*Chapter Twent-Four*
*Not Edited*
*Victoria P.O.V*
My hands clenched harder on the tray when I heard Damon's conversation. It couldn't be real! Hearing him talk so casually about something like that!
"Alyssa has a mate?" I whispered. Still not processing what I just heard. I was tickled that Damon would refer to her as his daughter. I didn't mean to overhear! Then, those words! A light headed feeling came over me and I nearly dropped the tray of Damon's lunch. Damon's head shifted up immediately at my words. If this wasn't so life altering, his expression of panic might have been comical. Unfortunately, I wasn't in the mood for laughter.
In a daze I walked to his desk, placing the tray safely out of the way. I could hear Damon ending his phone call. I even heard him get up out of his chair. I just couldn't react. Maybe I was afraid to react. How do you handle the idea that a man was the mate of your toddler?
"Alyssa has a mate?" I asked a little louder. I could hear the panic and fear strangling my words. The door was open, so it wasn't soundproof anymore. Screaming would only bring attention I didn't want right now. Damon placed a calming touch on my shoulders. Did he feel them shaking? I felt like an earthquake was going on inside me.
"Victoria, baby, you need to listen. Here me out for a second." Damon soothed. Listen?! I needed to listen?! I turned and pushed him away as hard as I could. For once, my wolf and I were in complete agreement. This was our pup! I didn't realize how strong I had become with our new bond. A bond that felt mighty thin right now. He flew back, hitting the wall with a nasty crack. Sliding down to the ground with a shocked look on his face. It's time he met Mama Bear.
"No! You need to listen! How long?! How long have you known about this?! This is my daughter! She is just a baby!" I yelled out. No longer caring about the level of my voice, or if someone could hear me. I just needed to let this out. I could feel my wolf rising, and I knew that my eyes must have been swirling with her presence. Damon got up slowly from the floor. He walked towards me, his hands raised.
"I know love. I know you're upset. I get it. Let's just talk this out." His eyes were calm and his voice low, a bit of alpha power leaking through. I wasn't having it.
"Upset?! I am more than upset!" I yelled at him. I let him come closer, why I don't know. I just wanted to scream and fight. I needed an outlet for this feeling. He will do.
"I know. We will get through this." His voice came still low. Was he trying to calm me or my wolf?
"How long? How long have you known?" I growled. I had to know. I had to know how long he had lied to me. How long he had kept something this huge from me.
"He told me soon after we met." Damon's eyes widened more as I felt my claws burst from my fingers and he had to have seen my canine's growing. "In all fairness! I was going to tell you! I just...forgot."
"You forgot?! How do you forget something this big!" I moved my arm, wanting to slap those words out of his mouth. As quick as I was, he was quicker and grabbed my wrist before I made contact.
"That's enough Victoria! As alpha you will show me some respect!" He growled, his wolf also peeking through. I ripped my hand from his. I didn't want him touching me.
"Respect is earned Alpha. You spout that word so well. Just like those words of love and promises of devotion! Yet, you would keep this from me! A lie of omission is still a lie! This whole relationship is now built on lies!" I could feel the tears building in my eyes. Damon's face softened in guilt. I pushed him away again. Not as hard as the first time. Just far enough.
I let my wolf out. She flowed out like liquid. One moment, I was me. The next, I was huddled in a corner of Snow's mind. I gladly let her through. Let her be in control. She growled once in Damon's direction, just as unhappy as me. Before I could cheer at her reaction, she was gone. We ran out of the room, exploding through the door and out into the woods.
We ran for what seemed like forever. No direction in mind. Just gone. If I had been a little more calm, I would have grabbed my kids and left.
~They're safer where they are.~ Snow growled in my head. She kept running. I knew why she did it. We were dangerous right now. No, we would never hurt our children, but we needed a release. We needed to let the rage and pain bleed through our pores. Sitting in a car, would only make it worse. The build up alone could have had me shifting in the car. So, yes, they were safer.
That hurt a part of me. Knowing they were safer away from me. It should be the opposite. I let the hurt out in howls. The pack, who could hear the anguished cries returned them. They knew I had bonded. As I bonded with Damon, I bonded with them. They could feel my heartache and fear. Voices came, bombarding me with questions of concern. I imagined a nice brick wall surrounding me, and the voices were gone.
After what seemed like hours, Snow slowed. We paused at a stream, drinking as fast as we could. After we had our fill, we laid down. We were suddenly very tired.
'What does this mean for us now?' I asked Snow. She laid her head on her paws, her ears alert for danger, and gave a wolfy sigh.
~I am not sure.~ I hugged my legs closer. It was oddly comforting being in her head.
"What do we do about Alyssa?" I weirdly felt her ears lower at the thought. It was definitely an odd feeling.
~If he is her true mate, he won't hurt her. He should only feel protective.~ I scoffed at that.
"Or he could be some pedo wanting his filthy hands on our baby." I felt Snow's rage rise again.
~Then we tear him apart and feed him his male parts.~ Whether in jest or in truth, the thought made me giggle.
"What about Damon?" Snow growled at my words. At least she wasn't panting at our mate.
~Stupid human.~ She got up and went to the stream, drinking a bit more.
"Yes, but what do we do?" She shook her head. Was she answering me or was drying herself?
~What would you do?~ Snow asked. I thought about it. How do we handle this?
"Make him suffer?" I questioned. Snow gave a wolfy laugh and nodded.
~That's my girl!~ She began running again, this time in the direction of the alpha house.
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*Damon P.O.V.*
Well, that could have gone better. I rubbed the back of my head, feeling the bump that was already forming. Goddess, she was strong.
~She should have cracked your skull.~ Blaze growled. Yeah, if I was her, I would have done more than push me and try to slap me. Though, that slap would would have hurt a lot more considering her claws were out. I'm not a complete ass, I would have taken that slap. I just didn't want my face peeled from my skull. I understand how releasing a good fight could be. Especially if said fight transformed into angry sex, which then transformed to make up sex.
~Maybe she did crack your skull. You need to be thinking on how to fix this. Not about mating.~ Blaze growled.
'Don't worry. We'll fix this.' I said. Was that for me or for my wolf? I heard her wolf's howls and the packs response and I nearly dropped to my knees. The pain. Her wolf was in so much pain. Her last words echoed back to me and I put my head in my hands. My little pity party was broken up though. By possibly the last person I wanted to see.
"What is going on?" Michael asked. Crap. What was I going to say?
~How about the truth.~ Blaze demanded. ~The sooner you talk to him, the sooner we can go after our mate.~ I reached through our bond, and she seemed far away. Too far away. I tried to mind link with her, but I hit a wall. Literally. Without a single lesson, she had learned how to block me out.
"Michael, we need to talk." Michael looked me curiously and sat on the sofa in my office.
"What's up? Where's Tori?" He asked. His head turned at the chorus of howls still ringing through the packlands. Unfortunately, not one was Victoria. "Seriously, man, what's going on?" I went to stand in front of him. I gave a deep sigh, running a hand through my hair. Like a band aid. Right.
"Victoria left on a run. She's not too happy with me." Michael smiled at that and gave a satisfied laugh.
"Damn man, I would think you could go at least a few days before destroying the honeymoon phase. What did you do?" Michael asked looking up at me.
"It's more like what I didn't do." I groaned. Michael looked at me funny.
"Forget to put the toilet seat down did ya? Tori reamed me good the first time I did that." He responded. If it were only that small. My life would be a lot simpler.
"I found some things out that concern Victoria and you very much. She overheard me talking about it. She got understandably upset." I said.
~Prepare yourself.~ Blaze whispered.
'For what?' I asked him
~If you were him and you were about to hear what you are going to say, what would you do?~ Blaze bluntly replied. Yeah, I better prepare myself then.
"What could you find out that concerns me?" Michael asked confused. "Is it that rogue guy?"
"I found out that one of my enforcers was Alyssa's mate." Like a band aid. I waited for him to process what I said.
"Wait. My Alyssa?! My not yet two year old daughter Alyssa?!" He stood looking as dangerous as a human could get.
"Yes. Know that nothing will come of it for now. He will only be like her bodyguard until she's an adult." I explained. Michael seemed to calm at those words a bit.
"You're sure of this?" Michael hissed through his teeth. This man would have made an awesome wolf. A super dangerous one, but an amazing one.
"Yes. That's what she heard me talking about. I called an elder wolf. I also interrogated the enforcer. He says he doesn't feel "those feelings", just a need to protect her. The elder confirmed it." Thank Goddess he seems to be listening. Barely, by the throbbing in his temple.
"Who is it?" Michael growled. See, awesome wolf for a human. I hesitated, just for a second. I was a little afraid for Jack. I had a feeling Michael would soon be in posession of a silver bullet with Jack's name carved into it. I had to tell them though. If only to allow Jack near her.
"Jack." Michael pulled back at his name. I bet he was going through all the times he had joked around with Jack, hung out with him, allowed his children near him. All the while, he was letting his daughter's future mate close.
Michael shook his head and looked at me with dark eyes. I could see him thinking of carving out a piece of me. Not mad over it. I get it.
"Is that all?" I cringed a bit at that. I just remembered about Victoria's family.
"There's more, but it concerns mainly just Victoria. I would like to talk to her first." Michael nodded.
"Fair enough." With those words, Michael pulled a fist back and landed one on the right side of my face. "You ever keep something that concerns my family away from me again, and Alpha or not, I will take you down." My wolf didn't like his threat, but I let the anger go. If I were him I would do it too. Wasn't I being all understanding? Maybe Victoria could take that into consideration when I find her. He left the room and I didn't envy Jack. That's probably where he was headed. Poor guy. In all fairness, I should probably buy Michael that bullet. Not like he would have a chance to use it. I would tear Jack apart piece by little piece myself. Now, I had a mate to find.
I called over Lucy and she came over. She seemed pissed. She gave me a glare and tapped a foot, a hand on her hip.
"Could you stay and keep an eye on the children? I have to find Victoria." She nodded but kept glaring at me. "Do you have anything to say?" I gritted out. If she was anyone else, I would have put some alpha smack down on her for the attitude. She was Victoria's friend though. I didn't need anymore shìt on the pile I already had.
"You better fix this." With those words she walked away. I shook my head at the position I had found myself in. Once the beloved and feared Alpha, now I'm just the whipping boy of the pack for their beloved Luna.
~If the description fits.~ Blaze happily responded. Stupid wolf.