ROWAN
They say the truth always finds a way to come out.
And that is better you let it come from your own mouth than another
I just hope that is true.
Especially now.
The tension in the air is so thick, I can almost taste it.
This the first time the settlement has been this packed, with wolves from all over have gathered, and it is like the entire place is holding its breath, waiting for an explosion.
Their eyes are on me, waiting for answers.
You can differentiate my wolves from the others.
They are angry, confused, a little scared because of the foreign pack wolves but more than anything, they are restless.
Dominic has crossed a line, touched their little wolf and they want blood.
The other wolves are just curious about why they have been summoned and are waiting for an explanation
It is Kaylee that first steps forward first, her mate, Donald, right behind her.
“What are we doing here, Rowan?” She asks, her voice cutting through the low murmurs of the other wolves. “You have explained that Dominic took your daughter. And it feels personal. We need to know why.”
She knows why.
As do Maxwell, Sven and Fin.
But for the sake of the other alphas, I am going to have to come clean.
I swallow, my throat dry, and take a breath to steady myself.
“Hey,” Viktor whispers. “You have got this.”
“Hm.”
There is no avoiding this.
If I am going to ask them to stand down, to stand aside while I and Viktor attack Dominic, then they deserve to know the truth, no matter how much it tears at me.
I step forward, my legs feeling like they could buckle under the weight of what I am about to say.
“There is something you all need to know,” I start, my voice sounding too quiet even to my own ears. I clear my throat and force myself to speak louder. “About me. About why Dominic is so hell-bent on destroying everything I have built.”
I don’t need to look to know Viktor is watching me.
I glance his way briefly, catching the reassuring look in his eyes before turning back to the others.
The clearing goes silent as they lean in, eager for answers, ready for the truth.
“My name wasn’t always Rowan,” I begin, the words tasting bitter in my mouth. It feels strange to say it aloud, to admit to the part of myself I have tried so hard to leave behind. “I used to be called Louisa. Louisa Kane. And I was born into the Obsidian Park. I was… I was also… once Dominic’s mate.”
The reaction is immediate.
Gasps ripple through the crowd, disbelief and shock flashing on their faces.
Kaylee’s expression falters, her anger momentarily replaced by confusion and surprise.
Even Alden seems taken aback, his usually calm demeanor faltering.
“That is not the whole story,” I continue, pushing through the rising wave of memories that threatens to drag me under. I can’t afford to get lost in them now. I have to stay focused. “Dominic wasn’t just my mate. He was my tormentor. For reasons best known to him, he hated me and he showed it. When he found out I was his mate, he was enraged… he… he assaulted me. Raped me. And when his mother forced him to do the right thing and perform the mating ritual, he had me beaten and then thrown off the cliff to my death. He tried to kill me, but I survived. I left the pack, changed my name, my identity, and I built a new life. I thought I had left that part of my life behind me. But then I found out I was pregnant and Jhenelle… she is his.”
The room is so silent I can hear the wind howling faintly outside. Every wolf’s attention is fixed on me, waiting for me to continue.
“But Dominic… ever since he found out I was alive… he never let go,” I say, my voice growing steadier as I push through the pain of these revelations. “Tried to attack us, to get you all to kill me In a bid to hide what he has done… and now…somehow, he found out that Jhenelle… is his daughter.”
The shock this time is even greater.
Kaylee looks like she swallowed a lemon. Her eyes are grim, even as she sends me a nod, encouraging me to go on while Donald looks like he has just heard the worst thing imaginable, his face pale as he stares at me.
I am sure he is surprised that someone else had suffered so horrifically in Dominic’s hands
I can hear the others muttering in disbelief, their voices a confused jumble of words as they try to process what I’ve just said.
“His daughter?” someone says, the question hanging in the air like a challenge. “But… doesn’t that mean he has a right to her?”
“It is true,” I say, lifting my chin, daring anyone to question me. “Jhenelle is Dominic’s daughter. But she is also mine. And I will be damned if I let him take her away from me. You all know how he treats his own members. You know of his hatred for me. Do you honestly believe that just because she carries his blood that he will treat her with the kindness she needs to grow? If I let… her … stay with him… he will create another monster. My daughter… my sweet child will die. And in her place something far worse than Dominic will emerge. Can you all stand by and let that happen?”
The room erupts into chaos.
The quiet whispers turn into loud conversations, wolves talking over one another in a rush of disbelief, anger, and confusion.
Some are still stunned, while others are already on the verge of letting their fury spill out. I can see the emotions swirling in their eyes, a storm ready to break.
And then Viktor steps forward.
His presence immediately commands the room, his voice calm yet filled with authority.
This is the revered Alpha of the Vale pack.
“This isn’t just about pack politics anymore,” he says, his words cutting through the noise like a blade. “Dominic has crossed a line. This is personal now. He has gone too far. And we can’t keep being blind about it. He needs to go. We are not asking you to fight with us. We are just asking that you stay apart and let us do what we need to do.”
Maxwell is the first one to recover..
“Rowan, I had no idea,” he says. “You have been through hell, but you have shown more strength than any of us. I will do you one better. Rather than standing aside, we will fight with you. I will fight with you.”
One by one, the others begin to speak up, their voices joining his.
Sven, Gin… soon the room is filled with voices of support, wolves who were hesitant before now standing with me, ready to fight.
“We can’t let Dominic win,” Kaylee says, her voice growing stronger with every word. “Not after everything he has done. We’re with you, Rowan. We will stand with you and Viktor.”
The surge of emotion that washes over me is almost too much to handle. I glance at Viktor, who gives me a small smile, his expression proud.
“Let’s go get our daughter,” he says, his voice quiet but firm. The wolves around us roar in agreement, and I can’t help but feel a sense of peace.
It is the beginning of the end.