Lazarus

Chapter 22

"Alright, what did you do and why is my cousin pissed off?" Alex demanded, bursting into my room with Margaret right behind her.

I swallowed my water and shrugged, "He was an ass, so I hit him in the balls."

"You....damn, you got some of your own balls doing that."

Margaret stared at me with wide eyes, "He let you do that?"

"Not really, he didn't see it coming. He said my injury is a burden, showed him how much of a burden it really is."

Alex shook her head as she sat down on my bed, grinning from ear to ear. "How is your shoulder now?"

"Shut up."

Plopping down beside Alex, Margaret frowned, "But really, how is your shoulder? You shifted."

"Collarbone is mostly healed, but to stay away from shifting just in case. Muscles are healing nicely, he thinks I can start physical therapy this week. Has Alpha Asshole mentioned anything about the ceremony?" I asked, growing curious.

Alex nodded, "It got postponed again, luckily the council understands."

"Why have they been up our asses lately?"

They both glanced at each other as if they knew something I don't. Frowning, I sat up straighter and held them with a stern stare.

"Guys..." I voiced, growing a little nervous.

Alex released a breath, "I'm not sure if I'm supposed to tell you this, but they're concerned over your mental health. They know of the abuse and their presence in your parents' pack is stronger now. However, if they don't believe you're in a healthy place here then they'll take you with them."

"As in...make me a part of the council?" I asked, nodding. "I already know they want me to lead. I'm the last pure Alpha. Just didn't know they actually cared for my health. Always thought they saw me as a weapon."

Margaret had a bewildered look on her face as she stared at me, "You knew?"

"I have known since I was five."

"How?" Alex asked, frowning now.

I sighed, "I showed signs of my wolf being connected when I was a toddler. I still shifted at a normal time for young pups, but I always healed faster, had more strength, and whatnot as a child. My father alerted the council, but my mother was never told. She still doesn't know."

"Why?"

I shrugged quietly, not knowing how to explain her to them. My so-called mother is a very complicated person to understand if someone can understand her. She would see me as a weapon if she were to know and if she knew now, there would be hell to pay until she has me in her clutches again. I can only imagine the horror I would have to deal with being near her again, to know now how she truly feels about me. I'm no longer blinded by my misplaced respect for the woman, I saw who she truly is now and nothing will change that.

My heart ached at the thought of the one person who was supposed to love me, hated me more than anything. All because I was unexpected, I wonder if my twin survived instead of me if she would still be filled with hatred. I almost laughed at myself, of course, she would be, the woman is literally crazy. Even we both survived, if neither of us was up to her standards of perfection, she would most likely loathe us both.

"She's mentally unstable," I finally answered. "No one can trust her."

They both went silent before Alex suddenly perked up and pulled something out from behind her. Holding it out, I almost gasped when I saw the small brown item in the clothing.

The day began melting into the night as I decided to step out into the front garden, wanting to finally explore the beautiful design. I smiled to myself, listening to the crickets chirp and seeing the fireflies blink in the darkness. I glanced down at the small notebook in my hands, smiling fondly to myself. In the middle of the fight, I had managed to snag this from my destroyed bedroom. It held all my memories in it, both good and bad. I had forgotten about it until Alex gave me my old sweatpants with the notebook wrapped within them. Apparently, it was thrown into the junk items after I came here and no one decided to clean everything out until now.

Finding a place on a bench near the fountain, I settled myself onto the stone and began flipping through my tiny diary. My mother would never allow me to have an actual diary, if she found one she would instantly punish me and take it away. Samuel, my dad's beta, had bought me a tiny brown notebook that I could hide easily. At times, he would keep it in his house so my mother wouldn't find it or even his wife would hold onto it. My eyes filled with tears at the thought of them, they were more like parents to me than my actual parents. Granted, my dad did try, but he could never stand up to my mother.

And that eventually killed him.

I frowned as I gently stroke my thumb over the worn cover, I refuse to be like my father. I may have failed to end my mother's torment last time we met, but next time I won't hesitate to end her. No matter how wrong it feels, if I don't end her then we will eventually lose innocent lives.