by Livell James
“Your mother refused; she also possesses the trait and hates it. She didn’t want you to deal with it. When she tried to bind you herself and the bind failed, she came to me, and I had no choice. The damage was already done and there was no reversing it. She used a spell with an expiration date, something the McClane witches have never done. If you invoke a time or date, then it cannot be undone. That’s why we only provide general time frames, something you’ll learn as you read the grimoire and start to understand your magic better.”
“Why did she do it, why didn’t she want me to know any of this, only to be blindsided right before my birthday?” Kaylee asked, resigned. She believed her Grandma Ruth had fought for her to know about her magic, but was forced into a decision she didn’t like or agree with.
“Kaylee, only she can answer that question for you. In my opinion, it was fear. She never embraced her magic the way she should have. She didn’t like feeling or seeing things which couldn’t be explained or touched. Your mother needs to control things, and magic is fluid. Then there’s your father.”
“What does my father have to do with any of this? I don’t even know him. Hell, Mom said he was dead.”
“Your mom decided, much like you have, love is more important than family tradition or rules. Your father is very much alive. He is a warlock, one who has been banished from the Coven and not allowed to be a part of our family. You mother ignored that and married him, anyway. That’s why she stayed away and sent you to visit by yourself. She isn’t in good standing with the Coven.”
“I don’t understand. Why was he was banished, what could he have possibly done? Mom never said a bad word about him, just that he couldn’t deal with being a part of a family and needed to get away. She always told me he loved me, and it was better for me this way. When I got older and asked, she told me she had found out he had died.”
Kaylee was starting to see a pattern she didn’t like, every part of her life—her childhood, her parents, her grandparents—it was all filled with lies and betrayal.
“Kaylee, there is so much you don’t know. He was banished from the Coven for being a warlock and using dark magic; even a small dose of dark magic can turn a witch evil. That was something the McClanes and the Smiths disagreed about. They felt as long as the witch only dabbled, it was okay; it’s not, dark and light shouldn’t mix. The McClanes and Smiths never did see eye to eye on that aspect of magic.
“As I was saying, your mom loved him and would do anything to be with him, despite what we said. I knew there was more going on than what met the eye, but I couldn’t detect any dark magic at play. I only knew their relationship evolved too quickly. From almost the first moment they met, I started to see changes in Rebecca.”
“Remind you of anyone?” Grandpa Edwin piped in his two cents, and Kaylee gave him a dirty look which, thankfully, shut him up for the moment.
“Please, Grandma Ruth, continue the story,” Kaylee pleaded.
“Fine, child, but you’re not going to like it any more than what I’ve already told you. As I said, they married and moved away. Your father insisted your mother have no contact with us, so we didn’t even know about you until you were close to five-years old.”
“What?” Kaylee’s mind was spinning. She didn’t have the first recollection of her father, but she remembered coming here at a very young age and staying with her grandparents. What Grandma Ruth was saying didn’t make sense.
“I know what you’re thinking child, and yes, we made sure you didn’t remember your father and had memories of us. It made it easier after we finally got you away from that man. You wouldn’t allow any of us, including your mother, to come near you. It was the only thing we could find to help soothe you and start to repair the damage he had done by taking you.”
“Taken me, where the hell did he take me, Grandma? Hell, it’s like I have a whole strange, unknown history. What you’re saying doesn’t make sense. If he was so bad why didn’t Mom say so?”
“Let me finish. After a few years, your mom couldn’t handle the dark man he had become. She had no choice but to leave, but he refused to allow you to go with her. She never embraced her magic and wasn’t strong enough to fight him. He had charmed her into thinking it was the best thing for you at the time. He was a charmer in many ways.
“Somehow, she was able to break the hold he had over her and leave. She stayed away from you and the coven for five years. Your father told her she was never allowed to come within fifty miles of you, or he would put you on the path of dark magic. She was scared, still young, and because she had chosen him over the Coven or her family, ashamed to ask for help. But something happened which changed her mind, and she finally did the right thing and contacted me.
“Before you ask, I don’t know, only your mother and father know the details. What I can tell you is he offered me no resistance when I came to collect you. You were living with him in Nome, Alaska, in a very tiny house which had seen better days. He had changed over the years and no longer had the handsome facade your mother had fallen for so fast. You were just a tiny thing and so scared. I gave you the tea for the first time that day, just to get you on the plane without screaming.”
“Where is he now, is he still in Alaska? If he gave me up, does it mean he stopped practicing dark magic and is a better person? Do you think he would talk to me now?”
“Kaylee, I can’t answer those questions. I do know he did stop practicing Wicca after you left; it was a condition the Coven placed on him. After that, he went into hiding. I believe it was to repent for the evil things he had done while under the influence of the dark ways. He still has many powers, is very powerful in his own right, but he refuses to use them. He promised me he would never do anything to hurt you. He also told me to tell your mother he was sorry for everything he had put her through.”
“This is a lot to take in.” Kaylee couldn’t sit still, so she got up and started pacing the room. “Adding all of this to the magic, Were, and vampire stuff, my brain is about ready to explode. Hell, I think if one more thing happens, it just might. Lucas is at the pack house right now dealing with something his father has done and then all this.”
“What’s going on at the pack house?” This time her Grandpa Edwin didn’t snark or make any snide comments. Mentioning Lucas and a problem at the pack house seemed to worry him.
“I don’t know,” Kaylee answered as honestly as she could. “Matt came to the cabin and said they needed Lucas back there. They went outside and talked for a bit, and then Lucas and Matt came back inside and told me I needed to get here, but they wouldn’t let me come alone. They watched me from the trail until I was in the house. I’m scared though, I have a feeling whatever it is, it’s awful, and Lucas could get hurt.”
Grandpa Edwin didn’t miss a beat. Much like Lucas had done, he started issuing orders, first to her grandma.
“You stay here and protect Kaylee. I’ll go check out what’s happening at the pack house. If the power shifts before the Ostara is complete, we are going to have even more problems. There’ll be no stopping them if he comes into his Alpha powers. We’ll be right back where we were when Rebecca decided to leave and ignore the Coven.”
Kaylee knew her grandpa had issues with her and Lucas, and after hearing about her parents, she also now knew why, but this was different. She and Lucas were different; he wasn’t evil or practicing dark magic, he was the Guardian. He also loved her, and she loved him with her whole heart. The realization slammed into her like a Mack truck. She loved him.
She watched her grandpa leave. He no longer looked like the frail, little man she had come to think he was, but a warrior. That’s when she realized a glimmer surrounded him. Shit, just another deception to add to the list.
“Kaylee, there’s still more I need to tell you, to prepare you for, Grandma Ruth said.
“Enough,” Kaylee said. After she knew Lucas was safe and what was going on at the pack house, she would deal with her destiny. “Grandma, I think I’ve h
eard about as much as I can take for now, can we continue this later?”
“Kaylee, do not take this lightly, you have a big decision to make on your birthday,” Grandma demanded
The tone of her voice grated on Kaylee’s nerves. She thought she’d been taking all of this relatively well and hated when anyone talked down to her like she was a child.
“I know, Grandma,” she snapped. “I just really don't want to think about it right now. I think I deserve that much after what all of you have done to me, kept from me all these years. I’ll deal with the magic portion of my life after this part is finished. Is that too much to fucking ask?”
Her grandma Ruth looked sheepish and ashamed of herself, but of course, didn’t apologize or offer any type of acknowledgment.
“See that you do. This can’t wait, time is running short,” Grandma Ruth warned and walked out of the living room, leaving Kaylee alone with her thoughts and worries. It was the first time she considered calling her grandma a bitch.
Chapter 17
Lucas and Matt waited until Kaylee was safely in grandparents’ home. Once she was inside, Lucas asked, “What’s going on, why would Marcus hurt Danica?” He didn’t bother to ask about Flynn because Marcus was a twisted fuck who was always causing the Omega of their pack problems and pain.
Lucas could tell Matt was agitated, he was pacing back and forth and running his hands though is hair. His brother was struggling with something much bigger than Marcus going off on the pack; through the years, it was a common occurrence. The only reason Lucas was even remotely concerned this time was Danica had never been one of Marcus’s targets. The females in the pack were meant to be cherished.
“Fuck, listen, Marcus has been drinking Dragons Blood.”
Lucas grabbed Matt by his shirt, getting right up in his face and yelled, “What the fuck, Matt, and you didn’t say anything to anyone? You fucking know if the council finds out you knew about this and didn’t say anything, you could be put down, right?”
Lucas pushed Matt away and turned around, he couldn’t look at him right now. Dragon’s Blood was a potion made by the users of dark magic. If a Were even tasted a drop, they got an instant high, becoming addicted, giving the maker of the substance rule over the Were drinking it. Those dark magic users either used the power themselves or sold it off to the highest bidder. That’s why the council had banned it.
“You think I don’t know that!” Matt yelled grabbing Lucas’ arm and making him turn to face him. “Up until last month, I believed everything the man said. When he said he could handle it, I believed him. He wasn’t acting any differently and hell, I didn’t even know about the fucking money he was taking from the pack.”
“Bullshit, Matt, you just didn’t want to see it. You liked the position Marcus put you in, the favored son, the prince who could do no wrong and got away with everything. What did it cost you to turn a blind eye to everything he’s done?”
“Fuck you, Lucas, I’m trying to make up for it now. I didn’t know.”
“Again, I call bullshit. You’re running scared now that he’s out of control and his actions are going to cost you. So, just like the spoiled brat you’ve always been, you want the rest of us to clean up the mess.” Lucas laughed, but without humor. “He told you one day you would be Alpha, didn’t he? That bastard was never going to give up his throne. He would rather kill all of us than ever allow that to happen. You weren’t special, you were a fucking pawn, so he could get away with his shit. He needed a strong member of the pack to have his back, and you filled the position with a smile on your face.”
“Fine, I was stupid, I believed everything he promised and said. Are you fucking happy? This is all my fault.”
“No, Matt, I’m not fucking happy, I’m pissed. You could have said something, we could have done something, and none of this would be happening now. Do you think I like any of this shit? I’m not ready to be Alpha and neither are you.” Lucas felt bad for Matt, he wanted to console him, but his next words stopped him.
“That’s not all of it, Lucas. He gave Emily the Dragons Blood because she wasn’t willing to pay his debt. It messed her up, but whoever Marcus owes messed her up worse. When Dani said there was too much damage, he freaked the fuck out and hit her.”
“Son of a bitch! I’ll deal with you later. Right now, the pack is what’s important,” Lucas said as he started running. Knowing time was critical, he used his vampire speed and arrived at the pack house well before Matt. When he arrived, Eric, Macon, and Dylan were standing off against Marcus, all of them in wolf form.
The fight was brutal. Marcus was using his strength as Alpha against his pack mates, but the men weren’t standing down. Lucas admired their strength and determination, but he knew it was only a matter of time before Marcus would take them down. Lucas didn’t even hesitate, he ripped his clothes off and shifted as he ran to join the fight, charging Marcus head on. Lucas was strong, but Marcus was hyped up on Dragon’s Blood, making him almost invincible. Matt joined him a few minutes later, and together, they managed to beat him back.
He and Matt took turns attacking, but it was getting them nowhere because they couldn’t kill Marcus. This wasn’t an Alpha challenge, there were rules which needed to be followed. To take the kill shot, Lucas and Matt needed the pack’s approval or the Council would come after them, and Matt was already in enough trouble. The pack needed to know what Marcus had done, everything.
Lucas shifted back into his human form. It was a risk, Marcus could tear him apart in his fragile human skin, but it was a risk Lucas needed to take. He needed to get the man to shift back into his human form, and Lucas knew if he goaded him, Marcus’ ego would win out over his need to cause pain.
Lucas stood his ground, and Matt came next to him, still in his wolf form. He noticed Eric and Dylan had flanked Marcus and Macon was at his back. The pack had him surrounded which gave Lucas a small amount of confidence this move would work.
“Marcus, shift back and face me as a man,” Lucas demanded. Marcus shifted, and Lucas instantly noticed his eyes, the gold color of the animal dull and the surrounding ring which should have been blue, was pitch black, proving the taint of dark magic had been firmly planted within him.
“Face, you like a man?” Marcus laughed. “Since when have you ever been a man, whelp? You’re nothing, but what I made you, weak. Even with your brother at your side, you’re still weak. I made sure of that when I broke the twin bond early. King Alpha’s, born as twin souls on the day of the red moon. I called bullshit then, and I call it now. You are nothing, he is nothing, unless I choose it. I am Alpha of the Valentin pack, you are the scum who disgraces our pack name.”
“I’m the scum of the Valentin pack, huh?” Lucas scoffed. “Have you taken a good look in the mirror lately, Father? How was that last dose of Dragons Blood? Did it make you feel good?” Lucas noticed the twitch on the side of Marcus’s eye; he also noticed he was looking around at the pack, mainly at Eric who had now shifted back to human form as well. Lucas wasn’t done, there was still one more nail he needed to pound into Marcus’s coffin.
“How did Emily take it when you forced her to drink it? Do you think she felt good?” Lucas heard Eric’s howl of pain and disgust, but he couldn’t look away from Marcus. He needed to keep his focus on the man who was hell bent on ruining them because, on a good day, the bastard was unpredictable. With Dragons’ Blood running through his veins, he was even more of a threat to the pack. Lucas knew Marcus would do anything to protect his own ass even if it meant killing every single one of them to keep his secret.
“Oh, that’s what you’ve resorted to now, lies?” Marcus laughed. “You think the pack will believe I would ever allow that type of taint to corrupt this pack? No, you’re the abomination, not me; they know, I’ve told them. They see you for the evil creature you are.”
“The evil creature you made sure I became, isn’t that what you should be saying, Father?”
“More lies to cover for yourself, L
ucas. I shouldn’t be surprised, you’ve always been a coward. Maybe it’s you who is taking Dragon’s Blood, and now that the little witch is here, you need to distract everyone. I’ll show them though, I’ll prove the witches chose the wrong Guardian.”
“And who should they have chosen as Guardian, Father?”
“The pure Alpha of the Valentin Pack,” Marcus snarled, “not the weak imitation.”
“You? The man who works with their enemy? The man who willingly allows another to control and rule his mind? You think you’re the rightful Guardian? Where is this purity you speak of so fondly? All I see is a jealous, hateful man. The pack will not stand behind you this time, Father. Your game has been lost, you will be judged by the Council for your actions.”
“Lies, all lies. I should have put you down before your first breath, and I would have if that bitch hadn’t interfered. Now, I’m done, I’m done playing this game. The witches aren’t here to protect you, and I don’t see a single member of the Council standing around ready to investigate your claim. The pack will back me when I say you challenged me for Alpha and lost, and I will finally be rid of you. They’ll be forced to choose another Valentin to act as Guardian, and that will be me!”
“The only person who is lying is you, Father.” Matt had stepped up next to Lucas, having shifted back. “I won’t stand by your side and lie, neither will the pack. Your time as the Valentin Alpha has come to an end; you are not worthy of the name.” Before Matt got another word from his lips, Marcus charged him, but Lucas pushed him out of the way.
Lucas had Marcus down on the ground. He still couldn’t kill him, but he needed time to come up with another plan.
“Get off me, boy” Marcus, groaned as he threw him with the grip he had around Lucas’ neck. Lucas felt his beast coming to the surface; he had to fight it as well as his Father. When he got up from where he had been thrown, Lucas shifted. Marcus had already shifted after slinging Lucas off him. Marcus’s wolf was somewhat smaller than Lucas, grey in color, with black eyes. Lucas let out a haunting howl and rammed into his father’s wolf, knocking him off his feet, grabbing him by the throat. Before the fight went any further, there was a loud clap of thunder and a bolt of lightning landed right beside them. Everything had stopped. Marcus was sitting on the ground, not far from him, and Edwin was standing over him.