Chapter 114


    Sinir


    “Hmm, where oh where could my little pup be?”


    My mother’s velvety voice sounds just on the other side of the cab where I’m hiding. I press my


    hands over my mouth to try and silence my giggles, but a few small sounds still escape.


    “Aha!” Mom whips open the cabs two doors down, shouting with triumph only to soften her tone into


    another thoughtful hum. “Not in there.”


    She muses aloud, and I can almost see her rubbing her chin in thought.


    As she moves closer I climb along the shelves, mbering over towels and wash rags to settle in the


    cab she just searched and found empty. A shaft of light bursts into the dark cupboards as my


    mother pulls open the doors where I’d just been sitting, another delighted cry on her lips.


    She doesn’t seem disappointed to have failed again, on the contrary she sounds impressed.


    Ahh, he’s a sneaky little sausage.” She observes sagely, “That’s very good. All the best hunters can


    track their targets as silently as a ghost.” I can hear her footsteps circling, and I know she can smell me


    in the room, but I’m doing my best to outsmart her.


    “In fact the very best predators can sometimes trick their prey into thinking they’re the ones doing the


    hunting… when really they’re about to be someone’s dinner!” Her voice rises at the end as she lunges


    for another cupboard. It’s getting harder and harder to hide my giggles as she fails to find me, but I


    know she’s enjoying this just as much as I am. I shift again, crawling silently to the veryst cupboard


    in the man sion’s hugeundry room.


    “What was that!” My mother’s voice sharpens, and I can see her freezing through a small crack in the


    door. “Oh I wish my fierce little wolf was here to protect me! I think I’m being watched.” She frets loudly.


    “I certainly hope something terrible isn’t about to jump out and scare me.”


    Right on cue I leap out of the cupboard with a ferocious roar, pouncing on her and toppling her right to


    the ground. She cries out dramatically, throwing her arm over her eyes to protect herself from the


    terrible sight of her attacker. “Oh no! A Vicious rogue, please don’t eat me!” She begs, “I have pups!”


    “Mommy it’s me!” Iugh hysterically, trying to pull her arm away from her face.


    Slowly she lowers her arm, blinking down at me in surprise. “Oh Dominic, thank goodness! You’ve


    gotten so big and strong I didn’t even recognize you. I was sure I was a goner!” Her shock and relief


    onlysts a moment, and then she sits up, a familiar spark in her green eyes. “Such a rascal – scaring


    me that way.” She prowls toward me, waggling her fingers in obvious threat. I back away, my pudgy


    hands outstretched in preparation to ward off the imminent attack. “And you know what happens to


    pups who y tricks on their Mommies don’t you? They get a visit from the tickle monster!” Sheshes


    out and snatches me up, her hands fluttering over my tummy, tickling me mercilessly.


    Within moments I’m on my back, squealing with mirth and trying to push away her hands. When I’m


    laughing so hard I can no longer breathe, I pounce again, putting a stop to the tickle monster’s


    relentless assault. I’m only six, but my mother is so little that I already stand as tall as her shoulder, and


    I must be at least half her weight. I tten her to theundry room floor, Sprawling on top of her and


    resting my cheek on her breast, breathing in her familiar Scent as I try to catch my breath. Her arms


    come around my back as I snuggle in, gentle fingers stroking my hair.


    “There’s my sweet boy,” she murmurs, hugging me tightly.


    “Mommy, I’m a fierce hunter.” I correct her indignantly, rolling my eyes at her silliness.


    There are some things Mommies just don’t understand. “Deadly pred-ters are not sweet.”


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    “Says who?” She inquires, sounding slightly affronted..


    “Um, says everyone.” I exin, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “Alpha warriors don’te


    home from battle and run to their Mommies for cuddles. They go drink and hunt and kiss she- wolves.”


    “And what do you know about drinking and kissing she-wolves?” My mother counters, yfully


    narrowing her eyes. “Have you been sneaking out to the pub at night?” She gasps, gripping my arms.


    “How many wives do you have, tell me right now!”


    “None!” Iugh, “I promise!” Of course, she doesn’t need to know that I already have a girlfriend.


    Knowing how mothers worry, she’d probably overreact to learn how fast I’m growing up.


    “Listen to me very carefully Dominic,” Mom replies after a moment, trailing her fingertips up and down


    my back, “The best Alphas and the best warriors are the ones who know that fighting is ast resort.


    They don’t do it because it’s tough or manly, they do it because they have to protect their pack. They


    do it for love of their family and people – nothing else.” She exins sternly.


    “You can’t ever forget that duty, or that your power is a grave responsibility. Love is not a bad word, and


    sweetness is not weakness – these things are your greatest strengths. You have to promise me that


    you never stoping to me for cuddles no matter how old you get, that you’ll never them. Never lose


    this side of you, Dominic.”


    I nod, feeling the truth and conviction in her words, and secretly feeling relieved that I don’t have to act


    like I don’t care in order to be strong. I don’t want to stop hugging my Mom, I just thought that it wasn’t


    allowed in order to be a real man.


    “I promise.” I agree easily, thinking of my father then. He’s always touching and flirting with Mommy,


    and always tells Roger and me how much he loves us. He makes time to y with us and read


    bedtime stories, and alwaysforts us when we’re hurt or scared. He never shames us for those


    feelings, even if the rest of the world makes those things seem wrong. But then again, he’s the most


    powerful wolf in the pack, so if he can do it, it must not be wrong. Maybe it’s everyone else who has


    things backwards.


    We’re still lying there when the fire rm begins ring. Mom sits up with me still in her arms, scenting


    the air. We both smell smoke at the same time, and she immediately jumps to her feet. She sets me on


    the ground and leads me up the stairs, her eyes scanning the manor around us with hawkish intensity.


    When we reach the front hallway, with the door only a few meters away, she releases me and nudges


    me towards the exit. “Get outside, baby. Go straight to the guardhouse, and wait for me there.”


    “But what about you?” I ask anxiously, my heart pounding in my chest.


    “I have to find Roger.” She exins, gazing towards the upper stories. “Just go sweetheart, I’ll be there


    before you know it.”


    She kisses my cheek and dashes away up the stairs. I start to run outside, when I hear the sound of a


    cat yowling in the distance. Oh no! Pancake! I think frantically, picturing our new cat. He must be


    trapped!


    I change directions, following the sounds of the frantic meows. They carry me deeper and deeper into


    the smokey house, until I can actually see the mes climbing up the outer walls. Fear slices through


    me, but I know Pancake is close and I can’t leave him to die. I finally find the terrified animal cowering


    under the china cab in the dining room, a zing inferno surrounding him.


    The door had been closed, and there hadn’t been another way out, but I still find myself scolding the


    young tabby. “Pancake what are you doing? Don’t you know bout fire rms? They mean you have to


    get outs!” Shaking my head, I scoop up the fluffy creature, “What are you doing in a locked room


    anyway?”


    When I turn back to the door, I finally remember my school lessons about what to do in the event of a


    fire. When I opened the door I’d let a bunch of air in, feeding the riotous mes. A wall of fire is blocking


    the door, and all I can do is tuck Pancake inside my shirt, and hope I’m fast enough. I sprint forward


    and leap through the mes, batting out sparks that linger in my hair on the other side. I’m choking and


    coughing, and btedly remember to crawl on the ground where there’s more oxygen.


    I’m still crawling along on one hand, using the other to hold Pancake still, when I hear


    my mother’s frantic screams. “Dominic!” She cries, Dominic where are you!”


    “Mommy!” I call back, suddenly seeing her ahead of me. She has a wet rag pressed to


    her mouth, and her eyes are wide with terror.


    “Dominic! What are you doing, I told you to get out!”


    She scolds, running towards me.


    “I had to save Pancake! I cry, holding up the petrified feline.


    Mom’s expression softens, “Oh, of course! Poor pancake” She takes my hand and


    begins leading me out. “Come on, now, we have to go.”


    My heart eases now that my Mom is here. I’m still scared, but I know I’m safe as long


    as she’s here. I don’t know how the fire started, but it’s amazing how quickly the


    mes consumed the house.


    Everywhere I look is ck with smoke and suffocating heat. I’ve never felt anything


    like it. I feel like my skin might blister just from being in the same room with the fire.


    We’re almost to the entryway when there’s a horrible rumbling and cracking sound


    above us, and before I understand what’s happening, I’m being thrown forward


    through the air. An explosion rocks the mansion as I crash into the ground, and when I


    turn back I understand what’s happened.The ceiling caved in behind me, but Mommy


    is still trapped on the other side. She must have used all of her strength to toss me out


    of harm’s way, even knowing she would probably end up stuck. I can barely see her


    through the mes, only her glowing green eyes remain. I wonder if she might shift,


    but I know better – highly mmable fur is not any protection from a fire. “Go!


    Dominic!” She shouts through the whirring congration.


    “No,” I yell, horrified. “I won’t leave you!


    “Go now!” Power rolls off of her in powerful waves, carrying an authority I’m not yet


    strong enough to defy. I don’t have a choice. My feet are moving without my consent,


    even as tears pour down my tear-stained cheeks. “No, Mommy No!”


    “It’s okay, baby.” She cries, and I can hear tears in her voice. “This is the way it should


    be. It’s okay.”


    She insists again. “I love you! Remember who you are!”


    I’ve barely stepped clear of the inferno when the entire house copses in on itself,


    sending a ck mushroom cloud into the sky. Firefighters and guards are surging


    around me, pulling me to safety, but I hear nothing but my own screams for my mother


    – even though I know there’s no point.


    She’s gone.