Although the Legacy Series is considered a paranormal romance, different themes and elements weave their way through each story. In this series, I’ve emphasized mental health themes, family, powerful women, and the relationship between mothers and daughters. As we learned from Glyph and Birthrite, Shawnee lost her mother when she was eight years old and her world changed forward. Twenty years later, her mother returns after escaping the corrupt corporation called Andrus Synax. The Andrus, a collaboration of humans mainly, pride themselves on performing experiments on werecreatures in hope of capturing some of their qualities for human development. Anadaya had the unfortunate experience as one of their victims. She escaped, as we learned in Birthrite, and returned for her daughter. This short below gives us a brief glimpse at Shawnee and her mother before things changed for them. It makes me a little anxious whenever I read it, knowing what’s to come.

Cheers,

Max

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Alpha

by Max

�������� Anadaya sat at the head of the long table in the meeting house. In a chair at her hip, her seven-year-old daughter perched drawing shapes in a notebook. Ana stroked her hair while she waited for the others to arrive. Both of them clad in a matching set of deerskin dresses and moccasins. Ana had a single large eagle feather dangling from a small braid that lay against her long black hair. Her daughter’s braids ended with tiny feathers given by a bluejay. Together, they were the perfect model of culture and strength. With matching eyes of amber, their gazes met.

“What’s taking so long?” The girl asked her mother.

“Patience, Dodi. It is important.”

“Why do you call me Dodi and not Shawnee like everybody else?” Shawnee scribbled both names down on the paper beside the symbols of their Cherokee language.

“You are my Runs-Like-Wolf and I have shortened it. Do you not like it?” Ana brushed a strand of hair from her daughter’s shoulder.

“I like, e-tsi. Do you like?” Shawnee again looked up at her mother.

“I do and I like you.” A warm smile met Ana’s lips as pride flooded her heart. Her little girl was strong for a Breeder child. She hoped it would carry with her always.

“I like you too but I love you best,” Shawnee said, drawing a heart on the paper.

“And I love you most best.” Ana grinned and kissed her forehead. “You are prepared for note taking, yes?”

“Uh huh. Meetings are ‘portant. How about a Clash? Is that more?” The little girl glanced to her mother again.

“Clashes are just as important as meetings.”

“Not everyone comes to Clashes. Right?”

“Right.” Ana chuckled as the door to the meeting house creaked open.

“Afternoon,” said the short-haired man with a rounded belly. He joined Ana and Shawnee at the table as he removed his worn Stetson and set it down. “Is anyone else coming?”

“No,” Ana said shortly.

“Hi Unk,” said Shawnee, tapping the pencil on her lip as if contemplating him.

“Hello Shawnee-girl, what have you there?” He nodded toward the book.

“Writing.” She held it up to him. “Taking notes, yes?” Shawnee’s voice perked up at the end as she mimicked her mother’s question.

“That’s a good cub.” The man rustled her hair and Shawnee smiled.

“Dakota,” Ana drew the man’s attention back to her. “It must be today.”

“Ana, why? Why can’t we remain as we are?” Dakota glanced between the woman and her child as if he wasn’t sure if such matters should be discussed in front of her. Ana showed no hesitation.

“He has gotten worse. They all have. I cannot lead a fallen pack if you remain here. You must go,” her words and voice remained equally steady. “As you promised.”

“This isn’t how it’s supposed to be, you know that.” Dakota sighed, fumbling with the brim of his hat.

“It is the only way.” Ana glanced away from him as the faintest hint of sadness washed over her features. Shawnee glanced between her mother and Uncle.

“You’re leaving?” she asked.

“Yes, Shawnee-girl, it’s my time.” He stood and kissed her forehead. “I’ll see you soon.” Dakota’s pained voice trembled as he bid farewell to the little girl. He brushed his hand over Ana’s cheek.

“Remember our deal,” she said.

“I remember.”

As he stood, the door to the meeting house opened again and this time a thin, sickly looking man with long braided hair stepped inside. Viktor’s nearly black eyes landed on Dakota and he frowned.

“What are you doing here?” Viktor spat.

Ana’s brow narrowed as she stared at the man, her lips pressed into a thin line. Shawnee dropped her pencil as she stared at her father, scampering to her knees as she leaned into her mother’s side. Ana draped her arm around her, though tilted her head curiously at the sudden reaction from her cub.

“I’m leaving,” Dakota said as he stood.

“Don’t leave,” Shawnee said, drawing her gaze to Dakota.

“I will see you soon, Shawnee-girl.” Dakota’s soft brown eyes saddened behind his smile. Shawnee nodded and rested her head on Ana’s shoulder. Dakota nodded to Viktor as he walked past, tossing on his hat. “Goodbye, brother.”

“Good riddance,” Viktor said, looking back to wife and daughter. “Come with me, girl.”

“Tla,” Shawnee said, clinging to her mother.

“I said come here!” Viktor raised his voice, pointing to the ground in front of him.

“Do not speak to her that way. Your daughter said no. Now leave us here.” Ana’s voice dropped an octave as she lifted Shawnee onto her hip. Shawnee gripped Ana’s dress and closed her eyes.

“I won’t.”

“You will or I will make you. What terribleness has gotten you, Viktor Twofeathers? You should be the one leaving,” said Ana, keeping her daughter turned away from her father. “How dare you speak to me the way you do.”

“You’ll regret your words, woman. One day soon.” Viktor moved toward the door.

“Do not threaten me. Leave.” Ana spat, the latter part of her statement forced Viktor from the meeting house, the door slammed behind him.

Ana hugged her daughter then spun her around, settling the little girl in her lap.

“Do not be afraid, Dodi. I am here,” she said, cupping her daughter’s face in her hands. Shawnee watched her mother, tilting her head as she mimicked the gesture, placing her small hands on her mother’s cheeks.

“Why are you sad, e-tsi?” the girl asked.

“Many changes happen around us, Dodi,” she said, kissing her daughters hands then settling them in her lap as she fought to keep hold of her emotions. “Come, you and I must harvest the blueberries. Yes?”

“Can I eat them?” Shawnee’s eyebrows lifted upward.

“Yes, as long as you save some for the others.” Ana chuckled and scooped her daughter up, setting her on her hip again.

“I can share,” Shawnee said as she hugged her mother around the neck.

Ana toted her daughter out to the fields and they spent several hours picking berries and eating them. Shawnee learned quickly how to turn the blueberries into a mash for eating and baking. As the sun dipped low in the sky, Ana tucked her cub close to her as they awaited the arrival of the first star.

“There it is!” Shawnee pointed to the sky where the star appeared in the twilight.

“What should we name it tonight?” Ana smiled at her daughter’s enthusiasm.

“Um��� Willow. Like the tree.” Shawnee nodded and looked to her mother for approval.

“Willow is a perfect named, Dodi.”

“So is Dodi, Momma.”

“I am glad you approve.” Ana kissed her cheek and they waited together for the arrival of the full moon.

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