“I am.” This was the point in the conversation where Adalyn held her breath. She’d heard stories of her aunt’s powers from her grandmother.
“Why have you come? Did Mariska send you?”
If Adalyn hoped to get on her aunt’s good side, she’d be smart to answer her honestly. “It is true that my mother sent me to take over the pack.”
A series of gasps sounded through the room.
Adalyn met Rafe’s hard stare with her own. “However—that is not what I want. Nor do I have any intention of even trying. As far as I’m concerned, my brother is the rightful heir and leader of the Black Paw Pack.”
“And what exactly was it that you’d hoped to gain by coming hereifyou have no intention of obeying your mother’s commands?” Brenna’s face betrayed no emotion—none whatsoever.
If Adalyn had hoped to gain any insight into her aunt, she was going to have to give a little more in the Q&A session they had her in.
“I’d hoped to find a home. One that will allow me to be me. A home where I don’t have to hide my dual nature—or be cursed for it. I’d figured if the pack could accept you,maybethey would accept me.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Adalyn caught the sight of the door slowly sliding open.
“Mom, I can’t imagine why you would want to be in here right now,” Rafe said to Grace.
“You’re right, son. I don’t, but I need to be here. As much as it hurts to think about your father or the fact that he could have fathered a child outside of our relationship—I know she speaks the truth. I’ve never told you the story of how I’d met your father.”
Adalyn had been stunned to hear Rafe’s mother stick up for her.
“Mom! You can’t possibly believe her. She’s given us no reason to trust a word she says.”
It seemed that Rafe was just as stunned as Adalyn by Grace’s presence—and not in a good way.
“Rafe—my only child—listen to your wolf. He will tell you all you need to know. As much as we may want to deny it—this girl is your sister.”
“Mom—” Rafe tried to protest, but Grace wouldn’t have it.
“I met your father under very unusual circumstances.”
“What do you mean?” Adalyn and Rafe asked in unison.
Grace slowly walked farther into the room to stand between Rafe and Adalyn. “I had just left my home after a vision of sorts told me where I needed to be. Where I’d find my mate. Anyway… after setting off, I came across a handsome man—naked and alone in the woods. At first, I thought him to be nothing more than a human who had lost his way.”
“Why did you never tell me this story?” Rafe interrupted.
“Patience, son,” Grace reminded Rafe to use his manners.
“Sorry, continue.”
“The man looked as if he were in a stupor, staring off into the distance, perhaps waiting for something or someone to return. When I was finally able to capture his attention, he suddenly snapped out of whatever fog he’d been in. I’ll never forget the swirling majik that had arisen from your father. The very second his mind cleared of the majik, my wolf recognized Bjorn as her mate.”
“So—he had been bespelled?” Adalyn asked, not sure if she liked the story Grace told. Though, if she were honest with herself—yeah, it’s something her mother would have easily done.
Grace turned to look at Adalyn. “It’s amazing, you have your father’s eyes.”
“I—I do?” Shocked by Grace’s revelation, Adalyn could only wipe away the tears that had begun to flow.
“You do.” Grace sucked in a steadying breath before continuing. “Bjorn couldn’t tell me what had happened because he didn’t know. Even through our mating connection, I couldn’t access those memories. It was like a giant void—nothing but blackness in the place where those memories should reside. Your father and I had pretty much given up any hope of figuring out what had happened. Until we were out for a run one day. We came upon a woman I believe must have been your mother. I could smell her majik. It had the same smell as the majik that had surrounded Bjorn when I found him all those months ago in the woods. The woman was enraged, demanding to know how we’d broken her spell.”
Adalyn gasped.
“I, of course, had no idea what she was talking about. Up until that point in my life, I’d only ever heard of witches. I had never been around one and wasn’t sure if they’d truly even existed. Only when she shot a fireball at us did I really get a good look at her. Enough of a look to see that she was very pregnant at the time.”
“What happened next?” Rafe asked, his voice sad—resigned.
“The woman disappeared.”
“That can’t be the end of it. I know my mother. She wouldn’t have let that go.”
A sad look passed over Grace’s face. “She didn’t bother us again until years later.”
“Until Black Paw was attacked by a coven of witches.” Lucas stepped forward.
“Yes,” Grace agreed. “She found Bjorn and me fighting side by side. A few of her followers kept me distracted with spells and fireballs. The next thing I knew, she hit Bjorn with a glowing mass of energy. She walked slowly to him, all the while keeping him suspended in midair and asked him if he thought she would just sit on her hands and allow him to make a fool of her. The energy flashed and Bjorn disappeared. Never to be seen again.”
