CHAPTER 175: CHAPTER 175 MISS MOTHER

Isabella

Mom was coming back tonight? I couldn’t stop my eyebrows from scrunching together as Dad confirmed she’d be joining us at Great-Grandmother’s dinner. The knot in my stomach tightened, my feelings all tangled up like the time I tried to brush my own hair.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to see Mom. I actually missed her—a lot. Mom had never gone this long without calling me before. Every night since she’d been gone, I’d stare at my phone before bed, wondering if tonight would be the night she’d remember to call. But she never did.

Nova whimpered inside me, confused by my mixed emotions. *Why sad about Mother returning?* she asked in my head.

I stroked my fork against my breakfast plate, making little patterns in the syrup. The truth was complicated. When Dad had told me Mom was away on a business trip the morning after we’d gotten back from visiting the northern territories, I’d been... happy. Relieved, even. No Mom meant more freedom. No lectures about my medication schedule, no forcing me to rest when I wanted to play, no endless questions about how I was feeling.

Most importantly, no Mom meant more time with Aunt Aurora.

"Dad?" I looked up at him, watching as he checked his phone again. He always did that when Mom was mentioned—like he was expecting something from her that never came.

"What is it, pup?" His voice was gentle, his eyes soft when they landed on me. Dad always looked at me like I was the most precious thing in his world.

I pushed my breakfast around my plate, trying to find the right words. "If Mom’s back, does that mean... I can’t spend time with Aunt Aurora anymore?"

Dad’s expression tightened for just a second before he covered it with a smile. "Your mother doesn’t dislike Aurora, Isabella. She’s just protective of you."

That wasn’t true. I might only be five, but I wasn’t stupid. Mom and Aunt Aurora hated each other. Whenever they were in the same room, the air got thick and heavy, like right before a thunderstorm. The grown-ups thought I didn’t notice, but I always did.

"But Aunt Aurora promised to take me to school tomorrow," I said, my voice getting smaller. "And her race is tomorrow night. You said I could go!"

Dad reached across the table and squeezed my hand. "I promised you could go to the race, didn’t I? And I keep my promises."

Hope fluttered in my chest. "But Mom won’t let me. She’ll say it’s too dangerous or that I need to be in bed early or something."

A smile played at the corner of Dad’s mouth. "Leave your mother to me."

I bit my lip, thinking. Then an idea hit me. "What if... what if we don’t tell Mom? About the race?" I leaned forward, excitement building. "She doesn’t need to know, right? It can be our secret!"

Something flashed in Dad’s eyes—sadness, maybe? But it was gone so fast I couldn’t be sure. "Got it," he said with a wink. "Our secret."

Relief washed over me, and I started eating again. I’d go to Aunt Aurora’s race no matter what. Mom couldn’t stop me—she hadn’t cared enough to even call me for two whole weeks. Why should she get to decide what I do now?

But even as I thought it, Nova whimpered again inside me. *Miss Mother,* she insisted. *Need Mother.*

I pushed those feelings down deep where I didn’t have to look at them. Mom was always hovering, always worried about me. With Aunt Aurora, I felt normal. Strong. Like the Alpha’s daughter I was supposed to be.

After breakfast, Dad left for work, and I spent the morning with my tutor. I couldn’t focus on my lessons, though. All I could think about was seeing Mom tonight at Great-Grandmother’s.

Would she hug me tight like she always did? Would she notice I’d learned three new words in elven? Would she be mad that Aunt Aurora had been teaching me about my heritage—the parts of me that came from Great-Grandmother’s bloodline?

When my phone buzzed during study time, I nearly jumped out of my skin. My heart raced as I checked it, hoping...

*Miss you too, Mommy. Can you sit next to me at dinner tonight?*

I’d sent that text hours ago, right after Aurora helped me answer Mom’s good morning message. I’d been checking my phone constantly since then, waiting for Mom to respond. And now she had.

*Nothing would make me happier, sweetheart. I’ll be there early just for you.*

Something warm and tight squeezed in my chest. She was coming early. For me. Not for pack business or for Dad or for Great-Grandmother. For me.

Before I could stop it, a tear slid down my cheek. Nova howled softly in my mind, overjoyed. *Mother coming! Mother loves us!*

But then I remembered all the times Mom had said no when I wanted to do something fun. All the times she’d made me take yucky medicine when I felt fine. All the times she’d kept me home from school because she thought I looked "too pale" or "too tired."

Mom loved me, but she didn’t understand me. Not like Aunt Aurora did.

Aunt Aurora let me run in the woods with the other pups, even though Mom said it was too dangerous. Aunt Aurora taught me about the ancient elven rituals that flowed in our bloodline, even though Mom said I was too young to learn. Aunt Aurora treated me like I was strong, not fragile.

I wiped away my tears and put my phone down. I could love Mom and still want to be with Aunt Aurora. I could miss Mom and still be mad at her. I could be happy she was coming to dinner and still keep secrets from her.

I was the daughter of an Alpha, after all. And Alphas were complicated.