A Mother's Visit

Keira's Pov

A knock jolts me awake but something heavy pins me down against the soft mattress beneath me. Garren sighs as he rolls away, allowing me to sit upright. 

Conrad pulls me against the hard muscles of his bare chest and showers my face with kisses until I pull away and roll out of the bed.

Fenris is still asleep close to the left edge of the bed, his face buried into a pillow. I am sure he is having a hard time breathing but is too deeply asleep to feel it. Conrad takes hold of his arm and roughly flips him over, causing him to wake.

Last night after we returned from the battle they asked me to share my bed with them and somehow I was too tired to argue. We had a great dinner to celebrate yesterday's victory while the soldiers and officials had a feast in the large hall. 

We secretly returned with the darkstone wrapped with my father's thick coat because none of us could hold it with bare hands. It's now locked up in a secure room in the basement, and only Fenris shall keep the key. 

I only took half a glass of wine during the dinner while each of my mates took about six glasses. Still I was the most tired, probably because I felt useless after failing to get my own powers. My mates insisted on escorting me to my chambers to sleep then asked if they could join in. I could not decline their request after I promised to give our marriage a chance.

At least because if their lulling scents I did not get any nightmares. But my back pains because Garren and Conrad just found it easier to rest their heads on my abdomen instead of on the many pillows on the bed.

"Why do they always wake us so early?" Conrad complains while still laying flat on the bed.

I walk to the door and open it slightly. 

"Your Majesty," Henry bows in respect. "I wish to inform you and your husbands that alpha Cedric is here and wishes to congratulate you on your great victory," he informs. 

Alpha Cedric wasn't among the alphas that lead their armies to invade us. He made the right decision to side with us and it's the only reason he is alive. Now he is a great ally of this kingdom.

"Tell him the angel kings will be seeing him soon," I say to Henry, taking a step back into the room. 

"There is something else," he adds urgently and I turn to face him again. 

"Someone that claims to be your mother is also here. She wishes to see you," he reports. 

I am speechless for a long moment. My mother who abandoned us when I failed to phase is here to see me? 

She made it clear that she felt too ashamed of my failure to phase that she would not want to see my face again. Father begged her to stay but she said that her little love for him wasn't enough to make her withstand the endless shame. 

Nothing could have made her change her mind within the few years she spent way from us. She was never my favourite parent and I quickly got used to her absence. I didn't miss her. 

"I will come meet her," I say and Henry bows one last time before leaving. 

"I got to go see my mother. Alpha Cedric is also waiting to see you," I tell my mates who seem to have already heard. 

"If I may ask, isn't your mother the one that abandoned you and your father?" Fenris questions. 

I nod. My father must be the one that told them because I never did.

"Yes. But she is here now and I have to talk to her," I answer. 

Conrad rises from the bed and approaches, his eyes filled with concern. 

"She abandoned you when you needed her most, Keira. Why would you even want to talk to her?" he asks. 

"I talk to you every day despite the fact that you too hated me before I found my strength," I remind. 

"That was a mistake," he argues.

"No it wasn't. I too was ashamed of myself when I failed to phase. No one loves what is bad and I was wrong to expect my mother to." I say. 

They all look saddened by my words. But I said the truth. They like me now because I proved that I have some value. Unconditional love is way too rare. 

"We barely knew you when we rejected you. We didn't know your heart, your wisdom or your kindness. But Your mother knew the kind of person you are and she still left you and your father," Garren points. 

I guess that proves that she didn't care if I had other values or not. She just wanted to escape the shame. 

My father missed her for a long time but never hated me for making her leave. He said that it was not my fault that I didn't get a wolf and for that reason he would not abandon me.

I doubt that my mother is here to say she was wrong. She must have a glorious life of her own now. 

"I will just hear what she has to say," I say and leave the room.