, "Um... well my birthday falls on the full moon and I know you and Elaine will be running with the pack. My friends did come up with one idea..."

I paused, watching concern grow in his eyes, "What is it Sweetpea? It's nothing dangerous or out of pack territory is it?"

Rolling my eyes innocently, I replied jokingly "No dad, jeez have some faith in me would you? We want to go camping for a couple of nights up at the old Samson farm, Kelly's brother said he and his mate would come with us. He doesn't want to go on the run until she shifts..." I trailed off, letting him mull it over.

"Who all would be going?" 

"Me, Lolls, Kelly and Gilly-bean. Kelly's brother Howard and Daisy, he's 17 and she’ll be 16 in a couple of months." I couldn’t wait to feel the sparks and tingles from my mate’s touch, my friends and I had heard the stories of couples scenting each other for the first time, how unique and irresistible the scents were, how magical that first touch was. Shifters can recognise our mates pretty much as soon as we start feeling our threaded if they were close by, normally this would be in the weeks or months before our first shift. 
We're taught that those who find their mates pre shift gain a mental clarity when they do shift, which is the first full moon after their sixteenth birthday. When we turn, our bodies go through intense pain and most shifters are so lost in the agony of having every single bone broken and realigned that they can't focus on anything until the change is complete and finally your soul threads together with that of your wolf.