A Royal Mate
Part 12

I couldn't believe what I had just heard. He was dead? Ryder. Was. Dead! I couldn't help but smile. This was the best news I had heard in years. Now maybe I could visit my parents and ask them about my life before them but how would I bring that up? My mind was swirling with emotions. I couldn't believe I had been away for so long, that I let him keep me away. Why did I ever let him control me?

"Are you sure he's dead?" Did they replace the body? What happened to his pack?" I peppered them with my questions before they could answer any of them but I had so many I didn't know where to begin.

"His body was too mangled to do anything with so the elders decided to leave it for the vultures to finish off. Once the dust settled they decided to get rid of the pack completely. Whatever members wanted to switch were given a chance with a new pack and the others were banished. It has been so much better around here since then. Oh we wish you would come home." They said in unison.

"That's actually why I called. I was thinking of coming for a visit and now that it's safe I will be on the first plane I can a ticket for." I could feel their happiness over the phone.

"Oh Anna. We have missed you so much. Please let us know when you plan on coming so we can make arrangements. It's been too long. We love you!"

"I love you guys too. I'll be in touch soon. Good bye!" I hung up the phone and went to the bathroom to fix my face. But as soon as I came out of my room, Val was smiling ear to ear. She must have heard my conversation.

"So you finally decided to call your parents? Were they happy to hear from you? Did you ask them about your past?"

"I just told them I needed to visit so I'm going to fly home sometime next week. I just need to let the partners know I'll be gone for a few days. But Val? Will you come with me?"

"You know I will Anna." She said as she pulled me into a hug.

"Great! I'll look up flights and see when we can leave." I grabbed my laptop and started browsing websites. I found a few flights for this week but I didn't know if I would be able to take off so soon after just starting. Hopefully the partners would understand me leaving for a few days.

On Monday I walked into Mr. Johnson's office and spoke with him about my sudden need to fly home. He was completely sympathetic but I could tell he was concerned about my work.

"How are the drafts coming along? Are you caught up enough to afford a few days of absence?"

"The rough draft is finished and all I am waiting on are a few more quotes. Mr. Preston had actually seen the plans and was really amazed with the progress so far. I contacted him this morning and informed him of my leave and he said that he wouldn't be in town this week either so I wouldn't be missing any important meetings with him." I remember the sound in his voice when I told him I was going away for a few days. He almost sounded pained and my heart had constricted. I didn't exactly know how to feel when I was around him. Sometimes I felt as though he wanted me and others I felt as if he was holding back. Either way I had to keep this relationship professional. Getting involved with a client would not end well. I was daydreaming when Mr. Johnson's voice snapped me back into reality.

"Ok. It seems like you have taken care of everything. I will be expecting you back in the office on Monday at 8am sharp." Mr. Johnson said as he walked me to the door. I thanked him and went back to my desk. I rummaged through emails and made calls the rest of the day until lunch.

I turned off my computer and walked out of my office. I had found a flight for tomorrow night and let Val know about it. She agreed and I booked the tickets. I couldn't believe I was going back home. After all this time. Would I recognize my parents? Would they try to make me stay? I had so much I wanted to tell them but I didn't know if I should. What happened between Ryder and I was horrible and I didn't think I wanted to relive it again but I knew I had to explain it to them. I just hoped they would understand why I left.

I headed down the street to the apartment. The weather was so beautiful outside I decided to stop and sit on a bench. As the sun was starting to go down I found myself getting lost in the orange and pink colors of the sky. This place was truly remarkable. Just as I was about to leave a familiar feeling came over me. The same tingling sensation from the other day causing goosebumps to rise all over. My body was exploding with sensations. Again my eyes started wondering around looking for the cause but I didn't replace anything. It was as if something was calling to me and my body was responding. After a few minutes the sensations disappeared and I felt drained. I got up from the bench and walked to the apartment.

When I arrived home Val was running around throwing things into her suitcase. She had three bags sitting on the couch that were so full they were about to burst and she was still trying to shove clothes and shoes into them.

"Uh, Val? We're only going to Oregon for a few days. Do you really need all that stuff?"

"Of course I do! What if I meet my mate, Anna?" I scoffed and rolled my eyes but she continued talking as if she hadn't noticed my response "I want to be prepared for anything, plus I'm not really good at picking the best clothes for a trip so I just bring everything." She smiled as she put all of her makeup and hair styling products into another bag.

"Well you've definitely managed to pack everything you own. So I'd say you're totally prepared!"

"Ok then. I think I'm done. Do you want me to help you pack?"

"No thank you. Unlike you, I don't need all of that stuff. This is just an informative visit. I need to replace out about my real family." I said walking to my room.