My head was killing me.
My head was killing me and frankly, I felt like pounded hamburger meat.
I felt like I had taken one too many shots of tequila then chased it with a few shots of Fireball.
Sitting up in tall grass while the wind raked through my hair, I looked around at the peaceful set of hills rolling in what looked like the morning sun. The cool air brushed past my cheeks, waking me up a little more while the wildflower swayed like young ballerinas in the breeze.
Hills.
I looked around and noticed that I was just sitting on the top of the hill–just me.
"What?" I breathed out, my heart started to beat a little faster. "Ethan!" I called out. "Levi?!"
I looked around, a little more frantically, but saw nothing. My side still ached where that damn blue misty snake thing bit me, causing me to wince a little as I moved. Groaning, I looked around again while my beast reached out to the bond that was still glowing brightly in me. "Ethan?!"
"He's not here," a male said.
Slowly turning my head, I looked over to see a man in faded jeans and a gray t-shirt sitting down next to me. A man with black hair and stormy blue eyes. A man with a scar that ran from his brow to his cheek.
A male whose beast was staring at me with love in his eyes as his veins reeked of a power that naturally flowed off of him like an electric water as it rushed to me, caressing my skin gently and causing me to gasp as the blood in me tingled in response.
Hadrian. My father.
"Oh my God I died." My voice tumbled out of my mouth like water in a waterfall. "Oh my God I'm dead. Oh god–"
"You're not dead, sweet girl," he said calmly, turning to me and looking me over.
"What?!" I rushed out. I looked around then back at him. "Then where the hell am I?"
He shrugged. "Some field."
"Some field?" My brows raised as my blood started to slightly boil in frustration.
"Well," he sighed out. "I thought it would be much more peaceful than other places–we need to talk."
"No shit!" I hissed out. "Where is Ethan?! Where is Levi?! What have you done! What–"
A low growl cut me off. He let out a tense breath and looked back at me apologetically. "Right now you're drifting between that place of asleep and awake–here and there. You're fine. You're back home in some hospital place. Levi and Ethan are fine love, I promise."
I sat back in the grass, my hand subconsciously moving to my wound before I felt the tears prickle in my eyes and my heart twist. I was looking at my dad. I watched him hold me. I watched him die.
"How does this work? Whose memories did I see? What is happening to me?"
He gave me a sad smile while I tried to hold it together. "Memories of the dead love, some mine–some Eve's. I can't tell you how everything works, but I promise you're going to be just fine."
I opened my mouth but a chocked sob came out. My hand rushed to my lips, trying to muffle it but it did no use. More sobs came out until I was a pile of tears and pained cries.
Hadrian quickly moved over to me and pulled me to him; I didn't argue, mostly because I felt so broken–my beast and I felt broken. He let my cry on his chest; ugly, bitter, and pained tears that tore their way out angrily from me.
"I'm sorry Charlotte, I never wanted this to happen to you," he murmured to me. "We tried so hard to hide."
"Why do they hate us?" I whimpered out as more tears fell, my fingers clinging to his shirt.
He sighed and brushed some of the wetness off of my cheeks. "Because baby, we're King's. We won the lottery of being born into the most unlucky family in the world."
"I don't understand," I murmured while the tears came out. "How did 'we' even happen? Our line's supposed to be gone."
He let out a breathy laugh. "Oh don't I know it." He pushed me back a little and straightened my sweatshirt. "Hagan had a child."
"He found his mate?" I rushed out, flabbergasted, while I sniffled my tears back.
He nodded. "He did. Everyone knows the standard origin story; Hagan and Balak were these horrible creatures, the other brothers stopped them, the end. However, that is not really what happened."
"How? How do you know?"
"Oh everyone in our family is reminded well of it. My father used to make my brother and I recite it to him every night," he replied, his voice with a slight bite. "You know how the story goes?"
I wiped my eyes and nodded. "Yes, Leo told me."
Hadrian slightly winced. "I did hate him the least."
"Why? What happened?!"
"He died sweetie, Alex ripped his heart out. You were passed out, he died trying to stop Alex from hurting you."
"What?!" I fought out as my breath left me. "He's an ancient! Doesn't that mean that he's really damn hard to kill?!"
"Oh, he was," Hadrian chuckled out. "We all can die, baby. He may have been strong but at the end of the day, if you rip a vampire's heart out or head off, then they die. Stakes made of silver to the heart would do it too."
"This is all my fault," I murmured.
He growled lowly again and turned my chin to face him directly. "Never say that again, this was never your fault. It's not your fault that those bastards let their own fear and pride drive them."
I gulped a little then nodded. "So what happened? To Hagan?"
"Well," he sighed. "When all the brothers were out, half either pillaging the damn earth, and the other half trying to stop the ones pillaging the earth, their mother was home with Aurora. She was trying to find a way to stop them because she blamed herself. Aurora was conflicted because she loved her brothers, but she also saw what they had become.
"One day Hagan came to her. She always had a soft spot for him, and he for her. He would never hurt her no matter what side she was on–I'm pretty convinced of that. He had found his mate."
""What?!"
Hadrian nodded with a soft smile. "He found her and came to show Aurora that he wasn't the monster that he had been turned into anymore–that his soul had been calmed and beast tamed. It was after he found his mate, Celine, that he realized how foolish–honestly he was a dumb bastard and the word 'foolish' is more than kind compared to what he did–"
He paused and let out a tense breath before looking back at me. "He told her how utterly stupid he was. He felt guilty and realized that they had all turned into monsters, Balak worst of all. She didn't want to agree with him, but he told her that he may be a monster, but at least he lives and breathes like all things natural on this earth. The vampires don't, they need to take life–blood, so they can live."
"So he didn't really stop then?" I asked with an incredulous brow.
He shrugged. "His reasons were more to stop Balak from making wild younglings and taking the life of humans. He wanted peace for us all–he wanted to make peace with the brothers he had harmed, that is his werewolf brothers. He promised Aurora he wouldn't turn anyone else and that he would always keep her safe even if she didn't want him to.
"So I guess not; she asked him about the vampires like Leo and Alex who had no desire to join Balak, but he was convinced they were made of dark magic and that they had to go. He said anything that is made to take the life of another to live is made with dark magic. Aurora wasn't sure, but he told her that it was alright and that he would let her think it over."
"So?" I rushed out. "I guess she did?"
"Yes," he said with a nod. "But Balak came that night. They still had trouble with walking in daylight. The older they get and the more blood they drink, the easier it is, but Balak was still young enough that the darkness was safest for him."
"He killed her? Didn't he?"
"No," Hadrian said while shaking his head. "He asked her to side with him. She was appalled because he wasn't remorseful at all about what he had done. He told her the life he gave his younglings was more beautiful than the one they had before. She told him that all life–human life, is beautiful and that it shouldn't be thought of in any other way.
"Balak didn't want to hurt her. They all had a soft spot for her. He told her that the wolves were beasts–feral dogs. He said that they could at least learn to control themselves and live amongst humans, but the wolves could never do that. He told her that we could lose control, in which she said that the vampires could do the same.
"They argued back and forth and she eventually tried to tell him that he was in denial. She said that we may be different, but we both have beasts inside us. She told him what he and Hagan did caused an imbalance, but he told her–which personally I agree with, that if we were not supposed to be here then the moon would have never allowed it. She could have given them different gifts but she didn't, there was a reason and it was her will.
"It was then she told him that he and Balak needed to make peace. They needed to stay away from humans. She offered to help them, help keep them away so we could all live peacefully. The alternative was their mother who was set on killing them."
"And?" I asked while he let out a long sigh.
"Well, he was pissed. I mean, the man sounded like a spoiled tit. He went on a rampage and killed their mother. Told her to think about it, but he basically threatened her life."
"That's awful," I replied back, my heart twisting because I knew too well what is was like to see a dead mother.
"It was," he replied with a nod. "Hagan came back and it broke his heart to see what Balak had done. Aurora was so furious that she told him she wanted nothing to do with any of it. He told her it was too late, that they needed to end things and that she needed to help. She didn't want to. She told him that he needed to find a way to make peace–arguably, the wolves had pillaged, murdered, and destroyed just as much as the vampires. We were no better. Hell, it's why our line is so feared. Hagan did things that people wrote scary bedtime stories after.
"But the vampires were not remorseful, well at least Balak wasn't. He was building an army, whereas Hagan had stopped. That and Hagan told her that he doubted it make a difference if he died, that Balak would destroy everything. She asked if he would stop–if he killed Balak, would he stop the violence and find a way to keep the peace on earth.
"He swore to her by his mate and child that he would. Balak wanted him dead and he knew Balak would wipe out everything that he touched. The devastation would just continue for possibly years. He told her he could hide her away while she looked for a way to help, that he would keep her safe. She still wasn't sure, so he told her he would go and come back later. That he would respect whatever decision she made."
"This is so fucked up," I groaned out.
He chuckled and nodded. "At least you didn't have to memorize all of this growing up."
"Worst bedtime story ever," I added. I sighed then turned to face him, crossing my legs so I sat Indian style. "So then what happened?"
"The other brothers came, the ones that were working together to stop Hagan and Balak. Like the other two, they asked for her help, they claimed that the other brothers would only wage war if she did not–which is a very valid point.
"She agreed that Balak would, she saw no remorse in his eyes, but she wasn't sure about Hagan. It was then when she mentioned his name that she saw the fear in their eyes of him–a dangerous fear. A fear that would drive them to justify any actions so they could sate their own trepidation. She knew they would be willing to do horrible things just so they could sleep better at night.
"So she told them to solve it themselves, then when Hagan came back she went away with him and agreed to help on the condition that if they killed Balak and his vampire army, that he would not shed any more blood, make peace with his other wolf brothers, and live in peace away from humans."
"I mean considering the situation, that's the best deal I've heard so far. Not too bad..." I mused, my brain spinning with the information.
He smiled and shook his head. "No, it wasn't, but it took years to figure out how to kill him. You have to remember that they were the first, so no one really knew much about how our biology worked or how the magic in our veins worked. Hagan took her away to a place where he always had her guarded, and he looked after her for years and years and years.
"It was during that time that she found her 'light' or soulmate, Hector–"
"Why are they called 'lights'?"
"Because Aurora said Hector was her light in the darkest of the times." I nodded in understanding while he leaned back in the tall grass. "They had three girls–Anne, Amelia, and Ariel. She was still working on a way to help Hagan when the girls came of age, but they were not on the same page as their mother. They thought that if the goddess didn't want them here, then she would not have created them–which is pretty valid.
"Aurora wasn't convinced. First, she knew Balak and she knew he would never settle on peace, second, she wasn't sure if anyone on his side would think differently–she leaned more towards no, lastly she told them that unlike wolves, that the vampires had to take life to live. She didn't want any more people to die so the vampires could sate their thirst."
"I knew it!" I said with a little smirk. "I knew there was something with those girls–I should get a damn award."
Hadrian chuckled and nodded. "Well, her daughters felt like we could all coexist, which is true–we can if we would all just quit trying to kill each other."
I sighed and nodded. "I take it though, the daughters did not really help?"
"No," he breathed out with a laugh. "The side that was working together to take down Hagan and Balak found them. Aurora tried to send them away but they eventually got her to talk to them. She again told them no, but her daughters wanted to help. So they snuck out at night to where the men were camping and told them that they wanted to help; they believed they could coexist and decided to ally with them. They told them the deal that Hagan made, that their mother thought Hagan had changed because of his mate. They weren't sure, the argument there is 'like attracts like.'
"But when they heard he had a mate, they were terrified because that meant he could have a child and his line could continue. So they worked quickly together and the girls found a way to destroy us; they used the blood of a wolf and the blood of a vampire to spell silver. Something natural from the earth that they could use to make weapons."
"Whose blood did they use?"
"I'm not sure," he said with a shrug. "But now that's why silver is bad for us. It was like the spell spread to all silver–super annoying."
"So they killed them with silver?"
Hadrian nodded. "They set a trap. They sent a message to Balak saying that they, the daughters, wanted to meet with him because they would help."
"What about Hagan?"
"They knew he would always come to Aurora if she needed him, so they kidnapped her. They went to their old home where Balak was waiting; it was easy with the silver, a stab straight to the heart did it.
"Hagan eventually came too. He came with wolves with the mind that his sister needed him. The other brothers killed them all and it horrified Aurora. She disowned her daughters and they went off to make up the major three covens that we know of today."
"What about the mate and baby?" I rushed out.
"Well, we're here," Hadrian said slight smile. "She got away, they never knew for sure that he had a baby, but they were terrified. They started to slaughter innocent women and babies to 'prevent' it."
"Oh my God," I said as the air rushed out of my lungs.
He nodded in sympathetic understanding. "Aurora went home and eventually had another daughter, Aleah. She was a secret, much like us. She passed her birthright to her, the wish that the goddess gave her and told her to use it when the time was right."
"So how did we happen?" I asked. "How am I Aurelia's damn cousin?!"
He sighed and scratched his head. "So, our line has always stayed very hidden. We've never had a real pack because it was too dangerous. Over the years time and time again there have been times when the same lines that killed Hagan and Balak would wipe out women and children when they heard of a possible person with our blood. Did they ever tell you about the Trojan war and the cursed blood?"
"Yes, that's how Alex met Helen," I answered.
He rolled his eyes. "Helen of Troy," he grumbled. " Our whole line is like a damned Helen of Troy." He looked back at me with stormy blue eyes and laid down on his side, propping his head up with his hand. "So, that witch that made the cursed blood was Aleah's great whatever granddaughter, I think her name was something like Astor. The wolf, Heath, whose blood she used to make the cursed blood wasn't just anyone, he was her mate–and he had a twin brother, Hunter, and the icing on the cake is that the men were both direct descendants of Hagan."
"Christ that is insane," I said, shaking my head in disbelief.
"Yup," he replied, popping the 'p'. "They hated how things had turned out, the three of them agreed that Hagan would have never allowed such a thing. They hated how the vampires 'contaminated' the world and dicked wolves like the Thorne's and Everette's around–which from what I've seen is totally true.
"They needed to make an army of strong wolves. The witch, Astor, did a lot of research but wasn't sure how to keep the blood alive for such a powerful curse. So she used the birthright gifted by the moon that had been passed down and the moon showed her blood stones–which we have all been so lucky to now see how they work," he said with a sardonic tone. "She cursed her own blood then fed it to a wolf. It turns you more animal than wolf; kills your human side slowly–very slowly."
"Cora has cursed blood," I thought out loud.
"Cora?"
"My Master of Arms, it's his mate. She was given it, she's–well she's not well," I said.
"I don't know how to help her," he sighed out. "Breaking a curse like that is near impossible."
"I know," I replied. "We're trying dialysis. So what happened to them? The witch and wolf?"
"Well, they built an army and she had children. She had a boy and a girl, her mate's twin–Hunter, had a son. Once again they went to war, and once again the vampires teamed up with wolves to wipe them out. The witch ran when they started to lose with her children and her nephew. Her son died, but her daughter and her nephew lived. She sent them to separate places, hidden across the world, so they would be safe.
"The lines didn't cross again until now, but they've always been close. I think since Hagan always looked after his sister, that there was this understanding that we would always help hide each other–protect each other since Alex, other vampires, and weres alike feared both the King and the cursed blood that Astor's children carried in their veins."
"Hold on the cursed blood was passed down?" I asked with wide eyes.
Hadrian nodded with a tired smile. "She cursed her mate's blood and made a damn bloodstone with it that she used to perform some spell beyond me to make the rogues."
"But what about the other times the cursed rogues broke out?" I asked.
"Oh, both our lines are suckers for punishment. They would get the bright idea to try it again, build an army, go to war–lose, and run again. You would think they would just take a hint and quit so we all could just live in peace, but both our families over the years eventually got fed up with being oppresssed and watching the vampires and wolves live in a world where it was anything but peaceful. It just became a sick cycle."
"So we are a result of the lines crossing? How did no one know? How did Leo not suspect?"
"Well, Aurelia is," he corrected. "Her mother was a descendant of the Astor's daughter that got away during the Trojan war, a direct descendant of both Aurora and Hagan. Her father was my twin brother Halen, and we are direct descendants of just Hagan–of Hunter's son that got away. Her line is a result of the lines crossing again, not ours. Twins run in our family. We only have Hagan's blood; Aurelia's line is the first time the lines have crossed since the Trojan War.
"And no one knew about Aurora's fourth daughter, Aleah. I think that Leo and Alex always thought it was just a witch and a wolf of no special blood, but maybe just a bone to pick with the vampires. I don't think they really realized who they were. It's been hidden very very well."
"And you had a twin?" I asked. "Hold on how was the wolf gene not passed? How were Astor's twins not half?"
"Well to answer the latter of the two questions, I don't know. It's like you baby girl, it may have carried but over time the witch gene prevailed. I mean, Hayden was a werewolf, and Aurelia just a witch. It happens." He sighed and tugged at his hair. "But yes, Hale was my twin, but I was still born first. My father was always involved with the rebel cause, he was always bitter about our line–how we always had to run. He was corrupted by a sickness for revenge that spread to my brother."
"Why are you not that way?" I asked. "It seems like we have a right to be."
"Because baby girl, that kind of thinking only confirms what they think–that we are people who want to burn the world down so we can rule like Hagan once did. We are not those people; that is not really what Hagan wanted and that is not what I want.
"People have had good intentions, but have done the wrong things because they thought it would make things better. It makes sense, but look at what we have now? We have two lines that everyone fears so much that they would be willing to instantly turn on each other and go to war.
"That's not what anyone needs. That's not what our line needs. There have been good men and women in our family did not think that way, but unfortunately, they were not able to overcome the other family members who were much much different."
"But you killed Hale?"
His eyes flashed with something before he looked back at me. "When I was old enough I ran. People in our family had done it before–they had died but I thought that I could do it and just live in peace away from it all. My family was furious and for the first fifty years, I think I circled the globe hundreds of time more because I was running from my own family.
"But Dom found you?"
"He wasn't the first," Hadrian said. "Word got out about me and soon I was running from vampires and the rebels alike. They had no real proof that I was real–we are very good at staying invisible and hidden, but I guess eventually Alex got desperate enough to send Dominic after me–after something that was more of a fairy tale that he was afraid of."
"Why the hell did he not kill you? I mean," I sighed while I picked at the grass. "From what I have heard of Dom, he sounds kind of like a horrible creature."
Hadrian laughed and nodded quickly at me. "He is, but he was my best friend." His laughter settled before he looked back at me. "I don't know what to tell you, I still wonder myself. I know when his mate died that he lost his damn mind. I think Dom was a lot like me in a way; monsters running constantly from something. Unlike me, he was always running from his own demons and people who wanted revenge–which was a lot. I think he got tired of it, tired of people looking at him like he was a monster and not a person–of people not asking questions.
"The first time he came I knew he was on my land way before he got to my house. I was at the point where I wanted to throw my hands up because I was so tired of running. I remember he crept in and looked at me. I told him to do it; I told him that I wasn't going to run from him anymore. I told him that a death he gave me was much more preferable than the one my brother had in mind for me."
"And?"
"He just left," Hadrian said with a light laugh. "I can't even count how many times that happened. I would just be minding my own business and one day he would show up. More and more he would talk with me and really he just seemed sad–alone. I guess I understood, running like I did was a very lonely place. He would always leave and say, 'Bye Hadrian, kill you later!'"
I bit back a laugh before I ended up laughing with him. "That's really insane."
He nodded. "He eventually started helping me more and more to the point where he was actually the only person I trusted. He helped keep me safe and let me have a little happiness in my life, especially when I met your mother."
I felt my heart twist before I looked back at him. "How? How did you meet her?"
He smiled nostalgically and looked back at me. "Well, I was driving home one day–I rarely drove but that day I did. I took my eyes off the road for two seconds to turn the radio to a different station and I hit her car.
"I was stunned and she was so pissed off–God I thought she hated me so much. I told her not to take her car to a mechanic, that I could fix it. I had no idea how to fix a damn car, but I needed a way to see her without being exposed too much, so I figured out a way for her to come to me."
"Oh my God," I laughed out. "That's horrible! You hit mom!"
"In my defense, she had been sitting at that stop sign for at least five minutes, she said she was looking for an earring she lost." I snorted out a laugh before I found my body shaking with it. He shook his head, his fingers toying with the grass before he looked at me. "I was so afraid of hurting her. She was a human. The turn could kill her–it killed plenty of humans before.
"But I couldn't stay away from her, not matter how much I tried to push her away. Eventually, I showed her what I was and she more or less freaked out before she calmed down enough to let me talk to her. I felt so bad–not only was I telling her, someone who thought what I was a fairy tale, but I also had to tell her about my lovely family history.
"It grew time for me to move again. I never stayed in one place too long, it was too dangerous, but I had for her. I told her I had to leave and why and she told me that she would come with me. I didn't want her to, being with me, meant running for the rest of her life, but she didn't care. She showed up that night with her suitcases, got in my car, and sat there until she said, 'Get in the car Hadrian, let's get the hell out of here.'"
My heart swelled a little as he sat back up, sitting with one leg extended out to his side. "How long were you together?"
He shook his head. "Not long–not long at all. I told her that it was her choice–that I wouldn't mark her unless she wanted me to, but marking her meant turning her. I was so afraid for her to turn. But of course, we were very in love, and drank too much one night, and well–you happened–"
He let out a tense breath then looked back at me as my eyes widened. "I couldn't mark her after she got pregnant with you, I was afraid that it would kill you both. We agreed we would wait until after you were born–after she was strong enough."
"Is she ok? Is she–"
"She's fine love," he said with a soft smile. "We're together and we are very happy. You don't need to worry about us."
"I can't believe they killed her like that," I said, my heart twisting some more.
He sighed and nodded. "I am very glad that Hayden is no longer breathing the same air you do. Besides, I have plans for him." He looked back at me, his eyes sad and almost fearful. "They are poisoned by their need to carry out what they truly think is right and you have to understand, that there are plenty of people out there that will hate you just because you have my blood in your veins baby girl. Fear is a powerful force, and many people when they hear the name 'King' they think of the kind of King's like Aurelia–what my brother was, and the rebel movement. They have only been told one side of our story and many do not know better. It's not entirely their fault to be so afraid, our family has done enough damage to make them and well, we have the blood of the first werewolf in our veins, why do think Levi knew something was off when he first saw you?"
"How did he not know again? I mean I saw–he could smell it?"
"Leo," Hadrian sighed out. "To keep you safe he took any memory of even your existence away and Dominic compelled him to not recognize your scent. They did it to all of them but Ethan, in case you were Ethan's mate; they didn't want Ethan to not be able to recognize you–that would be just cruel. Honestly, Levi claiming you has been a very good thing, many alphas who were curious probably disregarded the thought because no one would believe that Levi would claim a King as his own and his scent was like a protective blanket over your's when he did claim you."
"Why didn't Leo–why did he help? I mean your death was enough to confirm that it was true?"
He sighed and shook his head. "I honestly don't know. No one ever knew that Aleah was a thing or that the bloodlines had intertwined–continuing ours and a line of cursed blood. People have gone through great lengths to keep it a secret. They never really knew who the rebels were either–they had an idea, but the rebels always were good at staying hidden too, mostly because King's and descendants of Aleah have become masters at hiding themselves. I guess that's the one perk to having a line of witches aiding you over the years.
"When I killed Hale, well, that complicated things. They looked everywhere for his mate and children. The rebels who has sworn to protect them hid them well, but his mate died. After that, they looked for me. I think after I died that they were more or less convinced that the line was gone. That and they didn't want to tell anyone; if word got out of a King surviving it would have and still could cause chaos. Leo and Alex I assume didn't want that, so they kept it tight lipped."
"But if Leo knew this whole time who the rebels were, then why didn't he do anything?"
"They didn't know that Hale and Alana, his mate, were working with the rebels," he corrected. "Like I said before they kept that very secret. I burned down the office Hale was in when I killed him after, destroying any evidence. When they killed his mate, she was outside her home but word got out and the rebels burned their house down and ran with the children.
"They have gone to great lengths to wipe out evidence of their association together and true identities. I think Leo suspected over the years, but he had no proof. When he knew about you, well, I think he knew that outing you would be war for us all. That and–" he paused and shook his head again, almost in disbelief. "Leo does have a soul, he's not one to go out and kill innocent children. That and he saw you, saw you with the pack and Ethan–"
"Ethan," I breathed out as tears prickled my eyes. "What if he hates me?"
"He doesn't hate you, sweetie," Hadrian replied with a sad smile. "He's heard rumors and legends that paint us as monsters. He didn't know and what he saw was the mind games that Aurelia and Hayden like to play."
"Why did you whisper to me then?!" I bit out. "Why?!"
He sighed and pushed some of my long hair back that was almost the color of his. "It wasn't me sweet one, that would be my twin who would very much like to get out. You were lucky that I was able to get to you first, I had been wanting to tell you for a long time it's just–well it's not easy up here.
"They play games sweetie, they play mind games and they will twist you up until you think up is down. You have to guard yourself around them, you can never trust him.
I blinked hard then shook my head as I looked at my hands. "I showed him, I showed him what I saw," I added with a wistful hopefulness. "I'm just–what if I lose them? I can't lose more family. I've lost too many parents."
"They were good people, your mother's nephew. I'm sorry that you had to lose them, they loved you sweet girl. I wish I could have been there–your mother and I love you, we've always been watching Charlotte.
"They don't hate you. Hell, Leo died to stop Alex from killing you. Besides, I am pretty sure if anyone tries to harm you that Dominic will probably rip them to pieces, he's much more attached to you than I thought he would be, and for that I'm glad."
"I'll probably rip them to pieces," I replied, more of a promise than a thought. "What do I do? How do I go back? Caleb and Daphne are dead, Leo's dead, Aure–"
"Charlotte," he gently injected. "They are not the only ones that walked."
"Why? What do you mean?" I rushed out.
"Lucas came back," he said slowly. "Liam laid down his life for Lucas. He was stabbed with silver and Lucas couldn't get to the portal in time. Dominic had already put you to sleep, but Charlotte, it's not Lucas' fault. Liam was stabbed badly, he wouldn't have recovered anyway."
My heart was about to explode. I felt it twisting and turning and beating heart while my lips quivered. "What?" my voice was sharp and more of a whisper. "Liam?"
"Come here," he said, opening his arms to me. I scooted over to him, complying as the tears came again. The tears came along with pain that felt like it was dull throbbing in me. "What he did was very honorable, more than that. He saved a dead man–someone who he shouldn't have. I promise he's fine–there is family looking after him."
I sucked in a breath and shook my head. "Do they know?"
He nodded while he stroked my hair. "When Leo takes your memories, it's like he takes a piece of your soul that you don't get back–not even when you die. With Dominic, it's like he puts a bandaid over something in your brain–rewires you to think or do something else outside of what you normally would. He could have compelled them to forget, but the truth would always be there. With Leo, well, like I said. He holds onto them–not even in death do you get them back.
"It was safer for you that way, but when you were kidnapped your mother didn't know what to do. I was going out of my mind; she found Eve and told her and begged her for help.
"It's much harder for her to do what Eve and Margaret did, it's much harder for me. Your mother and I exist in a place far from others, because even up here there is still some dissension, but at least we can live in peace with our pack and the family that wanted peace as well."
"You have a pack?"
He nodded. "There's a lot that I hope you never come to know for a very long time." He sighed and kissed my hair while my sobs softened. "Eve and Margaret kept it a secret and no one knew until Leo released their memories. They love you Char, it wasn't easy for them to let you go. It wasn't easy for me. I wanted nothing more than to watch you grow and to share life with you, whether you wanted to turn or not."
I wiped my eyes then sat back a little. "How did I not carry your gene? How was I not born a were?"
"It happens," he shrugged. "You've always had my blood, but I think it was all in the moon's plans. You being bitten that day set a lot of things in motion that has changed things for the better. Regardless, though, that is my blood in your veins love. The blood of King's. It is something you need to protect and never forget. We may be born of monsters, but that doesn't make us monsters."
"So what do I do dad? It's a mess," I breathed out.
"You wake up and make sure Levi and Ethan haven't lost their minds, then you start to take it little by little. I don't have all the answers love, but I will say that you need to stop Aurelia. You do not need to let her open another portal; you saw how dangerous it is and what it caused, we do not need another one opening.
"You need to do that then find a way to bridge peace. It's going to be hard because many will want to kill you without even listening to you first, but baby girl, our blood can make any man kneel–so if they don't listen then you make them. You make them and you find a way, otherwise you will always have to run and I never want you to have to live the same kind of life I did. If you start running you will never stop."
"I won't get to see you again if we destroy them," I whispered out, more to myself as a painful thought.
He smiled sadly at me and kissed my forehead. "We're always with you love, but you're not meant to talk to the dead like that. This–" he said while waving his hand around. "Is even a little non-Kosher, but I had to talk to you. I need you to understand how much I love you and how proud of you your mother and I am." I choked out a sob and he paused.
He pulled me back to him again, cradling me in his lap while the breeze blew past us. "We'll all be together one day, but that day does not need to come for a long time. If you don't destroy it, you will put people at risk to things far worse than Aurelia. It's why we showed you where the book was at first. I got information from a source that it was there, we were trying to help you."
"They said she was calling Hagan and Hale–can she do that?" I sniffled out.
He nodded. "They are in realms that I will never speak of with you. I won't taint you with that kind of evil. Hagan was set on destroying the vampires, the moon's children, and Halen was no better. I know Hagan regretted what he did, but there was still that anger in his heart. He is very dangerous and I would rather not deal with my piece of shit little brother again."
"I don't want you to go, I don't want to not see you again," I whispered bitterly against his chest.
He sighed and kissed my hair again. "You listen to Dominic and keep him close. He will always look after you, baby girl. You keep Lucas, Levi, and Ethan close and if Ethan does act like a shithead then tell him when he comes up here one day that I will drag his ass to places where darkness is birthed and make sure he understands whose daughter it is that he harmed," he said lowly, his voice dark while his beast moved under him–power rolling angrily off of him that would take the breath away from many strong men.
I leaned back with wide eyes–eyes that were full of shock because in that moment I was confident that my father could probably put the fear God into even Levi Thorne's eyes. Nodding, I looked back up at him. "Well, as long as I get to help."
He chuckled and kissed my forehead again before I laid my tired head back on his chest. "I don't want to go."
"I know sweet one," he sighed out. "You know when you were little, when you were maybe a week old, your mother was sleeping and you started crying. I couldn't believe you were even real still, I was terrified. I hadn't ever really been around babies before, but caring for you was easy.
"I just remember walking into the nursery room and picking you up. You just wanted to be held, so I carried you around the house with me; we checked the windows to make sure they were locked before I carried you to make coffee with me.
"Eventually you settled down enough for me to put you down so I could shift. He so badly wanted to care for you, to love you. You just looked at us in our fur and smiled so wide–laughed. I remember curling up around you–you practically were swallowed up by all the fur, and we went to sleep. Your mother found us that way when she woke up.
"I would have loved nothing more than to stay with you and have raised you with your mother. Giving you up was the hardest thing I ever had to do, but you have a life now–you have a good life and for now the memories I have of you are good enough until one day–a very far away day, you join us here. You still have so much life to live baby. You need to go live it and enjoy it.
"I claimed you back Charlotte. Levi's blood is still there, but you smell like a King now–you smell like what you always have been. Dead or alive, you're still mine."