Chapter 40:

"And he didn't even text you to explain who that random wolf was?!"

Camila threw her hands in the air, "no he didn't! I mean if you're going to cheat on me at least turn on caller ID!"

She laughed when she saw Liberty's heart rate monitor begin to beep rapidly.

"If it were Patrick, I'd skin him alive and use him as a fur throw rug...Mila, I know a guy."

Camila looked at her in horror. "Okay too far...But...Also has potential..."

There were few things in life that could beat an emotional unload with her best friend. She had deeply missed the feeling of knowing someone would understand her and have her best interests at heart no matter what. Like a true friend, Liberty would react even more outrageously and more emotionally than Camilla had when she heard the tale unfold.

"Look I'm real mad at the guy and you are too, but you said Mason said he didn't seem guilty on the phone, right?"

"That's what he implied but I still don't know the truth." She rubbed her temples in frustration, too many questions were running through her mind.

"Well, there's only one way to find out."

"Yes, I know. Trust me tomorrow Alpha Taine and I are going to be having a long dinner table discussion"

"Does he know you're coming home?"

"No," Camila said sheepishly. "I don't want to talk to him right now."

Camila knew the impact of final words. The way they replayed over and over in your mind until they were practically etched into your heart. Written in ink on your soul. The last words she said to her parents were the ones she would regret most for the entirety of her existence.

Complaining about the cold forest, fussing like a child would about being hungry and bored, not listening when her parents told her to stay in the underground safety chamber, not responding when they told her they loved her. For the last time...

"I'm angry and nothing good is ever said in anger so I think I'll just call ivory and get her to pass on the message." It was cowardly and petty but it was all she could bear to do in the situation."

Libby nodded her head and began to speak when the door to her room opened and two doctors walked in.

"Oh sorry!" She got out of her seat and said to Libby, "I'll wait outside." She walked past the two doctors.

It only took three more seconds for Camila to realise that they were not two doctors but a poorly disguised Mason and Jake. She looked at Libby incredulously behind their backs. They seemed to have sprayed their uniform with disinfectant to mask their scent. But Camila's nose was smarter than that. She couldn't help but notice the unmistakable scent of boys.

"What are they up to?" she mouthed.

"I don't know" Libby subtly mouthed back.

"Play along." Camila mouthed, before getting the attention of the two "doctors" who were making a big show of examining Libby's medical chart on the clipboard at the foot of her bed.

"Excuse me, doctors?"

"Yes," Jake said in his normal tone of voice. This received him a jab from mason.

"Uhm, yes, yes what can I do you for, ma'am?" He said, faking a much deeper tone.

"I'm just wondering if you have any update on Liberty's situation?"

"Situation?" Jake broke character for a moment, clearly confused

Mason elbowed him sharply in the side before laughing dismissively, "The situation, of course! My esteemed colleague is new to this hospital so if you wouldn't mind filling him in...for his benefit of course."

"No problem." Camila shot Liberty an incredulous look, saying, 'as if these guys think this circus act is believable.'

"The issue of the, um, postpartum explosive diarrhoea."

The look of horror that unfolded itself on to their faces was comedic gold. Camila wished she had a camera to capture it.

Jake deciding that discussing diarrhea was not worth the prank, pulled off his mask and proceeded to gag. He had always been far too sensitive.

Mason rolling his eyes at the scene, kicked a bedpan in Jakes direction and scrunched his nose, ignoring his brother who looked even more disgusted.

"You guys are ridiculous."

"They wouldn't let us in! We're the sons of the alpha and they couldn't even make an exception. How did you get in Mila?"

She shrugged and stepped towards Jake. She began rubbing his back, trying to help him through the coughs. Good thing he was wasn't going to be a pack doctor. He didn't even last a few minutes of faking it.

"Nobody stopped me, I just ran straight in."

Mason threw his hands in the air in exasperation, before sitting on the edge of Libby's bed. "Amazing. And you aren't even part of this pack."

"Ouch Mason." Camila turned to face everyone, raising her voice. "Speaking of which... I have decided to leave you all."

"Oh finally!" Jake screamed, throwing up his hands in mock victory. Camila glared at him.

"Sorry Mila, but I think we're all a little sick of you and we didn't know how to tell you."

"Shut up and focus on dry heaving into that bedpan."

"We're kidding of course" Mason qualified, "but trust me this is a good thing."

Camila, noticing that Liberty had started to look tired once again, motioned to the boys, "Cmon guys, let's give Lib a break. Let's go play video games before I have to go."

Mason and Jake couldn't say no to that.

--

After an intense two hours of reconnecting with their teenage selves, and realising that she was very our of practice, Camila enjoyed a family dinner with the Alpha family. It was crazy how familiar and comfortable it felt to be with them again. Her usual spot had been set out just for her, by an eager Lizzie.

As dinner neared an end and Camila had finished the second round of her favourite dessert and was ready to leave, she could see the tears start to form in Lizzie's eyes.

She engulfed her in a hug and that was when they began to fall. This goodbye was inevitable but it didn't make it any less emotional. Liz was the closest thing to a mother she had.

"Come visit soon, love. I miss having my daughter around." Those words meant more to Camila than she could ever express. She had always craved a mothers love and Liz had always wanted a daughter. Without even trying they had done their best to fill the void in each other's life. Even though her childhood was nothing short of tragic, she truly felt like they were meant to find each other.

"Wild wolves couldn't keep me away." She joked. Although this goodbye was painful it had gotten easier each time. It forced her to cherish her time, forced her to hug them just that little bit tighter...

A few hours later she had packed her bags and had also managed to say goodbye to Liberty, Patrick, Sammy and Valaria. Liberty and Patrick seemed to be a united front again. Liberty didn't seem to notice but even when she wasn't looking, Patrick would stare at her with sheer adoration in his eyes, like he couldn't believe she was really with him. I brought the biggest smile to her face. Seeing their little family doing so well meant she could leave with a sense of peace in her heart.

She had planned on leaving early the next morning and would slip away before most of the pack would be up. She checked the time and was relieved when she saw that she had a few more hours before she needed to go to sleep. There were just two more things she needed to do first.

--

After Aunty Jae had force-fed her, her second dinner, Camila decided to unload the heaviness in her chest to her Aunt. Even though she was getting on in years, her surrogate Aunt was wise and had a talent for reading people.

"I just don't know why this has been so difficult!" she expressed her frustration. "When you think of mates, you think of that person who fits you so perfectly, they are literally your soul mate. I always pitied humans and how hard they had it. I mean I never wanted a made, but I always figured if I did it was going to be somewhat easy!"

Jae listened and nodded. She glanced at the photo on the coffee table and pointed it out to Camila. "Child, I know that's what every young she-wolf thinks...That it's supposed to be picture perfect...and sorry to re-write your childhood fairytales but you and I both know that, that's bullshit."

Camila laughed wryly in response.

"I know you were small when he passed, but you remember my mate, Lewis?"

"Of course I do." Everyone said that Jae was never the same after he died.

"I loved that man, oh how I loved him. And he loved me...more than anyone else probably could have... but baby, he hurt me too."

Camila was shocked. It must have been clear from her expression.

"I know, I know, hard to believe but it's the truth. After our fertility issues, we grew apart to the point where we were strangers. I dealt with the grief by collapsing into myself and he just pushed me away...he made it seem like it was my fault and I swear, I swear I wanted to end everything right there and then."

"What happened?" Camila tentatively asked.

"After a lot of screaming and shouting on both ends, I realised two things." She grabbed Camila's hand and looked deep into her eyes. "I realised that men are men. And they're still gonna hurt you whether they are man or wolf."

She squeezed her hand slightly harder

"And...most importantly I realised that love is a choice. Whether you are meant to be or not, even though the finding em part is easy. It's a choice you make every day. And a hard one at that. That day I chose to keep on lovin him and he chose to keep on loving me."

Jae wiped a fallen tear from Camila's eyes.

"...And it was a hard road after that, but Mila. Love is always worth it. "

---

Her words were still on Camila's heart as she walked the familiar path that night. Deep in thought, she realised that she had reached the clearing. Her parents' graves. She dusted the leaves and twigs off the top of the gravel mounds. Since she had left the area was a little rough around the edges. Moss and weeds had started to become overgrown and wildflowers sprouted in tufts. She didn't mind the wildflowers that much. Afterall she was one.

She hadn't visited them in while, since she the time she had come back with Taine actually....

She hadn't spoken to them freely in a while and she felt guilty. It was strange.

With a smile, she saw that the spot where she usually sat had still remained bare earth. As if the grass didn't dare to grow there. "Hey, mom and dad." She whispered sitting down.

"I've missed you guys..." She proceeded to tell them all about her life, about how she had grown since she had last been there and all about Taine.

She had never more than in that moment wished for one last hug from her parents, but she imagined them looking down at her and the life she had created for herself and could almost feel their warmth around her.

Now, she was ready to go home.