Chapter 136: Chapter 30

COLE

Dara is quiet this morning.

“Is everything all right?” I ask her.

I’m holding her hand as I drive to the Castleton Pack. This is one pack I don’t want to bring Lexi to. There’s too much of her mom’s past that she doesn’t need to see.

Dara looks at me. “I am fine, Colton. Are you well?”

“I’m glad you’re here with me. You’re quiet today, what’s on your mind?”

She lets go of my hand to fidget with a hair elastic. “I was thinking about us. Mother created you for me before Alexis was born. How do you think I would have been given a wolf without Alexis?”

“You think the Goddess had a plan?” I ask, trying to follow her train of thought.

“Mother is omnificent. I suppose she had a plan in place.”

“Then why make me choose? Why even involve Alexis?”

“I do not know.”

Her reply is the last of her words. She turns to watch the scenery until we pull into the Castleton territory.

Emily bursts out the door of the pack house as soon as we pull in. Her mate, Beta Christopher, is directly behind her.

“Cole, Auntie Dara. You have great timing. We’re on our way to the hospital. Loni is having the pup.”

We all saddle up, and I follow their truck to the hospital. Dara and Emily rush to the luna’s room while Christopher lags behind with me.

“It’s been a while, Cole. What brings you by?”

“I need to check out the guys in the dungeon.”

“Oh, right. Emily told me about your new job. Does your forehead really glow?” he asks as he stares at my forehead.

He’s the perfect height to do it. Christopher is a good guy. He would have to be to be paired up with a Starlight Sister’s granddaughter.

He and Max are twenty-four. Christopher met Emily at the last mate’s ball. They’ve only been together just over a month, but I’ve known Christopher since we were pups.

We would meet at the Summits. I would also accompany my dad to this pack, along with several other packs. Grey poisoned this pack so badly that even Geoff and Freya had trouble with some of the wolves.

Freya had no problem putting the males in their place.

“I know their cells are pretty full.”

“Yeah, it does. Since Max is busy, would you mind taking me? I want to get this over with as soon as possible.”

Christopher links his alpha. “Max and Geoff both want to be there. We have thirty-six prisoners. Some are from Grey days, others are their offspring. I’ll set you and Dara up at the pack house. You’re going to need your strength after going through this group.”

I’m reluctant, but I understand Alpha Max wanting to be in the prison with me. I don’t know how tired I will be afterward. I’ve never had a group this large to sort through.

“Thanks, Christopher.”

He nods and we find chairs in the waiting area. Emily, Dara, and Freya are all able to heal so this delivery should be pretty quick.

“How long has she been in labor?”

“About three hours. Alana and Chase are on their way too. I should probably go wait for them.”

“You want a tag-along? I’m shit in the delivering pups department,” I offer truthfully.

We stand and he pats my shoulder. “Yeah, let’s go. You’ll be fine when you have your own pups. Emily said you found your mate.”

He tells me as he leads me to the trucks. We both hop into mine and I drive back to the pack house.

“Did she tell you I have two?”

“What?” Christopher’s brows scrunch in confusion.

“I guess Aunt Realta didn’t share the news. Yeah, I have to choose between them. The longer I wait the harder it gets.”

“Is there one you favor more?”

“I’m trying to get to know them both, to be fair.”

“Why? When I met Emily, my wolf was screaming for me to grab her and bring her home like some caveman. She was my everything. Every day I love her more and more. I can’t imagine both of them get your wolf going nuts.”

“I don’t know. One is a Starlight Sister and the other is practically human. There’s not much for my wolf to connect with,” I tell him as we plop into the rocking chairs on the porch of the pack house.

He hums. “That doesn’t sound like a mate bond to me. Not saying I doubt you, but maybe you should let your wolf have more of a say.”

“I guess.”

I reach deep into my wolf and let him feel for a while, trying to discern if he favors one over the other, but all he cares about is having his mate. I scrub a hand over my face with a grunt. He’s no help at all.

Chase and Alana pull in, and we all head back to the hospital.

LEXI

Goddess, I hate hospitals. The smell hurts my nose, and they’re always a maze. The volunteer at the front desk told me where to go, so hopefully, I can find the right corridor.

Ah, finally a sign pointing me in the right direction. Goddess, I’m so nervous. I haven’t seen my mom since I left for college, and our parting wasn’t on the best of terms.

She always treated Ethan like a monster. I guess I understand why, but at the time, neither of us knew how bad it was for her. Honestly, we still don’t.

The familiar scents of both mom and Wyatt hit my nose, and I stop in my tracks. If I can smell him, I have no doubt he can smell me.

I haven’t been in the same room with my dad since I was nine, well, not knowingly. He and mom had a fight, and he never came back around. It was just after Ethan was really sick with a horrible fever, and mom locked him in his room.

Oh Goddess, that must’ve been the time he changed into a wolf. Mom freaked out and got me away from him as soon as she could. I felt bad leaving him knowing he was sick, but mom was freaking out.

I close my eyes and shake my head. Mom. If only I knew then what I know now…

I take a deep breath, then step closer to her room. The door is open, and dad is in the chair with his head in his hands. He doesn’t say anything or even move as I step inside her room. I know he knows I’m here.

I swallow my nerves and walk closer to the bed. “How is she… Dad?”

He inhales a breath, then relaxes subtly. I guess I’m not the only one that’s nervous here.

“She’s only asleep right now, but you should know. She’s dying, princess. It could be a week or even days now. I feel her wolf slipping farther and farther away.”

“Why is she so sick? Aren’t wolves supposed to be super healthy?” I ask, timidly touching her hand. She looks elderly, but she’s about Haley’s age, and Haley looks almost as young as me.

“The Oracle didn’t tell you?” Dad lets out a breath. “She’s doing this to herself by denying her wolf. We’re monsters to her. She doesn’t want to be part of that.”

“Haley did tell me that she had a bad childhood. I don’t blame mom for being afraid.”

“I don’t either. I blame myself for not being strong enough to keep her nightmares away.”

My head snaps to my dad. He has tears in his eyes and looks like he hasn’t slept in days.

“It’s not your fault, dad.”

I sniffle, then say what I hope he needs to hear. “You did the best you could by her. I know what you did for us, you were always there. Haley showed me. I’m so sorry I blamed you. I never knew.”

My dad’s face is red and he’s wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt. “I’m so sorry, princess.”

“Dad. What happens to a wolf when they lose their mate? This is all so new to me, but Cole said they’re two halves to one soul.”

Dad sniffs, then nods. “That’s right. Our souls are connected. Most of the time, if one goes, they both go.”

“Are you going to die too? That can’t be right, I just learned the truth. I don’t know anything about you.” I choke out that last part. I feel like I’m getting cheated out of the chance to finally get to know the man that’s always watched over me.

Dad gets to his feet and tentatively touches my shoulder. “I said most of the time. Your mother is my mate, but we’ve been estranged for a really long time. I know it’s going to hurt, but I don’t plan on following her. It’s okay, princess. We have time, if you want it.”

I nod like a bobble head doll. “I do,” I say as I fall into his chest. His familiar scent washes over me, bringing me more comfort than I thought possible.

He slowly, awkwardly wraps his arms around me, and I inhale more of his scent.

He pulls back at arm’s length and nods. “I’ll get through it. It’s going to be really hard, but I think I can do it.”

He looks back to my mom. “She’ll be waking up for lunch in an hour or so. She’ll want to see you.”

“Does she know we’re here?” I ask as I take the seat Dad offers me. He pulls another chair closer to me to sit in.

“I’ve been here every day since the Oracle told me Danielle is here. I gotta say, that was a shock to hear the Oracle link me. I’m used to my dad and my little brother, but it still made me drop my tools.”

“You have a link with your brother? Is that normal?” I ask him.

He gives me a soft kind of a smile. “My brother is the alpha of our pack.”

I scrunch my brow. “Isn’t the alpha the firstborn male?” At least that would make sense to me.

“Yes, princess, but I gave up my title when I met your mother. She needed me more than the pack did. My dad wasn’t happy, but he understood. My brother stepped up and took charge.”

I feel my mouth hanging open, but I can’t seem to close it. “You’re an alpha?”

He shakes his head. “I was going to be one. I’m not. But you and your brother have alpha running through your veins. Ethan is a strong wolf, and you are the mate of the second most powerful alpha. You think just any wolf would be mated to the Alpha Prince? Your wolf is special, princess.”

I shake my head. “I don’t really have a wolf… well, I do, but she’s asleep, I guess?” Come to think of it, if I lose my wolf, she goes to a Starlight Sister. She would have to be special, wouldn’t she?

“I’m not sure what your mom did, other than meeting the Earth Goddess, Gaia. That was my breaking point. I couldn’t face her after what she did to you. It wasn’t fair to take your wolf away. I cursed the Earth Goddess when I found out. I fell into a ravine because of it, but I was strong enough to get back out.” He says this with a small chuckle, like it’s some kind of a joke.

“That’s not funny, Dad,” I tell him in all seriousness.

“You’re right, it’s not. I learned my lesson not to curse a Goddess, though. They think they’re right no matter what,” he says with a wink and a half smile.

I shake my head and puff out a small laugh. Who is this man? I’m happy I get to know him eventually. I’ve met a Starlight Sister and that was intimidating. I couldn’t imagine meeting a Goddess, let alone getting on their bad side.