Chapter Thirty-Five

I sit up in bed tossing and turning, it was so late and my body was tired but I couldn't stop thinking about Reece. Cody hasn't returned from chasing after him, if something did happen I know I would hear about it. I sigh placing my head against the headboard staring out the window, it was a full moon which meant the sky looked beautiful. I'm not the only one that feels so relaxed when looking at the moon and the stars am I? When my mother first went missing, I'd sit at my window just looking up at the moon. A part of me was always hoping wherever my mum was, she was looking up at the moon with me so technically she wasn't lost. I know I probably sound so weird but it was my way of holding out for hope, turns out she's been here all along. The thought of my mum just reminds me that I need to find her, she is the only one that has the power to stop my dad. Even if I'm the next in line to be the leader of the town, Ethan has always said he didn't want that responsibility so it's down to me. Until my mum signs the document giving me the town, I can't do anything to stop my dad. You're all probably thinking that we thought my mum was dead, wouldn't the responsibility for the town go to me anyway? The simple answer is no, we all thought she was dead but without a body or evidence that would support she was dead, in the eyes of the law she was very much alive. Lucky we didn't say she was dead right. Howls coming from outside make me jump, call me weird but I know what Cody's wolf sounds like, that howl didn't sound like him. I wasn't too worried that something was happening with Reece, as once again that doesn't sound like Cody. I lay back down and try to get as snuggly as I can, no one can resist the urge to sleep if you get all snuggled up like a burrito! My burrito plan works as in a few short minutes, I was fast asleep. "What are you talking about?! Why would we be planning anything?!" I ask trying to walk away to go home, but he roughly takes my arm pulling me back. "You think I don't see it, you and all your close nit friends trying to plot to get me taken away!" Tristan shouts pulling me back over towards the lake, I didn't want any of this! "You and me can be so good Erika, but you keep letting your friends take you away from me, but no more!" He shouts continuing to pull me through the thick grass, I nearly tripped a bunch of times on the way. "You're sick Tristan okay, you need to get some help what you're saying is all in your head. We used to be good but sometimes things don't work out and it's okay, just let me go" I say trying to pull my arm from his grasp, but he had a tight grip that wouldn't let up. "You're not listening!" He shouts wrapping both his arms around me, trapping my arms by my sides so I couldn't fight him off "you just need to listen" he says pulling me over to the edge of the water, I look down and see my own terrified reflection staring back at me. "No Tristan, you're not thinking straight!" I scream fighting against him as he tries to drag me closer to the water. I wake up in a sweat, terrified and shaking. I look beside me where Cody was peacefully sleeping, at least I know he came home safe. I calm my breathing before climbing out of bed and stumbling to the bathroom, once inside I close the door and lean against the counter. I haven't thought about that event in awhile, I guess with everything that's going on it was bound to come up again. I know he can't get me anymore but that fear still likes to creep up on me, I wonder if it'll ever leave or I'm just stuck with it from now on. Once I fully calmed down, I make my way back out the bathroom, Cody was now awake sat up looking at me. I send him a little smile before climbing back into bed, there was no way I would be able to fall back to sleep from fear of more of that memory popping up. But I didn't want to worry Cody if I make it seem like somethings wrong, that and I didn't want him asking questions about. "How was Reece?" I ask as I place the blanket back over my legs, the house wasn't cold but you can't beat the warmth from your blanket in the morning. "After a lot of back and forth, he's doing better than he was when he initially found out, I know it'll be hard but you have to speak to your mum, that was the only thing that really calmed him down last night" he says which does make me sigh a little, I tried to give myself a pep talk last night about meeting her, I guess that didn't work. "I know, Scott gave me all the information on her anyway so it won't be hard to track her down" I sigh leaning back on the headboard, finding her won't be, but the emotional journey I'll go on will be "but I'm doing it for Reece and everyone back in town, the sooner we can get passed all of the stuff that's happened recently, the better" I smile looking over at him, we can all be optimistic sometimes. "You're incredible" he smiles looking back at me, I just do a little move saying I know "no really, how on earth did I manage to bag you?" He asks looking at me with loving eyes, I just smile placing a kiss on his lips. He looks at me for a second before smashing his lips back onto mind, more passionately. Now I'm not one to get into all the nitty gritty, but let's just say it ended with me being marked and us completing the mating process. I know all in one sitting! I was downstairs in the kitchen making some lunch, we had an eventful morning that we missed breakfast. I hadn't actually got to cook since I arrived here, Cody always took charge or we had the feast. Which don't get me wrong was amazing, but I do love to cook and get it all done. Cody walks down the stairs with a huge smile on his face, that smile hadn't left his lips at all today. "I made lunch" I say holding up a plate of food, he smiles picking a piece of tomato up and plopping it into his mouth. "Thanks, I wish I could stay but I have to get to work, you distracted me enough this morning" he smiles with a wink shoving another tomato into his mouth, I look down at my watch and see that its Sunday. "You don't have to work today, nobody works on a Sunday, apart from doctors, nurses and all the other important roles that people have to fill" I ramble on knowing I wasn't really proving my point her "but you being an Alpha means you don't have to work today, don't even try to lie and say it's different in pack life because I know Reece. On Sundays he doesn't get out of bed until midday and after that, he's sat on his butt watching tv, so if he gets to a have Sundays off, so do you!" I smile picking his plate up and putting it in his hands, he rolls his eyes but smiles taking his seat. I turn picking my plate up and sitting beside him, we can have lunch together instead of him working all the time. He sends me an even bigger smile whilst eating, he looks as though he's enjoying it! "Why didn't you ever tell me you could cook?" He asks filling his fork up with even more food, I just laugh shaking my head as shouting could be heard from outside. "Martha and Scott, that's all they've been doing since Scott found her at home" Cody explains whilst standing up to get more food, woah he ate that quick "Martha caused all the fighting and arguments last night, who does she think she is, Houdini?" He asks a slight hint of annoyance in his tone, I guess people aren't really used to how Martha is. "It's not really her fault, it's hard for everyone this time of year" I sigh taking a look down at my plate a little, it's the reason I had that memory of what happened. "The thing Martha is keeping from Scott, you're a part of?" He asks taking his seat beside me, I look at him for a second nodding sadly as the door opened "the door was closed for a reason Scott!" Cody shouts annoyed whilst taking my hand in his, but it wasn't Scott that walked in the kitchen, but a man and a woman. "Yes, to be opened" the woman says with a smile looking at us, I was clueless on who the people were standing in front of me. "What do I know, the door has never stopped you before, mum" Cody says which makes my eyes go wide, I guess I'm meeting his parents.