After Six Years The Alpha Begs For My Return Chapter 12
Her wolf-scent was so faint it was nearly undetectable.
When she saw me push the door open, her eyes lit up, and she lifted a hand to beckon me closer.
“Avery…”
I hurried to her side and took her hand, a sharp sting behind my eyes.
Six years.
I had been gone for six years, and her hand had wasted away to skin and bone. The skin that should have held a werewolf’s warmth was as cool as a human’s, terrifyingly light in my palm.
“Mom.” I sank to my knees by the bed and buried my face in her hand. “I’m back.”
Through our shared awareness, my wolf touched the frailty in hers, and a dull ache settled in my chest.
My mother didn’t cry. She only stroked my hair with her other hand, the way she used to soothe me to sleep when I was a child.
“It’s enough that you’re back. That’s enough.”
It was a long while before I lifted my head and pulled Reese over to introduce him. “Mom, this is Reese. A friend I met in France. We have him to thank for all of this.”
Reese gave a respectful nod. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Miriam.”
Then he took a stack of documents from his briefcase and set them on the bedside table. “I’ve been in contact with your attending physician. The transplant center is rechecking the tissue match and assessing how your wolf-failure will affect postoperative recovery. Specialists from the Northern Medical Alliance are coming for a consultation next week. For now, just focus on resting. Avery will handle the procedural decisions.”
My mother looked at him, then at me, something unreadable in her gaze.
She drew my hand closer and patted it lightly. “Avery, you’ve grown up. Now I can rest easy.”
My throat was too tight to speak. I could only nod.
The hospital room door opened.
Ophelia came in holding a bowl of soup, her eyes and nose red, looking fragile and pitiful.
Gideon followed, carrying several thermal bags.