-RAVEN-
"I don't know why I feel so nervous." I sounded as I stood next to Nat and Charles.
Charles smirked and nudged me, "Hey it's just your mate..."
"Ryland isn't who i'm nervous for...he told me he had to tell my dad we're mates...I think i'm more nervous about my Dad coming here after finding out I have a mate."
I noticed Charles tensed a bit, I remembered how stressed Nat had gotten the other night when I had mentioned my dad was with the guys.
And now that I know the full truth of everything that transpired between Royce's mom and our dad I can't say I exactly blame the Highfield's for not wanting him here.
"I know what you mean." He grumbled.
Nat rubbed his back and smiled at me, "Tensions will be high honey, but we do what we can for the sake of family."
I knew she was basically trying to say, "We don't want him here but We're doing this for Royce."
It in turn made me feel bad but i offered her a smile in return.
Alexia was also with us in the packhouse awaiting their arrival back, she was a excited and anxious to have Royce back...luckily for her she could openly show her mate she missed him...I'd have to contain my wolf and my feelings in front of my brother and father.
"You look down honey, what's wrong?" Nat asked.
I shook my head, "Just me being silly."
She shook her head and gave me a look that silently told me to tell her what was on my mind.
"As much as I missed Ryland I'll have to control myself, I know he'll feel just as strongly since we're newly marked and all but we can't exactly be as open around Royce and Dad...so the longer he's just standing there is the longer i'm going to want to act on my feelings, but can't."
Charles and Nat gave me sad looks but remained silent as no one really knew what to say.
Suddenly my wolf woke up and we could feel our mate.
"They're here." I said excitedly.
Alexia smiled as they entered, Royce walking in first of course. She ran over to him and he immediately wraped his arms around her before he kissed her.
My dad followed behind my brother, leaving my mate trailing behind them.
I smiled at my Dad and moved to hug him, but while I was hugging him I looked at my mate, He looked right at me in return and gave me what had to be one of the most handsome smiles ever with a very flirtatious wink.
"Oh you don't know how good it is to see you my lovely Raven." Dad said as Ryland moved to hug Nat and say Hello to Charles.
"Yeah dad, I've missed you."
"Not as much as I will always miss you." He said sweetly as he pulled out of our hug to look at me now.
"Roy." Charles sounded.
Dad and I looked up and I of course looked at Ryland who was standing sandwiched between Nat and Charles, Nat held his arm in a maternalesque fashion, awaiting what would happen next.
"Charles." Dad said just strained.
They seemed to be having an intense stare down before Dad moved his gaze to Nat,
"Natalie." He said a alittle softer this time.
Charles tapped Ryland on the chest with the back of his hand indicating he wanted Ryland to follow him and I watched as the two exited the packhouse through the backdoors.
_____
-RYLAND-
I felt how awkward the whole situation felt, how tense shit got quick...more so I felt how worried my mate felt, and felt like shit for not acting on it.
"You good?" I asked Charles.
I had met him back when I first came to fulfill my Beta duties...Royce had introduced us and he seemed like pretty chill guy. Then I found out he is Nat's mate so it made him my second cousin through marriage I guess. Still a cool dude, kinda like an older brother vibe.
"Yeah...I can't stand that fucking Prick." He growled.
"Bad blood?" I asked.
He stopped walking and looked at me. "You don't know about Roy and my sister do you?"
I shook my head, "I mean I know they must've hooked up if they had Royce."
He nodded, and began walking. "Charlotte and I were raised here on these lands, but back then it was a completely different pack, and my father was a much harder man than the one you've met."
I had only met Royce's grandparents once in passing but they were both really nice and welcoming.
"Our father had our entire futures planned out...much like Black Creek our Title gets handed down to the eldest male of our family line...Charlotte was older than me but we always knew I'd be the Alpha...Dad wanted her married to a strong Alpha line though knowing that one day her children could take over this pack."
He continued and we walked on.
"With time the realization set in for both Charlotte and I, I loved my sister as much as Royce loves Raven, posibly more since we were twins."
"I didn't know that." I admitted.
He looked at me and nodded with a smile, "She was my best friend and the time came, we shifted and we were so excited to shift, but with our shift came our new duties, for me it was my Alpha training, for her: her betrothed...The thought of my sister being taken away against her will sickened me...it still does." He growled.
"I wasn't standing for it...I got into a huge argument with my father, I told him if she married whoever he had picked out for her then I refused to take his position." he sighed, "He wouldn't listen to us, he knew my sister would try and run just so she wouldn't have to marry some stranger...what he didn't count on was the fact that I helped her escape."
He stopped and sat down on the ground now as he looked out at all of the greenery in the open fields and forests surrounding us.
"All those years going on business trips with my dad had allowed me to make my own alliances, only I called them my friends back then, when it came time to get my sister out of our pack they came forward and helped me, they each got her as far as they could safely before another friend would pick her up and get her a little further...before I knew it she was in the States and though it hurt to have her so far away I was happy because i knew she was free."
I sat there and listened as he spoke on, wondering how far I would go to make sure my sister was safe and happy.
She wrote to me through the same friends, she had told me about getting to Silver Junction, making a friend and roommating with her...then the best thing, she had found her mate...I remember how excited I was for her, jealous but happy none the less."
I knew this was hard for him to talk about as he'd stop and pause every now and again to collect himself.
"She told me all about her mate Roy Archer, some Alpha's son, She knew our Father was right pissed she'd taken off, but she knew if she could just marry her mate, and have a baby with her mate she'd still be able to give my dad the grandchildren with dual Alpha bloodlines he always wanted her to have, and they'd make for strong offspring...after she got settled in she I was able to call her, we'd schedule a day and time and I'd take off into the city and call her so our dad wouldn't catch us...she would tell me how wild they were about each other, as mates are." He smiled sadly. "I had so much respect for a man I had never even met, I wanted to meet him and thank him for bringing my sister so much happiness....not long after her arrival she told me she was pregnant and that she was going to be telling him soon."
"I remember going to sleep that evening after her phone call I was thrilled for her, she was getting everything she had ever wanted, But while I was asleep I remember waking up in the middle of the night with tears in my eyes, I had so much sadness radiating through me, I didn't know what was happening but my wolf told me it was Charlotte...you see as twins we always shared a special connection, much like marked mates we could feel each others emotions." I immediately tried ringing the same number over and over but no one answered...for days I tried to get ahold of my sister but nothing."
"I told my parents something was wrong but my father refused to do anything, saying that she chose to leave the pack...he treated her as a rogue because I knew he loved her and she had hurt him by leaving...I was completely lost, sad, and was filled with the worst depression."
He sighed and shook his head, "A couple of weeks went by before I finally heard from her, she told me everything, Her mate was engaged to be married, but instead of choosing her he chose to reject her, it was her best friend Natalie who got her away from that place and him, took her to Silver Junction where she started over, she'd check in from time to time, always using various pay phones because the new pack didn't know who she was or her rejection...but I could hear how the rejection had changed her...she was happy enough with her friend and her new pack, and over time she even started dating a guy, from what she told me he was a sweet sort of man, understood her situation and still wanted to be with her, She never did tell me his name though, otherwise I'd gladly give him anything he wanted for bringing her happiness when she thought she coudln't be happy."
For the first time through his story he sniffled and wiped at his face, I knew he was crying so to give him as much privacy as one can in this situation I looked ahead and let him finish.
"She died during childbirth, for years I had always assumed the baby had died as well, I felt her pain duing the labor...it's a son of a bitch i'll tell you, but worse...I felt when she died." He confessed.
"The pain just stopped and then I felt as she just slipped away, like a loud echo I could hear my whole life was suddenly silent...I never got to say goodbye, we never got to see her again, we didn't get to bury her, I don't even know where she is lain to rest...but I've always hated Roy Archer because I always wonder what if, what if he'd of stayed with her, maybe she wouldn't have died...of course I always blamed myself too since I'm the one who helped her runaway."
He cleared his throat and wiped his face clean.
I pat his back, "No one's to blame Charles, you did what you had to and I'm sure she'd hate knowing you're blaming yourself but I'd do the same thing for my sister if we were in the same situation, and I know royce would too for Ray...as for Alpha Roy, he's a fuck up for sure when it comes to your sister, but even if they had stayed together even you know he wouldn't have been able to do anything if there were complications during the pregnancy."
He nodded.
"As for your sister...Charlotte, She's buried in Silver Junction, I remember going to the cemetery to visit my Pops and I'd always catch my cousin Jake leaving flowers at a headstone...it only ever said 'Charlotte: Beloved Friend and Mother' no birthdate or last name or anything...you should think about going to pay your respects, I think it'd do you some good."
"I'd love to, but I don't know the pack that well."
I chuckled, "Dude, you're mate is a Silver Junction daughter...her dad was an Alpha...but When I go down just come with me no one will tell you shit since my brother's the Alpha now."
He smirked, "Thanks Ry...so my Natty tells me you're needing a house."