Zara’s POV
Dinner with my family brought back to so normalcy, but I couldn’t ignore the empty chair where Mom used to sit.
I wondered if she was looking down on , watching discover who I was. Was she proud of my resistance to Marcus? Or disappointed that I wanted to reject him?
After dinner, Ryan and Dad settled down on the couch to watch sports, like they used to, before all this chaos started. Dad didn’t see it, but I did. I saw how much Ryan had changed.
Even with the smile on his face, the light had left his eyes. While I could never understand the feeling of losing a loved one, I hoped he had found happiness in his life.
Dad gestured for to follow him. Standing in the backyard, I looked out to where my bedroom window had been. I could still see mysterious wolf’s eyes staring into my window, his crimson blood staining the grass. I wondered if there would be droplets of blood left on the grass if I looked closely.
"I won’t use shadows anymore," I assured my dad, wincing as I looked at the forest.
There used to be sothing calming about the dense forest surrounding our small pack, but now it filled with anxiety. Anything could be there, anyone, anyone, watching and waiting.
"I don’t think you should ignore that side of yourself, Zara." Dad frowned, as if the words hurt him. "Shadows aren’t inherently evil; they’re actually neutral."
"Neutral?" I chuckled. "Slitting soone’s throat isn’t exactly neutral."
"A life for a life," Dad sighed, looking much older at that mont. "You can’t expect anything for free, Zara. Sotis they need blood, sotis they can be... resourceful."
"Creativity? That sounds promising." I grimaced. "How do you even know all this? You know more about shadows than history books."
"Your mother moved here when she was young, after eting the shadow’s King. She had no idea he was the King or the heir to the Curitis line. She rejected him and fled her town, hoping he wouldn’t dare pursue her." Dad sighed.
"Then how did you know?" I asked, my attention riveted on her, because I was finally getting the answers I craved.
"They, too, eventually beca close friends. A couple of years had passed since she moved into this pack, but one day she strayed outside its territory. The Shadows King found her within an hour."
Dad paused, shuddering as he relived the mories, but continued: "He toyed with her, allowed her to live in safety for a couple of years. He could have gotten to her at any mont if he’d used the shadows. What you need to know about the king: there’s no price he wouldn’t pay for power. That makes him dangerous."
"Your mother was also a half-breed, only her other half was human. It was she who figured out how to block her mind and passed that information on to ." Dad smiled grimly.
"The King needed a way to produce an heir, so he called upon the shadows. He could have chosen another woman, but your mother would have given him the strongest offspring."
"What price did he pay?" I wasn’t sure I wanted to ask.
"Total mind control is a great favor." Dad’s smile faded. "They asked for soone from her line, soone who would love unconditionally, and they wanted him to do the job himself."
The oily light of the setting sun illuminated the forest and grassy land—a beautiful sight amidst the somber conversation. The unspoken words hung between us, their aning loud and clear.
The Vampire King had gotten what he wanted, and I was proof of it. He had taken my other grandmother’s life with his bare hands, repaying his debt to the shadows.
"I always thought you didn’t love Mom." I chuckled dryly, rembering the countless angry glances and sidelong glances.
"I always liked your mother," he smirked, waving off. "I just hated how hard she was on herself. She loved you."
Dad and I returned to the house just as the sun had completely disappeared behind the edge of the forest, casting that oily light ever further away. Dad, having given more chocolates than I needed, dropped off at the storeroom.
***
Running into the kitchen, I caught Alpha Kane’s eye, leaning against the counter, patiently listening to a conversation with Alpha Bran.
"The room will be ready when your people arrive." Alpha Kane chuckled, a look of annoyance crossing his face.
The dark sweatshirt draped over his figure easily traced the dips and curves of his muscular arms. My gaze slid up his broad shoulders and chiseled jawline to et his darkening eyes. Noticing my attention, he grinned slyly. Sensing Alpha Kane’s attention elsewhere, Alpha Bran gave a transparent smile.
"I’m sure you’ll see to it that they’re dealt with." Alpha Bran smiled tightly and walked away.
Alpha Kane grinned, and the curl of his lips ward from within.
"His n haven’t arrived yet?" I asked, casting a mocking glance in the direction Alpha Bran was retreating.
"He was having trouble gathering his troops." Alpha Kane chuckled, "Wasting as much ti as possible."
"Are you sure Alpha Bran isn’t working for Marcus?" I snorted, "Delay might be to their advantage."
"Alpha Bran isn’t stupid enough to work for Marcus. His family has hated them for decades."
Alpha Kane shook his head, "He’d lose his position as Alpha to see them all slaughtered."
"What about the patrol? Kate said an attack could happen at any mont," I asked, ignoring the shudder I felt at his previous statent.
"Alpha Zeke brought as many n as he could afford; we’ve stationed them along the southern periter."
"How do we know they haven’t changed their plans?" I frowned, "They must know we have Kate."
"She says they don’t know what information she has on them." Alpha Kane replied.
"I’m sure you’re still taking precautions," I replied.
"Of course," he smirked. "Trusting only her word could spell doom for the entire pack. Regarding patrol tonight, I was going to tell you earlier, but you’re excused from patrol for the foreseeable future."
"Really?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. I wasn’t complaining, but everyone in training was required to go on patrol.
"Really," he chuckled softly, his eyes twinkling playfully. "Actually, I’d like you to join this evening. If you’re not busy."
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