Pack Ties, Blood Lies

Chapter 20 - A History Of Lies

The Luna's furious voice could be heard throughout the Pack house.

Nurses scattered like mice fleeing a house fire. In fact, a fire would have been less fearsome.

The head doctor scrambled to start the infusion, his hurried movements betraying his desire to leave.

As soon as he was done, he shot out of the door, not even pausing to give further instruction or advice.

Only Jack stood un-swayed. His face paler than I had ever seen it. The anger in his eyes was so strong, he almost felt Alpha himself.

"I knew I was right. All those years you insisted that you couldn't be so shameful to taint a professional relationship!" Luna snarled, eyes flashing in a display of emotion so unlike her, I lay transfixed.

She stalked toward her husband. Fists clenched into tiny white balls. "How could you?" she bared her teeth, a humourless bark of laughter escaping her lips. "So, you betray your mate. Then happily use the death of your lover to cover your sordid debauchery?"

The Alpha growled low in his throat. "We will talk about this later."

Scoffing, Luna tossed her head. "I think I have earnt the right to talk about it whenever I choose!" Her voice was shrill. "You hid this. All these years. Forsaking your daughter to an orphanage to save your pride? What kind of man are you?"

A low ache in my chest began as reality began to sink in. How could a father leave his child without a family or a home?

Her voice broke as she looked at me, a fat tear escaping to roll down her pretty white face. "You knew how devastated I was when we never bore a pup." Her sadness could be felt like a physical thing, bleeding into the hearts of everyone in the room. "I would have taken her in. Loved her as a mother. Put aside your infidelity to give her the family she needed..."

Jack moved to her side, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder, before turning his gaze to the Alpha. "Why marry if it was Evie you wanted? You and the Luna were married long before Charlie was born." His voice was bitter, words causing another sob from the broken woman by his side.

Alpha growled. Looking at the ceiling as if to find answers there. "I always loved Evie." He murmured quietly. "When we found our mates, we swore we would stop seeing each other. For the good of the Pack."

"It happened just once after we were married. Not that it makes it ok, because it doesn't... Her human mate had been visiting family for a few weeks, at the time, so we knew the pup could only be mine."

He rubbed a hand across his face, looking tired. "Evie was the one who insisted that the Pack should never know. She didn't want my reputation tarnished, threatening Pack loyalty. The raids were getting particularly bad and we needed to stand together. United."

His eyes sought the Luna, looking almost as broken as she did. "I am sorry. I can't imagine how much I have hurt you. Or Charlie..." he threw a nervous glance at me, but I was too tired to respond.

"By the time Evie died, Charlie was already nine. Already knowing and loving another man as her father." He looked at his lap, voice cracking slightly. "After the heartbreak of losing her family... How could I tell a child it was all a lie?"

A lump began in my throat.

I was starting to feel better physically, but my emotions were still taking a beating.

As my strength returned, so too did my memory. Small chunks at a time, woven together with the words I was hearing.

As my mind healed, my mental pain grew.