Among The Mountains

Chapter 11

Everyone looked at Alara with confusion and questions when she revealed that the trip was centered around her.

"What do you mean? Why you?" Ember asked.

"See that on the camera? That female?" Alara pointed.

Everyone observed another clip of the female wolf, now in her human form, standing near a creek closer to their home. The side of her face was visible, covered with long black hair.

"That woman... She looks like her," Chase said softly.

"Didn't you say she didn't know where she came from?" Ember asked the alphas.

"We just told her a year ago," Telka replied.

"Why didn't you tell us? Aren't we part of this pack too?" Ruby questioned.

"Let me guess, the elders told you not to do that," Ember assumed.

Telka looked to Raiden, who couldn't bear to look at his pack because of this secret decision. There was no reason for Alara's origins to be kept quiet between him, his mate, and the elders. In his mind, his pack was there for him before any of the higher leaders, and they did not deserve to be left in the dark about one of their own.

"Why did they make that decision? What do they know?"

"You really want to know?"

Everyone looked at Alara, who stood in front of the alphas. She was about to tell them the truth about herself.

"I'm from this land, and that woman is my kin."

Chase took a step back when she pointed at the screen that showed the dark-haired woman crouching in front of the camera.

"Alara."

"I remember, Telka. I was three years old when some rogues attacked my real family and drove them to the mountains. They were unable to come back for me and abandoned our old home."

Alara looked at Telka, who was the first to find her after she fell out of the bushes.

"Your family showed up not too long after the attack. You took me out of the house before your first mate burned the place to the ground to keep all the purebloods away."

She looked at the rest of the pack members, who were listening in disbelief.

"I was so weak when they found me. I still remember the howls from that same night. They were not of my family... those miserable rogues."

Alara nearly fell to her knees from the overwhelming emotions she was feeling from the night she was separated from her original pack. Telka put her arm around her as she comforted the young pureblood.

"My elders adopted her as their child that night. We left the area the next morning," Telka said.

"You kept this from us. You kept this from all of us."

Chase felt hurt and disappointed that his own brother didn't trust that any of them would keep this a secret. He knows that he only reunited with his brother a few years ago, but he was trustworthy enough to keep everything under wraps until it was time to tell everyone. He couldn't believe that all this time he was in love with a pure werewolf. Now he is going to lose her without having a single say in it.

"I can't... I can't with this..."

Ember was the first to raise her hands in frustration and disgust at the two that she called her alphas. She left the room without saying a single word to anyone. Ruby followed her soon after, covering her face with her hand. Chase took one betrayed look at both the alphas before he left the room as well. Raiden and Telka looked at each other like they have committed the worst crime of their lives.

"How could we have done this to them?" Telka said.

"We are not at fault for this," Raiden said with resentment.

"I should have... I should have listened to both of you."

"How could you have gone against the elders?"

Alara spoke lowly as she rose from Telka's arms.

"But we..."

"You both know that the only reason I was able to stay was because of my bloodline and your Luna. Now it is the reason for this."

"That's not the reason. We caused this because we didn't do what we knew was best for US. Our family had a right to know, and we failed them by not telling them sooner."

Raiden fell to his knees, ashamed of betraying the people who were always there for him when he needed them the most. This family depended on him for respect and a sense of belonging, and he chose to disrespect them in a terrible way. He would give anything to reverse time and make everything right again.

"Don't do this to yourself. Please Raiden." Telka sobbed.

Alara walked to the doorway and gripped the doorknob with a low growl.

"Why are you acting like all is lost?" She said to the alphas.

All they did was look at her.

"Get to your feet and figure things out like true alphas. If talking to your people doesn't work out, then they can leave on their own. I don't care if they walk home."

"But—-"

"No more of that. It will be up to them in the morning... I won't be there for the aftermath."

"Alara, don't..."

Telka was not quick enough to catch Alara, who disappeared into another room. She closed her eyes before speaking to Raiden with her back to him.

"She's right."

"I know she is."

Raiden was looking at the screen when he rose to his feet.

"If we are to gain their trust again, we have to make things right."

Telka nodded as she wiped tears from her eyes.

"Let's sleep on it. We can talk about our plan in the morning."