The Broken Warrior’s Daughter by Cooper

Mom and I arrive at the memorial for Lily Nelson. It’s not the only one here, we memorialize all of our warriors and pack members that give their lives for the pack. However, Lily’s is the largest. Mom had them create a stone statue of a woman with angel wings keeping watch over her wolfpack.

Each week, we bring several different types of flowers and plants to the memorial site. This week we have some poinsettias, winter jasmine, winter aconite and snowdrops. As always, mom walks up to the statue and places her hand on the joined hands of the statue and quietly says, “Thank you Lily for your sacrifice. I told you I’d never forget and I never will.”

We begin quietly working around the area, removing snow, pulling out the plants that are dead or dying and replacing them with the new ones that we’ve brought.

“Mom, have you ever met the Nelson’s daughter?” I ask.

“Cara? Sure honey, haven’t you?”

I look over at her and shake my head, “I don’t think so. I know I’ve never been introduced to her. What’s she like?”

My mom continues her work as she answers my question. “She’s a sweet girl, quiet, and smart.” She stops and looks up at the statue, “She looks like her mother, but has her father’s eyes. Lily was a strong and beautiful woman.” A soft smile plays on her lips, her eyes seeing a distant memory. “She didn’t take crap from anyone, including your father.”

I stop and look at her, “What??” This was news to me.

by reminding them of the strength of our warriors. Lily was pregnant with Cara at the time and so your father thought it best if she remained behind.” She starts laughing and presses her hand to her stomach as she continues, “She told your father

off into space again, lost in the memory. I interrupted

just sat back proudly and watched his wife take your father down like it was nothing. So, they went to the other pack, Lily included, showing that we not only had a strong alpha, but also two Guardians at full strength, and the other pack’s alpha backed down.

they got back, your father assigned her to me

the other

didn’t have any Guardians and thought that made

alpha of the pack that wanted to attack us? Why didn’t dad just fight him and take over

father didn’t want a war, as I was pregnant with you at the time. He was afraid that something might happen to me, you, or both of us and it was not a risk that he was willing to take, and he didn’t need to. At the time, our pack was the largest and strongest in the country. That war with the Shadow Falls pack and the subsequent absorption of the warring pack is what allowed Shadow Falls to become the

but he has handled himself and

of my pack for two years already. My life has been relatively easy compared to Alpha Liam’s. I’d never given much thought to when he became alpha. I remember hearing of his father’s passing and him taking over as alpha, but I was only 10 years old then and didn’t think much of it. Now, I couldn’t imagine taking over my pack while mourning the loss of my father, having

we walk back to the packhouse. When we return, mom asks me to join her in her office. This is not good, since that is where I

she goes to the side board and pours us both a glass of wine. “Have a seat

of wine and look at my mother. “Have

the surrounding forest. “I know about the girls Rik,” she states

was being

pack. What kind