Alpha's Human Mate

Cousins?

I am walking through the hallway on my way towards Cole's office when a door catches my eye, History Hall. A strange feeling erupts in the pit of my stomach and my feet start the short trek towards the room.

The door opens silently the moment I put my hands on it, no squeaks can be heard. I close my eyes and let my thoughts roll through my head. When I open my eyes I am going to see Nona and Grandad. Neither of them are alive anymore and their service is in less than an hour. The woman who held me in my darkest moments is gone; the woman who first told me biggest secret too.

Releasing my breath and opening my eyes I make direct eye contact with one of the pictures on the wall. I gasp as I stare at the beautiful red haired fair girl. She's young in the picture, maybe 15. Young, but recognizable; Mama.

I crumble to the floor and let the emotions run through me. I cry for the young girl who lost her mother, I cry for the man who lost the only woman he ever loved, I cry for the loss of my baby and my childhood friends, I cry for Jorden who has no doubtingly just got his heart shattered, I cry for Cole and all the pain he is surely feeling, and finally I cry for the loss of Nona and Grandad.

I remain on the floor until I hear the door open and am graced with another's presence. "That was my Aunt Emma." Cole's voice drifts through the room. "She was only 15 on the brink of 16 when I was born. She disappeared one day when I was two. My Father was crushed and according to my mother looked for her for years. When my mother died, he gave up the search; well at least to my knowledge. My mother used to say he loved Emma just as much as he loved her."

More tears fall down my face when he moves to wrap me up in his arms. "The little girl had a Father, and he loved his kids very much. And the Mother, she was the best cook you would ever know. The little girl had a big brother. She thought he was the best thing in the entire world. But she met a guy, and they loved each other." The tears continue to fall. "Neither of the two families approved of their love. But they didn't care. They ran away together. He was mistreated as a child, and didn't show his love well. But she knew. She knew he loved her, and she loved him. Four years and nine months later and their little girl was born." My heart squeezes in pain. "Me." The word comes out nowhere near as enthusiastic as it did when I was young and Mama was telling me the story only for me to scream out the last word when it became time.

Cole's arms tense around me. "Well shit!" A voice yells from the doorway. "I thought I had a fucked up love life, but you two could be cousins!" We both turn around to look at Jorden. To most, he doesn't appear like he just got his heart broken, but to us, there is no doubt that he was just crying. His eyes are puffy and they hold less of a shine than they did before.

I look at Cole, a shocked expression prominent on my face. He clears his throat before grabbing my hand and dragging me down the stairs to the next floor, the Alpha's Family floor. He knocks on a door and waits for a response.

The door opens to reveal an older Italian man. His eyes are bloodshot and it is obvious that he has been crying. He smiles at us but you can tell it doesn't reach his eyes.

"Zio." Cole says urgently. "Do you have a moment?" The older man opens the door wider and steps to the side, allowing us to enter. Cole walks us in and sits down on the couch pulling me with him.

"Zio, Auntie Emma--" The man holds up his hand, stopping Cole from talking further. "Don't Nipote." "Zio," Cole presses, "I need to know her story."

The old man sighs and runs his hands down his face. "Loretta moved here at such a young age. She was too young. All us brothers, we urged our father to keep her for a few more years, but he was firm in his choice. At 14 our father showed Loretta to all the Alphas. At 15 she moved to America to live with Hank." Cole's eyebrows furrow. "She wouldn't have been able to tell that Grandad was her mate yet Zio."

The man nods. "But Hank was older. He knew." "A year later we get a letter saying they are expecting. She was 16 when Dalton was born. The rest of the details I don't know. But something happened and Loretta could no longer carry children." "When the boy was five Loretta and Hank adopted a little girl from the werewolf orphanage in Ireland. They found a baby, Emma, and she was raised in America."

Cole smiles slightly. "So she wasn't blood related?" The old man turns his head sharply to stare at us. "Wasn't? Don't you mean isn't?" I speak up. "No sir, she died eleven years ago; twelve in a few days." The old man's eyes water. "They are all gone." He drops down onto the bed and brings his hands up to bear the weight of his head. "All of them." Cole puts his hand on his Great Uncle's shoulder. "No Zio. I am here. I am still alive." He soothes. The old man just continues to shake. Cole leads me out of the room, leaving his uncle to grieve in peace. Just as he closes the door, a thought strikes me.

"Cole! That day when your father showed up at my house. He kept saying that he wasn't going to leave without her." "I was so terrified he meant me, but he didn't. He meant Mama, he wanted his sister back." Cole pulls me to his chest as a thought goes through both of our heads. Dalton wasn't so far gone that he stopped loving his sister; he continued to search for her all throughout his darkest years.  

So sorry this has been so long. Question of the day: how do you think this book is going to end?

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