“You okay?” Amelia asked once she finally got close enough.

Emery looked up at the tree she had just fallen from. The wooden fixture towered over her, standing tall at over forty feet. She had managed to twist her body just in time to avoid breaking any limbs but that didn’t mean it still didn’t hurt. Her body had shifted back to its human skin shortly after, her wolf giving her time to rest.

“Yeah, I’m okay. My ass is gonna be sore though,” Emery complained, rubbing her backside, trying to stretch out her body from the soreness she was already experiencing.

“What happened?” Amelia asked. Looking up, she searched for the point that Emery crashed through. Finding a cracked branch, she found the weak point that sent her daughter hurtling down towards the earth.

“I misjudged my jump. Landed too far away from the trunk onto the branch. It ended up snapping beneath my weight,” Emery noticed her mother’s hand waiting in front of her. She took it, pulling herself up off the ground.

“You can’t afford to make mistakes. I know this is difficult, especially in your wolf form, but we do these drills for a reason,” Amelia began her lecture.

“Yeah, I know. Use your surroundings to your advantage. Keep your tail up, helps support your balance. Stay close to the trunk, the limbs are better equipped to carry your weight. The higher up, the less likely they are to see and smell you … shall I go on?”

Amelia glared at her daughter, unsure whether she wanted to praise or scold her. Why did her child have to inherit all her stubborn snarkiness? It seems she was blessed with all her good and bad traits. Not to mention what she got from her father.

“I think that’s enough for today,” she said, glancing up at the setting sun. The horizon was painted in hues of purple and orange. “You’re gonna want some ice for you ass. Can’t have you too sore for tomorrow.”

Emery groaned as she picked up her robe off the trimmed lawn and wrapped it around her naked body. “You know most girls my age would be worried about finals or parties, hell even boys, but nope, not me. I get to worry about knife throwing, tracking, and tree climbing.”

Amelia snorted, unable to hide her smirk. “You’re not like most girls. Besides, who are you kidding? You think I didn’t know you snuck out last weekend with the Alpha's son?”

“But-how?” Emery stuttered.

Amelia couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “You are my daughter. You think I didn’t pull the same crap on my dad? Honey, I was the Queen of Mischief.”

“Oh, so it's okay for me to sneak out and go to parties?” Emery raised her eyebrow at her mother.

“That’s not what I’m saying and you know it,” she said pointedly. “All I am saying is that I trust you. You’re a smart kid. I just want you to use your judgement. Don’t take any unnecessary risks. Even though I was way worse than you at your age, I also wasn’t on the run my entire life. We’ve managed to live quietly these last two years. I’d like to keep it that way.”

Emery nodded her head in agreement, lost in thought, until she remembered something. “What were you thinking about earlier when I fell? You looked so lost in thought.”

Amelia crossed her arms over her chest, pulling her sweater tighter around her body. “I was remembering your first shift.”

Emery smirked sadly. “With Uncle Christian?”

“Yeah, he was there.”

“I miss him so much.”

“Me too, baby. Me too.”