Chapter 70: Chapter 8

HALEY

Summer passes and school starts again. While at school, Glory and I are inseparable, except for the two classes we don’t have together.

Once we get home, we separate and do our own thing. I’m usually “meditating” or training, and Glory is designing random things. She even convinced Uncle Ryan to let her redecorate the family room.

I start having more visions of future pairings, and I begin to hear random linked conversations. Those I keep to myself. I see Glory’s mate and Natalie’s again.

I’m not surprised to see she’s mated to Damon. It’s only fitting that she would be paired with an alpha. Her power astounds me.

She’s in a lot of my visions and I see her palms glowing different colors. I still don’t know what she is until I see a vision of the Starlight Sister falling. It’s the same vision I had before, but when the glow clears away, I realize immediately that she’s Natalie’s mother.

They look so much alike, I don’t know how I missed it before. Not all of my visions are good. I’ve seen some horrific things that Alpha Roberts and others have done.

Uncle Ryan usually wakes me from those ones because he feels my despair or hears me scream.

“Haley, I’m thinking I should take you to the Oracle. Maybe she can help with all of your nightmares.”

“I’m all right, Uncle Ryan. They’re just bad dreams.”

“Do you want to talk about them?”

I let out a breath, ready to tell him, but then change my mind. Would he understand or would he see me as a freak? “I think I can handle it. Thank you though.”

Uncle Ryan looks doubtful but eventually nods. He kisses my head then leaves me to get back to sleep. The Oracle? Is that the wrinkled woman that spoke to me so long ago?

~I’m not that wrinkled, child.~ I gasp at the deep rough voice.

~Who are you?~ I link no one at all.

~You know that answer. Seek the fallen star.~

~The fallen star?…~ I wait, but there’s no reply. I rub my eyes with the heels of my hands. The Oracle just knows things.

Is that what I am, an Oracle?

~Not yet.~

~Are you going to disappear on me again?…~ No response. I guess so. I reach for my phone and it’s almost four a.m.

I put my phone back not wanting to wake Virgil. I close my eyes and picture Virgil, but once I reach a certain point in his life, his future never shows up. I hope that doesn’t mean he dies, that would be gut-wrenching.

Jason pops into my mind instead. He’s driving to the camp to deliver supplies. Martha hugs him and they pass the supplies around.

Martha occupies my visions as she protects the people on multiple occasions. The winter comes and more guards are watching over them. A few of the she-wolves find mates in the guards.

The camp becomes smaller, but the remaining stay by choice. I guess they seem to be doing all right.

The days begin to get colder and winter approaches. We celebrate Alpha Redd’s twenty-fifth birthday at his pack house. I run into Virgil a few times at school and he fills me in on things happening at the camp and with the rest of the strays.

They tend to avoid us, just like they did while we lived at the camp. We’re civil, but they still think of us as troublemakers. I can’t imagine why.

It’s the last day of school before the winter break. Glory and I switch places for the day because she freaked out about an English test. We’re in different English classes this year since I do so well and she still struggles.

Natalie cocks her brow when I sit beside her, apparently she still struggles too. “What are you doing in this class?” She whispers to me.

“I’m always in this class.” I whisper back.

“I’m not stupid, Haley. I can tell you apart.” Wow, she’s one of maybe a handful. Kenneth still struggles, Edgar has no clue.

Blaine and Uncle Ryan are the only ones. Louisa can most of the time… Alpha Redd did, but we were together. Virgil can, every time.

I blink away my thoughts and answer Natalie. “I’m helping out my sister.” The teacher passes out the test and Natalie just shakes her head.

After class is over she pulls me aside. “Don’t pull this stunt again or I will call you out. It’s not fair to us that are trying to learn.”

“I had to, Glory was in tears. She knows the stuff, but she has a hard time with tests. That’s all.” Natalie cocks her brow.

“Fine, it won’t happen again. Have fun this winter.” I tell her then head to the cafeteria. I know she’s in for a rocky few weeks.

Glory’s leg is bouncing as she waits for me at the lunch table. She stands up when she sees me, but she knocks the tray beside her sending some of the open pudding flying to the next table, nearly hitting a girl.

I grab Glory and pull her out of there before something bad happens. “We can’t switch again. Natalie knew. She didn’t say anything to the teacher, but she will if we switch again.”

Glory bites her lip in frustration. “This is so hard! I hate that class. It doesn’t make any sense to me.”

“It does, you just doubt yourself. Come on, I need something to eat.” We look for the girl that almost got hit by the pudding, but she’s gone so we grab some sandwiches and find a corner to hide in.

RYAN

“Kenneth, please keep an eye on the girls, especially Haley. Let me know if anything happens.”

“You know I’ll watch over them. Besides, Louisa and Edgar are there.”

“I know and I’ve already told them the same thing. I just worry about Haley. I know something is going on with her, but she won’t say anything to anyone. I’ll be back late.”

I throw my bag into my truck then stop to pick up Xavier. We’re allowed one guard and only an idiot would bring their beta, leaving their pack defenseless. Xavier is the next strongest and next best fighter.

We arrive at the hotel then stretch our legs and grab our bags. It’s only a one-day deal, but the dinner is formal. We get to our room and clean up a bit.

I grab a beer and chat with Alpha Blackburn. He’s a good guy and we’ve worked together in the past. His territory borders mine on the east.

Declan strolls in with the new alpha right behind him. “Ryan, Deke, this is Damon Ramirez. He took over the Roberts pack this past spring. I vouch for him.”

My eyebrows shoot up to my hairline. It’s not often an alpha will vouch for another. That is the utmost trust you can have when it comes to another alpha.

“Damon. It’s good to meet you. My nieces speak highly of you,” I say, extending my arm for him to grasp.

“Good to meet you. I’m sorry, your nieces are?” He seems calm and intelligent.

“The twins. Haley and Glory.”

Realization crosses his face. “Right, I remember them. My sister taught them to braid hair when we were younger. They were always really sweet.”

“Thank you.”

Declan chats up Deke then grabs our attention. “I wondered if the Ramirez pack could be included in our alliance. Damon is still young and other alphas may want to exploit that.

“Damon chose Finn Archer from my pack to be his beta and just today Freya found her mate in…his guard over there.”

Deke and I chuckle slightly, knowing how bad Declan is with names. “Whatever, you get my point. Damon is not like that fucker Roberts. He needs us and he is honest and strong. He’ll be there if any one of us need him.”

I look the kid over as he holds his head high. “I trust Declan, but more importantly, I trust my nieces. I’m in,” I say, extending my arm to solidify our pact. Damon takes my arm in a surprisingly firm grip.

Deke looks the kid over too. “You cross me once and you lose my trust forever.”

“Understood,” the kid replies. Deke extends his arm and Damon accepts it.

“When is your birthday? We’ll come celebrate with you,” Deke asks him as we make our way to the table.

“Uh, it’s August twenty-seventh, but it’s no big deal.”

“It’s customary. We’ll attend their birthdays as well, along with our families. It’s just something the three, now four of us do,” Declan fills him in and we all take our seats.

The Oracle looks around the table at each of us in turn before speaking in her gravelly voice. “My dear alphas. Alpha Redd has had an eventful year. Not only has he found his mate, but he has made an important discovery regarding family links. Alpha Redd, please stand and explain.”

She nods to Dec who stands up and explains about the family line. I look at my thumb and I’m excited to put this information to use.

As always, the Oracle asks anyone to share new information.

~Your niece is a novelty. Tell no one about her.~

~You know what she is?~

~Of course, young alpha. She needs to figure things out for herself. Give her time and be there for her. She will come to you when she’s ready.~

The Oracle looks toward our end of the table. I’m beside Declan and Deke. “Alpha Redd, Alpha Weston, and Alpha Ramirez have information to share. Alpha Weston, please tell us about your nieces.”

~I thought you said not to tell anyone?~

~I mean only of where they were living.~

I rise to my feet. “My nieces are fourteen. For almost five years, they were missing until they showed up one day at Alpha Redd’s territory. Fortunately, he informed me that he had them and we were reunited. My nieces were living in a rogue camp until that point.”

I take my seat and the Oracle nods to Declan.

Declan stands. “This camp consists of only she-wolves, human females, and pups.” The table starts getting rowdy. I look to Alpha Grey whose lip ticks upward. He’s always looking for easy prey.

~What did we just cause by sharing this news? You’ve put all those lives in danger!~

~Unfortunately, it is what fate has decided.~

“I collected some of the pups and brought them to my pack house. I have been giving them supplies. I’ve tried to get them to go to the surrounding packs, but they refuse,” Declan finishes, then sits.

Damon stands up, showing no signs of weakness. “One of the strays, that’s their nickname for their group, told me a story about the first alpha rogue. He had a daughter, but the packs refused to follow her and split into packs of their own, choosing the strongest to be the leader.

“The rogues at the camp await the return of the true alpha heir.”

Well, that’s interesting news. It’s the same thing Haley was trying to tell me about the alpha heir.

~Share this information with her when the time is right,~ the Oracle tells me and I give her a nod. The meeting is concluded then Xavier and I return to our room to dress for dinner. I find Declan and discuss adding more guards to the camp.

“Did you see Grey when you spoke about the women? He was so giddy he couldn’t hold back his smile.”

“That sick fucker. He’s worse than Roberts was. It wouldn’t surprise me if he personally tries to get to them. I’m training up the pups that came from the camp. They’re young, but willing.

“Damon is going to send some over too, but without a proper link, we will have to trade off nights.”

“Let’s do weekly shifts. You have your guys there now. I’ll take next week. Is Damon’s pack ready to handle it?”

Declan shakes his head. “Probably not. Roberts kept them ignorant when it came to training. Finn and his dad are working with them, but they’re still pretty green.”

“All right, we’ll trade off. Sunday to Saturday sound good?” I suggest.

“I’m good with that.” We grasp arms and seal the deal.