~Tia~
I’m not sure how long I lay on the couch, but I eventually get up, not wanting Alpha Paul to catch me in his office. It isn’t that he
would be angry about it; I just don’t want to have to explain why I took refuge here. It completely goes against what he and I
discussed just the other day. I AM letting people get to me, but I don’t see how I can avoid that.
I stand still in the hallway for a while, unsure of where to go or what to do. I take a deep breath and let my body guide me. After a
bit of a walk, I realize that I send myself to the pack clinic. I head up to the front desk and ask for Dr. Nikki Franks. I’m led to an
office down the hall, and I sit and wait.
Twenty minutes pass before the door opens, and I’m pinned to my chair in a hug. “Awww, baby girl, I have missed you so much!”
“I’ve missed you too, mom.” My mother, the wonderful Dr. Nikki Franks. She is a strong and proud woman but also very soft and
meek. My mom has always been my number one fan, my supporter. She pulls back from me and looks me over. I don’t blame
her, it’s been about a year or two since we’ve seen each other, and that’s not counting the day I came back for the Alpha
ceremony.
My mom is as gorgeous as ever with her light complexion, chocolate brown eyes, and her salt and pepper hair. She keeps her
hair cut short in a pixie, and it always makes her stand out. I can’t wait to get my mom’s age because I know I will still be a
looker. “How have you been, babygirl?” I sigh and lean my dead back in the chair. I don’t know what to say at the moment. So
much has gone on, and I’ve felt a wide array of emotions.
“I…I don’t know mom. I think this is all too much.” Mom leans against the edge of the desk and gets comfortable.
“What’s all too much?”
“This, everything.” I gesture toward myself. My mom shakes her head and places both hands on the edge of the desk.
“Tell me everything.” I did; I told mom everything that had been going on, sparing no details. She listens quietly, nodding here
and there. When I’m done, mom says nothing but walks to the other side of the desk and sits in the chair. She places her hands
on the desk and looks at me for a bit without speaking.
“So you are just going to run away again?” Um…..what?!
“What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean. You ran away to college and have been running since.”
“I didn’t run away to college. I went to college like planned.” Mom shakes her head and rolls her eyes.
“Ok, sure. You did want to go to college, but you didn’t even let the ink dry on your diploma before you ran off to school. You
have barely been back since.”
“Are you serious right now?! Do you not remember how my life has been in this pack? Of course I wouldn’t want to stay where
I’m clearly not wanted.” What exactly was mom thinking, and what was she trying to say?
“Look, I know things have been crappy here for you. I wish I could have changed things, made things better. I know your father
treats you like crap and so do your sisters. I realize that the pack really just keeps their distance rather than interacting. I get it
Tia, but when did you ever fight? When did you ever take a stand and fight? You have spent all of these years hiding, just trying
to not be seen.”
“Why wouldn’t I hide? Why would I want to bring unnecessary drama into my life? I don’t have anything to prove to anyone.”
“Okay, fine. You don’t have to prove anything at all.” Mom places her hands on the desk and looks me in the eyes. “Now you’re
mated to the future Alpha twins and will be Luna. That is tough position even if you had had a better childhood. Do you plan to
give it all up simply because it’s getting tough?”
“Getting TOUGH?!” I jump out of the chair and start to pace in front of the desk. “You call everything I’ve been through tough? My
sisters are out to get me along with dad. The Luna doesn’t like me and she even brought in someone to try to get to the twins.”
Mom leans back in the chair and crosses her arms over her chest.
“Right, and here you are going to give them exactly what they want. They all want you to walk away. They want to break you and
watch you leave what belongs to you, and here you are, ready to do just that. Make it make sense.” I can’t believe my mom right
now. She’s acting like this is nothing, like I’m talking about getting a wrong order or something. These people are messing with
my life. “If you aren’t strong enough to stand up for yourself…..well, you should just reject the twins now and let them find
someone who will be who they need. They will be running a pack, and they need someone who is able to stand by their side no
matter what the situation is. The Moon Goddess felt that person was you, but if she was wrong, let that be known now. There is
no need to let everyone get worked up over something that will never be.” I can’t believe what I’m hearing right now. This can’t
be the same mom that I’ve grown up with. She has always been my shoulder when I needed one, always by my side.

“I don’t understand you right now. I don’t understand how you are acting like I’m messing up.” Mom sighs and gets out of the
chair, heading straight for me. She grabs my arms and turns me toward her.
“Tia, I love you more than I can say. You are an amazing woman, but I messed up by never making you live up to that. I know
things have been hard for you, but you are so much stronger than all of that crap. You are capable of lighting the world on fire,
but you are never going to be able to until you take a stand. You have to stand up for yourself and force people to treat you how
you deserve to be treated. I did a disservice to you by not making you face this sooner and I’m sorry.” She runs her hands up
and down my arms. “I’m so sorry I failed you, but I want to fix that. I want to do better and be the correct influence that you need.
You deserve everything you are getting, but…..” My mom steps back from me. “If you want to give it all up, do that, but do it
sooner rather than later.” Mom kisses me on my forehead and walks out of the office.
I plop in the chair, dumbfounded. I have never, in my life, had anyone tell me to…well, basically s**t or get off the pot. I, honestly,
came here thinking that mom will tell me to do what needs to be done and go back to school if needed. Instead, she tells me to
stand up and fight.
She isn’t wrong, Tia. We can’t keep walking away, and I refuse to leave my mates. I shake my head and leave the office,
determined to take some time to figure out what the hell I need to do.