Dara watched Kothari leave, secretly relieved to see his panther. For the moment at least, she knew she could leave her friend to his own devices and concentrate on helping the decimated pack members whose needs were greater. She would deal with Kothari when he returned, whether it was her friend or Agony who was in dominance. She wasn’t sure what she would actually do if Agony won the dominance battle, but for now, it wasn’t an issue.
What was an issue was the she-wolf who was quickly going rogue. There had to be a way to help her, Dara’s pack instincts demanded that she do everything she could for the other woman. If she went rogue… well given the surprising development with Kothi, there could be no way that he would be the one to put the she-wolf down. That job would fall squarely on Dara’s shoulders, and it wasn’t something she wanted to contemplate.
Pulling out her cell phone, Dara hit the third speed dial number and waited for the call to connect. She couldn’t resist a small smile at the surprise in Aaron’s voice when he answered.
“Dara? Is everything okay? Were you looking for Rafe?”
The Armand- Hanlon second in command always had pack hierarchy in his mind. This was her first check-in call since arriving in Europe and his expectation that she meant to call their Alpha was understandable given that fact.
“It’s you I need, Aaron,” she answered, her troubled gaze on the distraught woman and her equally upset child, who was calling to her mother to no avail. “This is an emergency and not a check-in call. I’ll update Rafe very soon, but for now I need to know how I can stop a she-wolf going rogue. Her mate has just been killed and she’s slipping away fast.”
Her uncle was immediately in head beta mode, his tone calming despite the gravity of the situation. “Does she have any children nearby?”
Dara was relieved that he didn’t ask any unnecessary questions. “Her daughter is with her but she’s human and grown. Her presence is having no effect on her mother, and at the moment the girl is pretty distressed, so I can’t really ask her if she has any wolf siblings.”
Aaron sighed loudly, and she could just imagine the saddened frown on his face when he spoke. “In that case there is probably nothing you can do, sweetheart. Sometimes a child can pull a she-wolf back from the brink, but if she won’t acknowledge her grown daughter then it doesn’t look good.”
It was the last thing she wanted to hear and Dara felt her heart sink at the thought of what would likely be next to come. Kothi’s mate was going to be difficult to deal with if they had to perform a mercy kill, which could be disastrous for all of them when he returned. “Aaron, there has to be something we can do. I can’t explain right now but it’s crucial that I save this wolf.”
“Are there any other children around? They don’t have to be related, just part of the pack. I remember reading once that a she-wolf survived when she connected with another’s child and considered the boy her own. It was difficult for the mother but once the she-wolf regained her senses, she realised the child belonged to another and there was no lasting harm to anyone involved.”
There was only the child in the tent that Dara knew of, and the area was still being sanitised by Louis and his coven. Bringing the girl out of the tent would risk traumatising her but if she didn’t, then they could lose the grieving wolf. She was between a rock and a hard place, and she knew she really didn’t have much choice. “Thanks, Aaron, I will see what I can do. Tell Rafe I will check in shortly, once I deal with this emergency.”
“Take care of yourself, sweetheart.”
Dara ended the call and turned to the girl and her mother, kneeling close by but not too close as to distress the human girl further. “Sweetie, I need to try to help your mother, and to do that I need your help.”
“You just want to kill her!” Natalia yelled, her arms wrapped around her mother protectively. “I heard you… you and that monster. Stay away from us. Leave us alone.”
Dara could understand her distrust but they really didn’t have a lot of time left if they were going to save the she-wolf. She had to try to gain the girl’s trust and if not, then they would need to restrain her to keep her out the way.
“I won’t lie to you, honey,” she answered, her tone sad as she confirmed the girl’s worst fears. “If we cannot pull your mother back from the brink of insanity, then we will be left with no option but to release her from her torment before she can harm countless other innocent souls. I do want to avoid that if I can though. My uncle has managed to save two wolves from going rogue in the past, and he thinks that if we can get your mother to connect with a wolf pup then it could be enough to anchor her here with us.”
For a long moment the girl ignored her, and then she looked up, her eyes filled with tears. “When Papa saved her life by turning her to a Were, I was enough for her to fight to stay sane. It seems I am not enough anymore… I am not enough.”
It was the last thing Dara was expecting, and she looked more intently at the young girl, surprise crossing her face when she realised that what she had just assumed was the young one being overwhelmed by what had happened, was in fact not as intense as she’d presumed. Yes, the girl was plainly upset as she’d just lost her father and pack members and her mother was beside herself with grief, but she wasn’t so far gone that she couldn’t see the basic fact that her mother wasn’t acknowledging her own child.
She quickly processed the information she’d received and reached a hand out tentatively to touch the girl’s shoulder. “Your mother was human when you were younger, sweetheart. This time it is different because she is a wolf as well as human, and it is the wolf part of her that is grieving the loss of her mate. I am sure you understand what that means for a wolf, how primal that instinct is, how it can overcome everything. It isn’t that your mother doesn’t love you or want to stay here with you, honey. It is her wolf that is in control now and it is to the wolf that we must speak and connect with. She needs a wolf pup, and there is only one here that I know of.”
Her words appeared to penetrate the girl’s misery, understanding registering in the depth of her eyes. “Pippa is only about five and she’s already lost her parents today. It would be cruel to submit her to any further anguish and death. Mama wouldn’t want her to be put through a further ordeal; she would rather die than see a child be hurt.”
“Pippa is a wolf, honey, and adaptable and strong,” Dara countered, knowing that despite living in a pack her entire life, the human girl would still presume human feelings to the situation. “No, it won’t be pleasant for her to witness the aftermath of this attack, but her wolf will automatically seek to comfort your mother, and with luck, your mother’s wolf will seek to do the same. They could help each other, and save each other, but I need you to talk to the child, as I will likely be seen as a threat to her. It’s your mother’s only chance. We have to give her this chance, sweetheart, as the alternative is untenable.”
She watched the myriad of emotions that crossed the younger woman’s face, praying that she would come to the correct decision and quickly. Time was running out for the she-wolf, and for Dara too.
*****