Ordinary

Losing my mind

DEANNE

My phone rang for the umpteenth time. Spasming and throwing an angry fit across the bed.

Roger.

What could I tell him? He would have me committed. I needed to get him here. He would never come. But if I understood correctly, he couldn't come here now. Ever. Clint would tear him limb from limb.

What an unholy mess. I should've just wished her well in the cult. I scoffed at my own thoughts.

If this continued at this rate, he'd be at the gate demanding to know what happened to his family. His life would be in danger.

I picked up my phone and text Adam. I needed one of them to run interference.

My phone rang again, Charlotte. This was a trap.

I text Adam to check in on Charlie as well. I wouldn't be falling for that today. Nice try Roger.

I paced the length of my stateroom. All the information of the last 24 hours roiling around in my head. Werewolves were real. My daughter was now one. Essentially the Queen of this pack, actually. My other children knew of this truth... and the old Boss wolf was trying to claim me as his mate.

Alone in my assigned quarters I sat. Wondering why I wasn't panicking. Why I wasn't hysterical? Why fear hadn't clawed up my spine, resting around my shoulders and over my heart?

The curtains from the balcony blew steadily, linen barely scraping across the marble floor. The peace and calm of the afternoon did nothing to squelch the growing unrest in my head.

The implications of everything I'd witnessed, swirled in my head. A maelstrom of gigantic proportions, gathering power and steam with the force of a typhoon, a storm that would deploy immeasurable damage. The kind of storm that couldn't be controlled. The kind of damage that would lay waste and destroy things that couldn't be repaired or replaced. My stomach protested.

The roiling of my stomach confused me. I hadn't eaten anything in over 30 hours, since the drive. I moved quickly to the en suite... darting for the toilet.

I wretched for 10 minutes, finally rolling away exhausted. My hair sticking to my skin along my neck and forehead. The hot angry bile in my guts gurgled unsteadily, but the impulse to expel it quieted somewhat. The cool floor against my legs offered a modicum of comfort.

The knock on the door went unheard as I slouched on the bathroom floor, my energy spent...yet my body feeling incredibly strong. Capable.

The bathroom door creaked open. "Mom"

Charlie.

She rushed to my side, tears already streaming from her eyes. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be at school," I said, gathering her into my arms as she skidded into me.

She burrowed her face deeper into my chest area and sniffed. "Mom, you stink."

We both burst into laughter through tears. Leave it to my Charlotte. No filter at all.

I shook her gently, shoving her away. Then braced myself against the wall to stand beside her. Age isn't fair. My knees used to work that way.

I placed my hands on my hips, all the mirth and tears dissolving. My brows furrowed. "Charls, what are you doing here?" I asked seriously, the note of concern evident in my tone.

She launched back into my arms, fresh sobs trembling her form as I closed my arms around her.

"Hey now. It isn't as bad as all that," I reassured her, leaving my own uncertainty for me to handle later.

I walked her back into the bedroom, inside the shelter of my embrace. We sat on the edge of the bed. She looked down at her hands actively wrenching in her lap. Refusing to meet my gaze.

"Charlie, you can tell me anything," I said softly, grabbing one of her hands…then the other. They were hot. Too hot.

I gasped, then my hands flew to her forehead... then toward her stomach to verify the horrifying thought that she was feverish.

She grabbed my hands, her gaze locking with mine. She shook her head. "I'm not sick, Mom. I'm in heat"

"What does that mean Charlotte?" I asked, switching to the formal use of her name. The tone invoking that I was done asking for explanations... she needed to explain right now.

Her eyes pleaded with me. Guilt. Shame. Impatience. "Mom!" she whined. Then shoved a book into my hands. "You need to read this"