Chapter 115 The Birthmark
GOLD PACK
Nadia looked deflated as she sat down in the restaurant looking around. It was just a minute past noon and she already wanted to retire back to bed. The pressure was becoming a bit too much for her to bear. The pack house doesn’t exactly seem peaceful like it should. The time she gave the pack council and Xavier had lapsed.
They are beginning to doubt her words since she has nothing to show for the delay. However, Nadia wasn’t about to drop her last option yet. Even though she had been coming around to the restaurant for two days without setting her eyes on Jovy. The other days had been used to observe her and be sure she wasn’t about to make a mistake. Despite the long rides and having the choice to stay at Anastasia’s instead, she wasn’t ready to give up yet.
Nadia decided it was best to satisfy her curiosity first before telling anyone about her thoughts. Scanning the restaurant with her eyes, Jovy still wasn’t in sight. Today, nothing was going to stop her from meeting with Jovy and having an actual discussion with her. Nadia brought along with her the picture of Marcel and the mother of his child which he had given to her before he passed.
From the picture, the waitress Nadia had seen had a striking resemblance to the woman and it made her more certain that Jovy might be the lost heir of the Gold pack. If it turns out that Jovy is absent from work, she would have no other choice but to seek for her home address.
However, luck seem to shine on her part as Jovy turned out to be the one in charge of her table again. Nadia’s heart soared, she silently thanked the Moon Goddess for not making it so hard on her.
“Jovy?” She called out in delight.
Jovy gave her signature smile. “Hello madam, nice to see you again. What would you like to have?”
“How about you take a seat with me first. I need to discuss something urgent with you.” Nadia said in all seriousness.
Looking stunned, Jovy swallowed hard, worried about what the unknown woman might want to discuss with her. “I am working right now, ma’am.”
Nadia looked impatient. “I am so sorry, honey. But I really need to talk to you right this minute please.”
“My manager might not be pleased with it.” Jovy pointed behind her.
Nadia smiled. She waved at the curious brown haired man standing by the counter. “Hey, Arnold. I want to borrow her for some minutes.” She mouthed.
Jovy glanced at Arnold, unsure if she could stay back but he smiled at her reassuringly before turning to attend to a customer.
“Please sit.” Nadia urged.
Taking a deep breath, Jovy pulled out a chair and sat in. Avoiding Nadia’s eyes, she hadn’t been so closely seated with a stranger before. And her thoughts were everywhere, she hopes whoever Nadia is, she has nothing to do with Logan. Sometimes she finds herself thinking and having nightmares of Logan finding her, locking her up till she loses her life. It made her shiver every time such thoughts comes to her mind.
“Alright. Why do you need to talk to me?” Jovy swallowed, trying to be as courageous as she can be.
“It’s quite odd.” Nadia began. “But can you do me a favor and pull up your sleeve. I need to see the mark on your arm.”
Jovy suddenly felt insecure. She had always been protective of the birth mark for no reason mostly because she feels it’s more like a blemish on her skin. Even though Arlo and Alice had told her it’s beautiful, she still has her own doubts. So having a stranger ask to see it seem like too much.
“I don’t know what this is all about, ma’am but I can’t expose a part of my skin for you to see.”
Nadia exhaled. She knew it wouldn’t be that easy to talk to Jovy so she wasn’t expecting less. If Jovy had been eager then Nadia would have definitely smelt something fishy.
“Actually, this has to do with who you really are and if I am correct it’s part of a dilemma you would have loved to solve.” Nadia paused when something came to her mind. She dug out a paper from her bag that had the Alpha birth mark drawn on it. “Here, is this what your mark looks like?”
With mouth agape, Jovy was in total shock at the sight of the exact mark on her and her hands went up the sleeve instinctively. Curiosity and anxiety nipped at her mind at the same time. She rolled it up and Nadia’s eyes stayed glued to the arm. Tears laced Nadia’s eyes when the mark was exactly as Beta Harry had described it. The drawing also affirmed it.
“What does this mean?” Jovy inquired with a shaky voice.
Nadia searched her bag again for the pictures of Jovy’s parents. “Jovy, I know your mother is Elena. I heard she died quite early and you might not be familiar with this picture of hers. But…I guess you can tell from the striking resemblance between you two. And right here…” She pointed at the next picture of a man. “…is your father. Marcel Brown is the late Alpha of this same pack you are in.”
The ground spin underneath Jovy as she had no single understanding of everything being said to her. Her eyes watered the minute it landed on her mother’s picture. If nothing at all, the only thing Tommy did right then was throw in one of Elena’s picture in the attic with her.
“How would you know he is my father?” Her voice shook as she asked.
“He is my brother and had told me before his death how I could find you. I have been searching for you for the past three months. I went to the midnight pack and Mystic Shadow Fortress, but no one seem to know your whereabout. I was frustrated and thought it was the end of the road for me. Until I saw you wait tables and the little exposure of your mark made me feel like I had finally found you. Also, Marcel had been right about having the signature pierced green eyes of the Brown’s. I should have known earlier.”
Jovy still looked dazed, unable to speak properly. “So?”
“Jovy, I know this would all sound crazy to you but I need you to leave behind this life you are living and come with me to take over the throne of your father as the Luna. It has been empty for three months and everyone in the pack are anxious and worried of what might become of the pack.”
“What makes you think I want to be Luna or fit to be one?” Jovy finally found her voice.
“Because it is your right and that is the place you are meant to be. I know this is all new and you need time for it to sink in. However we have limited time as it is.”
Jovy blinked rapidly. She stood up almost staggering to the back. Turning on her heels, she bolted out of the restaurant, leaving Nadia and the rest of the restaurant occupants in shock.
*******************
Bending down against the wall next to the trash bin at the back of the restaurant, Jovy cried her eyes out while wondering how her life became something out of a play. Nothing seem to make sense. So her mother had been sleeping around with an Alpha. Rather than get married to him, Elena stuck with Tommy and ended up messing with Jovy’s life due to her early death. Hot tears rolled down her face as she still couldn’t believe the situation she was in. If truly her status was going to change from a mere pack member to a Luna, the Moon Goddess definitely had every of her steps planned to ensure she finds her way to her exact route.
Jovy heard footsteps walking towards her. She glanced up to see Amelia hovering over her with a worried look. Amelia sighed after imitating her position.
“Arnold asked me to meet with you. And the woman you were sitting with is still there probably awaiting your return.” Amelia said.
Jovy inhaled deeply and exhaled. “I don’t know what I am suppose to do. Everything happening at the same time and at a fast pace makes me want to sink to the ground. Even though I have been curious about it for years, I wasn’t expecting it to be this evident and early.”
Amelia stared at her in confusion. She had no idea what Jovy was mumbling to herself. Sighing, she held Jovy’s hand. “Come on, let’s get you inside.”
Not refusing, Jovy let Amelia lead her back into the restaurant. The activities in the space had continued and no one was concerned about the worker that ran out but only Nadia had a creased face on. She stood up at the sight of Jovy.
“I’m so sorry for coming at you like that, Jovy. I just couldn’t find any other way to explain it to you.” Nadia pleaded.
Jovy’s hand shook as she tried to sit still. “I really don’t know what to say or how I am to react. It’s all so shocking.” She admitted with a shaky breath.
“Hello ma’am.” Amelia nodded at Nadia.
“Oh, pardon me please. You are?”
“Amelia, Jovy’s half sister. Nice to meet you.”
“Same here.” Nadia stared at Jovy for a moment, taking a deep breath she searched her bag. She took out a pen and scribbled her contact on the back of a business card. “Please call me. Don’t take too long to brood on it. It’s your right.” She said.
Amelia stared at her receding back. She returned her gaze to Jovy. “What did she tell you?”
Jovy huffed as she picked up the card. She looked at it intensely. “Turns out we are both royalty after all.” She shrugged.
“What do you mean?” Amelia inquired.
Jovy sniffed. “My biological father was the Alpha of this same pack and I carry the Alpha birth mark.”
Amelia gasped out with a confused look on her face. “What?! You mean…the evident mark on your arm is the Alpha mark?”
“For the Brown family, I learnt.” She muttered softly.
“If he was the Alpha, does that mean he is dead? And you are the next in line?”
Jovy nodded her head as she stared into space. “Yes.”
“Oh my, goodness!” Amelia jumped up in excitement at the news. She sat down quietly when all eyes got fixated on her. “Why aren’t you happy?”
“I don’t know how to feel about all of this. It’s confusing and overwhelming at the same time. My head aches at the thought of it.” Jovy admitted.
Amelia held her hands. “There is no need for you to worry so much cause with time it would all fall into place. The Moon Goddess definitely has great plans for you.”
She stood up abruptly. “I don’t think I am any fit to continue today’s work. I want to go home.” Jovy said before walking away.
Arnold didn’t refuse her request and he asked Amelia to ensure Jovy gets home safe. All through the ride, Jovy stayed quiet looking out the window. Deciding it would be best to leave her alone, Amelia didn’t follow her in. After she was sure Jovy had settled in, she dialed Arlo and Alice in a conference call.
‘Aren’t you suppose to be working or something?’ Alice grumbled into the receiver.
‘How are you doing, Amelia?’ Arlo bellowed.
Alice jolted on the other end. ‘Why is he in the same call as I am?’
Amelia huffed. ‘You both shouldn’t bicker now. Jovy needs you two more than ever. I don’t know how you can get here as early as you can.’
‘What’s wrong with her?’ The both of the questioned almost panicking.
‘Relax. It shouldn’t be anything serious but it can also become a matter of concern. Jovy found out some hard truth in relation to her birth. And I trust she could really use your hands as good friends. I know she might be too thoughtful and not call any of you.’
Arlo hummed. ‘You are right about that. Thanks so much for this, Amelia. I would communicate with Alice and reach out to her.’
‘I’m right here!’ Alice screamed.
The two of them kept bickering at each other, causing Amelia to hang up and she drove her tired self back home. She was surprised to see so many gift boxes in the living room and her mother looking super excited as she drooled over a red channel bag.
Taking off her jacket and hanging it, Amelia watched her mother suspiciously. “Where did you get all of this from mom?”
Ava waved excitedly. “Your father shipped them all for you.”
Her face fell in disappointment. “Did you ask him to do all of this and I would be fine with them? Am I all about expensive bags and shoes to you both?”
“But you like them.” Her mother insisted, winking at her as she dangled the bag in front of her.
Amelia pulled roughly at her hair. “I can’t believe this! When would you realize that there are better things beyond these materials? I want to have an actual father love. I want to be accepted! I need my father to show his motherfucking face!”
Ava rolled her eyes, she knew Amelia would react but hadn’t thought it would go overboard. Adrian had pleaded with Ava to enable him have a moment with Amelia. In a bid for compromise, she had insisted Amelia would love plenty of gifts. Ava knows Amelia wouldn’t want them, it was all for her own selfish interest to get money off her daughter and baby daddy. And to also get back to living her extravagant life.
“Well your father asked to see you and I told him he could get you stuff that would aid your discussion.”
Amelia stared at her mother in disbelief. “Are you even listening to yourself right now ma? A man I haven’t seen for more than a decade of my life and now he wants to be a part of my life. Here you are trying to sell me off like you always do. That is just great! Nice of you to want to ruin my life a second time. Fine! I want a meeting with my father this weekend and if you can’t do that much for me consider yourself homeless!” She said with finality in her tone.
Ava gaped. “Why would you go that far? You want to dispose someone you have known all your life for a person who you don’t know?”
“How am I so sure you weren’t the one who kept him away from me? Your words don’t match mom. Sometimes I wish I didn’t have you in my life. Everything you do is to complicate my life.”
“You ingrate!” Ava flared. “You should be grateful for the rest of your life that I didn’t put you in an orphanage.”
“Well good for you. I have told you a piece of my mind. Dare me and you would be spending the coldest nights on the streets!” Amelia repeated before at storming off.