By Hook or by Wolf

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?Then what’s it like?” Cody asks. “Tell us so we can understand.”

“I found out last month,” my mother finally says. “It’s cancer.”

Even being a shifter can’t protect her from cancer. Even her ultra-healing abilities won’t protect her from this.

“Treatment options?” Lee asks, but my mother shakes her head.

“It’s too far,” she says. “It was too late when I found out. There are no options.”

“There has to be something,” Cody says, his voice cracking, but my mother, once again, shakes her head.

“I’ve tried everything,” she says. “I’ve called in favors and I’ve talked to old friends. I’ve called clinic after clinic and hospital after hospital. There is no cure for this, my loves. I’m sorry.”

My mother tears up and I realize what she’s really saying.

She’s going to die.

She’s going to die and it’s going to be soon, from the looks of things. I noticed when we walked in that she seems old. My mother has always been old, but she looks more than elderly. She looks frail. Weak. She’s never seemed weak before.

“I’ve contacted Gerald,” my mom says. “And he’s going to take over the pack duties for me starting next week.”

“You talked to Gerald before you talked to us?” I ask, not quite believing it. What a slap in the face. I mean, Gerald is great, but he’s her beta. He’s not her child.

“I had some other business I had to deal with,” my mother says. “And I wanted to make sure the pack was safe and in order before I talked with you.”

My brothers and I move to our mother. We stand in front of her desk the way we did when we were little pups. We look up at her and I can’t help but wonder what we’re going to do without her.

“How long do you have?” I whisper.

I swear that if she says days or weeks, I’m going to completely break down.

“Nobody knows for certain,” my mother says. “But the doctor thinks I have about three months.”

Three months.

So she’ll be gone before Christmas.

The thought threatens my stomach, making me feel nauseous and faint. I’m not going to pass out, but damn if I don’t suddenly feel completely ill.

“You should have told us,” Lee says. He clenches and unclenches his fists. “We could have been there for you.”

“And what?” Mother raises an eyebrow. “You could have diagnosed me? Are you a doctor now, Lee?”

He glares at her.

Yeah, our mom can be a bit fierce at times.

She sighs. “I’m not trying to be cruel, but there’s nothing you could have done. There was no point in worrying any of you until I found out what my diagnosis was and whether there was any sort of treatment I could do.”

“And there’s not,” Cody says. His voice is flat and I feel his anxiety in my own heart. This just isn’t fair.

“Boys, I’m not going to sit around moping,” our mother smiles softly. She touches her necklace again. “I’ve had a wonderful life and I have wonderful children. You’re all fantastic men who bring me more joy than you could possibly imagine.”

I can sense a but coming.

“But I miss your father,” she says finally. “And I’m okay with this, boys. I really am.” She smiles softly and reaches for us. We all move, crowding around her chair. She touches our cheeks one by one: Lee, Cody, me.