Then the pack had a party, of course. While the Cooley’s lived off pack land, they were members and ones that were finally home. Fires were lit across the yard, games everywhere, with glowsticks decorating the children.

“Xixi?” Mary laid her head on Xander’s shoulder with a yawn. “’M tired.”

He rocked gently from side to side, knowing she would be asleep within minutes; a blessing recently. She wasn’t willing to sleep with Regina gone, insisting that she had to wait for her Gigi.

“Members of Montagna Sigcura!” A cheer rang out; Xander covered Mary’s ears as he backed up to where the family had rested. “We have some important business to celebrate!”

“Is she asleep?” Elisa rubbed Mary’s cheek, cooing when she yawned. Tyler was on his mother’s lap, asleep as well; it had been a long night, and the party wasn’t even over.

“As you know, long lost pack members have finally come home, Robin and Ruby Cooley.” The new Alpha, Silvana, continued. “Let’s all welcome them, along with Robin’s Fated and children.”

The family stepped out of the house, standing on the platform with the Alpha and her family. Donovon had a protective arm around Robin’s waist while the kids looked like they were about to fall over.

“Now, while the children go to sleep, let the fires continue burning!”

Parents left the field, adult drinks entered, and the music blared.

“Want me to take her in?” Xander looked up to see Aisha and Skyler. “I’ve got to watch kids in the nursery anyway, and you deserve a night off.”

Xander’s arms tightened around his daughter; it felt like his family was slipping away.

“Xander,” Aisha’s voice had hardened; if he didn’t give Mary up, she would end up taking Mary herself. “Take the night off; I know she hasn’t been sleeping. Relax, hang out with your sisters. “

Mary was lifted out by Aisha, Skyler carrying Tanner in their arms. Xander sat on the bench, watching as teenagers and parents let loose.

It had only been a few days, Donovon was made a pack member, and the party was planned. Watching Mary had helped; it gave him something to do. But at night, when she was asleep, time grew long. He would sit in front of the tv, carving away at a block of wood.

When Mary was born, he had carved her a Celtic heart. He still enjoyed working with wood, even thought about starting up a woodshop again. For Richard, his name also meant brave, so he was busy making a Dara Knot. It was better than sitting alone doing nothing.

“Xander!” He jerked around when Marco slung his arm around his shoulder. “I’ve missed you, dude!”

He didn’t know how to respond.

“How about I get you a drink, it looks like you could use one. Aisha’s got Mary, so let’s get you drunk tonight!”

“Not tonight, Marco.”

“Come on, man!” This guy must have already had some drinks. “It’s time to relax, let loose.”

Meet the highly respected Gamma, Marcus Nadel.

“Marco!”

“Polo!” Marco responded to his name with his brother’s.

A man came out of the crowd, shouting Marco’s name. Clyde was covered in glowsticks, Xander looked the other way when he saw glowsticks detailing Clyde's crotch. Polo right behind his Fated, thankfully glowstickless.

“Marco, what are you doing?” The man put his hands on his hips, pouting. “Leave this poor guy alone!”

Marco stood, slightly swaying. This man must have had wolfsbane; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been this drunk.

“Then, are you gonna take care of me, huh bugaboo?”

Clyde blushed, Xander turned away as both twins began to get touchy with their Fated. Wolves and alcohol weren’t a good match; the night usually ended the same way. That meant Xander was the odd one out, which made the man quite awkward.

With the three men distracted, Xander slipped into the woods.

Did Regina feel the same way? Was she lost, feeling like a ghost? Or was he just overreacting, acting like a lovesick fool? They were miles apart, and he felt it deep inside. Xander wasn’t sure how long he could manage being this far away from his Fated. She felt the same way, right?

____

Time was nothing to her now. She spent all her time sitting in a horrible chair, watching someone breathe. Regina did take breaks; she had to feed Rich, walk around when her wolves were agitated and left when she needed to sleep. Still, nothing changed.

The nurses and doctors called her a silver wolf, talking about the girl’s white hair and skin. Regina ended up using the same nickname; it was better than calling her ‘the girl’. Silver was pretty, though, if only she didn’t look half dead.

With the IV, she was slowly gaining weight, but it wasn’t enough. Withing the few days Regina had been staying, her cheeks were filling out, but her heart was slowing. It wouldn’t matter if her body was healing; the mind was broken.

Regina didn’t know what to do. She had memories of Silver, but only from when she and Speranza played as children. Regina was losing something she never really had. If Silver died, what would she mourn? She had no real memories, no connections; Regina didn’t even know her name. And she had no way of finding out anything.

Except, maybe she did.

‘Atta?’

Because of distance, the link was weak. There would be no way she could connect using a regular wolf link.

 ‘Atta?’

A couple seconds later, Regina’s phone began to ring. Seeing Atta’s number, she knew the link must have gone through.

“Was that you, Luce? Did you need something?”

‘You remember when we found out where I was from? That list of all the passengers?’

Regina heard ruffling; Atta was most likely going through his never-ending pile of paper. “Yeah, the passenger list from Historia Agata. What do you need?”

‘I want to see if anyone else came over, someone who could be my sister.’

“I’ll look, but it’s been over twenty years now; this information might not work the way you want it to, Luce. Give me some descriptions, I’ll see what I can find.”

‘She’s younger than us by a couple of years. Most likely blonde hair, Speranza says she was younger than me. She’s a white wolf, which means she was listed as an Omega.’

Regina held the phone close, gently rocking the crib at her side. Why hadn’t she thought of this sooner? They had found her; it would make sense if they could find Silver too.

“I might have found something, but I can’t be for certain, though. A family came along, Antoon and Josina Keizer and their three children, Dirk, Lorelai, and Irene. Lorelai was an Omega, listed as 4-years-old with blonde hair, blue eyes.”

Regina looked down at Silver. It could be her, but Regina wasn’t sure. She was so different now; Regina hadn’t even seen her human form before. She couldn’t confirm anything, which made her even more frustrated.

‘It’s her, Zoet had siblings, but she played with you more because they picked on her. I remember this.’

‘Thank you, Dad; I’ll get back to you later.’

Regina ended the call, and Richard began to cry. She let go of Silver, picking up the newly awake baby boy.

‘Oh, Rich, what are we gonna do?’

The boy laughed, giggling and wiggling in her arms. His hair was thick already, curling at the ends. He looked just like his father, eyes a deep ocean blue. Mary was also like her father, with dark hair, but her eyes were hazel.

Of course, Rich didn’t answer. Still, it was better than talking to no one.

 ‘I guess we just wait now, wait for your auntie to wake up. What shall we do until then, I wonder?’

This time, Regina did get a response, but it wasn’t from Richard. The bed twitched; Regina glanced down but didn’t see any movement.

 ‘Did you see that too, or am I seeing things baby?’

Regina could swear, Silver could hear her and was there. She may not be awake fully, but her sister wasn’t dead.

____

It was strange.

She couldn’t move, but she could hear.

Someone was always talking.

She didn’t understand it.

Yet, it was comforting.

She kept remembering things.

Wolves, running through the forest.

Piling up to sleep, warmed by other people.

She didn’t want to remember.

It hurt, knowing that they left her alone.

She didn’t want that pain back.

Everything was painful.

Living in that house, hidden away.

She had seen that man kill hundreds, eating them all in his room.

Then she was left alone.

Another man found her, dragging her along.

There were other girls again.

This man talked a lot.

She didn’t care, as long as he kept feeding her.

This person was different.

 ‘Atta?’

This time, she could understand them.

And she had no idea why.

 ‘You remember when we found out where I was from? That list of all the passengers?’

Understanding half a conversation was strange.

‘I want to see if anyone else came over, someone who could be my sister. Most likely blonde hair, Speranza says she was younger than me. She’s a white wolf, which means she was listed as an Omega.’

Who was she talking about?

Sometimes, not understanding wasn’t that much of a problem.

Then she didn’t have to deal with people and what they want.

‘Thank you, Dad; I’ll get back to you later.’

She was talking to her dad.

Her heart clenched.

She used to have a father.

‘Oh Rich, what are we gonna do?’

She just wanted it all to stop.

She was so tired.

Of the pain, the loneliness.

Why couldn’t she just go to sleep?

‘I guess we just wait now, wait for your auntie to wake up. What shall we do until then, I wonder?’

Wait.

Was this person waiting for her?

Why?

‘Did you see that too, or am I seeing things baby?’

She knew this person had been waiting for some time.

But why were they?

She didn’t know anyone.

Why?

‘I’m projecting; it makes sense that she can hear me.’

How did she understand her?

All this time, words had sounded like random sounds.

But her voice, it was clear and strong.

‘If you can understand me, move your finger. Please, Silver.’

She could feel her hand.

It was tight, clenching down.

She couldn’t move her hand if she wanted to.

But she wanted to.

There must be a reason this person was here.

She heard a gasp.

There was some noise, and then her arm was being held.

‘You can hear me!’

How was this girl so happy?

Why did it make her want to smile?

What was going on?

‘I’m so glad you aren’t like dead. How are you feeling? Are you in pain?’

And how was she supposed to answer?

The girl didn’t talk, her hands still tight.

'Oh! You can’t, I feel silly. Sorry about that, Silver. How about this, yes is one squeeze and two squeezes for a no. Are you in pain?’

Always.

But she could handle the pain.

Still, she managed to twitch twice.

The woman laughed.

It made her chest tight.

‘I can’t believe it. It’s been days, and I’ve finally contacted you.’

A child cried out, interpreting the woman.

She quieted the baby, pausing before speaking again.

‘Sorry, Rich was feeling lonely. He’s my baby boy; I wish you could see him. I’ve been wishing a lot of things recently.’

She sounded sad.

She wondered why.

‘Anyway, I’m Regina Luce, and I think I know you. Do you know your name or who you are?’

She was just the girl.

She replied no and waited.

‘I didn’t think so. I think I know who you are, but I want to wait to make sure. Until then, are you okay with the name Silver? The staff have been calling you that because of how you look.’

She said yes.

She didn’t care.

It wasn’t like they wanted to really know who she really was.

‘I think it’s cute, I know I’m rambling, but I just can’t help myself. After all this time, I finally found you,’

Finally?

How long had this Regina person been looking for her?

How did Regina even know her?

‘I bet you have several questions; I know I do. But for right now, I need you to keep pushing.’

She was getting tired again.

‘Keep moving forward; there are so many things I need to do with you. I want to see your eyes, I want to show you my babies, my Fated. We have a family; people are waiting.’

Family.

There was no family for her. Regina’s family wasn’t hers.

‘So do this for me, Silver. Keep living until we do all these things. Promise me. Promise this Silver.’

Just as she grew week, she managed to squeeze Regina’s finger once.

____

Regina couldn’t calm down; her hands were shaking, and her smile couldn’t leave her face. Silver was alive! She could understand her, Silver wasn’t some brain dead girl.

She didn’t care how long it was going to take. Regina was going to see Silver up and moving. One day, they would travel and have memories again. Regina almost felt sick from the excitement.