Standing with Ricky and his friends at the bonfire close to the pack house, my eyes continue to scan the clearing while keeping an eye on Brynlee. So many times I have had to fight my instinct of marching up to her and holding her in my arms. The only thing stopping me was knowing that Brynlee needed her pack after what she went through. Right now, she is lounging by one of the four bonfires, a stick in hand as she roasts marshmallows.
“Why don’t you go see her?” Ricky asks, playfully bumping my shoulder with his.
“Because she needs space.” I answer. Then it happens. Brynlee turns towards me, her gaze meeting mine. She smiles at me, the same smile she used to give me that would always draw me in mysteriously when we were pups.
I can’t help but look away, feeling my face heat up as I try not to think of how that smile makes me want to capture my Mate and repeat the night of her eighteenth birthday – this time ending it with me marking her. The Mate Bond hums, reaching out to mend the bridge between us. Its as if Brynlee is accepting me into her life once more. This action does not heal the bond further, but it does fan the flames of hope in me.
“Seems like our Beta no longer wants to push you away.” Mick, Ricky’s friend and a Hunter of the pack, muses.
“Seems like it. I’m glad because it means I can work on gaining her forgiveness.” I reply back with a smile, unable to hide the happiness I feel from the men I’ve just met.
“So, what do you think of Crescent Phoenix?” Ricky asks, changing the subject.
“It’s calming. I can grow to like living here.” I answer, sipping on the cold soda. Ricky lets out a scoff, watching me with amusement while his friends go on to talk about how they feel safer with Brynlee and Asteria back. Jealousy rips through me and a small growl escapes my lips before I can stop it.
They freeze, their eyes narrowing as they look at me with worry. Ricky has to explain to them that I am Brynlee’s Mate and they immediately apologize for their words. I apologize fore my own action, stating it’s the bond making me feel so protective, and they too accept my apology.
“Rune.” Hearing my name, I turn to see Jett motioning for me to join him just a few feet away. I excuse myself from the small group, seeing relief on some of the wolves faces as I walk away and follow my friend. He leads me towards Brynlee’s table and for a moment I panic until I see my Aunt and Uncle reaching her first. My Uncle whispering something into Brynlee’s ears causing a look of surprise before she nods, getting to her feet and following them while Jett changes course and we meet the three at the entrance to the pack house.
“Where is the best place to talk Asteria?” Jett asks as we walk inside, Brynlee eyeing me suspiciously. I smile at her, having a feeling what this might be about as my Aunt leads us upstairs and to her office. Brynlee quickly takes a seat in an armchair, curling up with her legs under her. Jett and I decide to take the sofa while my Aunt and Uncle sit on the love seat.
“So what is this conversation about, Jett?” My uncle asks as we settle in.
“It’s about a lot of things, but namely why Brynlee’s parents and Rune’ mother were murdered.” Jett answers, a shocked gasp sounding from Brynlee.
“What do you mean my parents were murdered?” She demands, standing from her chair. My Aunt is by her side, holding onto her as Brynlee shakes with anger. Her eyes are filled with confusion as she looks between Jett and me.
“They died protecting Valor and Rune.” She continues, her voice filled with conviction.
“It was a set up by Tanya and Valor. Just like your trial the day you were banished from Pine Moon was a set up.” Jett states, causing the room to go deathly quiet.
“Just like Clairice’s death was orchestrated by Valor because he wanted more power.” He continues, his voice cracking. I feel the pain that Jett has held back for years come through and instinctively place a hand on his shoulder to comfort the man.
“Clairice died from a heart attack.” My Aunt chimes in and for once I question if this was the true death of my mother.
“It wasn’t a heart attack.” Jett sighs out, tears in his eyes.
“Even though we were forced to reject each other, I would have felt it if Clairice had died from a heart attack.” My Aunt, Uncle and Brynlee look on in shock and I gently squeeze his shoulder. He sends me a small smile, the tears finally falling before he turns to address the others.
“Clairice was in an arranged marriage with Valor as a pup because Pine Moon did what Blood Claws did, threatened our pack Harvest Willow.” He continues, Brynlee and my Aunt slowly returning to their respective seats.
“We grew up together, Clairice being the only child to the Alpha and Luna while I was to be her Beta. No one knew she was arranged to be married until she turned eighteen and we found out we were Mates. We were ecstatic, telling our parents of the news when Valor and his parents came, ready to collect Clairice as promised.” My eyes meets Brynlee and I can see the pain in her eyes. I know she is thinking about how I rejected her. How I hurt her because I thought I was doing what was right for Pine Moon at the time.
“Back then, Pine Moon was stronger than it is now. They had the power to destroy a small pack like Harvest Willow. Clairice fought the arrangement but Valor threatened to kill me if she didn’t go with him. In the end, we both went to Pine Moon so that Valor could keep his eyes on us.” He takes a deep breath as his voice cracked, a sadness seeping from him that I have never felt from anyone before.
“Clairice met your mother, Brynlee. They became good friends and she let your mother know of a secret that only a few knew. Clairice could see people’s fates and futures. It’s why Valor wanted her.”
“So what does this have to do with my parents then?” Brynlee asks, her voice cracking.
“It’s because Clairice told your mother that she saw you and Rune as fated Mates when she held you for the first time. Valor was there and at first they all seemed happy to know Rune would mate a she-wolf with a strong bloodline. Then the incident with Blood Claws happened a few years later.” Throughout Jett’s explanation, Brynlee keeps her gaze on me. It seems the incident with Blood Claws is the reason for everything going wrong.
“Clairice was against Rune going to the peace talks with Valor, stating he was too young. Valor argued with her to the point things turned violent. He sent Clairice to the infirmary and left while she was struggling to live from the wounds he gave her.” A growl ripples through me as I think about what Valor had done to my mother. Not only did he ruin my life, but he ruined my mother’s as well.
“She told me while confined to the hospital bed that she saw what would happen if you went to the peace talks and didn’t want Rune to enter an arranged marriage like she was forced to. When Rune returned home, we knew instantly that what she saw in her vision came true. Clairice became even more over protective of you two and had Brynlee’s parents watch Rune more often hoping that the Mate Bond between you two would be so tight that you would mark her immediately.”
“But I didn’t.” I state with shame, looking apologetically at Brynlee.
“The threat of Blood Claws was still at the back of my mind and after eleven years of Valor hanging it over my head, I hesitated in marking Brynlee and I regret it every day.” I continue, seeing tears pile in Brynlee’s eyes, feeling the gaze of the other three wolves watching the two of us.
“You didn’t. Clairice knew there was that possibility and so she gathered evidence from the time you were ten to the time you were fifteen in hopes of using it against Tanya and her father. I continued gathering more after her death. She made me swear to not tell you or Brynlee anything about the past she and I shared until you left Pine Moon. She knew you would if it was for Brynlee. Its why I couldn’t say anything until now nor share any more details of how she and Brynlee’s parents were murdered.” Jett confirms, continuing recounting his past. Brynlee’s gaze leaves mine as she stares at Jett, but I keep watching her. The death of her parents was one of the events I regret not being there for her as her rock. I stood beside my father, ordered to stay at his side while Caspian and my Aunt consoled her on the rainy day of their funeral.
“When Rune turned fifteen, Clairice had caught Valor with an Omega. Furious, she told him she was sending all the evidence she had collected to the Council. In a fit of rage, Valor took a silver dagger he had in his office and stabbed her in the heart. I felt it, felt the pain she had felt as I was with Brynlee’s dad. The pain had been so unbearable that he rushed me to the pack hospital where he was told my Mate most likely had died. It was just after that that we heard a commotion coming from the hallways as Valor roared that Clairice wasn’t breathing. The hospital was in chaos trying to save Clairice and without realizing it, Valor dragged the doctor in charge into my room where he threatened the doctor saying he would kill his family if he ruled Clairice’s death as anything but a heart attack. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that he killed her and after using some morphine on the doctor, I as told the truth that a dagger pierced her heart.”
“Her funeral was the next day and I watched as you consoled Rune. I could tell the Mate Bond was strong between you two and so did Valor and your Parents. In the end, your parents asked Valor to allow Rune to live with the three of you so you two can grow closer and form a better bond, but Valor forbade it. Your parents became a thorn in Valor’s side when they kept insisting that you and Rune needed to spend time together and Rune had to give up Tanya. They asked Valor why he was so adamant about his son being with that whore but he told them it was confidential information. Only Clairice, Valor, Rune and I knew about the arranged marriage between Rune and Tanya.” Tears are now freely falling from Jett’s eyes. He takes a shaky breath to steady himself and Uncle Gale passes him a bottle of what.
“After the funeral, Valor went and attacked Harvest Willow stating that Clairice betrayed him by threatening to reveal everything he had done to the Council. It was his way of revenge and showing her parents that they meant nothing to Valor now that Clairice was just a discarded pawn in his eyes.” His voice cracks as he talks about Harvest Willow being destroyed by Valor. I want to say something, want to comfort the man that has become a friend of mine, but he holds his hand up before I can do anything.
“Four years later, Valor had enough with Talia and Knox stating that Rune shouldn’t be with Tanya and that he needed to spend more time with you, Brynlee. It got to the point that Valor decided he needed to get rid of them.” Tears begin to fall from Brynlee’s eyes and without hesitation, I move to her side to wipe them away. She flinches at first but accepts my touch as she takes my hand in hers and squeezes it.
“The Rogues weren’t a coincidence, were they?” My Aunt asks, her voice filled with emotion.
“No. Valor hired them to cause havoc in the pack. The goal was to kill Brynlee and her parents but Caspian and Rune were with her that day and the three fought tooth and nail to survive. So Valor changed the plan and had them attack Rune and himself. Rune ended up leading the Rogues attacking them away from Brynlee and Caspian to protect them while Valor led his attackers towards Rune. It was Brynlee telling her parents what was happening that had them rushing to find Valor and Rune. In the end, they died thinking they were fighting to protect their Alpha and his heir.” Jett answers her question, explaining the plan that Valor made. I remember that day all to well. Remembered Brynlee, Caspian and I relaxing by the pond we always went to when the scent of Rogues filled our nose. They attacked us without warning and we fought to survive.
Something changed in their attack after thirty minutes with the three of us killing many of the Rogues when they focused their attacks on me. I ordered Caspian and Brynlee to get help while I led the Rogues away and Valor asked me where I was through the link. I thought it his question had been out of worry, but now knowing that he had a hand in why Talia and Knox Eclipse were killed makes me want to march back to Pine Moon and murder the bastard myself. He had asked for my location so that Brynlee’s parents could rush in to our aid and were killed at the hands of his plot.
Brynlee looks at me, a mix of pain and helplessness in her eyes. I pull her into my arms, running my hand through her hair to help comfort my Mate as best as I can. I can feel through the bond that she doesn’t blame me as we both are victims of Valor and for that, I am glad. What Valor had done was out of our control.
Brynlee surprises me as she buries her face into my shoulder. It isn’t until I feel a wetness spreading on my shirt that I realize Brynlee is silently crying. I feel the bond reaching out between the two of us and the relief she feels that I am finally there for her, holding her while she grieves her parent’s deaths all over again. I whisper that everything will be fine, that Valor will pay for what he did. Brynlee nods against me, her fingers clinging to my shoulder. If Valor was this ruthless to his Betas as well as his chosen mate, whose to say he wont come after Brynlee and I since I am still the Heir to Pine Moon.
“Brynlee, there is more we need to talk about.” My Aunt sighs out. Brynlee stiffens at her words, clinging to me further as she gently pulls away to look at her.
“What else is there?” She asks quietly, the heart break in her voice causing my own heart to clench. I wish I could take this pain from her.
“It’s about Viren. Unfortunately, this also include Valor because Viren kidnapping you wasn’t just a spur of the moment thing.”