Chapter Six
“What the hell does that mean? What are you talking about?” Constantine demanded when Aries didn’t answer right away.
“I heard the stories about how things were before we were born. Uncle Paris was wild and out of control much to the Alpha’s frustration. My father, Eros was the serious one, the Beta. He took his position in the pack seriously. He’d already mated with my mother.”
Constantine nodded slowly. “Yes, I heard that as well.”
“What you might not have heard was that my father hated the fact that he was the responsible one yet your father was the Alpha-in-waiting. He felt that it was only by luck of Paris being born first did he get that position, a title my father believed his brother didn’t deserve.”
“My father never spoke of any dissention between him and his brother. In fact, he always spoke highly of Uncle Eros.”
“Maybe because he never knew. My father was very good at keeping his feelings under wraps. But he did share his thoughts with my mother. Perhaps he believed I was sleeping when he’d tell her about his aspirations but I heard them. My father hated yours and believed that he should be the future Alpha. I didn’t understand what any of this meant. And then he mated with your mother and shortly afterward, they had you. I think your birth sent my father further over the edge because it secured Uncle Paris’s line of succession in the pack. I think shortly before the outbreak took place, my father’s rants had become more erratic. He didn’t care if he said it in front of me. In fact, he’d tell me that one day I would be the Alpha.”
“What?”
It pained Aries to tell his cousin this shattering the illusion of his father being the dutiful Beta to the pack. “It’s true. I don’t know how he managed to hide his feelings around Uncle Paris but it got to the point when he was alone with my mother and me, it was all he talked about. It seemed as if it had consumed him.”
“And what did your mother say about it.”
Aries clutched his chest because it felt as if his heart had sped up. “She agreed with him. She wanted that power as well. She said that your mother was your father’s second choice as she’d make a much better Alpha Femme. And then that’s when it happened. Malum. Our members started to succumb one by one and people were panicking. Great-grandfather was doing everything he could to end the destruction of our pack. He’d even tracked down pack Nkrumah thinking the root of our problems was some stupid curse. It wasn’t. It was never about a curse. Those were simply words said in the heat of the moment by a heartbroken mother. Don’t you think if that curse was as powerful as people thought it was, something would have happened much sooner.”
Constantine racked his hands through his hair. “I’m almost too frightened to ask but what was it?”
“My parents thought I was sleeping but I was on my way downstairs to get something to drink. I heard my father saying that he’s struck a deal with a hunter. They said they would be fine as long as they weren’t bitten. It was then I figured out that one or both of my parents had brought Malum to the island. I’m not sure how but they were the cause. I was angry when I heard them talk about this so casually as if families hadn’t been destroyed and our pack left vulnerable to our enemies because of some slight my father felt. So I confronted him. I said I was going to go to Great-Grandfather Spyros, but they laughed and said that it was too late because he was bitten. And so I said I would go to Uncle Paris. My father grabbed me by the arms and he said they would label me a traitor as well. I’d be banished from the pack or worse yet, killed. But then somehow they caught it too and I saw how it devastated Uncle Paris. Part of me never said anything because I was ashamed of what my parents had done and they were still my parents. And the other half of me never said anything because I didn’t want to be labeled a traitor. This pack is everything to me and I never want anyone to question my loyalty but now with all this happening with Gage, it’s all come back to haunt me. And I have a mate that’s somehow involved in this mess. My loyalty lies with this pack but I’m also compelled to protect her. It’s tearing me apart.”
Constantine didn’t respond and Aries didn’t blame him. He must be so disappointed to know that Aries had held on to this secret for so long without telling anyone, probably to the detriment of the pack.
“It’s okay that you hate me for what happened. I hate me too.”
“Aries, look at me,” Constantine commanded softly.
“Is that what you think? That I would hate you for something your parents had done? You were still a pup yourself when it happened. Have you been blaming yourself all these years?”
Aries shrugged. “How could I not. Maybe if I would have spoken up sooner, none of this would have happened. I should have mentioned something to Great-Grandfather of my father’s feelings toward Uncle Paris.”
“But as you pointed out, they were your parents. You were facing a daunting dilemma. I think in your shoes, I don’t know how I would have handled it. Who knows, maybe I wouldn’t have had the courage to confront my parents about what you heard. But it makes me sick to my stomach that you’ve been carrying this burden on your shoulders all these years. You’ve been blaming yourself for something that wasn’t your fault. Aries, everyone knows how much you love this pack and no one would dare call you a traitor.”
“Sometimes I feel like I am. I don’t deserve this life that I lead or your trust in me…or the beautiful mate I’ve been blessed with.”
“Stop talking like this!” For the first time since he entered the office, Constantine was angry. “I will not hear you talk like that when you’ve always been the one to volunteer for the tough jobs. You’ve handled the pack in my father’s absence when necessary and you’ve always supported me. There is absolutely no question of your loyalty.”
“Is that so? I bet that’s what Uncle Paris thought of my father and you see what happened there.”
“But you’re not your father. You have to let go of the past and live in the now. You can’t change what happened then but we can fix the problems we have today so it won’t occur again. I’ve never known you to give up and I don’t expect you to now. We’re going to stop Gage and you’ll be there with us every step of the way.”
Aries wanted to believe his cousin but it was hard to simply let go when he’d been holding on to this misery for so long. “It’s easier said than done.” He sighed, leaning his head against his chair. “Uncle Paris can never know.”
“But we have to tell him. He would remember the events of the past more than either of us. Maybe there was something he saw or heard that could help us today.”
Aries grabbed his cousin’s hand and looked at him fervently. “I don’t want him to know. He loved my father and after all this time, I see no point in shattering that image. It would hurt him.”
“Are you just saying that because you’re scared it would change the way my father views you? I can assure you it wouldn’t. He loves you like his own. He wouldn’t turn on you. I know he wouldn’t.”
Aries shook his head. “Promise me.”
Constantine’s expression was unreadable but finally, he nodded. “Okay, I won’t say anything…for now. But if something happens where I think the information is pertinent then I’ll have to say something.”
“I understand. Thank you.”
Aries did feel a little better sharing this load he’d carried on his own for all these years. It freed him a little to know that Constantine didn’t hold it against him. But Uncle Paris could be quite another story. He only hoped the time would never come when he needed to know what happened all those years ago.
“So what are you going to do about your mate? When I saw her at my father’s house, she looked, a bit frazzled?”
Aries raised a brow. “Oh. Did she say anything to you?”
“No. But Sarah had gone over there to keep her company. Maybe if she had a friend she’d be more willing to open up. Look, I know how you feel about having a mate. You mostly likely feel the need to protect her from all the surrounding dangers. Until the threat of Gage has ended, you’ll need to be extremely vigilant. I know you might not feel like you deserve her or that you have some hesitation about the relationship because of how she’s connected to Gage. But she’s your mate for a reason. The universe is rarely wrong about these things. Don’t let the past dictate your happiness.”
Though his cousin’s words were encouraging, Aries still couldn’t shake the feeling that if he allowed himself to let go, that something would come along to snatch his happiness away.
*
The incident in the woods had shaken Nina to her very core. All she’d wanted was a run. The last thing she expected was her instant attraction to Aries. Though she realized that he was her mate, she didn’t think the chemistry between them was so powerful that she wouldn’t be able to control herself. From the second their lips touched, she needed more, wanted it more than anything she ever wanted in her life. Perhaps it was the fact that he had been the one to touch her in a way that made her feel alive for the first time in decades.
While she was under Gage’s captive, she believed she’d eventually lose her mind, slowly but surely. Aries touch had been soothing and made her feel whole, something she never expected. But with their wild sexual romp came a price, which was knowing the bliss of his lovemaking and knowing that she’d never experience it again. Because if she did, she’d find herself falling for him and that was a luxury she couldn’t afford.
After he’d left her alone in the woods, Nina had been tempted to search for a way off the island but then she remembered him telling her that all the boats were guarded. Besides, making her escape during the daytime wouldn’t be ideal. Her only choice would be to head back to the Alpha’s house. She realized that she didn’t have any clothes, but she hadn’t worn any in a very long time. She could have shifted back to her four-legged self, but she’d been in that form for so long, she was wanted to familiarize herself with her human side again. Her legs felt a bit weak as she walked toward the scent of the Alpha’s house.
When she made it out of the woods, she noticed a shirt lying on the ground. She recognized it. It was the one that Aries had been wearing before he’d striped. Hesitantly she picked it up and brought it to her nose. She inhaled breathing him in. It smelled so manly, musky and raw. He’d probably left the shirt for her. She quickly donned the article of clothing. While it had contoured his muscular frame lovingly, it swallowed her slender build, falling to her of her thighs.
When she found the Alpha’s house, Nina didn’t feel comfortable just walking through the door, she knocked. She was surprised when the Alpha himself answered the door. Most of the Alpha’s she knew had underlings to do everything for them. Paris Kyriakis seemed to be cut from a different cloth. She could tell by his expression that he was surprised to see her in her human form, but he asked no questions much to her confusion. Instead, he showed her to a different room with a private bathroom. It also had a closet full of clothes which he said belonged to his daughter who wouldn’t mind her using them.
“Call me you need anything,” he’d told Nina before giving her privacy.
To her embarrassment, she wasn’t sure what to do in the bathroom. Most of her life she’d spent in wolf form. These modern amenities had not been invented when she was a girl. She’d been a prisoner for years but yet the world had gone on without her. She stood in front of the closet, looking at the clothing. She wasn’t completely ignorant, she’d observed the hunters from time to time and watched them in their strange clothing and the different style changes over the years. Even the dwelling had evolved from candlelight to magic bulbs that maintained a steady light that didn’t burn out. The fireplaces had become furnaces. Each modern update had been a fascination to her.
Nina stared at the beautiful clothing in the closet. Only the hire ranked hunters beneath Gage’s command wore clothing this fine. She was caught out of her thoughts when she heard a gentle knock on the door. Nina lifted her nose into the air and sniffed. It wasn’t the Alpha, in fact, if she didn’t know better she would have thought the person on the other side of the door was human, but not quite.
“Come in,” she said tentatively, still getting used to her voice again.
Nina recognized the tall, dark-skinned woman right away. It was the one who had healed her.
The woman walked into the room and smiled. She didn’t seem the least bit surprised to see Nina in this form. “You look exactly like I dreamed you would be.”
Nina tilted her head in confusion. “I’m not sure I understand.”
“It’s kind of hard to explain considering I’m not sure I have a full grasp of things myself but apparently, I have some kind of healing powers. I didn’t realize I had them until recently. My mate’s sister was stricken with Malum and I cured her.”
Nina gasped. “You can cure, Malum?”
“Apparently. When you came to the island, you were in pretty bad shape. But I started having these dreams. I saw a woman, you. She was calling out for my help. And I was compelled to see what I could do. It seemed like a long shot but I had to try. I’m glad to see it worked. How are you feeling?”
“Confused. I haven’t been in this form in for many years. It’s almost foreign to me. But I should be the one asking you how you’re doing. You passed out. Your…er, mate seemed upset.”
The woman waved her hand dismissively. “He got over it. Constantine’s bark is much worse than his bite. I didn’t get to see it myself but I heard you were quite impressive in your original wolf form with beautiful black fur. I was told that was quite rare.”
Nina shrugged. “I suppose so. Most of the shifters like me have been hunted to near extinction. Even back then we were few and far between.”
“I see. I wasn’t expecting to see you like this. You’re very beautiful.”
Nina touched her face. It had been a long time since she’d seen her reflection. Aries had called her beautiful as well. “Thank you,” she said to be polite.
Sarah laughed. “I’m sorry, where are my manners. I’m Sarah by the way. And you’re…? I don’t want to call you Pet. I’m sure you had a name before all this happened.”
“Nina.”
“I like it. It suits you. You keep staring at those clothes so I assume you want to get dressed. I didn’t mean to intrude. I’ll give you your privacy.”
“No. Stay. Actually, I wouldn’t know what to wear. Everything seems so foreign. I want to clean myself but I don’t know how anything functions in the bathroom. I never had a use for one in my other form and it running water wasn’t around when Gage first captured me. I mean, I’ve seen things but this is all new to me.”
“Oh, I never thought of that. You must have been with Gage for well over a century. All this time you were trapped in that other form?”
“Not the one you saw me in. I’ve only been in that one for a few decades but before that, I was in my true wolf form. I just haven’t been in my human form since my capture.”
“I see. Well, I’ll tell you what, how about I show you how things work in the bathroom so you can wash up? And I’ll choose an outfit from the closet for you to wear. I’ll have it ready for you by the time you come out of the bathroom.”
That sounded reasonable. “Okay.”
As promised, Sarah showed her how to turn on the sink, and how the toilet and the bidet worked. Then, she taught Nina how to operate the shower and adjust the temperature. It was almost like magic to her. Sarah provided her with what she called ‘body wash’, other hygiene products, and towels to dry herself when her toiletry was complete.
Once Sarah left her alone in the bathroom, Nina couldn’t help but fiddle with each item she’d been shown until she felt she had a handle on it. Finally, she removed Aries’s top and stepped inside the showers stalls. She gasped when the water hit her. It was way too cold but it quickly warmed up. She changed the setting on the shower head like Sarah showed her and it felt like a massage.
She washed her body with the flowery soap and her hair with the shampoo that had been provided to her. She’d never experienced such luxury. When she was with her pack, they’d lived so simply. She couldn’t have imagined such things back then. She stayed under the shower until her skin pruned. Once she had dried off and went out to the room, Sarah had left but there were clothes on the bed, a simple blouse and a pair of pants that she knew were called jeans. Some of the hunters had worn them. She’d also laid out some undergarments but Nina didn’t bother with them. Once she dressed she didn’t know whether to search for Sarah or wait for her to return.
The choice was taken from her when she heard a knock on the door.
“You can come in, Sarah.”
Sarah stepped inside the room. “All cleaned up? It felt nice didn’t it?”
“I liked it, but I don’t think I’ve ever been in the water so long except when I was swimming with…” Nina sensed that Sarah was someone she could trust but she wasn’t ready to talk about her past just yet.
Thankfully Sarah didn’t push. “Well, I’m glad you feel better. You certainly smell nice.”
Nina winced. “Did I smell that bad before? I tried my best to keep clean. Sometimes one of Gage’s servants gave me a bucket of water and what I didn’t drink, I would use to clean my fur with.”
Sarah shook her head vehemently. “No. You didn’t smell bad. I’m just giving you a compliment. I take it you don’t get many of them.”
“No really.” Nina bit her bottom lip and looked down at her feet. She didn’t know why she suddenly felt so awkward around this woman. “Do you mind if I ask you a question?”
“Of course not. Ask me anything.”
“Speaking of smells. Your scent is different. It’s almost like you’re human.”
“That’s because I’m, half human. My mother was a shifter and my father was human. At least I thought my father was human but there’s some debate around that.”
“It’s very rare for a human to successfully mate with a shifter or at the very least produce offspring. You say that your father was human? Perhaps there was an ancestor in his genes that gave him special abilities.”
“You sound so sure that it couldn’t be possible. But I’m living proof that it is.”
“I meant no offense. I’m not saying that it’s not possible. Anything is possible I suppose. What I meant was that it’s just extremely rare. Humans started a settlement close to my pack’s land and one of my members fell in love with a human. They mated, but no offspring ever came from that union.”
“It’s my understanding that immortals aren’t exactly the most fertile bunch.”
“Perhaps not but usually these unions produce one or two pups. I guess it doesn’t matter.” Nina narrowed her gaze and stared at Sarah taking in all her features. Sarah was nearly as tall as Nina. She had large brown eyes, full lips and a round nose that tilted slightly up. Nina couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d seen Sarah before. Something compelled her to ask. “You spoke of your parents in the past tense. Are they dead?”
Sarah opened her mouth and then closed it again as if she was formulating what she wanted to say. “Well, I’m almost certain that my father is dead but my mother I’m not so sure anymore.”
“What do you mean?”
“When I was younger, my parents were attacked by large dogs. Or at least that’s what I believed at the time. I know now that they were shifters. They killed my father almost immediately. My mother shifted and fought them off long enough for me to get away. I didn’t see her die but I always thought she had because she never came for me. I was all alone.”
Nina felt a twinge in her chest. Sarah was a kindred spirit. It sounded like she’d lost a lot all at once just like Nina had. “I’m sorry to hear about that. But now you believe that there’s a possibility that your mother could be alive. Why do you think that?”
Before Constantine and Aries found me, I was an artist by trade. I’m known for my nature paintings and particularly ones of wolves. But it was one particular wolf that I painted that caught their eyes. I’d dreamed of that wolf from the time I was a child. That wolf apparently was my mother. I had no reason to think it was her because when she’d shifted, I didn’t actually see her do it but now that I’m older I’m positive that it was her.”
“And because of this painting Constantine and Aries, tracked you down. Did they perhaps know her?”
“No, but Paris did. Paris recognized my mother right away. But perhaps you’d recognize her as well.”
“Why would I know who your mother is?”
“Because the form you claim that you’d been locked in for all these years, was my mother’s.”
“Anisa?” Nina whispered. Now she knew why Sarah looked so familiar. She looked a lot like her mother but taller and not as petite. But there was someone else this woman reminded Nina of and…it couldn’t be.
“Sarah, what was your father’s name?”
Sarah frowned at the question. “Roland Devereaux.”
Nina gasped taking a step backward. “You’re the half-breed that Gage has been looking for. He’s the one who attacked your parents. Your father wasn’t human at all. He worked for Gage.”