Chapter 45: The Truth About Vali/The Call

Harlyn:

I couldn’t believe it! She was alive…alive and I…a logical sense of thought, I couldn’t even garner about the idea. Vali…Vali was alive!

Every time I thought about it, my heart fluttered and my breath hitched in my throat. What…what was I to do with this information? Then another thought came to mind; why hadn’t she returned home? To the comfort of home. Surely, returning to our side would be better than going at it alone out there in the danger of the ferals, and rogues. Right?

“Maybe not for her,” said my wolf, Fear said softly in my ear. “She is different now, Harlyn.”

Harlyn considered her counterpart’s words as she sat her vanity, brushing at her now shortened hair when a knock gently sounded at her door.

“Come in.” She looked up as she saw her father open the door and stand there in front of the doorway. “Daddy,” she smiled then she saw the concerned look on his face. She turned around to face him and then stood up. “What is it? What’s the matter?”

“We need to talk.” He closed the door behind him and walked towards me.

“Oh, um, okay,” Harlyn said and sat back down. Somehow, I knew that I needed to. After I sat back down, I finally asked him, “Is this is about Vali?”

“It is,” he replied. Then he sat down on the foot of my bed as it was closest to her. “Sweetheart, as you know, we’ve recently found that Valene is alive.”

“Yes, that is news but…” I found myself chuckling uneasily. “It’s news that we know. I don’t see why you feel like you have to have a closed off conversation with me about it.”

“Because, sweetheart, what we need to discuss will change things forever for this family.”

“You mean like you bringing a human into the family, and raising her like my sister for like twelve and a half years of our lives.

“Ten years of your life, Harlyn.” My father felt a need to be politically correct. “She’s two years your senior, Harly.”

“Okay,” I said impatiently. “And what is your point, daddy?”

“My point, Harlyn,” he sighed. “Is…well, you do know that your mother was not my true mate. I chose her,” he said. “And she chose me.” After he said this, he seemed to display an expression of guilt. “Maybe that’s why she wasn’t strong enough to fight off her feral nature.”

Daddy, being an alpha of our pack had the rare ability to choose his mate without suffering all of the consequences of going against fate. The problem with such an ability is that this doesn’t go for all alphas. My mother did not have the same ability.

It wasn’t until my father mentioned this that I saw their relationship in a different light. I realized that maybe he was right.

“Okay. So this guilt is what made you adopt Vali all of those years ago. Is that what you want to talk about?”

“I want to talk about the fact that…that night when I went to that orphanage, and adopted Valene…I didn’t know…that she was my biological daughter.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Maybe I didn’t hear him right. “What?! What do you mean your biologic-she was human! She’s-”

“So was her mother,” he said.

“Her moth-” Immediately, I stopped talking to do the math then I realized. “So you’d been cheating on my mother this whole time?” I incredulously hissed.

He shook his head. “Yes, yes, I was unfaithful, and I will not make excuses for what I’ve done-”

“You’re damn right!” I growled. “There is no excuse! How could you!?”

“Harlyn,” my father stood. “I understand that you’re upset, but you will watch your mouth while talking to me.”

I was so angry. I couldn’t-I couldn’t believe him! I couldn’t believe that he’d ask for respect after what he told me he’d done.

“This!” I turned away from him and looked out of the window, and just my luck, she was standing there, casually pacing, her hands behind her back in thought. “You brought her here!?”

“What?” he stood and looked out of the window passed me. “No! No, I-I didn’t even think she’d come here when I offered.”

I glared at my father and then immediately left my room, flitted down to the front of the packhouse. I don’t care if she saved my life and I certainly didn’t even care that I was glad that she was alive.

As I stood outside, her back was faced toward me, her eyes to thesky in thoughts her hands entwined behind her back.

Her aura was completely different from what I remembered. Her hair was lustrous and wild. Significantly longer than what I recalled.

“What are you doing here?

She didn’t speak at first, just stood there in silence for a moment. Then she turned around. Her demeanor was almost grim.

Clad in darkness, she simply smiled. “Harly,” she said, her head tilted to the side. “I guess saying that it is nice to see you too is pointless,” sheleered at me. “Is that any way to speak to the one who saved your life? You know, after that best friend of yours abandoned you to die?” she added coldly.

Instead of dwelling on the truth of her statement, I shifted the subject. “You shouldn’t be here?”

“Is that right?” her brow rose. “You mean as opposed to six-feet under or…just lying somewhere bones and nothing else?”

“N-no! No, that’s not what I mean!” I quipped. “I’d-”

“Ah, I get it, now. I understand,” she cut me off. “You’re upset…but not at me,” she shrugged. “Maybe you are, in part,” she turned away from me. “But you’re definitely projecting the other half of that anger.” she looked at me again, unbothered by how I was feeling.

“Do you think this is funny?!” I snapped at her. “That upending my life is cause for jokes?!” I incredulously snarled.

“Well, I guess that depends,” she said. “Do you see me laughing?” asked Valene.

No, she wasn’t laughing at all. In fact, I could have sworn that I saw a hint of resentment and bitterness lingering in her eyes.

“How long have you known?” I asked.

“Not long,” replied Valene. At least she was being semi-cooperative. “So, believe me, I am just as embittered and resentful as you, little sister.” she confirmed my suspicions of that glint that I saw in her eyes. “Ah, well if it isn’t daddykins,” Valene said mockingly.

“Vale, wha-what are you?”

“What am I doing here?” she scoffed. “You’re the one who told me to come. Or should I have not-”

“No!” daddy quickly interrupted. “No, no! Please!”

Dad rushed toward her and, seeing the spectacle made me even more hurt and I didn’t know why. Or maybe I did and just didn’t want to admit to it.

“Are you…are you going to stay?” he asked her.

Valene glanced at me and then back at him. “Not if I’m not wanted.”

“You are!” he said. “Please, I-” dad sighed. “Valene please don’t leave. Not yet.”

As this took place murmurings started to surface from behind us. I turned around and immediately, pack members started pooling from the house.

My godfather, and Delta Minken were the first to come out, Talon followed shortly behind, Talon’s eyes wide with shock, and then he looked at me.

“Valene?” Beta Toran said and immediately approached with a smile.

Valene who’d been standing in front of my father, glanced at him in a way almost asking for approval to leave his side(I guess some things never change). Then as if thinking better of it, she approached my godfather.

“Hi,” she smiled.

He touched her face, shaking his head. “It really is good to see you again,” he confessed.

“There is admittedly something different about you, though,” Delta Minken sniffed the air. “That scent,” he smirked. “It’s still there…but different.” His brow cocked curiously. “You smell…just like that woman. I wonder is that what a gold blood smells like when they’re turned.”

“I don’t know,” said Valene. “Do you want a taste, Delta?” she asked, taking a step closer. “I’m free now, but I cannot promise that I won’t bite in return.”

“Val!” My father exclaimed. I was so shocked at hercandor that I was rendered speechless.

She turned away from the Delta and approached dad again. “I…will stay for a few days, but I cannot stay here.”

“Why?” asked my father. Or…I guess…our father?

Valene’s expression changed. “I smell her…I’m not ready to be near mom. Not right now.”

“Honey, she’s not staying here,” said my father and for some reason that was when it finally clicked; the reason behind his story about he and my mother, the mention of a true mate.

“That woman! She…she’s-is she your true mate?!” I asked.

Instead of answering, my father looked at me, and his gaze fell to the ground in slight shame. Valene didn’t seem to understand why this was.

“You betray her with this woman and then you have the gall to bring her around?! In our packhouse! Our home?! What is-”

“Wait a minute,” Valene interceded. “I’ll be the first to admit that the woman has some work to do as a mother,” she stood in front of my father as if defending him. Of course, she would! “But you…”

“Of course, I should believe anything that you say!” Now it was my turn to cut her off. “You’re here because of his betrayal!”

“Ah, so your mother was a saint, then?” she asked. I didn’t respond. “Did dad, tell you about the reason why he cheated? Are you…are you sure you want to open that can of worms, little sister?”

“Little sister?” I heard murmuring from behind. I couldn’t help but self-consciously glance back before returning my gaze to her.

Valene seemed to notice the insecurity of all of our dirty laundry being placed out for the pack to hear. She smirked.

“No, you don’t.” she finally spoke, rolling her eyes with a bitter amusement. “Remind me to tell you the truth about your mother later,” she whispered. She then looked at my father. “On second thought, I’ll stay somewhere else.”

“No,” my father stopped her. I couldn’t see the desperation playing in his eyes but I could hear it. “Your mother is at the house. Why don’t you just stay here. I’ve gotten a room made for you already, just in case you decided to come back. And-and you don’t have to stay, Val, you don’t but…but please just…just stay for a few days. I’m…I’m only asking for a few days.”

As I said before, nothing seemed to change. She relented and sighed. “I will stay…but just for a few days.” she looked at me. “If that is alright with you.”

I clenched my jaw, and rorlled my eyes. When my father looked at me and I saw the hopelessness in his eyes, regardless of how are mad I was at him, I couldn’t say no, either.

“Make sure her room is far away from mine.” I walked away from her.

“Don’t worry, little sis,” she said as I walked away from her. “You won’t even know I’m here.”

I scoffed, pushing passed everyone else to go back to my room. I needed time away from everything. “And somehow, I highly doubt that.”

Vale:

After the tension-filled confrontation outside, I watched as Harlyn walked away. “Well, that went as well as I thought it would,” I said. “It’s really worked up an appetite.”

“Vale,” my father said to me as I walked away from him to think about where I’d find some food. I knew that he was concerned about the mention of food considering my recent history with unbiased feeding.

“Oh, calm down, dad.” I rolled my eyes. “I’m in the mood for sweets at the moment. I need a peach cobbler or something.” I looked at him with a smirk. “You wouldn’t happen to have any on hand, would you?” I teased.

“Vale, we need to talk about what you’ve been doing since your…return.” I knew that this conversation would come sooner rather than later.

“The old woman hasn’t told you?” I asked bitterly.

“She…hasn’t told me nearly as much I’m sure I’m missing. For instance, why it seems that hoards of beasts, ferals, and rogues come in when you are around.”

I scoffed. “You sure you want me to stay, considering the circumstances?” I asked.

“You know that I want you to stay, Val. I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t. It still doesn’t change the fact that our people are in danger.”

“Well, I’m sure she’ll tell you soon,” I replied. “She knows far more about this than I do. What I will tell you, is that you’ll definitely need your head of clans to be present. It’ll probably affect them as well. Especially, if you expect me to stay here.”

“I’m starting to wonder if that’s a good idea then. Keeping someone as flighty as you around.”

When I heard the deep resonance of that accented voice, my body ignited and something within me electrified. Something within me called out to him. Mate!

No! It couldn’t..I turned around, and saw the look on his face. A look that did not mirror mine, but one that I knew felt what I had, and heard the call that I’d heard.

“Ares,” I murmured, staring at him as I tried swallowing the knot in my throat that seemed to refuse to go down.

“Hello again, pequinina.”