Chapter 43: …believe we have traitors in our Pack?**
gang in Alma’s car was bou
and unable to move
| there now was this hipong serisation she kept feeling from maida Akira started to feel as desperate and almost all consuming need ke bendom from those chains started to build made her. All of that wat D
Kora called out, panxc starting to
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even
ay up het spine. “Wat is happening
was about to change İr them, her space was already changing. “I do not Is sat is happening, things are changing inside here.
Alora forond herself to focus back on the Alpha, she could not help but think at this moment, “Out of all the times for me to start falling apart, why now??
“Yes Alora, yosi are to claim your inheritance.” Alpha Andrew said to her in a serious tone. “You already know about your mother Bettina’s true origins, and just who your grandfather really
Alora nodded, using the details he was giving her to steads herself. By focusing on these details, the ringing in Alora’s ears started to fade awa The chaos that was happening inside bet was pushed to the back of Alora’s mind, no longer taking center stage.
“There are a lot of things that have been hidden from you that you need to be made aware of Alpha Andrew said, letting out a tired sounding sigh. “The landslide that killed your aunt and your grandmother Heartsong was thought to be a natural disaster at first. After a thorough investigation, it was determined that it was not caused naturally, but with magic. A taint of Black Magic was left at the site where the Lindside originated from,”
Alora looked at the Alpha wide eyed. “Did they ever find the person who did it?”
Alora had not been close to any of her blood relations ever. Because of this, she never developed any emotional attachment to them. However, she did not like that a Pack member and her pup had been murdered in such a way.
Alpha Andrew shook his head. “No, they did not. It was one of the reasons the former Clan Alpha of the Heartsongs, handed over the raising of his daughter to someone outside his Clan. Between dealing with the loss of his pup Amethyst and his fated mate Helen, Brodie felt he was not fit enough to protect his youngest
lighter *
Alora nodded, remembering this part of the story. “But for some reason when the former Clan Alpha was able to once more take up the responsibility of raising Bettina again, she didn’t go back with him.”
Alpha Andrew nodded again, a quick smile flashed across his lips, pleased Alora was able to readily offer up that information. “It is correct that Bettina did not go home with her father when he came to retrieve her. Your grandfather was a good friend of my father’s and became one of mine as I grew up. Bettina did not just refuse to go back with your grandfather, she tore into hum with her words and accusations first. To his death, Brodie believed he deserved everything she had said to
Alpha Andrew looked down into his cup of tea with a sad expression on his face. Alora stayed silent as Alpha Andrew took a moment to travel down memory lane. Alpha Andrew took a drink of his tea, emptying the cup.
Alpha Andrew reached for the pot that had his preferred tea in it and refilled his cup. “When your sister was born, I was the one that informed your grandfather of the birth, not Bettina. Brodie was happy for your mother, but he was disappointed Sarah, as a daughter of the Heartsong’s Alpha family, did not carry the Moon Goddess’ mark”
Alora felt a nerve twitch where her mark was located, she reached down and rubbed it, trying to relieve the sudden painful nerve spam.
” he talking about our mark?’ Xena asked.
“I think so,” Alora answered.
Alpha Andrew noticed Alora rubbing her mark and remembered the horrifying details he had just been told of Bettina’s repeated attempts to remove it. “Brodie sent your mother a small dowry for a successful delivery. It was at that time, Bettina started trying to get to know Brodie again, but Brodie always suspected that Bettina had ulterior motives for trying to rekindle their father daughter relationship.”
Alora nearly choked on the sip of tea she had just taken. It seemed, even as guilt ridden as her grandfather had been over the fallout between him and Bettina, he was not entirely blind to her schemes. Alora wiped her mouth off with a napkin. Alora coughed a couple more times before she was able to calm down enough to take another sip of tea.
Alpha Andrew waited till after he saw that Alora had solved her minor coughing fit to continue. “His suspicions had Brodie writing and filing his first Will. He was there for your birth as well, called there again by me without Bettina and Allister’s knowledge. When you were born with that mark on your hip, Brodie revised his Will again that night. In his final Will, you were named his heir and the sole inheritor of everything he owned. However, there was a condition to you being able to claim your inheritance, one you have already complied to ”
Alora looked at the Alpha confused for a second, then a look of realization came over her face as she thought back to the beginning of their conversation. “The changing of my surname.”
Alpha Andrew nodded. “The Will states you have to have your name changed to Heartsong by your twenty third birthday to claim your inheritance, or it was to be turned over to Bettina to be distributed between you and Sarah as Bettina saw fit.“
Alora frowned. “At the time you allowed me to change my surname to Heartsong, you said you approved it based on my DNA test proving that I was of the Heartsong Bloodline.”
“I did say that, and what I said was true. In the paperwork, the reason for the name change request is listed as a “Voluntary change of surname after DNA confirmation of bloodline.” The stated reason for approval is “For the continuation of the DNA confirmed bloodline’s original surname.” This shows that the change in your surname was not forced or done for the sole purpose of claiming your inheritance. Keeping certain busy bodied Council members from alerting the wrong people to your name change.”
Luna Ember cut in this time, placing a comforting hand on Alora’s shoulder. “We were hoping to be able to protect you from any possible danger, but unfortunately, it seems you would be in danger regardless.”
Alora looked back and forth between Alpha Andrew and Luna Ember with a confused look on her face, noting their concerned expressions. Alora focused her gaze back to Alpha Andrew and asked, “Wrong people? Danger?”
Alpha Andrew’s expression became grim. “Brodie started to suspect just as I was, that all the premature deaths of both of our Clans Alpha family members in the last two centuries, were not natural. The confirmation of Black Magic being used to cause the mudslide that killed your grandmother Helen and aunt Amethyst validated that suspicion. Brodie theorized that there is a hidden faction of the Black Magic coven that managed to survive the war all those centuries ago, and that the deaths would be connected to them.”
“Unfortunately, the only way that a faction of the Black Magic Coven, or a Black Magic user would go unnoticed in a Pack is if someone, or several someones, was
helping them.” Luna Ember said in a tomber tone.
Alora looked at her, her gaze serious. “You’re saying you believe we have traitors in our Pack?
“Yes, that is exactly what we are saying.” Alpha Andrew said in his deep rumbly voice, his tone grim.
Darien sat there and listened to the conversation with clenched fists. Serenity looked up at Darien with a concerned gaze and a wormed frown. She wove her arm through his and leaned into his side, placing her other hand on his clenched fist, and gently rubbing her fingers over the back of his hand. Serenity let out a startled squeak when that hand suddenly turned over and laced its fingers through hers.
Looking back up, Serenity met Darien’s grateful gaze, even as his expression revealed how affected he was by this conversation. Serenity did not blame him, not every day that you were made aware of a friend being subjected to extreme torture by her own parents. Or that your family has been plotted against by a hidden faction of the Black Magic Coven.
The only part of this that Serenity could relate to was finding out that it was members of their Pack who had betrayed it and allowed Black Mage to cause those deaths. It sent shivers of apprehension down Serenity’s spine, at the same time her extraordinarily powerful sense of honor made her want to track down those traitors and have them punished.
Serenity did not realize she was looking away from Darien, or that she was growling while clutching Darien’s arm tighter, until his lips were brushing agahust her ear as he whispered into it.
Darien’s deep voice was low and raspy as he said, “Your growl makes me want to do all kinds of dirty things to you.”
With what Darien thought was an adorable squeak, every inch of Serenity’s exposed skin turned a lovely shade of dark red. Serenity felt she had never blushed sa hard in her life, she wanted to be mad, but for some reason seeing the pleased smile on Darien’s lips, and the teasing light in his eyes, she could not be
Darien and Serenity were so lost in their moment that they were unaware of the amused expressions on the faces of the other three occupants in the room with
them.
