They Call Me Lunatic

Chapter Twenty Four: Elijah

Elijah Hayes

She didn't listen. I told her it wasn't safe. I told her. She just didn't listen.

I can't blame her, though.

That shredder is her mate, and there's nothing any of us can do about it.

I don't agree with it-any of it. I don't agree with her being with him, and I don't agree with what my parents and brother are doing to him. I can't say any of that, though.

Grey's my sister, so I understand my parent's point of view. It's been seventeen years since we last had contact with Grey. Now, I chose to blame my Uncle Riley for what happened, but mom doesn't.

Mom met Uncle Riley when she was sixteen. He was only three at the time, I think. Uncle Riley was the one real reason why mom stayed with dad at first. From stories that I've heard from her, dad, and others like my Uncle Andrew and my Aunt Karissa, mom and dad didn't exactly get along. Mom was a originally a rogue. She was against pack life in every way. Obviously, my father being an alpha would have caused tension between the two of them. To be short, mom hated dad, and dad didn't exactly make a great first impression. My mother wanted to turn around and just leave him (my Aunt Karissa used the term 'kill him' once or twice, as well), but chose to stay because of Riley. It was because of that little boy that mom and dad have stayed together.

That's the basic reason why mom refuses to think Grey's kidnapping is Riley's fault. She loves Riley, and believes that if he hadn't been involved with shredders, none of this would have happened.

She blames the shredders for corrupting him.

That just adds another layer of her hatred for shredders. Not only did she believe they ruined Uncle Riley who she would probably die for, they also stole her only daughter.

I was only four when Grey was taken from us, but I still vividly remember my mother breaking down not only in front of me but the entire pack. That was one of the last times I had ever seen my mother show much emotion.

She blamed herself for Grey being taken, too. Sure, she knew if it weren't for a group of shredders ripping through our pack, Grey would have grown up like a normal Alpha's child, but she couldn't help but think she helped them. Dad wanted her to stay with Grey. Mom sure as hell wasn't a weak wolf, and she was honestly a fair fight against dad. Mom was strong. Grey was safest with her, but like I said, Mom would do anything to save Riley. She truly believed that if she just spoke with him, she could make him come back.

She couldn't.

Mom left Grey with two of our strongest warriors while she went out to the pack yard hoping to find Riley. She found him alright. Not only did he snap her neck when she found him, but he also broke her heart. She woke up two days after having her best friend who was practically a brother snap her neck. The first thing she did was cry. She cried because of Riley, but then she heard the news of Grey. She was completely broken.

She cried for days.

She blocked everyone out.

I didn't see my own mother for nearly two weeks. She just sat in Grey's nursery and cried. She would skip various meals. She wouldn't sleep. Then one day, she just came out and wasn't the same.

Everyone spoke so highly of my mother. Alex Ricardo may have been a psychotic rogue, but Alex Hayes was not. She changed. Alex Hayes was kind and caring, but a bitch when necessary. She was the type of woman to convince the devil to commit suicide or just flat out murder him herself. My mother knew just what to say and just how to say it. She was persuasive, bullheaded, and over all just a great Alpha. She was a good mom, good wife, good friend. After losing Riley and Grey, she lost that side of herself.