Page 41 of Awakening the Beast
“How could you both be so heartless?” I say, my voice trembling. “All that Cree has been through without his dad!”
She finally sighs, exchanging a glance with my father and there’s a quiet understanding between them, one that makes my stomach churn. As my mother nods, my confusion grows, my eyes darting between the two of them.
“Your father isn't Ghost, Wren.” My mom says.
“What?” I finally breathe, my head cocking to the side in utter confusion.
“I am.”
Her confession hits like a punch to the gut. It feels like the ground is falling from beneath me. My mother? My lovely, gentle mother is Ghost? I almost laugh. Yeah fucking right. Shaking my head, I force a snicker.
“Mom, stop,” I reply. “Stop trying to protect him. He has to own up to what he’s done.”
But she doesn’t break. Instead, she leans forward, taking my hand in hers and there’s something different in her eyes—something firm, hard, and dangerously real.
“I'm Ghost, Wren. I'm not lying.”
The truth in her tone slices through me, cold and final. I yank my hand from hers like I've been burned, suddenly feeling like I don't even know this woman. My mother, who kissed my scraped knees, tucked me in at night, who was supposed to be the light in my life… she’s Ghost?
“You?” The word barely escapes my lips as I frantically shake my head, trying to make sense of it, trying to force the pieces together in a way that doesn’t destroy everything I thought I knew.
“It’s not possible,” I murmur. “You’re not…”
“Not what? A man?” my mother challenges, lifting an eyebrow with a calmness that unnerves me because in that moment, I see it—the sharp, commanding presence of an Elite.
“It’s very easy to think of an Elite as a man,” she continues. “And since I’m Ghost, why not just leave it that way? Let them all believe I’m a man. It gives me the upper hand.”
My mind reels as I glance between my parents, struggling to accept this truth. How could everything I thought I knew be so fucking wrong? But my mother doesn’t give me a chance to catch my breath, she pushes forward.
“Honey, just because I’m Ghost doesn’t mean I know everything at all times.” She leans in slightly, her eyes piercing into mine. “Every day, I deal with Elites who defy the code, who act without consulting me first.”
I blink blankly, trying to grasp what she’s saying, but it’s like trying to hold water in my hands.
“This isn’t just a small group of us, Wren. It’s a huge organization, with hundreds of thousands of criminals involved—not just here, but all around the world. I didn’t know about this situation until the very last moment. It was kept under tight lips and by then… it was too late.”
She’s not just a part of it—she is the foundation. The woman I thought was innocent, loving… she’s the Ghost that commands it all.
“When Arlo asked your father for his blessing to marry you, it wasn’t his decision—it was mine,” my mom says. “Only with the condition that he had the responsibility to protect you, and he failed. He was careless, Wren, when he knew exactly how dangerous things had become.”
I feel my rage surge inside me at her words, bubbling over and my teeth clench tightly as I throw her a glare that could shatter glass.
“So, you thought it was okay to just let him die?” I seethe. “What kind of mother do you think you are?”
She sighs, unfazed by my outburst, her eyes still holding mine. “I am a mother who only wants to see you safe.”
“Bullshit!” I snap. “Is happiness and love suddenly meaningless now? How the fuck was Arlo supposed to know when even you didn’t?”
Suddenly, Lily steps into the kitchen, her usual cheery demeanor lighting up the tense room, but I don’t shift my gaze from my mother, the anger still coursing through me like a live wire.
“Oh, hello! I had no idea you were coming here, Wren,” Lily chirps, clearly unaware of the tornado developing between me and our parents.
I glance at her briefly, and she spots Lumi, her face breaking into a wide smile.
“Why don’t you take Lumi to the living room, Lil? Change her diaper for me, will you? I’ll be in soon,” I suggest.
Lily’s eyes widen with hesitation, darting between me and Lumi. “Oh, I’m not sure, Wren... I don’t really know how, and she’s so small.”
“I promise it’s simple. She’s not as delicate as she looks. Her diaper bag is right there.” I softly assure her before I gesture toward it, and Lily looks at the bag, then back to Lumi. After a hesitant pause, she finally nods, carefully lifting Lumi in her arms along with the bag, then exits the kitchen.
