Chapter 68

Emmaline stood on the balcony gazing at the eerily quiet packhouse which till morning was filled with hustle and bustle.

Tonight, the dangerous gigantic beasts would lurk in the dark, running in the woods, talking to the wind while trampling the dry leaves and twigs with their heavy paws. Their massive forms would be tearing the wind as they would prance in the woods.

Emmaline saw how after sunset, the females collected their cubs after completing their chores and packed themselves in houses to clear the way of the hungry wolves in heat who would be searching for their mates and claiming them. Emmaline thanked her stars today as she managed to stay outside the mansion the whole day and did a thorough analysis of the Northern Valley. The whole day she kept noting down the behavior of the denizens. She saw how the she-wolves were eyeing their mates with coy smiles which they returned with a smirk. That came as a shock to her because they were openly seducing each other and no one dare object because the rest were only mirroring their actions.

Maybe that's what the convention of this valley prevails.

But the more she delved deeper, the more her worries ratcheted up. If the Full Moon really heightens the emotions then she also won’t be able to escape from its claws. Damien would sail in the same pool of lust and being her mate, she also wouldn’t stop herself from diving into it.

But that’s what was troubling her. She kept glancing at the door again and again dreading that her beast would barge inside. The girl who didn’t fear Damien, today a single titter would even jar her nerves.

Emmaline hadn't seen Damien since morning which was a good thing but it didn’t delight her rather piled up the layers of her worry.

What if he had caught her meeting Alpha Ryder?

What if he come to know her truth?

What if he had gotten a whiff of their cabal and is planning on vitiating it?

Her mind was filled with so many questions. Emmaline was scared, she wasn’t in a state to handle his wrath. All the energy got drained off her system when Zion turned her whole life into a lie with his few words.

“Edward isn’t your father.”

Emmaline felt empty. She wanted to cry but her tears ran out. Her whole life was built upon lies. Everyone reduced her to a mere puppet who only dances to their tunes. Believe their false stories, live with them and when she finally adapts and accepts her fate, they finally blow the lid off and order her to change herself accordingly.

After confronting Zion who unexpectedly came out as her friend not foe, she had prepared herself for any contingency but the truth of her parents shook the base of her hope and eventually shattered it.

A tear escaped her eye as she stared at the shining ball in the sky, silently accusing it of messing up her simple life.

Flashback

'Thud'

Zion's face was turned to the left when Emmaline struck him hard on the cheek. Her eyes were shedding tears nonstop but deep down she was scared to the bone.

"How can you even say that? Who gave you the right to call my mother a cheater?"

"She is not only your Mom, Em!!" Ryder hollered at her as he rushed to them and pulled her away from Zion.

Emmaline was furious when Zion and Ryder disclosed the biggest secret that she wasn't Edward's daughter but Lycan King Blade's daughter. Obviously, she spurned them but Ryder was also hell-bent on convincing her.

"He isn't lying. Mom loved the Lycan King Blade. Both of us are his children, not Edward’s."

He retorted turning Emmaline speechless.

Zion closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He then turned his face to her only to see her watching him with a tear-stained face.

His gaze softened, "I have no reason to lie to you, Moon. Neither your Mom nor Edward was a Lycan then how come you were born as one? Didn’t that question intrigue you?” he asked her softly.

Emmaline fluttered her eyes. Yes, she had this thought in mind but she concluded it by blaming Isabella. Poor her thought that her mother was a Lycan and that’s why Isabella came up with a rogue story to denigrate her.

“They both were pure werewolves, Moon.” Zion said while referring to Seraphina and Edward, “And if you don't want to believe me then will you believe Alpha Blake?"

"Blake? What he has to do with it?" Emmaline quickly asked him as a frown settled on her brows.

"He is our maternal uncle. Alpha Blake tried to save you because you were his sister's daughter."

Emmaline stayed rooted on the spot.

"What?" She gasped in disbelief and grabbed her head which started pounding wildly. It was too much to digest.

Zion nodded and walked towards her.

"He has every reason to save you, Moon. You must be aware of the history of when Lycans ruled the whole clan. It not only included bloodshed, tears, and slavery but also contains a chapter on a forbidden love story of two star-crossed lovers: Seraphina and Blade.”

He then stopped near her and continued while Emmaline listened to him with keen interest.

“Alpha Blade was the strongest Lycan on Earth at that time while his brother, Alpha Logan was one cunning, narcissistic, and arrogant man. Both the brothers were poles apart because unlike him, Blade despite being a Lycan earned respect amongst the werewolves as he didn’t treat them like slaves.

Once Blade was on a visit to Scarlet Mountain when his eyes caught Seraphina. Your mother was exceptionally gorgeous, she was the most beautiful woman in the mountains. Alpha Blade also got bewitched and fell in love with her at first sight. But the problem was that no matter how good he was, werewolves feared Lycans to their core. Blade knew that if he approaches Seraphina, she would definitely run away from him. Unlike his brother, Blade respected women. He wanted to win her heart but unfortunately, she was married to Edward. Blade was heartbroken when he came to know about it but still, he didn’t lose hope and continued wooing Seraphina hoping for a day when she would accept him."

Emmaline was out of words. How can one chase a married woman just because he fell for her?

“He should have backed out.” she commended Blade’s actions.

Zion breathed a loud sigh, "Hmm, but he had a different opinion. He continued chasing her but then his patience ran off and he... he abducted her."

"WHAT??"

Emmaline yelled; she didn't expect that.

"But didn't you say he was a gentleman then why?"

"Because he loved her. What's wrong with that?" Ryder defended him turning Emmaline stunned.

"You're favoring him? How could you?"

"Wait, Ryder. Let me tell her the whole truth." Zion immediately chided Ryder who looked away in annoyance.

Zion then turned to Emmaline and grabbed her shoulders.

"Yes, it was wrong and just like you, your mother opposed it too. She tried everything to escape but all her efforts were ruined by Blade. He never hurt her nor ever forced her into anything. In fact, he took great care of her, making sure that her every demand was fulfilled. Even Seraphina was surprised by the royal treatment she got in his mansion when she was inferior to him. But Blade made sure that no one offends her, he left no stone unturned to win her heart but didn't let her leave him too."

His words struck her hard. Emmaline noticed the similarity in her and her mother's life. Both of them were the targets of obsessed love.

Still, she mustered up some courage and asked him, "Did she fall for him?"

"Yes, she did," Ryder chirped. Emmaline could see the shine in her eyes, she don’t know why he was cheering up for Blade.

"Mom was faithful to Edward but she failed to resist her feelings for Dad. He was too soft for her, bore her insults and harsh words but make sure to wipe her tears. He would tolerate her tantrums with sealed lips because all he wanted her to stay with him. Mom couldn’t push him away anymore. His excessive fondness for her and the way he pampered her as a child left her in a dilemma. To run away from the truth, she expected Edward to take her away before she loses control of her emotions but that man was busy serving Xander and making his image in the public." His tone turned harsh by the end.

Emmaline clenched her jaw. Storming towards him, she gripped his collar, "Don't you dare. Do you even know that Xander betrayed him and left him-"

"Yes, I know it." Ryder didn't let her complete and snapped at her.

"But didn’t his wife need him the most that time? Wasn't he even a bit worried that she was kidnapped and was staying with another man against her will? I understand you're inspired by the brave stories of your fake Dad but you can't ignore your family for your dreams Emmaline. You failed to realize it but Mom did as she eventually gave up on him."

His expression was stone hard but Emmaline could see the pain behind that cold facade.

"W-What happen then?" She tried to change the subject to escape Ryder's heated glares.

"Their love eventually blossomed Moon," Zion replied her with a smile.

"Seraphina was happy when she conceived. She was about to give this news to Blade when Xander murdered Logan. All relations got washed up on that black night. The werewolves raided Blade’s mansion overnight. Blade was disheartened and angry by his brother’s demise still his priority was to save Seraphina. He hid her safely and went to fight with the werewolves. But Seraphina couldn’t curb her concern so she sneaked out to look for Blade but it was too late. Her world collapsed when Edward beheaded Blade right in front of her eyes." He spoke and lowered his head in sorrow.

Emmaline palmed her mouth in shock.

Ryder also squeezed his eyes shut as his throat clogged up. He clenched his fists and turned his around as he didn't want Emmaline to see his tears.

"Seraphina didn't only lose Blade that day Emmaline but she lost her voice too. She didn't want to lose you two so she hid the truth of Blade being your father from Edward. She only shared this with Blake. Edward was over the moon when he came to know that his wife was pregnant unaware of the fact that they weren't his babies."

Emmaline looked at him confused.

"But how come he didn't know about that? I mean he wasn't that gullible to accept Mom's lies that she got pregnant out of the blue?"

"Ela erased his memories. She is a witch." Zion answered her query.

Emmaline looked at him with wide eyes.

"What? Ela is a witch? B-But.."

She babbled but halted when a question popped into her mind. She glanced at Ryder but jumped since he was already staring at her.

"How come you-"

Emmaline failed to complete her sentence. But luckily Ryder read her thoughts as he let out a chuckle.

"Blake saved you then who saved me that night, right? I wasn't saved, Em. I died the moment Isabella stabbed Mom."

He heralded throwing another bomb at her.

Emmaline stared at the two men with shock-filled eyes. She refused to believe it but their serious expressions were compelling her to believe them.

Zion watched how she looked at him. He was happy that Emmaline trusted him so much that she was still looking at him for confirmation.

A small smile etched on his lips.

She trusted him more than her brother.

"How is he alive then?"

Ryder narrowed his eyes when Emmaline asked Zion not him. A muscle twitched in his jaw, he opened his mouth to answer her but Zion beat him to it.

"When Xander and his pack left after the massacre, Blake and Ela returned to collect Seraphina’s body. Alpha Blake was the king of rogues so it wouldn't have been difficult for him to defeat Xander but at that time, saving you was his top priority because Isabella was a psychotic woman. She envied Seraphina for everything and hated her to no extent. When that evil bitch caught the wind of Seraphina being pregnant, she accompanied Xander only to kill her."

Emmaline turned red in anger. She already wanted to strangle that vile woman but those feelings turned more powerful now.

"When Seraphina gave birth to you, she immediately handed you to Ela who managed to escape but she couldn't save Ryder who was still in her womb. The Shadow Banes had seized the entire Silver Valley. Ela witnessed Isabella stabbing Seraphina while holding you in her arms. She was helpless but she couldn’t shake off that guilt. She considered herself responsible for Seraphina’s death. So, after she kept you in a safe place, she returned to Silver Valley along with Blake. Even though everyone knew that the other twin was dead but Ela refused to give up. So, she decided to take out the baby from Seraphina’s corpse."

Emmaline's eyes welled up. That was so devastating and horrible.

Her heart turned heavy for her brother.

"Then how was he saved?" she asked meekly while glancing at Ryder who was avoiding her eyes.

"Uhmm," Zion turned nervous. Emmaline was baffled when she noticed the tense look on his face.

"Why? What's wrong?" She inquired.

"You won't be able to bear it, Em," Ryder told her sternly. She looked at him with askance.

"I am warning you two. Don't you dare leave me hanging. You've kept me in the dark for fucking eighteen years. I also have the right to know the truth." She complained and looked at Zion.

Grabbing his jacket, she shook him vigorously.

"Tell me, Zion. You have to."

Zion was in a bind. He stared into her pleading eyes that were begging him to remove the last cloth but he feared the repercussions. Emmaline was already emotionally torn, what if she starts hating them after hearing the bitter truth?

He looked at Ryder who nodded at him. Ryder had made up his mind, he knew she would be broken and might start despising him for turning her miserable but for how long they can keep her away from them? To win her trust, he needs to remove all the barriers so that Emmaline starts seeing him as her family.

It hurts him to see how much she trusts Zion and Damien over him. But no one was at fault. It was just the unfavorable circumstances that drew the differences and turned the siblings into strangers.

Zion inhaled sharply before answering her.

"You both were Lycans since birth but to save Ryder, there was only one way Moon and that was to pull your powers and infuse them in the dead baby." He replied with a heavy heart.

Emmaline froze. Her grip loosened while her breathing stopped.

She stumbled back in shock but Zion held her hands.

"W-What do you mean?"

Zion gazed into her glassy eyes. His chest constricted watching the look of betrayal on his face.

"Ela had no other option, Moon. That's the reason why you lost your powers and turned into a werewolf just like your mother because Ela stitched your Lycan’s abilities into Ryder's body that's why he is a pure Lycan. Ela sucked the powers of Blade from your body and exchanged them with Seraphina's powers that were running in Ryder's body. In short, that night you were reduced into a werewolf because you gave up your Lycan’s powers to save your brother."