Chapter Sixteen #2
She leveled him with a look that said he knew. “He did. He turned your mother from a bright vibrant, loving woman, into the cold stiff creature that you knew.”
“How?” Ronnie asked.
My grandmother opened her mouth, but it was my words that stopped everyone.
“When you love someone that doesn’t respect your words, your feelings, or your life.
You allow yourself to become smaller, so they give you a tiny shred of love.
Men like Garith, men like Brandon, they toss you little bits of affection and warmth, so you put up with everything they do to tear you down.
” I looked up at Ronnie. “They do it in such a way that you don’t even realize you are changing yourself.
Not until it’s too late. Not until you are quiet and obedient.
Not until the beatings become your everyday and the love they once gave you freely becomes something you now have to beg for.
” My father made a choking noise. But I just smiled as I bared my soul to a room full of men that I barely knew.
“Lady bug.” Ronnie walked over and pulled me into a hug. “You never have to make yourself small.”
I pulled back and grinned. “I know that this time around.” I pulled out of his arms and cleared my throat. “Anyway.” I turned back to my look at my grandmother, but she was gone. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Thoth.
His face was turned to me and I knew without seeing his eyes, he was watching me.
His hands were clenched, as if he was mad.
I watched him for another second before my dad cleared his throat.
“I guess she gave all the answers she could give us.” His voice was still strong and clear, but I knew my father and heard the slight confusion buried in his words.
I nodded. “What do we do now?”
My dad blew out a breath. “I think we put the Garith issue to the side for now.”
Someone scoffed, but Thoth stood up. “Gavin is right. Knowing he is alive doesn’t change our next step. We came here because Amy told us about the rogue encampment in the caves.”
“Have we confirmed if they are still there anymore?” I looked around, turning to face Ronnie.
He nodded. “We had trackers from all the packs headed to the caves. Rogue movements have been confirmed. Cass is there now, watching.”
I looked at the other Alphas. “Do we agree that the rogues are the biggest threat at this time?” I watched as the Alphas all nodded.
“Now, while I know, you might be a little doubtful because of the relationship between my dad, Garith, and I. What I can tell you is that my father and I are devoted to the Goddess and her will.”
“How do we know that?” Alpha Chris questioned. “No offense to you, Gav. I mean you saved all of us. You kept us alive, and fed these past years. But he is your father.”
There was a pause, and my father nodded. “I understand.”
One second I was looking at everyone, trying my best to not be angry, and the next second I was back in my mind with my wolves. I looked at Nix and Megan. What is going on?
“You need proof that Amy is chosen by me? You need proof that Gavin is chosen by me?” I looked out and I saw every man in the room freeze.
“Moon Blessed.” Toya’s father whispered as he stared at my body.
My body turned to face my father. “You have been through so much.” She walked over and cupped his face. “But this is close to being over.” My father smiled. “You have endured, and I can not express how well you have done. Amy has exceeded all expectations. You have been so devoted to my path.”
My father just shook his head. “You saved me.”
The Goddess shook her head. “You saved yourself.” She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead.
Then she turned to the others. “You are all devoted to my path, or the path of my sisters or brothers.” She looked at Toya’s father.
“Your daughter has done well, and will be rewarded if she survives the final battle.”
He swallowed, instantly alert. “If?”
The Goddess gave a sad smile. “I cannot see the future. I just lay the path.”
Thoth shifted, and she turned to face him. “Hiding behind a mask cannot change anything.” His head snapped up.
“Me?” His voice, confused.
She chuckled. “Who else is wearing a mask but you?”
Thoth scratched his head. “No one.”
“Exactly.” She walked to him and leaned down.
“You hide yourself to protect yourself. But you’re only keeping yourself away from what could be.
You’re hiding and I’m worried you will miss your chance.
If you don’t confess the truth. All of it.
Then you will miss the thing you want most in this world. ”
Thoth swallowed. “But what if I mess up again?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “Then you mess up, but holding back won’t do you any good.”
She turned. “Stay on the path, or don’t. It is up to you all.” Then I was back. I staggered a step, and Thoth steadied me.
“Are you okay?” His question was soft.
“Yeah.” I patted his hand and I felt a spark jump between our skin. I furrowed my brow as I pulled away. I turned back to the others. “So I am sure you have questions.” I tried to smile but it was forced.
The others were staring at me. “That was the Goddess.” Alpha Chris was pale.
I nodded. “Yes.”
“Could that have been magic?” Alpha Tim looked at the others, but they all shrugged.
I blew out a breath. “Magic can do a lot.” I smiled. “I can change my appearance. I can change how I sound. But there is one thing forbidden.”
My father nodded. “It’s forbidden to imitate a celestial.”
I nodded. “If any pretend to be a Goddess in any way, they will lose their blessings. Magic, shifting, or whatever else was gifted. Rank, power, aura. All stripped instantly.”
Toya’s father shook his head. “There is no way that was faked.” He looked at the others. “I have felt the Moon Goddess before. I know you have too.” The others nodded. “I need you to look at me and tell me that what you felt was not the Goddess.”
Tim looked away. “She felt like the Goddess. But I just wanted to offer any explanation.”
I nodded. “That’s fair. But I want to ask a question.” I tilted my head at him.
He met my stare and then nodded. “Okay.”
“Since you have come into this office, you and a few others seem to be almost against my father.” Everyone snapped their attention to me.
“He saved your pack from death, made sure you had places to live. He took care of you and welcomed you into his confidence, while still giving you the dignity and reverence deserving of an Alpha.” Alpha Tim opened his mouth, but I held up a finger.
“When there was yet another attack meant to kill everyone here, he took you to our sacred meeting place. Somewhere no one outside of our pack has ever been. Yet you still question him.” I felt my eyes tighten as I glared at the man in front of me. “Why?”
The question hung in the air. Alpha Tim looked at the others, but I just looked from one to the next. “It’s not like that.” He finally spoke up.
Thoth stood, coming behind me and silently showing his support.
“It is like that.” He looked around the room.
“I have met with you multiple times, and every time I see some push back. When Gavin leaves, there are always some murmurs. I bit my tongue because Gavin asked me to, but Amy is right. After everything he has done for you, for your packs, you still act like this. Why?”
Toya’s father stood and spun on the others. “I have kept quiet for peace. But the Macleans have been nothing short of saviours for my pack. My wolves look up to their example.” He turned to my father and bowed. “I should have said something earlier.”
“You have Roderick.” My father’s voice was a little tired.
“I have spoken to you about it all, yes, but I should have said my peace to the others long before this.” He spun around to look at the men.
“You mumble about Gavin taking our power, our pack, but he has never tried. You mumble about being weak Alphas, and you are correct. We are weak Alpha’s but that is not Gavin’s fault. ”
I stepped over to Toya’s father. “Not weak.” He turned to me with soft eyes. I shook my head. “Never weak Alphas. You are just new. Your packs are small, but we will help you become stronger.”
Someone scoffed. Then Chris crossed his arms. “Why would you help us become stronger? You are just making us a bigger threat to you.”
I smiled. “Are there still big pack wars I haven’t heard about lately?”
The question confused the men. “What?”
“Are there big land disputes that you will kill for?” I tossed another question.
“Of course not.”
“Has the king stopped mediating any disputes between clans?” My words sounded confused.
“You know he will still intervene.” He sounded exasperated.
“Then why would your growth scare us? Any dispute we might have will be mediated. Land will be assigned by the King. But if we are being really honest here, Chris and I try my best to be honest. Then I will say this. I am descended from the Goddess. I have magic, a wolf and a Lycan. No one in your pack has a chance of standing up to me one on one. Pack against pack, our pack is bigger and better trained.”
His jaw clenched. “See this is what I was saying.” Chris pointed at me. “She thinks she is better than us.”
I raised my hands. “I never said I was better than you. I never would have even brought this up, but you pushed it.”
“Sit down, Chris.” Tim snapped out.
Chris turned around and growled at Tim. “They are trying to demean us.”
My dad laughed. “My father is behind the charge to kill the king. Do you really think I have any fucking space to look down on anyone?”
The room was silent. But I snickered. My father turned to me and lifted a brow. “I’m sorry, daddy. But it is a little funny.”
My dad just shook his head, but he swiveled his chair to face the other Alphas. “Now, just talk to me.”
“What?” Chris sank into his chair.
“Why are you feeling like this? When have I ever done anything that made you feel like I thought I was better than you?” My dad leaned his elbows on to his desk. “I have done my best to never step on your toes.”
Chris snapped. “That right there.”
My dad looked up at me, confused. “What?”
Chris growled. “You are always so fucking perfect. The perfect man, the perfect Alpha, the perfect friend.” He screamed. “It’s fucking demeaning.”
My dad stared at him for a second before he started laughing.
Everyone froze. They thought he lost his mind, and maybe he had.
He wiped his face. “I made my mate believe I cheated on her. I broke her heart and then let her walk away.” His words were threaded with laughter.
“I barely raised my pup.” His eyes snapped to mine.
“I got holidays and some summers.” He shook his head.
“I’m far from the perfect man. I ruined my pup’s life, my mate’s, because I knew better than anyone else.
” He turned back to Chris. “I spent years ruining every training program my mate put in place before she left, out of spite. I stunted the growth of every female in my pack because it was the Luna’s duty to watch over them and I didn’t have a Luna.
My best friend nearly killed me and the only reason I’m still alive was because Amy saw his true colors. Not me.”
Chris shook his head. “You are lying.”
My dad shook his head. “I wish I was. But you can ask anyone if you want to check.”
Chris looked around, and Tim just nodded. “Ainsley ran to Vince’s pack. You can ask anyone.”
Chris looked back at my father and me. We all watched as he deflated. My dad knocked on the table. “So tell me what the actual issue is?”
Chris looked back at my father. “You always seem to have it all together. I…I…I felt like I was letting my pack down. And I heard…” He trailed off as he looked around.
“Heard what?” I took a step, but Thoth followed behind me. The movement felt second nature, but foreign at the same time.
“I heard a few pack members talking about Gavin. They were saying how great he was.” He looked down at his hands. “They said about living in a pack like this, and I…”
“You became jealous.” I finished.
He looked up at me with lost eyes, but then he nodded. “Yeah.” He dropped his gaze to the floor. “Yeah, I was jealous.”
I walked over to him. “You know transfers have to be approved. And my dad wouldn’t poach pack members.”
“I know.” Chris sat back. “It's ridiculous . I know it is. But I didn’t know how to cope with everything. He was taking care of my pack, being a better man than I was, and my pack was looking to jump ship.”
“Just because they said something about living in a pack like mine doesn’t mean they wanted to jump ship. Why can’t your pack be like mine?”
“How?” Chris laughed.
“I can teach you.” My father offered.