David's Dilemma

by Sydney Addae

  Sarita’s face dropped. “What? What do you mean? Can’t people see these lines all over my body? You’re kidding right?” It couldn’t be. She had stayed away from everyone she loved because of these things. That would be so messed up if she’d gotten it all wrong.

  Isodora frowned. “How many people have ever seen them, not including the four doctors?”

  Sarita thought back. “I kept them covered so no one would see them,” she said when she could only think of three people. David, her roommate Kim and Halas. No one, not even her aunt, ever mentioned the lines that could be seen on her shoulder. She closed her eyes to hide her tears. All this time, all these years, no one could see the vines? She couldn’t believe it. She had missed Christmases, holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, everything because of this crazy disease.

  “Sarita?” The High Priestess’ hand touched her shoulder.

  Sarita lost it and cried harder. The isolation. Withdrawing from her brothers, sisters, the compound, her parents, David, everyone. They wouldn’t have known she was different. Wouldn’t have seen the vines. She could not believe it.

  Isodora pulled her close. Sarita wrapped her arms around her waist as she sobbed. Heartbroken over the enormity of her mistake, she cried until there was nothing left.

  “It’s alright little one, it’s alright.”

  The soothing words and gentle strokes eased Sarita’s wounded spirit. There was no way to redeem the years she lost but she’d make up for it somehow. Once she finished training, she would be healed of the disease, find David and go home. Goddess, she missed everybody.

  “Thank you,” Sarita said stepping back and wiping her face with her hand. “I didn’t know. I thought everyone could see them. I... I didn’t know.”

  Isodora cupped Sarita’s cheeks. “Kim did not tell you?”

  Sarita frowned. “Kim? My old roommate? You know Kim? Oh... that’s right she had the vines too. No, she didn’t tell me. Did she know?”

  “Yes, she knew. I’ll speak with her to discover why she allowed you to suffer in this manner.”

  Surprise followed swiftly by anger raced through Sarita. “I can’t believe she knew and didn’t tell me. She sent me to all those doctors. Were they real?” She didn’t know what to think. Kim knew how Sarita agonized over not going home, and how much she missed her family, they had spent countless hours talking about it.

  “Yes. Each one reported to me of your health and brought you closer to this moment. In that regard, she followed instructions.”

  “Meaning she didn’t in other areas?” Sarita said when Isodora stopped speaking.

  “So it seems.”

  “Is she here?” Sarita looked around.

  “No, she’s on an assignment, but I will speak with her once we’ve finished our training today.” She held Sarita’s shoulders and looked into her eyes. “You’re stronger than you think. Remember the self-sacrifice you made to keep your family safe. Never think of it as a weakness, love is never weak. It is the bedrock of every solid foundation.” She placed a kiss on Sarita’s cheek.

  Warmth spread through her as she inhaled Isodora’s scent. Calm rested on her shoulders and peace eased her spirit. “Thank you. It means a lot to hear you say that.”

  “I’ve spoken nothing but the truth to you. The hour grows late, what is your third question?”

  “As a descendant of Salah, who is or was my mam? Why did she leave me?” Sarita’s voice cracked. Maybe the recent emotional storm lingered, or perhaps a small, locked box in the corner of her mind released past hurts causing her voice to sound so ragged.

  “Oh, Sarita.”

  “She left me with those men. Salah protects pups, but we were being killed, operated on. Some of my friends are still in wheelchairs, can’t be alone in the dark or leave home. For years those men violated us, and no one stopped them.” Her breath hitched as a new wave of tears fell. “My dad had so many operations he still has metal in his legs and arms. They stole him as a pup, put a computer chip in his brain to control him and cameras in his head.” She couldn’t stop the words from pouring out. “Where was Salah then? My brother Damian was raised from a pup by the Liege as an assassin. He tried to kill his own father!” Unable to close the box of painful memories, she sobbed against Isodora’s chest. “And my mom. What they did to Asia. All the surgeries. They tried to kill her so many times. It was inhumane. La Patron finally stopped them, where was Salah? Where was my mam? She left me with those monsters!” she screamed.

  The High Priestess rubbed Sarita’s back as tears fell down her cheeks. Isodora sensed Salah’s presence and leaned into her mentor’s spirit for added strength. How could she explain what happened all those years ago?

  “Tell her the truth. She needs to know otherwise she’ll never finish training. Soon she’ll need to leave for Canada, we cannot interfere with that.”

  Isodora nodded as Salah’s presence faded. She took Sarita’s hand and pulled her forward. They sat on a padded bench and Isodora stroked Sarita’s hair for several minutes until she calmed down.

  “Your mam... your mam died in the Liege compound.”

  Sarita stiffened, sat up and met the Priestess’ sorrowful gaze. “You knew her?”

  Isodora swallowed the pain rising in her throat. “Yes. I knew her very well. We were litter-mates.”

  “Litter-mates?” Sarita sounded surprised.

  Isodora nodded.

  “Can you tell me what happened to her? I mean, how did she die? Did the Liege kill her?” Sarita asked softly.

  Isodora released a long sigh. It had been years ago and yet the sense of loss remained fresh. Salah wanted Sarita to know it all, but the pain of telling hurt.

  “We were sold to the Liege and used for mating purposes. Understand, they bred him with natural wolves as well. I don’t know if any of them carried pups or what happened to them. Accustomed to being free, neither of us were happy and tried to escape several times. That place was like a fort and we had no luck. Hanna, your mom, and I were given to the black wolf, Hawke, your father. I carried a litter of four from him. As soon as I weaned them, they were taken from me and I never saw any of them again.

  At first, none of us knew anything about the experiments, but after Hanna’s pups were taken as well, we knew something was wrong.”

  Isodora exhaled. “Looking back, I suppose Hawke’s actions were robotic, he was cold, focused, lacked emotions or empathy. At the time I admit, my anger at being enslaved didn’t allow rational thought. I, we hated him for his role in enslaving our pups.”

  “He never knew he sired until he escaped from under their control.” Sarita refused to allow her dad to be blamed when he was as much a victim as Hanna and Isodora.

  “I heard what you said and looking back, see the truth of it. That was then, this is now, two different times and perspectives.”

  Sarita nodded.

  “They bred him with us and a few others to take and enslave his pups. When we discovered the truth of what was happening, Hanna was devastated. I’d been told my pups had died either on the operating table or some experiment, but two of her pups were alive. Every day she died a bit knowing the danger her pups were in. By the time help arrived to set us free, Hanna was a shadow of her former self. The second the locks came off her cage she refused to listen to our plans to return to save the pups once we had more help. She went to the nursery searching and was shot.”

  Sarita closed her eyes and leaned into Isodora. “I’m so sorry she died trying to save us.” She paused. “Wait, I have had a litter-mate? Who was it? Are they still alive?”

  Isodora nodded. “Yes and yes. I’m surprised you never understood or figured it out. Kim is your litter-mate.”

  “MY ROOMMATE, KIM?” Sarita couldn’t believe it. They had become close friends over the years, but their beginning had been rocky. Initially, Kim acted as if she had something to prove and constantly mocked Sarita’s reserved ways. Confident within herself, Sarita had no interest in making a lot of friends or
following the crowd. With specific goals in mind, as well as a strong support system back home, she had been comfortable going her own way.

  Midway through the first semester, Kim opened up and they had a real talk. Kim claimed her parents lived far away and that as an only child she didn’t always see things the way others did. She wanted to be friends and although skeptical of Kim’s change of heart, for peace sake, Sarita agreed.

  She liked Kim. They talked about a lot of things, except Pack business, including her grandfather, Alpha Barticus.

  “Does she know?” Sarita could tell by the look in Isodora’s eyes, Kim knew.

  “Yes, she’s known all along and wanted to meet you. She specifically asked to be your roommate in college.”

  Sarita frowned. “Why didn’t she tell me? It would’ve been great to know her in that way.”

  Isodora didn’t say anything for a few seconds. “Let me finish telling you of the Liege, it may all make sense when I’m done.”

  Confused, Sarita nodded.

  “Hanna was shot but didn’t die immediately. No, those heartless bastards refused to allow her a merciful death. She was taken to a lab and experiments were run on her. When she wished for death and failed to respond they brought her pups in the room, thinking it would make her fight to live, to endure.”

  “What?” Sarita’s throat tightened.

  “Yes. From the camera footage I’ve seen, she did fight and bled out on the table, it was horrible. They removed her pups and placed the two of you with the others. You were rebellious from the very start, no matter how hard they punished you. Kim had a different nature and went through several experiments. Nothing that changed her physically but damaged her mentally early on.”

  Sarita gasped as her hand flew to her mouth. She’d never picked up that anything was wrong with Kim. There were no red flags.

  “Salah rescued me and the others, we lost Hanna that day. We returned a month later and the place was under siege, Hawke had returned and destroyed the castle. We took all the pups before the castle exploded and systematically sent them in the direction of their kinsmen. You were taken to America to wait until Hawke finished destroying the Liege. Kim wasn’t strong enough to make that trip and was sent to our kinsman to live.”

  Stunned, Sarita tried to process pieces of her life’s history internally. Her mam died at the hands of the Liege. Her parents destroyed the Liege. She had a sister, someone who shared both parents with her in addition to Damian, Kayden, and Wyatt, who shared Hawke.

  “Why didn’t Salah rescue you earlier? Before you were bred?”

  “The person who sold us layered the Liege’s ward, so no one could be identified inside. Finding us when she did was a tremendous feat and the beginning of the Liege’s destruction. We lost several generations because of the Liege. Salah was furious and devastated. We worked continuously to reconnect pups to their dens and layered extra protections to keep the pups safe. No mother should fear her pup’s destruction the way we experienced. It is a blister on my soul.”

  God would judge the members of the Liege for the blood on their hands one day. “Why didn’t Kim tell me we were litter-mates?” That still made no sense.

  Isodora sighed. “Tomorrow we will discuss that. Reliving the horrors from the days of the Liege has drained my energy and saddened me.” She stood. “Go and rest. Tomorrow we start early. You must learn to move between dimensions and fight the way of Salah before you rescue your friend.”

  Being reminded of rescuing David, Sarita nodded, stood and left. Puzzled over Kim’s omission over the years, she reached out to her friend. “Kim?” For the first time ever, there was no response. “Kim?”

  KIM STIFFENED WHEN she heard Sarita’s call and ignored her. By now she was with Isodora learning about Salah. Would Isodora tell her about their mam? Her bloody death? Not a night passed when Kim didn’t see the agonizing pain on her mam’s face and the light of life dim, then flicker out. She rolled over and closed her eyes tight against the memories. When would she stop seeing them?

  “Kim, answer me,” Isodora demanded.

  Kim shivered but didn’t respond.

  “You will answer me, or I will pull you back here crying and begging for mercy.”

  “Yes, Priestess?”

  “What game are you playing with Sarita? Why didn’t you extend the peace to her of knowing no one could see her vines? She suffered because of that and you knew it.”

  Kim had no defense. “I don’t know, at the time I didn’t think to share. Even when she cried in anguish over them, I should have told her but didn’t. I have no excuse for my behavior.”

  “She is hurt to know her litter-mate allowed her to live in pain and disillusionment. I am very disappointed at your behavior. You told me the two of you were friends. I allowed you to get close to her, and bring her in, believing you treated her as a litter-mate.”

  “We are friends. I love her and we’re very close. But, how would I know how litter-mates treat each other? I’ve never seen litter-mates living together or engaging in any activity. I’ve done my best to be there for her, to pass along your instructions. If I’ve disappointed you I’m sorry but don’t understand why.”

  “Because you allowed an innocent to suffer when you had the means to prevent it. She was a victim of the Liege just as you, she suffered more beatings, received more punishments and periods of isolation than any of the pups.”

  “And she survived without operations, or mutilations,” Kim snapped. “She escaped the horrors they put on the rest of us.”

  “Only because she was isolated, unfed and forgotten about. Don’t forget I have seen all the camera footage from that time. While you ate three meals a day and played with the others, slept in the same room with several pups, she sat on a hard floor alone dirty and hungry. She was a pup, the same age as you—”

  “Stronger than me obviously since she survived without going crazy.”

  “How do you know that?” Isodora asked softly. “You have no knowledge of what it took for her to be the person she is today, just as she had no idea of what it took and still takes for you to function. Instead of opening your heart for mutual healing, you took another path. One against that of Salah’s teachings.”

  Fear coated Kim’s throat. “No. No Priestess. In ignorance I allowed jealousy to cloud my vision and withheld information that could’ve made Sarita’s life easier. I admit that. But I didn’t harm her deliberately in any other way. I love her as my sister and express that to her all the time. Test my heart for the truth of my words.”

  A jolt of energy flew through her. Eyes closed, teeth and fist clenched she suffered in silence as the Priestess displeasure whipped through her. Sweat rolled down her forehead at the prolonged punishment. As the pain ebbed, Kim took a few sips of air, afraid to hurt her chest by taking a deeper breath.

  “Why didn’t you tell her who you were? I thought that was the reason for attending the same college and sharing a room. You claimed to want to know your litter-mate and permission was granted.”

  Kim bit back a groan, the Priestess wasn’t done. “I was jealous. Her grandfather is the European Alpha. Our father lives and works for the American Alpha, she grew up with his children, considered them brothers and sisters. While I lived in a large house in the middle of nowhere with cows, sheep, and chickens. Education wasn’t important, I never dressed in current fashions and the only pups I saw were at the school I attended 10 days of the month if I was lucky.” She exhaled as the green monster slid from her shoulder into her shame. “We have the same parents but had different opportunities. I guess I wanted to see how she’d operate without that silver spoon.”

  “And how did she operate without that spoon?”

  Kim smiled thinking of Sarita. “Still stubborn. Refused the idea of hurting those she loved to the point I feared she’d hurt herself. Never buckled, never cheated, remained true to her course. I’ve grown to admire her strength and friendship.”

  “Why did you ask fo
r your current assignment?”

  “It was my time on rotation.”

  “You didn’t have to take it, you know the rules.”

  “I know. But I wanted to take it.”

  “Salah is concerned. She’s come to me several times lately and is watching closely. Remember the rules and your training, Kim. Although you are my sister’s child I cannot help you if you go off the path.”

  Kim swallowed hard. “I know. I will do my best not to bring you or Hanna’s memory shame.”

  “This is not about me or your mam. It’s your legacy, who you are and want to become. Be the best you can be for you, pup.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  DAVID RETURNED TO THE tent to grab a burgundy vase he’d removed from Nadira’s lair. He and Cain would take turns holding the shield in place, relieving each other. Cain rested first. David sat near the front of the tent and stared at the vase searching for a seam to open it.

  “It’s warded. Only Nadira can open it,” Lucas sat next to him and pointed to the vase. “Whatever’s inside is important to her.”

  David nodded. “What do you know about her? You’ve been here a long time, what’s her weakness?”

  Lucas’ brow furrowed. “I’ve never seen her weak. She’s always controlled everyone around her, even shared her power with them. What she did today with that energy ball, she hadn’t done in years.”

  “She reacquired her power once they died?” Which meant she’d be stronger the next time they battled. He’d make sure to tell Cain.

  “Yes. She always does that,” Lucas bent his head and took a deep breath. “It’s strange.”

  “What?” David asked.

  “Not serving, not being told what to do or meeting expectations. For you it’s normal, for me it’s strange. I feel like I should be doing something but don’t know what.” He glanced at David and then looked away.

  David felt bad for the guy. “If you could do anything in the world or go anywhere, what would you do or go?” Maybe the answers would lift Lucas from despair and fill him with hope for a brighter tomorrow.