“I never thought I would hear that again,” I say.
“I was always with you.”
“It’s not the same.” I look at the wall. “How is this possible?”
“Magic isn’t logical. You’ve seen Bane shift. You touched him.”
“Fuck,” I mumble, dropping my head. “I wasn’t prepared to see you again. I thought I was going to meet my animal.”
“You are,” she says, and I look at her.
“Are you my animal pretending to be my mom?” I ask, narrowing my eyes.
“No.” She moves toward me. “I am your mother. You see my body as you remember, but it’s my soul speaking. Our bodies are weak and don’t last forever. Our souls live on.” She touches her finger to my head. “In our minds.” She moves her hand and presses her palm to my chest. “In our hearts.” She smiles. “I heard you. All the times you talked to me. I know everything that happened in your life. Your jaguar is you. The men whom you have chosen as your mates are waiting for you to accept your gifts.”
“I don’t understand,” I breathe, covering her hand. “Will you be my jaguar?”
“My soul has touched your soul. You are a piece of me. Your animal is you.”
“Are you going to leave?”
“My body will disappear, but I will always be with you.”
“I want more time. I have so many questions. I love you,” I say, swallowing harshly.
“Sweet girl,” she hums, touching my cheek. “I will love you for eternity. Look to your mates for comfort.”
“I hope I made you proud.”
“I am nothing but proud. You protected yourself and blazed your own path. I watched you grow and become a woman. Your strength astonished me. The world as you knew it changed, and you adjusted with grace and an open mind. There is a reason your four mates fell in love with you. The beauty of your bond is their reward.”
“I do. I love them.” She moves back, and I know her time is over.
“Continue to paint. I will be with you when you do. Tell your mates their parents are rejoicing, grateful they are reunited. They want them to stop chasing answers and just be happy.”
“Mom,” I cry, shaking my head.
“It is the way of the world. This is not goodbye. Remember, I am inside your soul.” She smiles softly. “Are you ready to meet your animal?”
“Yes.” I brush my tears away.
“Do you choose to be a jaguar? Are you ready for your gifts?”
“I am.” She begins to shimmer.
“Do you choose to love and support the four men who are your mates?”Her words echo in my head.
“I promise I always will.”
“Meet your animal, my sweet daughter. You will be exceptional.”
Her body disappears, and a jaguar is where she stood.
“I have to sit down,” I mumble, slowly dropping to the blankets. “This is unreal.”
“We are very real,”a soft voice says in my head. I watch her prowl toward me.
“You’re beautiful,” I whisper.
