Zira shook off her nerves as she walked through the doors of her parent’s house. She could hear music playing, which meant her mom was cooking. She could instantly smell the pot roast and spiced apple pie, probably cooling on the window sill right now. Even though she just ate, Zira didn't mind a second helping, especially from her mom’s. She walked to the kitchen and Zelda was dancing by the stove, stirring something in the pot. A sense of longing filled her. She missed her mom more than she thought.
"Mom." Zira called out over the music, but still her mom kept dancing with her back turned. "Hey, Mom."
Zira walked over and lightly touched her mom's shoulders. Zelda screamed and turned, swatting at what was behind her.
"It's me, mom. It's just me," Zira said, taking a few steps back and holding up her hands.
"Zira, my Goddess, you scared me," Zelda yelled, clutching her chest.
"Sorry, I wasn't trying to scare you."
Zelda turned off the music and looked at her daughter. Zira recognized this look from Bella earlier, and she didn’t like it. Luckily, before Zelda could say anything, the front door opened, and Zira's dad rushed in. He stopped when he saw Zira for a split second before gathering her into one of his legendary hugs.
"Z-bug, can't believe you're actually here."
She buried her face into her dad's shirt to hide the tears. Her dad’s hug always pushed away all her fears, doubts, mistakes, anything that made her feel sad. She needed that right now.
"Alright, alright. Let's get a good look at you." He stepped back as Zira did a spin, nodding his approval. "You look strong, keeping up with your training, I see. That's good. Like the new hairstyle. What do the kids call it? Hawk-do."
"It’s a mohawk, dad, and thanks. I’m getting used to it," Zira beamed, running her hands through her hair. This was going way better than she expected. At that moment, something hit the side of her head. Zira looked down and saw her mom's shoe. She turned and the other shoe hit her square in the face.
"Mom-"
"Don't you dare ‘Mom’ me," Zelda said, walking around the table with a wooden spoon in her hand.
Zira just knew her mom was going to use that on her, so she moved in the opposite direction. Instead, Zelda handed the spoon to her dad.
"Gerald, gravy please." Zelda picked up her shoes and put them back on. "Do you really think you can just come back here after all this time and everything is going to be fine, Zira? You left. Again!"
"I…I called," Zira said while keeping her distance. "Dad, didn't I?"
He smiled a bit and looked at Zelda. “Well, honey-bun, she did call a…”
Zelda glared at Gerald before he could finish. He gave a sympathetic look at Zira before turning back to the gravy. “Sorry, Z-bug. Gravy needs my full attention." Coward!
"Mom-"
"Stop moving so I can hit you properly," Zelda growled while looking for a way to corner her daughter.
"I'm sorry I left you guys. I really am."
Zelda stopped and looked at Zira like she had said something stupid because she did in fact say something stupid. "Us? You think this is about us,” Zelda sighed heavily while resting her hand on her forehead. “No, sweetie. This is about Zacharias. You are his mother. As-"
"I know-"
"Let me finish," Zelda snapped at her with one finger raised in the air. "You are his mother. As such, you should know how important the first few years of your child's life is."
"I do, but-"
"No, Zira! There's no 'but' when it comes to this," Zelda interrupted. “I understand that you needed to do this for Zacharias. I would do anything for you and Zed, you know that. I just…" Zelda paused as if she was trying to figure out the best way to communicate what she wanted. To Zira, this conversation sounded very familiar. "I just...wish you would've waited for him to be old enough to understand why. He should never think you left because of him."
Zira unsuccessfully held her tears back. Her mom was right. Of course, she didn't think Arias would notice that much. She thought he was young enough to not remember her being gone for so long. It was only a year, but if he was asking these questions, it meant she was wrong. Arias felt abandoned even if he didn't really understand what that meant now.
"Mom," Zira could barely speak, afraid she might really break down.
She didn't even know what to say. 'I'm sorry' felt so repetitive, but what else was there? It wasn't like she could go back to change things. It has already happened and that’s that. Zelda walked over to her daughter and pulled her into a hug. She tried to talk to, but her voice caught in her throat. Soon, her dad joined in on the hug.
"Look, Z-bug. Your mother doesn't mean to be tough on you, sweetie, but this is something you need to know. Ok?"
Zira nodded. Full of emotion. She was angry that everyone was more focused on her leaving and not the why, but more importantly, angry at herself about Arias. She truly hoped Arias would forgive her.
Her parents released her while she cleaned her face. Zelda handed her a towel to clean her face and started to prepare two cups of tea. Zira was glad because she needed something to calm her nerves.
She sat down with her cup of tea and a tray full of her mom’s baked goods. Now that was out of the way, she tried to think of a way to bring up Isaiah when the front door opened.
"Mom!” Zed appeared in the doorway. “I ripped my training shirt, can you…" He stopped short, looking between them until he stopped at Zira. She smiled meekly but Zed rolled his eyes in response and looked at Zelda.
"Mom, can you fix this for me by tomorrow?"
“Sure, sweetie.” Zelda took the shirt from Zed, who turned around to leave.
“Hey,” Zira said, grabbing his arm. “Can we talk?”
Zed looked down at her hand on his arm before staring at her dead-on. “No.” Zira could see the anger in his eyes, and she wondered why he would be so pissed at her. “Can you let go, now?”
“Zed-”
“Look, I have training to get ready for. So…” Zed yanked his arm away from her grasp and went upstairs.
Zira looked confused and turned to her parents, who shrugged their shoulders. Her mom went back to cooking while her dad walked over and placed his arm over her shoulders.
“He’ll come around, Z-bug. The past few months have been a bit rough for him.”
Zira looked up at her dad. “Why? What happened?”
Her dad just shook his head and gave her a pat on her shoulder. “I’ll let him tell you.”
Zira immediately went upstairs to find her brother. They had the typical brother/sister relationship where they were always at each other’s throat but never like this. What she saw just now, and in the woods the other day, was more than just anger but resentment. She knocked on his door but there was no answer.
“Zed, I’m coming in, OK?”
She slowly opened the door to an empty room and an open window. Whatever she did must’ve been bad. Real bad. Yet another person to add to her list to apologize to. She had to find him and fix this, and she knew exactly where to find him.
The crowd parted as Zira walked by warriors inside a newly built training area, looking for Zed. The place was huge, filled with noise from the warriors training. The number of warriors seemed to have doubled since the last time she was here. She was very surprised to see a lot of women too.
Some warriors were pointing and whispering about her, and she could almost hear every little rumor. From ‘She’s the Alpha’s mate and left because she couldn’t handle it’, ‘I heard she left him for someone who has a mate’, or her personal favorite ‘I heard she likes being free that’s why she’s a rogue and doesn't want to belong anywhere’. Zira ignored them but Nina apparently had something to say.
“If anyone has anything to say about me, say it to my face. Or we can take it to the mat if you prefer,” Nina got out, glaring mostly at the ones who did have something to say.
“Geez, why so testy today, Nina,” Zira asked even though this behavior wasn’t that unusual. Still, she has been irritated more than usual.
“Hmmm, I do not know. I do feel a bit off.”
Zira froze only for a minute thinking about the last time Nina felt off, six months later Arias was born. She shook the thought from her head with a laugh. She knew without a doubt she wasn’t pregnant. She looked around and noticed some warriors avoiding her gaze while others stared at her with a renewed sense of respect. All except one. He was a big fella but that didn’t spook Zira one bit. She fought giants three times this warrior’s size and sometimes without sweating. She smiled when he stepped forward and towered over her. Okay maybe not giants but they were all much taller than her.
“Can’t blame everyone for whispering, Luna,” the warrior spoke while circling her. “If that’s even what you are.”
Zira cocked her head to the side, surprised by his candor. He spoke as if she told everyone his secret or hid his favorite bone.
“And you are,” she asked.
“Alister Dames, top warrior in the pack so far,” he gloated as a few of the other warriors nodded their agreement. “One of the best head trainers here.”
Zira looked around at the others' training. She took note of their spotty stances and weak combat skills. There was so much she could teach them herself if given the chance.
“Hmph,” she smiled. “Explains all the shoddy work I see around me. Could use some sprucing up.”
Alister laughed, looking around at his fellow warriors, who started to create a semi-circle around them.
“That’s a lot of talk coming from our supposed Luna. Last I heard, Luna Alaia gave you quite the whipping.”
The whole room went quiet and all eyes were on Zira. This motherfucker.