The Broken Warrior's Daughter

Chapter 0296 That conversation with my mother happened five years ago. My father’s

infidelity killed her slowly over three years. In the end, | believe my father took another mate. My mother had been getting weaker and weaker, but that last day, her scream of pain was something | will never forget.

It was my sixteenth birthday. My mother had taken the day off to celebrate with me. So many of my birthdays had been ruined by my father, but this one ended up being the worst.

The day had started out amazing. We'd gone to a local river, hiking through the forest. Mom wasn't able to shift any more, her wolf had become too weak over the years, but we still made the most of our time.

It was while we were having dinner, in the evening, the time when parties and events would have occurred in the pack, that it happened. At first, mother stopped, food midway to her mouth. She had such a strange look on her face, but then it happened. She grabbed her neck where her mating mark was and screamed. | ran to her and held her, used to her ‘episodes‘ by now. But this time, it was more than she could survive

She died in my arms, leaving me alone in the world at sixteen.

If it wasn’t for Benny, | don’t know what would have happened to me. | probably would have ended up in the human foster care system. But, | had already started working at the diner, covering for my mother. Mom had told Benny that she had cancer. It’s not something that werewolves get, given their healing power, but Benny didn’t know my mom was a wolf, so it worked.

So, he let me work in her place when she was “sick” and when she passed, he covered for me, letting me continue working for him and making sure that | finished school.

He retired from cooking a few months ago, but he still comes in every day, keeping an eye on me and the diner.

I'm always careful when the buses come through. Lots of transient people hit on me thinking they can have an easy one-night stand or a ‘quickie‘ with me. Benny makes sure that | stay safe, but I’m always careful when the bus people, as | call them, come in to eat during their layover.Content is property © NôvelDrama.Org.

Several days before my 18th birthday, a giant of a man came in, reminding me of the warriors in my old pack. It wasn’t so much that he was tall, I’m fairly tall fora woman at 5'11", but he was broad and muscular. He stared at me when he first

came in, then disappeared before he ordered food. It was bizarre and | was concerned that he might be a werewolf, but he was a bus person, so who knows.

On my

18th birthday, | wake up, having no intention of celebrating. My birthdays have become something not worth remembering. | didn’t get my wolf, my father banished me and my mother died. Who wants to celebrate a day where these. awful things happen? The only positive is that | am officially an adult by human standards and no one can force me to leave now.

However, all my plans go out the window when I’m in the shower and I hear her. ‘Oh Grace, you've been through so much waiting for me. I’m sorry it took so long. “Who is that?” | say, looking past the shower curtain to see the bathroom is empty.

‘It's me Grace, your wolf. My name is Maia.

“| don’t have a wolf. I’m too old to get my wolf.” | say out loud.

‘No, I’ve always been a part of you, but | had to wait before | awakened.‘

‘Wait for what?’ | ask in my head. If it's not my wolf, | won’t get a response.

‘| had to wait for the Guardian spirit that was meant to be ours. His life was longer than it was meant to be. The Moon Goddess granted the wish of another Guardian and spared his life. I've been waiting to awaken until | received my Guardian spirit."

‘So, you're real? You're my wolf?‘

‘Yes Grace. You won't ever be alone again. | will always be with you.’

| hadn't realized just how lonely | felt until now, causing tears to run down my cheeks.

‘Maia. It’s good to finally meet you."

‘It's good to meet you too Grace.”

At work, | told Benny that | needed the evening off. When he asked, | told him it was my birthday and | hadn’t planned to celebrate, but | changed my mind. He grabbed me a cupcake and told me to go enjoy my evening.

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