For Just One Second

We head back to the main house the darkness and eerie sounds making it even more of an uneasy journey, as soon as we get close again I can see the lights on in the kitchen. We left all of our things at the cabin not expecting to be home so soon but alas here were are.

As soon I step inside the kitchen I'm pulled into a heavy embrace by Cynthia her eyes puffy and red from crying as soon as I step away I am pulled in again by Artemis this time although her embraces are somehow never as warming.

We sit around the kitchen island no one saying anything the only sound is Sigi in the background making tea, between us we exchange short glances no one really knowing what we should say.
I'm thankful when Calder breaks the silence.

*"Have you thought about what you're going to do? I mean do you want to see your dad ?"*

Calder and I spoke all the way here he knows I do want to see him, he's not for the idea though he said it will ruin the memories I have of my father already, A few moments pass and Artemis tenses her shoulders and sits up a little straighter.

*"Yes, I want to see him. I have so many questions for him "*

Cynthia nods in agreement and places a hand over her stomach as Sigi sets her tea down in front of her. We spend the next half an hour talking about how close we should get to him and what certain things we want to ask him but I'm barely listening, all I can think about is my fathers face. I remember how he used to laugh at when he played tricks on my mum, or how he would smile whenever he saw us walking up the street coming home from school.

I'm snapped out if when I realised we had moved and were now standing at the top of the cellar. Calder steps down first taking my hand in his and we are hit with the smell he warned us about.

"Calder why does it smell like this again ?"

*"It's their skin it is rotting on some of the ones that were rogues before, some are stuck in a half shifted state and others are more like Arlo "*

As soon as we reach the bottoms step he pulls me in front of his hands on both my shoulders like he is protecting me when we reach the walkway i can see why. Some of the wolves started growling and pushing their arms through the bars to try and reach us.

We make our way to the end the others following closely behind I see a large cage, the person inside slumped on the floor half-dazed his nose lifts into the air and his face meets my own, I hear the sounds of sobbing behind signalling that Cynthia and Artemis have seen it too.

My father is stood before me but he's not what I remember he is missing an eye his body is half shifted, scarred from all that has been done to him but his other eye hold the look of my father, the same soft and loving look he always had. I can feel my breathing getting faster as I stare at him further unable to focus as my eyes travel across every part of the broken wolf inside the cage.

Artemis pushes past us and sits in front of the cage her both her hands on the bar, He doesn't come closer to her but he drops his head as though he is ashamed.

*"Dad? Is it really you after all this time ?"*
You can hear her pain with each word as she struggles to hold it together.

Eventually, he moves towards the bars to be near her placing his forehead in the space between the two bars, Arti moved hers forward so their foreheads meet and then she breaks down. Soon Cynthia follows to sit next to her taking Arti hand and staring at my father.

I struggle to move my feel, to move any part of my body until Calder gives me a small nudge forward pulling me out of my trance. I sit down on Artis another side, no one speaks but we observe him and he observes us taking us in like he is meeting us for the very first time.

Finally, after 10 minutes he speaks.
*"I cannot believe this is real you know "*

His voice is harsher than I remember but the undertones are still smooth and familiar to me.

"Neither can we. But how, how is any of this possible ?"

*"Oh Selene I can hardly believe it's you "*
He stares at me a tear rolling softly down his hard ridged cheek.

*"And your mated and married "*
He gives Calder a short stare, I instantly recognise it as the one he would give my sisters admires and it makes causes me to let out a small giggle.

*"I see you have not lost your ability to bring joy to any situation. As for how this is possible I'm not sure I just knew this whole time that you three were out there and that kept me going. The thought of maybe getting to see you one last time not even to talk but just to see you doing well kept my mind at ease."*

As we all stare at him I feel that small spark of shared emotion I once felt with my sisters but it vanishes just as quickly. Artemis asks dad a thousand more questions and he answers them all, asking us some in return he nearly bends the bar when he hears about Cynth's baby before shooting some overprotective words at Sigi who for a second actually looks worried.

We talk for what feels like a lifetime, each word passing from his lips becoming more familiar. He tells us all that he has been through, all that Arlo has done to him it is then that his face hardens a little.

*"There was another reason why I wanted to see you girls" *

I hear Calder shuffle closer to me listening in.
*"When Arlo was injecting me and some of the others he would use blood that did not look like his own, he would often mutter to himself about the powers transferring as i explained before Arlo's goal was an army that was like him. Where he was keeping us I would often roll over in the bed after being dosed and see a woman lying in the bed next to mine she looked about the same age as you Artemis, At first, I thought she was your mother and I was seeing her because I was going to die, she looked so like her, but each time it happened it became clearer"*

Artemis back tenses again and for a second I'm flashed with curiosity before the feeling disappears once more.

*"What do you mean, do you know who she was ?"*

*"Artemis I worked it out after a while, her blood was being fused with my own, however, she was Arlo seemed to think she was born of the first as well "*

My mouth opens in shock, I thought we were the last.
"Did it work when he mixed her blood with yours ?"

*"No it did not but that did not stop him from trying over and over giving her transfusions till she almost reached death and then letting her recover to do it to her again. After a while whatever light she had left faded and the when we started to move to destroy our old pack she was always by his side. "*

"Okay so where is she now "
I manage to get the words out before my sisters who just nod in agreement.

*"Well that's the thing, I don't know she was with us a few days before we attacked but I saw her wander off into the forest wearing dark clothes heading towards this house I thought maybe she was going for help and seeing as I would have no choice but to do as Arlo commanded in a few days I said nothing hoping she managed to get away from him. Shortly after Arlo noticed she was gone and was calling for her, he sent wolves to look for his little Sekreta and that was the first time I heard her name "*

His face searches our like we should know why that name would mean something.

*"Sekreta was the name of your grandma on your mother side when I first found your mother she told my Father that her whole pack had been killed. That was not entirely true, your mother had a sister she was born without gifts and went on to marry and live a normal life but I think Sekreta might be her daughter, it thinks Arlo had her in the hopes that she had powers and he could use her when she didn't he tried to use her blood instead " *

We have a cousin and actual blood-related cousin and she is out there somewhere alone, I hear voices behind me and turn my head to ask Calder to look for her but he simply nods signifying he has already done it.

Cynthia reaches for the bars once more.

*"Why did you and mum never tell us this? "*

*"Your mother thought it would be best to keep her sister a secret to keep her safe, I see now that was a mistake if he had her daughter then her pack is surely gone. You have to be wondering why I'm telling you this ?"*

We not simultaneously still staring at him. He shuffles to the very back of the cage away from us

*"I spent so long waiting to see you all one last time, and I couldn't bear the thought of her being alone forever when she might have you three, Even if she is not who I suspect she is she deserves a chance and I know you three will give her that "*

He then pulls something out of his pocket holding it tightly in his hand.

*"All I ever wanted was to see you all one last time, to see what you would grow up to be "*

His voice begins to break and I can see the tears streaming down his face, the three of us stand up the air in the room tense.

*"I am so proud of you all, My very own daughters of the moon, I've had what I always wanted and now I can meet your mother knowing that you are all wonderful and kind and caring its all we could have ever wished for "*

Arti steps toward the gate.

*"What do you mean to meet mum ! what are you talking about? what's in your hand ?"*
Her voice is panicked and she lets out starts screaming noo when my father reveals a small syringe in his hand.

*"I love the three of you so much "*
We begin to pull at the door as he moved it closer to his neck. Cynthia screaming at Sigi to get the keys and let us inside.

*"But I am no longer for this world, I'm a danger to anyone I meet and for me to stay would be selfish when your mother has been waiting for me for so long"*

He pushes the needle into his neck a smile on his face as he watched us the harsh lines there before seem to smooth in contentment.
*"I love you all so mu..."*

As he speaks those last words Artemis rips the door off of the cage he is being held that familiar feeling of power rises in my stomach as it happens.
She runs towards him and pleading for him to wake up her sobs covering any other sound in the room.

Cynthia's hand is covering her mouth all her body weight not resting on Sigi as she tries to muffle her exasperated sobs.

The world around me stops for a second and everything moves in slow motion as I drop to the floor my face wet from the silent tears.

For just one second I had my Father back and in this cruel game of life, I lost him again the pain of it just as devastating as the first time.