"Are you sure you won't come?" I asked as I put on my warm socks, "I hate knowing you're going to be stuck here for a whole week by yourself."

"I'll hardly be by myself." Chanel chuckled as she handed me my boots.

"Okay then, I hate that I'll be stuck there for a whole week alone." I said trying to guilt her into coming.

"Girl...go, go have fun with your mom and sister, get the new lay of the pack and let me know if there's any cute guys so I can join next time..." she smirked.

"Well, last attempt...you could come with me and find a cute guy for yourself."

"Tempting... But seriously Evalina, I'll be fine, I'm more worried about you... enjoy your Thanksgiving, and call me if you need anything."

I grabbed my luggage and bid her one final goodbye before I went on my way.

I followed the crowd to the shuttle bus into town, there I caught a train to a small train station not even thirty minutes away in a town called Peak Ridge where Gianna said She or Mom would be picking me up.

I expected the train ride to be much longer than it was and I was practically running off the train when I caught sight of my mom on the platform waiting for me. Any animosity I had prior to traveling out here had seemingly disappeared. With my luggage trailing behind me I sprinted forward and barreled into my mom, she wrapped her arms around me and smiled.

"Oh my darling Evalina, how I've missed you." She said before releasing me enough to step back and look at me.

Her voice hit my ears and I looked up into the familiar face of an old memory, my mother was truly back, she looked happy and healthy. No longer was she a haggard mess, recovering from a night of drinking and no sleep.

"Come on... I can't wait to show you the new place." She smiled as she grabbed the handle to my suitcase and pulled it along, I followed her eagerly, entranced by the woman I remember from so long ago, now standing right in front of me.She placed my bag into the trunk and then we drove off.

As we rode through the town mom excitedly pointed everything out, and finally we reached a nice two story house.

She turned off the car and I stepped out. I stared at the brick house, the parts that weren't white washed brick were painted a gray color, and a thick forest served as the backdrop to this lovely country home.

"Well come in, come in... I'll give you a tour before I show you to your room." She smiled giddily.

'Oh right, this is my home now' I thought to myself, "great" I said, a small smirk was all I could muster...I couldn't help but feel awkward, and worse...that underlying sadness of feeling neglected at the school and being left out was beginning to rise again.

We stepped inside and I looked at everything.

"It's a three bedroom, two bath home, the ceilings are ten foot ceilings I think... there's a bonus room that I use as an office, this is the kitchen and breakfast bar, right around here is the formal dining room," She said smoothly as I followed behind her through this new house. "The door just over there leads to the garage, and if we step this way we'll find ourselves in the living area." She smiled.

I simply nodded, "it's really nice mom." In fact it really was.

"Well" she sighed and took a seat onto the plush looking sofa, she patted the cushion next to her so I left my rolling suitcase there and sat next to her. "The thing is I had decided enough was enough, I had to move on...or I knew I'd just waste away there."

I just looked at her, for years Gianna and I tried to tell her exactly that but of course she wouldn't hear it.

"Now don't get me wrong...It was hard, probably the MOST difficult thing to do knowing what I had there and knowing your father is buried there."

She took the moment to wipe a stray tear before she shook her head. "The moon goddess knows how that man tested me at times, but of course he was the love of my life, he was my mate and therefore I don't think I will ever truly just get over your father but I had to leave that place, it got to a point where it just held more bad memories than good ones."

I knew she was referring to the miscarriage she had the year before dad died, as well as Dad's Death, followed by her depressed years.

"Plus I just missed home." She added at the end.

This is the pack my mother was born into, she moved away when she was eighteen to go to school for nursing... of course she went and graduated but soon after starting her first shift as a nurse she met a guy and then two months later had Gianna, seven years later she met her mate and almost immediately I came into the picture and they got married, a few years after she had a miscarriage my parents talked about moving back here, my dad had hoped my mothers childhood hometown would cheer her up, it seems as if it did work... unfortunately he isn't here to witness it.

"Well mom, this place is great, and I really can't wait to meet everyone."

"I'm so glad to hear it baby, the Alpha has invited us to have dinner at the pack house with his family, I don't know if you know yet, but your sister is dating the Alpha's son, Cesare."

"She mentioned she was seeing someone." I commented...I was hardly surprised to find out about Gianna dating a prominent male in the pack...that's all she ever dates.

"Those two look so good together, he is very respected around here and their family is quite wealthy."

"Mom!" I chastised her

"I'm just saying, Gianna can't do much better than him so she needs to stop playing her games before she drives him away like the others."

"Are they mates?" I asked.

"Men like Cesare don't marry for love dear, they marry for power, and Gianna, well we both know she is a force to be reckoned with." She winked.

I shook my head, my mothers words rang with truth.

It isn't unheard of, Alpha's arranging marriages for their sons...and despite not being an Alphas Daughter, Gianna's always had a certain knack for always getting what she wants, that's what makes her such a hot shot attorney. That and the fact that she's gorgeous... men tend to lay at her feet just to get her to notice them.

"Poor bastard." I sighed.

"Anyways, shall I show you to your new bedroom?" She asked as she quickly moved on. "Of course you can decorate it any way you'd like... I just wnt you to love this place as much as I do."

I got up and followed her once more.

...

"Where is that pesky little sister of mine?"

I hopped up off the sofa and my sister ran over and hugged my sister.

"Little Lina I missed you so much."

I went to say how much I missed her as well but when I inhaled I got a whiff of her scent, "God what kind of perfume are you wearing?" I asked, "it smells amazing."

The fragrance was light and just barely there, but enough that it drew me in.

"I think I went with the Jean Paul Gaultier Classique this morning, or Calvin Klein Obsessions."

I nodded, I would definitely need to pick some up before I head back to school. We sat down and caught up, Gianna apologized for not mentioning the move or her new man.

"Cesare Minicci" she smiled, "to be honest I've never crushed so hard on a guy before, and get this, I actually had to pursue him."

"You mean your seductive charms didn't lure him in, are you sure you were showing enough cleavage?" I teased.

"Ha ha you're such a comedian, but in the end I got him and that's all that matters."

"So when do I get to meet the poor sap?" I asked as I wiggled my eyebrows up and down playfully.

Gianna laughed, "you're such a character, anyways, he should be coming by a little later, I wanted to go out to dinner for your homecoming, but mom insisted on cooking for you."

I blushed a bit, "you know I'd prefer a home cooked meal rather than going out to some fancy restaurant."

I was now telling Gianna about my antics at St. Magdalene's and we were both cracking up when our mom entered the room wearing scrubs.

"Sorry girls," she said as she began putting her hair into a low ponytail, "looks like I'm needed back at the hospital."

"Do you really have to go mother?" Gia asked a little pointedly.

Mom simply shrugged, "it's the full moon, it's making all these women go into labor, and labor and delivery is short staffed, plus I am the one who started most recently so I'm the go to gal." She filled us in before turning to me, "I'm sorry I have to miss your homecoming dinner Evalina, I'll make it up to you. In the meantime I went ahead and ordered Chinese food, the money's on the counter, tell Cesare hello for me Gianna."

Gianna just looked at her as she walked out the door in a rush.

"What was that all about?" I rounded on my sister, "could you have been any more of a bitch towards mom?"

"Yes, I could have."

"Mind telling me what's got your panties in a wad?" I asked.

"I think that she's lying." Gianna stated.

"Gia, we know the moon effects pregnant women." I sighed.

"Sure that part is true, but honestly Lina, for the past couple of weeks mom's been spending a lot of her time at the hospital, going in extra early, staying really late, picking up extra shifts... Lina, mom bought this house cash from selling the old one and she owns her car, so she isn't exactly in need of money for payments on anything."

"What are you trying to say?"

"I think mom is seeing someone." She finally said.