Page 6

I know when Leera reaches the kitchen because a happy little squeal echoes throughout the entire house, making me chuckle to myself. I turn the final corner into the main area of our home and sigh with resignation at the information I'm going to learn. The sigh turns into more of a “whoof" sound—not the wolf kind, but the kind when someone surprises you and nearly knocks the wind out of you—because my sweet little mate has barreled into me for a hug.

“Thank you for the coffee and flowers; you really didn't have to do that,” she finishes by pulling on my shirt until I've leaned over enough that she thanks me with a kiss that makes me want to throw her over my shoulder and say to hell with all this. When she finally pulls herself from our kiss, her eyes are dazed, and she mutters a breathy, “Thank you, Roman,” before returning to her coffee.

I had asked Benny to run and get everyone some coffee but to make sure to get Leera's favorite and some flowers because her last batch had died while we were gone. “Don't I get a hug for getting everything?” Benny teases.

I growl.

Leera giggles.

Slate shakes his head from his perch at the island while keeping his focus on his laptop.

Andrei's clearly still trying to wake up as his coffee cup clings to his mouth, sipping on it as if it’s his only hope to stay awake. Khaos saunters into the room, hugging Leera on his way in like he needs to channel some of her sunshine to get through the day.

My sister—Runa—follows closely behind him. I make a conscious effort to not look like an ass when she glances at me, relaxing my forehead where Leera likes to smooth.

The twins are the last ones in the room, and come hell or high water, I will find out what the fuck is up with them after all of this…by any means necessary.

“I br—" Benny begins, but I cut him off.

“I had Benny get coffee if you want some; there are sweet and darker options. You can have as much as you like.” I gesture towards the obnoxious amount of Cool Beans Coffee cups all over the kitchen counter with Leera's sunflower bouquet.

Runa nods and says a quiet ‘thank you’ as she gravitates towards the sweeter coffee options. I catalog that tidbit of information for later as I move towards the giant couch in the living room area. We could all easily fit at the dining room table, but I don't want this to feel like a board meeting or interrogation. I'll save that for the twins. For what we have to discuss, I want us all to be as comfortable as possible.

I sink into the seat on the furthest left side of the couch by the floor-to-ceiling windows. I'm sipping on my coffee when Leera makes it to the couch and moves to sit beside me. I quickly set my coffee down on the sofa table and capture her by the hip, pulling her onto my lap. She squeals but settles in to make herself comfortable. “I need to hold on to you to get through this,” I whisper into her hair with my head in the crook of her neck.

She wraps her arm around my head and kisses the side of it, letting me hold onto her as everyone else joins us in the living room.

When my sister makes eye contact with me, I nod and try to smile, “Whenever you're ready,” I encourage her.

I'm not ready, but I have to be. I have to know how she exists and why she hid from me for so long.

“Okay, so…I suppose it’s best to start at the beginning,” Runa begins, wringing her hands in her lap.

“Take all the time you need.” Leera smiles at her warmly and encouragingly while the rest of us nod in agreement.

Runa nods, more to herself than anything, and takes a deep breath, gathering herself for what she’s about to tell me. For what she's about to tell all of us. “Before I begin, I think it would take a lot of the weight off of my shoulders if I know how you feel about your father.”

“Isn’t he our father?” I challenge and arch my right eyebrow, testing her reaction to him, and allow myself to smile when she snaps back.

“No, he isn’t. His DNA gave me life, but that vile creature is no father of mine. I won’t tell you anything else until you tell me how you feel about him.” She crosses her arms over her chest and raises her right eyebrow in response, and dammit if that move doesn’t create a small fissure in my heart, as if to make room for her.

My smile morphs into a low laugh. “Then we already have something to agree on. Please continue.”

She sighs as if in relief and looks stronger when she begins again, “Well, that man is a monster. You are not their firstborn child. And we are not the only children they conceived.”

She must notice I’m about to interrupt her, so she raises her hand, “I know, and I will tell you everything. It’s just…It’s heavy, and I haven’t ever said any of this out loud.”

Leera starts rubbing soothing circles on the back of my neck and whispers, “I know this is a lot for both of you, but try to let her get through it, Big Guy,” she finishes her thought with a kiss to my temple.

“Also, please remember that all of this was told to me, so there are some details that I may not have or might get slightly wrong…So anyways. Apparently, when they were young, Avram and Boian went to Sabbax and found a dark witch to grant them their prophecies.” A gasp sounds from Matilda at the kitchen island. She's resting on her elbows while sipping on one of the sweet coffees.

Leera looks around in confusion, and when no one explains, she asks, “Why did Miss Tilly gasp? I mean, it definitely doesn’t sound good, but we’ve talked about the dark witches before without anyone gasping.”

Andrei speaks up to fill her in, “Witches created a law a couple centuries ago that forbids them from casting spells to provide prophecies.”

“Why?”

“Because they make people crazy,” Benny pipes in and continues, “They obsess over the words, constantly trying to figure them out. If the vision of the future is clear, they lose their minds trying to make sure it does or doesn't come true.”

Leera nods, taking in all the new information. “So…India was telling the truth?” she asks the room.

“It would seem so, sweetheart,” I soothe because I feel her sadness begin to rise. “Do you know the prophecy?” I ask my sister, but she’s already shaking her head.

“I’m sorry, no, just that whatever it is made him decide that he refused to have daughters…” she trails off again and looks to be gathering herself. “In the beginning, when Mother became with child their first time, he used the excuse that he would not have a daughter for an eldest child. She obviously became overwhelmed with fear and sadness because her instincts told her the pup was, in fact, a girl.” She stops speaking, eyes on her lap, and chances a look around the room and glances at my men, and I can barely contain my rage.

Leera shoves off my lap and sits between us. “They’re not mad at you; just keep going.”

“When Mother gave birth, he refused to be with her, so she only had the healer with her. But this wasn’t one of the King and Queen’s healers that would normally tend to her. This was one paid by Avram to do exactly as he instructed.” She takes a deep breath, and I brace myself. “His instruction was that only a male heir was to survive the birth,” she whispers sadly, voice shaking.

A collective group of curse words is fired around the room, and the anger from everyone is palpable. I’m shaking with rage, but I need to hear it all. “Please, continue,” is all I can get out between my clenched teeth.

“So…when our oldest sister was born, Mother was allowed five minutes with her before she was taken from her, and he had the baby killed. Mother carried another daughter for her second pregnancy, three years later. You were her third attempt at bearing an heir for Avram. She was so ecstatic when you were born, and she was allowed to keep you. She refused a nanny and never let you out of her sight, always in fear that he would change his mind and take you from her.”

I hadn’t realized I’d begun to shed tears while Runa spoke until Leera accepted a box of tissues from Matilda and handed me the box after taking two for herself. I kept my mouth shut, allowing her to continue her painful monologue.

“She was also happy to have you as an only child, but Avram wanted more children and demanded she be a ‘good mate’ and ‘do her duty.’ He was an awful, vile mate and never deserved to be blessed by the goddess. What he didn’t tell her was that he didn’t want more children; he wanted more sons. When she became with child again, he wasn’t happy with her. He acted as though he didn’t care at all, and when she pressed him, he finally admitted that he would never accept a female heir. It destroyed her. To be told she would never be allowed to raise a daughter, and any she conceived wouldn’t be allowed to live. She fell into a deep depression. He continued to berate her, and you continued to grow. You were everything to her,” she chokes but waves her hand as to say, “I’m okay, give me a minute.”

“She was forced to give up two daughters after you and began avoiding pregnancies at all cost, but he had forbidden the healers from giving her a tonic—”

“I’m sorry, what’s a tonic?” my sweet little mate asks with a sniffle.

I answer gently, “It’s what humans call birth control. It prevents pregnancy.”

Leera nods and climbs back into my lap, holding onto me tightly.

“When you were, I think it was twelve years old, she got pregnant with me. As soon as she was aware, she finally confided in the queen what had been happening. The queen was her best friend, but they kept their friendship as private as they could because of him. The queen was appalled and ordered that her most trusted healer attend to her. They made up a story that she had fainted and taken a fall and needed round-the-clock care and ordered that only this healer was allowed to care for her. Avram was furious but settled when he began to test the healer, and she had gained his trust under the direction of the queen. When he was confident that he would get his way, he approached the healer with the same proposition as the old one…I’m gonna grab another coffee if that’s okay?” She pauses as she rises to her feet.

“I think we could all use a break,” I suggest as I rise myself. I don’t want coffee, though; I’m headed to my office for my Zabellan whiskey that I keep on hand for when I need it. I don’t have to go that far, though. Our sweet Matilda has already gotten it out for me and laid glasses and ice on the counter.

She smiles sweetly at me and opens her arms wide. I’m a few steps from her and actually in need of one of her hugs when Benny dashes in front of me and into her arms, stealing my hug. I growl, and the bastard gloats about it, but Matilda is too sweet to turn anyone away, so she finishes hugging him and calls me over.

“Come here, dear,” she coos in that only-her voice, “I know it’s a lot, but you’re doing great. Keep listening. She needs to get this poisonous secret off her heart as much as you need to hear it.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She pours me only 2 fingers of whiskey over a large cylindrical ice cube.

Come get some whiskey if you want it before I have her put it away. Someone tell Khaos, I tell my men. They each take a small glass and head back to the living room.

“I wasn’t sure if you drank but you’re welcome to have a glass of whiskey if you want also,” I offer to Runa.

She shakes her head and responds, “Ha, no thanks, alcohol makes me more emotional.” But she says it with a small smile, so I smile back.

When we’re all settled back into our relative seats, Runa remains standing and begins pacing, “It helps me get my nervous energy out if I can move while I talk, please, just bear with me…where was I…oh, yeah, okay, so, he offered the healer the same proposition. A large sum of money in return for getting rid of the baby. She accepted the money and set it aside. When I was born, I was the first daughter that Mother had ever named because she couldn’t bring herself to name the ones that would be sent back to the Goddess. She named me and spent ten minutes with me. The healer lied and told him there were complications from delivery that required additional care before she could take care of me. She then sedated me and got me out of the house and didn’t stop running with me until she’d left Zabella. Once she got to the human realms, she paid for a lone werewolf family to care for me until I matured and could find my own way. They were kind and took amazing care of me, but there was no love. When the healer came back when I was of age and ready to head out on my own, she told me everything. Including that Mother didn’t kill herself or die of sickness…he fucking killed her because she refused to bear anymore children for him—”

The growl that’s ripped from my body is all my wolf. He’s threatening to rip through my skin without warning. All I can see is red. All I can feel is blind rage.

Not only did this worthless creature kill my first mate and unborn child, but he murdered my mother because she refused to watch any more of her children die, and then he kidnapped Leera and would have killed her if we didn’t find her.

“It’s okay, Roman, let it out. We can take a break and go for a run?” Leera suggests calmly with tears in her eyes, but all I can do is nod before my wolf surges through my skin, shredding my clothes, and toppling over our large couch, thankful everyone was able to hop off in time.

“I’m here.” Leera places her hand on my head and just holds it there while I focus on my breathing. “Okay, Big Guy, let’s go run.”

She dashes into the kitchen, crouching behind the cabinets, and I realize she’s taking her clothes off so they’re not shredded like mine. A moment later her beautiful silver wolf emerges and rushes back towards me. She nuzzles beneath my chin, rubbing her body against mine, then away from me, looking back over her shoulder and ticking her head for me to follow her.