Page 179 of A Soul Like Glass
She takes another step toward me, startling me when she says, “Come with us.”
I should tell her an emphatic and immediateNo.
But my senses are exploding with the increasing energy surrounding her and the two men standing nearby.
It calls to me, drawing me toward them.
I make myself stop. “My family…”
“I understand,” Halle says. “They’re your pack.” She searches my eyes. “But are they your future?”
I look back.
At my brothers. At Mother and Father. At the life I’ve lived.
I tell myself they need me, but…
I have needed them more.
I needed their love, their support, their understanding, and their determination to bring peace to this land.
Halle doesn’t seem to miss the way I angle in their direction.
“Your pack is important,” she says. “We don’t expect you to leave with us right now. But I hope you will understand, we can’t linger here beyond tomorrow morning. Our presence may be seen as a threat.”
My eyes burn with tears as I consider the choice I now face. Even as I think of leaving, I feel the tug of my future.
My destiny.
Of all the things Father taught me, destiny is not to be denied. He will understand my decision, perhaps even more than Mother or my brothers will.
“It’s the end of the beginning,” Halle says, her expression grim. “Will you stay in the past or step into your future?” She tilts her head, her eyes filling with power. “Will you come with us?”
With my heart in my throat, I say, “I will.”
I won’t leave without saying goodbye. I would never vanish on my family without explaining my reasons and ensuring theyunderstand my choice. And, no matter how much I may hate this scratchy dress, nothing could drag me away from my brother’s wedding.
Today, I will celebrate with my family.
Tomorrow, I will explain my decision.
Then, I will forge my destiny.
I will never forget the love I’ve been given or the battles that were fought to keep me safe. My destiny may claim my path, but my family will always be part of my heart.
