Sister of Night

Orren

I watched blood run down my legs and swirl around the drain. My palms and forehead were pressed against the cool tile as I tried to soothe the white-hot pain I had behind my eyes. None of the blood was mine, but my body hurt enough to where it could've been.

I closed my eyes when I heard the shouting from downstairs. The rest of my pack was celebrating the end of what had been a six-month territory war. I wished like anything I could be with them, happy in our victory.

Every time I closed my eyes and saw the carnage. The blood. The invading loup-garou lying dead on the forest floor. My pack mates took pride in that. I had too for a while. Lost in the mindset of protecting my family.

I was prancing around and celebrating with the others when my mate came over and rubbed against my side. His wolf nose checking me for injuries, burying deep in my dark fur. It was looking into his eyes that made me stop. I looked at the fallen and didn't see my enemies. I saw some one's sisters, fathers, friends. Some one out there would weep for them. Just like I would have wept if Asher had been taken from me.

In the shower I sobbed. I slid down the tiled wall and hugged my legs. My insides felt dark and poisoned. Even though the water running off of me now was clean, I still saw their blood.

I was supposed to be downstairs with them. They needed to hear how proud I was of them, touch their faces and smile at them. Their needed their alpha female with them to stroke their ego, since my mate wouldn't do it. It was our way. Where he was cold I was warm and where I was weak he was strong. Our balanced personalities made it so that no problem went unnoticed in our pack.

Asher slid in naked behind me and wrapped me up I his tan arms. I hadn't even heard him come in. He held me like that for a while, that was how he was. His silence always said so much more than his words. After a while he put his hand over my heart.

"Does it hurt?" my bottom lip quivered and I nodded.

"I feel so heavy, like I couldn't stand if I tried. I should be down there. I want to tell them how strong they were, how much I love them and how proud they made us. But how can I when I feel so disgusted with myself. I don't feel strong enough to be Alpha."

Asher reached up and turned the water off. He lifted me and I wrapped my arms and legs around him. I rubbed my nose against his neck and breathed. He smelled so strong, so powerful. Everything I wasn't right now.

We climbed under the covers still all wrapped up around each other. He pushed the hair away from my face and I stared into his grey eyes.

When I first met him I had seen thunderstorms in those eyes. There was so much turmoil and pain there. All I saw in them now was his love for me and the trust he had in my capabilities as his mate.

"You wouldn't be the great leader you are if you weren't feeling this now. There's nothing I can say that will make this pain go away immediately. But you have to know that whatever we do, it's for our loved ones. For the families downstairs. Just like the pack we fought, they were fighting for their family. This pain will pass and you will be a better loup-garou for it."

He pressed a kiss to my forehead and pulled me in tighter.

I fell asleep listening to his breathing.

Alison

He watched me patiently waiting for me to respond.

"Are you sure? I mean, what about Lisa? I know she really wanted this position."

Mike shook his head and smiled.

"The board wants you to have it. We believe your ready for it. You've shown tremendous growth since you first came to us and it's really made an impact. You'll be a great addition there. Colorado will be lucky to have you."

He slid the form across my desk and I picked up my pen. I read over the section that had my new title as Vice President of Public Relations at Beaver Creek Resort in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I was giddy but I wanted to appear cool and professional in front of my superior.

After signing I stood up to shake his hand, "Mike, thank you so much, I can't begin to tell you how much this means to me."

"I wish you luck out there, Alison." He winked before turning away.

I walked him out and shut the door to my office so I was alone. I didn't waste any time running over to my desk to call Mom.

::::::::

When I got to the bar she was already there waiting for me. Sipping on her drink, she didn't smile when I walked up.

"I know why you want to talk to me. And I don't want to hear it."

I sat down and held back a sigh.

"Mom, this job is a huge opportunity. I want you to be happy for me."

"And Colorado? You're telling me you won't go looking for her? That you won't get mixed up in the same thing she is?"

This time I couldn't hold back my sigh. "Of course I won't. To be honest I don't think it's as bad as you think it is. You know her last painting sold for over five thousand? I think she's doing really well for herself. Don't you ever think about her? I miss he-"

"Stop it!" everyone in the bar turned to look at us. She noticed and lowered her voice. "I don't want to know anything about her. Do you have any idea how embarrassing it is to have all your friends know your daughter left to live with some gang?! People talk, the things I've heard," she clicked her tongue. "It's either she's a drug mule or she's selling herself. You remember that man. She couldn't leave the room without his permission. You can't tell me that there wasn't something wrong with him. I won't lose you to that world too. "

"Mom you won't lose me. I'm going out there for a job. It's just that it's been six years and I miss my sister. She was so young when she left, don't you ever miss her?"

"No. The person she is now is not my daughter. I can never forgive her for leaving us. I've never felt so embarrassed in my entire life." She snatched my hand. "Promise me that you will stay away from those people. There is something wrong with them. Don't go looking for her."

How could I promise something like that? Orren and I were so close before she left, it wasn't in me to not go looking for her. I applied for this job with the sole intention of being able to see her again. If she was in trouble with these people, I wanted to help her.

"Will you come visit me once I'm out there? It's supposed to be really gorgeous in winter. All that snow, can you imagine?"

Mom sighed and released my hand. I knew I hadn't given her the answer she wanted to hear.

"I'll visit of course, just please, be careful. Except for your Uncle, you're all the family I have left."

I smiled. "I'm always careful."

We talked some more, but it was more her talking at me than anything else. That's just the way she was. While she talked I let my mind drift to Orren. How she looked on the last day I saw her, and how she'd tell me where she was every time they moved. She kept her promise and a year ago, when she sent me a letter saying they were back in America, I had to find a way to see her.

So much of me was filled with excitement to see her again, but at the same time I was terrified of what I might find.