CHAPTER 133 : NO TIME TO WASTE

Aiden shook his head softly at his mother and sighed, "We were not pretending to be happy. We were genuinely happy."

"Yeah," Bryan and Kira murmured, concurring with what Aiden had said.

"That is what I don't understand," Elara said to them, the confused expression still etched on her face. "How can you be happy? This is very sad news. Extremely sad, and even I, myself, am still trying to wrap my head around the whole situation. So, how?"

"Mum, I understand you completely," Kira said. "I also cried, then we cuddled and then at dinner everyone was together again. Even my emotions right now are inconsistent because I don't know if I should cry, be sad, be happy or think about it, as we have been given a specific time to be together and so cuddling with them, talking and laughing at dinner helped me realize that it was better to be happy and just forget about the sad stuff for the moment. Leaving you all is already sad for me; you have no idea. But staying… even if it is my last day here, I want to be happy with all of you. Who knows if I'll get that chance again?"

Hearing all this, Elara's eyes welled up with tears as she processed and understood where Kira was coming from. She had to take a moment to herself and closed her eyes, holding her face in her hands as the room became silent once more before Orion spoke.

"There is really no other way?" Orion asked, knowing that his sons would never let Kira go unless it was too bad. But he still could not help but ask, wanting to find some hope.

"None," Bryan answered, shaking his head softly. "Just a lot of possibilities that we would be a danger to Kira. The curse has destroyed us, Father. We can't let that happen to her too. We won't bring her down with us."

"I understand," Orion nodded. "But where would she go?" Then he turned to Kira and asked her. "Where would you go? We can't just send you away. You will be on your own again, no family, no pack. We can't do that."

"Dad, I will find my way," Kira assured him. "You don't have to worry about that, please. I know this is hard for everyone to accept; it's hard for us as well, but this is the only choice we have, and instead of us arguing and talking about it when we know there is nothing else we can do, why don't we just use this time wisely? I truly want these last days to be happy and memorable."

"It's not like being sad will change anything, and even when I leave, there is still going to be this… sadness," Kira said softly, and it caught Elara's attention.

Elara, who had not spoken in a while, raised her head and when Kira turned to look at her, she noticed something.

"Mum," Kira called out softly and got up. "Please don't cry," she said as she walked over to where Elara was seated and knelt before her.

"Why are you crying now, hm?" Kira said and hugged Elara tightly. "I don't like that."

"But how am I supposed to let my daughter leave?" Elara muttered against Kira's hair, hugging and holding Kira tightly as if she was afraid to let go. "I will worry."

"And I will call," Kira promised as she pulled back and gave Elara a small smile. "Leaving doesn't mean I won't stay in touch or reach out to you. I will, so you don't have to worry."

"Even if you did that, it still doesn't change the fact that you are leaving for good," Elara muttered and cupped Kira's face in her hand, her fingers trembling slightly. "You won't be okay. They won't be okay, and I know it. This is just not fair to any of you."

"I know," Kira said simply. "Everything is happening so fast, and I just…" She paused and chuckled sadly before continuing. "This is it, and there is nothing we can do about it."

"Oh Goddess," Elara shook her head sadly, not knowing what to say or do. "I don't know, I don't know. I do not like any of this."

"I know," Kira acknowledged, while she lifted a hand and gently wiped away the tear that trailed down Elara's cheek. "But what can we do, hm?"

"We just have to accept this fate," She told Elara.

"Mmm," Elara hummed and closed her eyes one more time, exhaled, then opened them and looked at Kira again.

"No matter what, you will always be my daughter. Do you understand that? And you are always welcomed here." 

"Of course, always," Kira laughed softly despite the ache in her heart. "You better not even think of replacing me," she warned Elara jokingly.

"Never!" Elara gasped, following Kira's joking manner. "I would never do that."

"And whatever you need, no matter how far away you are—call," Orion, seated beside them, said. "Always call, always."

"Don't ever hesitate," he said and reached out, patting Kira's hair gently. "This doesn't make us any less of a family."

"Yes, sir!" Kira grinned and saluted playfully, even though Elara still cupped her face.

"Now don't be sad anymore," she turned her attention back to Elara with a bright smile. "If you don't stop, I will start crying too."

"What?" Elara laughed softly and quickly wiped at her eyes. "No, no," she said, smiling. "I am not crying anymore. See?"

Afterward, she gave Kira one last tight hug before pulling away and composing herself.

"Alright," Elara said as Kira got up, and she got up as well. "No one is sleepy, right?" She asked everyone in the room without requiring a response, and before they could answer, she told them to stay seated and started making her way out of the living room.

"Mother, where are you going?" Aiden asked with a small smile on his face, knowing how his mother could be.

"We don't have any time to waste," Elara waved him off. "And all of you better stay seated," she warned. "I will be right back!"

With that, she left the room.