Truth: A Valkyrie Saga Book 3

Chapter 20 - Retribution

Dad had been drunk off his ass since Ray told us what had happened to Sam all of those years ago. I had thought that I would feel relieved when I finally found out what actually happened to my brother because I had thought that not knowing was worse than anything that could have actually happened. I was wrong. I was so very wrong. Knowing that he had been held, tortured, and abused for years was literally worse than anything I had imagined in my head. I knew it was worse than anything Dad had been thinking too and we both didn't know how to process the information. It was like we had to mourn for Sam all over again. That these answers ripped open all of our badly healed scars and we were slowly bleeding to death.

How could anyone ever do that to my brother? My older brother who had helped me learn how to ride a bike and taught me how to control my Compulsion Gift. My older brother who had taken the blame for a party I threw in high school and chewed me out the first time he caught me with weed. How could someone take the person I looked up to most in this world and reduce him to a stud-horse? How was I supposed to look at Ray the same way knowing that my brother was not her father consensually? Not that I would ever blame that child for any of this but fuck, I just was feeling too many things.

I had been away from my family and clan for too long. It was time for us to go home. Both Dad and I needed our family. I needed to see my sons and we needed the Valkyries we were linked to so that they could help carry this unbearable burden. To help us carry the truth.

-Sean Olsen

Elijah informed me that Sean and Mathis were coming over for dinner because they wanted to talk to me and for some reason, they were bringing the Northeast Royals with them. Probably wanted to push their agenda of having me move to Boston and consider marrying Ethan now that Regina's Matching was finally over. But I was actually looking forward to the dinner because I hadn't seen or talked to my uncle or grandfather since I had told them about what happened to the Rebec clan all of those years ago. I was a little worried about them and was happy that we could check in on them.

When they finally arrived I was shocked at what I saw. Mathis's clothes were frumpy, his hair was in disarray, and he smelled distinctly like a bar. Sean had deep circles under his eyes and he had obviously taken less care with his appearance than he normally did as well. The moment I laid eyes on them I instantly knew that neither of them were okay. I froze in the living room, completely unsure about what I should do. Should I try to confront them on their appearance? Should I offer support? Do I ask them if they want to talk or do I pretend like I don't notice that they seem to be falling apart at the seams?

My only experience with blood-related family was my years with my father and we never talked about anything deep or emotional. I was still getting to know them and didn't completely feel comfortable with my newly discovered relatives. Therefore, I had no idea how to proceed. Sean diverted his gaze away from me and walked stiffly into the kitchen, making me feel like I had done something wrong. Like he was upset with me for some reason. Mathis just stood in the doorway and stared at me for so long that Elijah eventually stepped between us and ushered him into the kitchen. I stared after them, feeling dumbfounded and a little bereft.

All of a sudden, I was dreading whatever talk that they wanted to have with me. I knew that I had just found out about them and didn't even know them that well, but I wanted desperately to be accepted and liked by my new family. I had a feeling that they were going to tell me that they were going to bail. That I wasn't worth them sticking around for. That I was too much trouble and now that they knew that Samuel really didn't ever want or care for me, they wouldn't want or care for me either. It was every foster kid's worst nightmare. To finally find family and then get abandoned by them all over again.