Alexander’s POV
“You will not be joining us tonight!” I said. “You need to stay here!”
Emily was waiting for us, fully armored, at the edge of the White Moon Pack. Now that I knew she was pregnant, there was no way I would allow her to travel with us, even though she looked amazing and strong in her gear. I would never forgive myself if something happened to her and the pup while she was under my protection.
“Alex!” Emily growled. The anger in the way she said my name smelled like poison in the air. “I am pregnant, not disabled. You cannot make me stay!”
Ghost whimpered; he didn’t like Emily getting upset at us, and it wasn’t healthy for her and our unborn pup.
“Yes, I can!” I yelled, “I am your Alpha and mate. I care about the safety of both you and our unborn pup! You will not leave the safety of the pack territory! Besides, you have been busy with training the whole day. You appear worn out. Spend some quality time with Lex. Take it easy and get some rest. We will be back sooner than you think.”
Luke, my dad, and I were about to head out to try and stop this attack, as well as find evidence that Axel was responsible for the rogue attacks.
Only two packs had boundaries that were close enough to pull off a ruse to take so many pack members at once.
My mind immediately went back to the conversation I had with my father during breakfast earlier in the morning.
He told me and Luke the story of brothers whose faith was shaken by a family secret.
“Axel has no right to the Alpha position,” my father said. Though he was not overly shocked to hear Axel’s claim, he sounded offended by it. “His father was no Alpha.”
My father looked down at his hands, his face contorted with sorrow. He was trembling like a leaf, and I questioned whether he was really able to explain what had happened.
“What happened?” Luke asked. During the day, he had attempted to obtain some information about Axel for me, but all he had was an old birth certificate naming “Tom Arthur Black” as his father.
Since “Tom Arthur Black” was not listed as a pack member in our records, I reasoned that my grandfather might have had an illegitimate pup.
My father lifted his eyebrows, then slowly raised his gaze, before he found mine.
“Tom is my twin brother,” he said. “In addition, he is one minute older than me.”
I sank back into my chair, feeling the blood drain from my face. Thus, Axel is the legitimate Alpha.
How didn’t I see that?
Luke shook my shoulder slightly, narrowing his eyes, and asked the unspoken question.
“I’m fine,” I told him, turning my attention back to my father.
There must be a reason why my father became Alpha, not Tom.
“Please go on,” I said.
My dad sat back, running his hands through his hair.
“Tom’s father and I were brothers,” he remarked, looking directly into my eyes.
What? Startled, I sat up straight. How in the world was that possible? Did my grandmother have two mates?
“Before learning that my father was her fated mate, your grandmother dated Tom’s father. He was at Alpha Camp when your grandmother came of age. Your grandfather claimed, marked, and mated your grandmother the same night he found her.”
“But was she mated with Tom’s father?” I asked as my heart began to race in my chest.
This must be where the secret lies.
“No,” my father said, balling his hands into fists. “In an attempt to cover up his scent, Tom’s father took my father’s clothes. When he couldn’t succeed, he spiked my mother’s drink and took advantage of her. Later on, she discovered she was expecting twin pups.”
“What happened then?” I asked. No wonder everything was kept secret.
“Your grandfather was, for obvious reasons, upset,” my father continued. “He executed his brother for taking advantage of Luna and his mate.”
My father took a deep breath before he continued.
“Tom and I were born a couple of months later. Tom was born first, and your grandfather immediately knew Tom wasn’t his. He couldn’t smell his blood running through Tom’s veins.”
“Why do you not talk about Tom?” I asked. “And why all the secrecy around Axel’s past?”
“I am coming to that.” My father said, turning to face the approaching omega with our food.
“Thank you,” he said as she set our plate in front of us.
My father continued right after she had left.
“Tom and I were inseparable,” he said. Despite not having the same father, we behaved like identical twins. We even had the same appearance, mannerisms, and thoughts. We loved doing everything together.”
That could be the reason for my striking resemblance to Axel.
A painful emotion flashed across my father’s eyes.
Talking about his brother seemed to be opening old wounds.
“On our eighteenth birthday,” my father continued, taking a sip of his coffee. “I was called to my father’s office with my brother. The Alpha crowning was just a few minutes away. Our parents wanted to discuss something important. Neither of us knew what it was about, but it changed both our lives, especially Tom’s forever.”
“What was discussed at the meeting?” Luke asked, curious to know.
“My father has decided it is time to reveal the family’s deepest secret,” he said, setting down his fork and knife. His jaw strained from the pressure of his clenched teeth.
“You were never told that Tom was not going to be Alpha?” I asked.
My father nodded.
What were my grandparents thinking? How could they hide such a huge secret from their own pups?
“No, they didn’t,” my father continued, dropping his shoulders. “My father reared Tom in the same manner as he raised me, treating him as his own. The pack believed that Tom would rise to the position of Alpha, but in the end, my father was forced to reveal the truth, or else his lineage would have suffered.”
It made sense, but still, at what cost?
“What happened next?” I asked.
My dad let out a sigh.
I could see he was tired of talking about Tom. It must have hurt him so much.
“Tom was really hurt by the news,” he said. “He got depressed and stopped talking to people, including me. It was painful. Things started to get better when he met Shelby, his mate. Tom appeared to have reconciled with the result and felt content once more, and things started to fall into place once more.”
“Shelby is not Axel’s mother,” I said, narrowing my eyes. The name on Axel’s birth certificate did not resemble Shelby at all.
“I know,” he uttered while glancing at his hands. “A rogue attack claimed Shelby’s life.”
I could sense the resentment in those remarks.
Was Shelby expecting a pup?
Was that the moment that changed everything and the reason Tom vanished from my father’s life?
I was too afraid, for whatever reason, to find out what had happened in that rogue attack.
“Tom lost his way,” my father continued, finding my gaze. I felt cautious, even afraid, at the expression in his eyes.
What did Tom do to break my father’s heart?
“He turned cold-blooded, obsessed, and furious.” My dad paused for a moment before carrying on. I assume he was searching for the appropriate words to share with me.
“He began apprehending rogues and torturing them for fun.”
A cold shiver ran down my spine; it reminded me of what Michael did. Was it Tom who initiated it?
Did he have an accomplice?
Was there anyone else who adopted his callous and icy methods?
“Your grandfather caught Tom torturing a she-rogue,” my father said. “What he saw was inhumane. His only option was to expel him from the pack.”
With a sigh, my dad shook his head.
“My father was set in his ways, even though I attempted to stop him. He exiled Tom and chased him in wolf form from the territory. Tom crossed the border at the last moment and disappeared into the forest. All of Tom’s records were destroyed, and my father gave the pack the directive to never discuss Tom’s existence again.
“I assume you never had another chance to see him?” I asked.
My dad gave a nod.
“Up until a gloomy winter night, I was aware that my brother was still alive and well. After two years, I figured he had moved on to a new pack and possibly found a companion to keep him company.”
Tears filled my father’s eyes as he grasped his chest.
“My chest felt like a silver blade was being driven into it. I was in excruciating pain. Your mother freaked out and called the doctor because she thought I was having a heart attack. I knew my brother’s life had been taken. I knew he was killed.”
My dad shut his eyes and wiped away his tears.
“It wasn’t long after that when Katrina came knocking on my door and pushed Axel into my arms.”
“What was your reaction when you saw Axel?” I asked, curious to know why he took Axel in.
“I did not want to listen to Katrina at first,” he said. “She was a witch from a coven about 100 miles from us. I didn’t know or trust her. She begged me to take Axel from her. Just as I wanted to shut the door in her face, the blanket slipped from Axel’s face. He resembled you so much and reminded me of my brother.”
“Katrina told me that the pup was Axel’s son. She explained that she could not raise him. She wanted Axel to grow up among his people; she was terrified for his life, and she just found her mate at a nearby pack.”
“You treated Axel as a son,” I commented, and he nodded.
“I could not let Tom’s mistakes ruin his boy’s life,” he declared. “I loved Axel the same way I always loved my brother.”
I could feel the unconditional love my father had for his brother in just the way he spoke of him.
“All right!” Emily said, bringing me back to the present situation. She sounded frustrated and even a bit disappointed, but at least she gave in to my request. “I will not accompany you,” she suddenly said, turning around and starting to head back. “Instead, I will leave with Jax on a separate mission to Tango Hearts!”
****