“Yes, she was exactly like she is now. The pack doctor was a friend of my late father, and always watched out for me. He andI thought that maybe she was in shock, that she needed time. That’s why I decided to take her and Faye in.” I pause, feeling equal parts tired and sad. “But nothing changed.”
“That must have been so hard for you,” Liam mutters. “You are so young, and having to deal with so much already.”
“Marina was my only friend; I just wanted to help her and her child,” I say quietly.
“You are exhausted,” Elden analyzes. “I can easily tell. You did everything in your power to help both of them, Gwen. It’s okay to be exhausted when dealing with something so severe.”
“I feel like I should have done more,” I say quietly. “Even now, I feel guilty that I don’t live with them.”
“You don’t need to be,” he says. “That’s what a pack is for. For you, it’s time to heal now, to grow and especially to rest. Faye absolutely needs stability and a parental figure,” he adds.
“I feel like it should be me,” I admit. “That’s why I feel so guilty.”
“It doesn’tneedto be you,” Liam intervenes. “I agree with my father. You don’t need to become Faye’s mom. You can remain her aunt or her big sister or take on any other important role. You don’t need to feel guilty for not adopting her. That’s an insane amount of responsibility for someone so young. And don’t forget, we have options.”
“That’s true,” I say quietly.
“Did your alpha say anything?” Elden asks. “Surely, he must have been shocked by one of his pack members returning in such a terrible state.”
“No, he didn’t say anything,” I say, not able to hide the venom in my voice. “Daniel...“ I pause. “That’s the doctor I mentioned earlier. Daniel has a huge standing in the pack, and he tried to push for answers, but they wouldn’t even tellhim. I was pretty much shunned there, but I actually sought out the alpha and wanted answers. He didn’t give me any, just sent me away.”
“Unbelievable!” Elden exclaims.
“He must know who her mate was,” Liam says. “And which pack she stayed at. It’s completely out of the question that he didn’t know.”
I ball my hands into fists, trying to will my anger down. There is no use in getting upset now. What’s done is done, but I wish I could deal with it. I wish I could bring justice for Marina and reveal the truth.
“We will have to deal with this,” Liam says, as if he just read my thoughts. My eyes snap up to look at him. His eyebrow is twitching slightly; he looks angry.
“Yes,” Elden agrees. “We can’t let this pass. I will call in a meeting for the weekend.”
I can’t believe it! This is the first time in my life that someone high-ranking is standing up for something that is important to me, that they are actually caring about Marina’s fate and want to find out the truth.
“How was he in general?” Liam asks.
“My former alpha?” When he nods, I have to take a moment to gather my thoughts. “I really never knew him well. As a hybrid, especially since I was half human, I was an outcast. My dad was an elite warrior, though, and well-liked, so they never banished me. I think to his other pack members he was… okay.” My voice trails off, and like a flash, I can see Daniel and Maddox in front of me. “Or maybe not,” I mutter.
“What makes you say that?” Elden inquires. “Whatever it is, you can share it with us.”
“His son… I thought Maddox was just a bystander, watching everyone bully me, but I think something was always off between him and the alpha. I don’t know for sure, just something Daniel hinted at, and a feeling after talking to Maddox, when he gave me the money to leave the pack.” I pause. “I know, it’s not much. I wish I could tell you more.”
“It’s enough for me,” Liam says. “The fact that he treated you as an outcast, didn’t protect Marina, and seems to have a strained relationship with his heir, is more than enough for me to research.”
“I agree,” Elden says. “I want to know more, too. But for today, let’s focus on Marina and you.”
“Gwen, if you want, I could start reaching out to your wolf,” Liam says, his voice much softer now.
“I don’t want to take any time away from Marina,” I say.
“You won’t,” he reassures me. “I don’t think it’s going to take long to reach your wolf.”
“Then, please,” I say quietly, my heart beating so fast I am scared it will jump out of my chest. Liam and I both sit down opposite each other. He takes my hand and looks at me. For a moment, nothing happens, then I feel a dull ache in the back of my head. It’s like I am pulled to a place far away, and for a brief moment, I can see two dark, wolf eyes looking at me.
“No way!” I exclaim.
“You obviously have a wolf spirit,” Liam tells me. “However, as you already know, it’s not fully present. Not like with other wolves.”
“That’s bad,” I say quietly. “Is it because I am human?”
