Twelfth Moon | (discontinued)

Chapter Nineteen

"They want Rayne back into the security of her home before the Shapeshifters come looking." Carlos said, as he sat casually in the chair across from Sihtric's desk.

I sat in the chair next to his, staring at Sihtric and taking in all of this information being passed around. I couldn't wrap my head around what was currently happening in my life. We were recently attacked by my first Mate's pack, I lost Oli, my family is fighting for my return and shapeshifters are after me. I guess you could say my life has taken a great turn for the worst.

"Why are shapeshifters even after me?" I questioned, breaking from my thoughts.

Carlos turned his head towards me and sighed. "I'm not exactly sure but, I feel like we are missing something... something extremely valuable."

Sihtric huffed before his eyes turned over into a foggy state. I stayed silent, waiting for him to say something but with the shake of his head, I knew something was wrong.

"Sihtric, what is it?"

"They are here..." He pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling deeply.

I stood up from my chair, the leather sticking to the backs of my bare legs, as if I was in a hot car during summer, and walked towards the office door. With a hard push, the doors flew open and revealed my overly dressed parents.

My mother wore a deep purple dress, her heels clicking behind her as she walked in the room, and my father following, covered in his typical black suit. They walked hand-in-hand eyeing everyone in the room, especially Carlos before sitting on a couch against the wall.

"We are ready to take her home," My mother ambushed, her gloved hands moving up to push a strand of hair out of her sight. "Are you ready Rayne?"

"I'm not leaving." I scoffed, walking back to my chair next to Carlos.

"You have no choice, it's not safe here for you. Ashland is out there." My father cut in, his face stern as ever.

"Ashland?" Sihtric stood up, his large fists crashing down onto the table. "You mean to tell me that old bitch is after my Mate?"

I watched as my parent's heads snapped towards me and sunk down into the chair. I haven't told them yet that I had another Mate, or that Malachi was locked in a cell below them. They looked surprised and upset at the same time. My mother always wanted me to Mate and marry Malachi, she always hoped we were Mates.

"Surprise?" I shrugged my shoulders and turned back to my original position.

A thick silence spread throughout the room, my parents both sitting with grim looks on their face. I could tell they were communicating other ways because their eyes would fog over for a few seconds then clear up the next.

"Enough about us," Sihtric spoke loudly, gathering everyone's attention. "What does Ashland have to do with Rayne?"

"Who the fuck is Ashland?"

"Rayne! Watch your mouth young lady." My mother scolded me from across the room, as if I was still a child.

A loud sigh came from my father, his posture changing as he began to spill everything. "Rayne, you weren't safe then and you aren't now. You will have to live your life in constant protection."

"When you were born, you weren't breathing. The doctor told us you had a 10% chance to live and that if you did, you'd grow up to be extremely weak. So, I did what I could and called a witch to put a spell on you... a protection and strengthening spell."

"You called a wit-"

"Let me finish," My father cut Sihtric off, earning him a growl. "When she put the spell on you, everything was going good. You became stronger and healthier day by day, your fate seemed to be changing right before our eyes."

I watched my father's eyes change from their natural cold state, to a new vulnerable one. I had never seen my father so weak and broken looking. His face showed more emotion than it ever has before.

"You grew to be five years old when the witch died. When she passed, you went downhill, your weight, strength, everything. It was all my fault, I didn't know that she would chain your lives together, so once she grew weak, you did too. The only way to fix it, was to become one of them."

"We wanted you to live, you were our life," My mother chimed in, her voice cracking as she prepared to finish my story. "We had a trusted witch come and perform her spells on you. She was able to replenish whatever you had lost but, half of the wolf genes within you. So, you became half wolf and half witch. One of the most powerful Hybrids."

"So, what does that have to do with a shifter?" I asked, my questions getting the best of me.

"Everyone wants to take down our family already. But, now that you're a Hybrid, they will stop at nothing to get your title and power."

I soaked in all of the information, remaining calm for everyone around me. "So, who is Ashland? And, what do they want with me?"

"She's the Alpha of Shapeshifting. They don't have a specific pack name, they just go by 'Alpha Ashland's Pack' or 'Shapeshifters'. She not only wants more power, but she wants to make powerful offspring." Carlos chimed in, his voice calming the tension.

"I'm a female. I don't think it's possible for us to make babies..." I shook my head in my hands, strands of hair falling with every shake.

"No, it's not possible for you to make children, but it is possible for her and Sihtric to make them..."