“I don’t know,” I shrugged. “But they said they wanted Alpha Butch’s daughter. They didn’t say which one.”
She gulped, visibly paling as I stepped closer. It was clear that she hadn’t expected me to know anything about Sunny’s twin.
“Are there any files about Shade Mallory, the daughter he lost?” I asked. “The one who shares your name?”
“W-why…uh…” She cleared her throat. “Why would they be after Shade Mallory? She died years ago. Wh-what did they say exactly?”
My eyes darted across her face. The mention of Shade Mallory had spooked her, though I had no idea why. According to what we knew, Shade Mallory had died in a rogue attack when she was seven. Why would that scare this Shade?
“They said Alpha Huxley wants to mate with Alpha Butch’s daughter,” I stated. “And once he does, Dark Moon will be so powerful that even Harvest Moon wouldn’t be able to stop them.”
She dropped into her chair, her eyes wide as she stared at me in disbelief.
I crouched beside her, putting a hand on her arm. “Shade! What is it?”
“They aren’t after Sunny,” she whispered, her voice trembling.
I gave her a confused look. “If it’s not Sunny they want, then who are they looking for?”
She pursed her lips, glancing down at her hands resting in her lap. “Me.”
Truth and Lies
SHADE
“Wait, I don’t understand,” Alpha Caelan said. “You’re telling me that you’re Shade Mallory, the daughter Alpha Butch claimed was dead fourteen years ago? You’re Sunny’s twin sister?”
“Yes,” I said softly. “I don’t use the name Mallory anymore, but yes. I’m the other daughter of Alpha Butch.”
He took my hand. “I don’t understand, Shade. Why would he tell everyone that you died with your mother when you clearly didn’t? Why would he disown his own pup? And why would Alpha Huxley be after you now? I thought he wanted Sunny.”
I pulled my hand away, leaning forward to rest my elbows on my knees. I wanted the comfort his touch brought, but I didn’t deserve it. Not when I was about to go against my father’s orders.
“Alpha Huxley thought Sunny was the only heir to the pack. If he mated with her, then my father would be forced to give up control to the new alpha. But if he’s found out about me, he’s discovered there’s another way to take over Thunder Moon. To take over any pack he wants, really.”
“I’m sorry, but that doesn’t make sense,” he replied. “Shade, you’re a perfectly capable fighter and an excellent bodyguard, but I can’t sense that kind of power from you. How could Huxley turn you into a weapon like that?”
“If he unlocked my curse,” I admitted, my gaze darting away from him.Among other things.
I didn’t want to see the look on his face when I admitted my shameful secret. I didn’t want to hear him call me a monster when he learned the truth of what I’d done.
“Curse?” he questioned, placing his hand on my knee like he knew it would help calm me. “Shade, what curse?”
“I’m a cursed wolf, alpha,” I admitted. “That’s why I can’t be anyone’s mate. Cursed wolves can’t have mates.”
I sighed, twisting my fingers together. My father would be furious when he found out I told Alpha Caelan who I was and what I could do. But if Dark Moon was coming after me now, that put all the packs in harm’s way. It was my duty to make sure they knew the risk.
I can’t put anyone else in danger. I won’t lead Caelan’s pack blindly to slaughter.
“It’s known as the Wolf Born from Sorrow,” I said. “I was there when my mother was killed by that rogue. I saw everything. I was only seven at the time…”
My mother sat down on the ground next to me. I’d run off again after my sister and some of the other pack pups had been picking on me. And of course, my mother came after me, she was the only person who ever did. She hugged me tightly while I cried about how everyone in the pack hated me. As always, she assured me that they didn’t hate me. That they were just scared of what they didn’t understand. I was different and that made others nervous.
After she calmed me down some, we went to leave, knowing that we weren’t safe so far from the village.
We started back when a foul scent overtook us, like the smell of rotting flesh. My mother froze, dragging me behind her. A feral growl tore through the air before a mangy wolf emerged from the bushes, its deranged eyes trained on us. Drool dripped from its fangs as it snapped its jaws.
She told me to run. She told me to head to the village and not look back. I should’ve done what I was told. I should’ve run. But I froze.
