Unbound (Bound To You sequel)

Chapter 23 - Always Remember That *Sorelle*

A/N: Because the other chapter was just so freaking short! 

*Sorelle*

"Mama?" Sorelle called as she entered her mother's townhouse. It still felt so very odd to think of visiting her mother. She'd never had a mother before.

A step-mother who hated her, yes. But not a real mother. Even if Serafina wasn't perhaps the most traditional of mothers, Sorelle had to believe she loved her. As much as witches could love.

Before meeting her mother, she hadn't believed they could. Her step-mother would sometimes rant about them. Sorelle hadn't understood why. Now she did. Her step-mother had been angry her mate had been in love with a witch. Or at least in lust. It didn't matter that it was years ago.

But Sorelle knew she could love. She loved her dad, she loved Megan. She even loved her mate even if something in the magic between her and Scott didn't feel right. Her mother had said it was just her witch reacting to the werewolf magic. It didn't make things feel any less strange between her and Scott.

Still, if Sorelle could love, so must her mother. Sorelle already loved her too, even though she'd only just found out she existed. That she lived so close. Serafina said she'd wanted to be part of Sorelle's life but feared to come to Ross territory.

"Where are you?" she called when she got no answer and begun heading upstairs. The townhouse had five floors and an attic. Her mother preferred the third floor's living room. Or sitting room as her mother called it. Sometimes Sorelle wondered at her mother's choice of words, wondered how old she truly was.

As expected she found her mother in the sitting room, perched on a small pink armchair. Serafina's eyes were white and she was staring into space.

Thinking it might be best not to disturb her mother Sorelle sat her bag down and went to study the books that lined a built-in bookcase in the corner by the fireplace.

Sorelle wasn't much of a book person. She preferred images, real, drawn, computer-generated and even video. Still, these weren't your run of the mill new york time seller best sellers. These were serious, thick ones, bound in leather. Some of them seemed to be whispering. Very very faintly. Others glowed.

There was one that was giving of soft purple shimmers, like soap bubbles. It whispered too. She tried to hear the words.

"Sorelle," her mother's voice cut through the spell the book have wove and Sorelle realized she was inches from pulling the volume out.

"Sorry," Sorelle said, stepping away from the bookcase.

"That one is quite a charmer," Serafina said, her face turning into a smile. The smile made her mother change from hauntingly beautiful to something more relatable. Someone who was true and real. "Come give your Mama a hug."

Sorelle did.

When she'd been little she'd imagined her mother would smell like Megan's mother. Werewolf, cookies and ballpoint pen ink. Serafina smelled like expensive perfume, but just the right amount, even for Sorelle's sensitive wolf nose. And incense. Which was a little strange because she'd never seen her mother burn any.

"Did you see something?" Sorelle asked. "The future?"

"I've told you, the future has many variations. But yes," she said as they both sat on a small sofa. "I saw something."

"Was it good or bad?" Sorelle asked.

"I'm not sure," her mother said, looking a little lost in thought. "It showed me you. And you made the wrong choice."

"The wrong choice?" Sorelle asked, wondering what that could mean. The wrong choice in not telling Megan? Her mate? About Serafina? In staying with Scott? Or maybe she'd picked the totally wrong classes and would flunk out of school?

"And someone died," Serafina said, turning fully to Sorelle. "Someone who was once very important to me. Someone who gave me something very precious. But she betrayed me too."

Sorelle wondered what the too meant. Had her mother seen Sorelle betraying her? No. She wouldn't do that.

"You asked about your mate last time," Serafina said, the wistful look gone from her face. "I've decided that perhaps some spells and lessons todo with werewolves are in order."

"I'd like that," Sorelle said. "Sounds good. And I'd love if you could give me some stuff to practice. I thought with fall break coming up I'd go visit my friend Megan-"

"No," Serafina said sharply, surprising Sorelle. "You cannot go to Tenebri."

"Why not?" Sorelle asked. She hadn't seen Megan in almost two months. And when she'd tried to call her the other day it had gone to voicemail. And Megan wasn't responding on messenger or on DM on Instagram either. She was actually a little worried.

"Because I am telling you," Serafina declared, a wind suddenly lifting her hair and a sudden heaviness, as if a thunderstorm was approaching, suddenly in the air. "You cannot - will not go to Tenebri. Is that understood?"

"Um," Sorelle said, not sure why this was such a big deal.

"Do you understand me!" as the wind began to move Sorelle's own blonde ponytail.

"Yes," she managed.

"Good," Serafina said and the wind stopped. Everything went back to normal. Except during the whole lesson, Sorelle felt distracted, unfocused. Confused even.

When she left it took her half the metro ride back to campus before she realized she'd forgotten her bag at her mother's house.

And upon realizing it, she didn't want to go back. But the bag contained her sketchbook and IpadPro, both things she needed for school.

So she went back.

______

"Mama? I forgot my bag," Sorelle said as she entered the townhouse for the second time. Sorelle was fairly sure the bag was up in the sitting room. So she hurried up the first two flights of stairs.

Only on floor two, there was a noise. A scratching, banging noise. Weak but strong enough Sorelle's werewolf hearing let her pick it up.

She took a few steps down the corridor rather than go up to the third floor. This hallway held bedroom. She'd stayed over in one once.

"Hello?" she called. All the doors looked like their were open. But there was a noise like someone was trapped and trying to get out. "Is there someone here?"

The noise stopped.

"Darling?" Serafina said, suddenly behind her, bag in hand. "Is something the matter?"

"No, I thought I heard something," Sorelle said, turning away from the noise. "Is there someone else here?"

"No," Serafina said and smiled sweetly. "Just you and me."

"Right," Sorelle nodded.

"You will always be my daughter," Serafina suddenly said, leaning forward and kissing Sorelle's forehead. "Remember that."

Sorelle nodded and felt a little foolish. Of course, there was no one else there. Only as she left the townhouse and thought about it a little, replayed the last seconds of her time with Serafina...

You will always be my daugther. Remember that.

And suddenly she felt the words were as much a promise as they were a threat.