RALPH
Keilah’s eyes widened at my declaration, and I thought she was going to ask me about it, but instead, she asked, “Ralph, do you remember me now? As your mate? Our plans, everything?”
I stared at her for a moment, my heart aching. “I do, mate,” I said, my voice thick with emotion. “I remember you, baby girl.”
Her face lit up with a radiant smile, so pure it pierced through the darkness in my heart. Before I knew it, she threw herself into my arms, and I held her tightly, feeling her tiny hands gripping me as if she never wanted to let go.
“Thank God you’re back,” she murmured, her voice filled with relief and joy.
I buried my face in her neck, inhaling her scent deeply, the familiarity of it grounding me in the moment. “I’m back,” I murmured, my voice muffled against her skin. “And I promise, I’ll never leave you again.”
We stood there, wrapped in each other’s arms, the world outside fading away. The chaos, the pain, the betrayals of those I cherished and trusted-all of it seemed distant and insignificant compared to the bond we shared.
I gently pulled away from her, looking into her eyes. “Listen to me, mate. We are going to continue with our plans, but before that, I want you to leave the pack house for a while-”
Keilah interrupted me, shaking her head defiantly. “I’m not going anywhere, Ralph. I’m not leaving you alone in the hands of the people that killed your moth-” She stopped abruptly, her eyes widened in horror as she realized what she had blurted out.
Her words hit me like a thunderbolt. My heart jolted, and I stared at her, trying to process what she had just said. “What did you just say?” I asked, a mix of confusion and urgency in my voice.
She started to stammer, her composure slipping. “I-I didn’t mean-”
I pressed her further. “What are you talking about, Keilah? Around the people who killed my mother? Is that what you were trying to say?”
She flinched at my tone, her face contorted with reluctance. “Alright, I’ll tell you,” she said quietly, “but can you let go of my shoulders? You’re hurting me.”
I released my grip immediately, not realizing the pressure I had applied, and stepped back slightly as my mind raced with questions. She took a deep breath, her eyes locking onto mine with a mixture of concern and resolve.
She took a deep breath, her gaze unwavering as she continued. “You’re bound to find out eventually,” she said softly, taking my hand and leading me gently to sit on the edge of the bed.
Once we were settled, she turned to face me, her expression serious and pained. “Ralph, she began. What I’m about to tell you is shocking, but it’s the truth. Ralph… it turns out your stepfather might have been innocent. Your stepfather wasn’t the one who killed your mother. It was… it was Isabella.”
My heart raced as her words sank in. She continued, her voice trembling, “Isabella was the same person, along with her son, who killed Damien’s wife and manipulated you for reasons I still don’t fully understand.”
I stared at her, struggling to process the revelation. “Isabella? How-” I stopped mid-sentence as the memory of Isabella’s conversation with her children flashed through my mind.
I took a deep breath, trying to clear my thoughts. “Get up and change,” I instructed her firmly. “You’re heading to your aunt now.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but I cut her off with a commanding tone that brooked no argument. Now. She gave a gloomy face. “Don’t give me that face; you look ugly.” I said.
Her eyes flashed with anger. “Are you trying to make me feel better or something?”
“Not really,” I said bluntly. “I’m serious.”
She frowned, “If you’re worried about my safety, I’ll be fine. Damien told me no one can hurt me. It’s true-Benita tried to attack me and couldn’t. You also tried to hurt me, too, and it was-”
I gently cupped her cheeks, my voice calming. “Stop. I know that, but I’m not entirely sure if that spell mark or whatever magic he placed on your skin is permanent.” I glanced down at her stomach and then back up at her face. “At least do it for the sake of the kid inside you. You need to keep it safe so I can learn what it means to be a father.”
I pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Her resistance softened slightly, though anger still lingered in her tone. “Fine, but I need to find out where your Luna put my clothes. I bet she burned them all.”
I chuckled and shook my head. “You’re fine in my shirt and ready to leave,” I assured her, taking her hand and leading her out of the room.
After making sure Keilah was safely on her way, I headed outside to the spot where the ceremony of marking Benita as my Luna had taken place. The area was a mess, with empty beer bottles and discarded decorations scattered everywhere, remnants of a celebration that had turned sour.
I surveyed the chaos, my mind replaying the events that had unfolded. It was hard to believe how quickly things had spiralled out of control. Just then, Andrew approached, his expression filled with concern.
“Hey,” he said, his voice full of genuine worry. “Are you doing okay?”
I turned to him, letting out a heavy, broken breath.
“Andrew, last night at the ceremony, did I seem like I was in my right mind?”
Andrew sighed, his eyes filled with sympathy. “Yes, you looked sober, but I had a strong feeling that something was off. But you know, I have no power here to stop you from doing what you want.”
“That’s what kills me, Andrew,” I said, frustration rising in my voice. “Why didn’t my pack members see that something was wrong and stop me? They knew I never wanted to make Benita my Luna. I always saw her as a sister. They knew that, but they chose to betray me and just watched as I marked her, even though they knew I had a mate.” I shook my head, trying to push away the ache. “What hurts the most is that I even slept with Benita despite the burning feeling that Keilah could possibly be my true mate and knowing it would bring her pain. I don’t even want to think about it.”
We both heard a voice calling my name. Turning around, we saw Benita hurrying towards us, her steps quick and anxious. Andrew tapped my shoulder. “We’ll talk later,” he said before leaving.
Benita reached me, her breath quick. “Ralph, Zac is planning something evil against you,” she blurted out, her voice trembling.
I ignored her and turned to walk away, heading inside. But she blocked my path, desperation in her eyes. Before she could say anything else, I grabbed her by the neck, my grip tightening until she could barely breathe.
“You’re the last person I want to see,” I hissed, my voice cold and dangerous. “So make sure you stay out of my way.” I dropped her hard on the ground, making her cough violently.
As I turned on my heels to leave, a blur of motion caught my eye. Zac’s wolf lunged at me, knocking me off my feet and sending me tumbling hard to the ground.
Zac’s wolf loomed over me, his eyes glowing with a menacing intensity. Through the mind link, his snarl echoed in my mind. A wolfless Alpha like you has no right to touch my sister, let alone any other pack member.
I could feel the rage boiling within him as he prepared to launch another attack. But before he could strike, I shifted, feeling a surge of power coursing through my veins. Zac’s wolf halted abruptly, his momentum causing dust to scatter beneath his paws.
I met his gaze, a silent challenge in my eyes, and mind-linked back at him, Let’s end it now, Zac.
Zac’s shock was palpable, his wolfy eyes wide with disbelief. How the hell is this possible he snarled through the mind link. I was sure you couldn’t shift.
Ignoring his bewilderment, I seized the moment and pounced, pinning his wolf beneath me. My jaws hovered dangerously close to his neck, poised to end his life and resolve this once and for all. Just as my teeth sank into his neck, a powerful force struck me, knocking the breath from my lungs. The magic was intense, sending me sprawling backwards. I crashed to the ground, my body involuntarily shifting back to human form. The impact left me breathless and disoriented, struggling to regain my bearings.
Zac looked taken aback for a moment, his surprise quickly turning into a sniggering smile as he realized what had just happened. But that smug grin vanished just as fast when we both saw who had knocked me back-Damien, standing there with fury blazing in his eyes.
Damien’s gaze was fixed on me, his expression a fierce blend of anger and resolve. In a harsh, commanding tone, he declared, “That scumbag is mine.” His voice sliced through the tension, making his intentions unmistakably clear.