✓ | PRIMAL, jacob black ²

chapter twenty two

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

The pack had gathered around the table, their plates piled high with food as they chatted and laughed. But Aniya remained focused, ready to dive into the truth. Sam had instructed her to start at the beginning, and she was going to do just that. She took a deep breath, her fingers moving to unzip her bag as she pulled out a stack of loose papers.

"Okay, so," Aniya began, spreading the papers out across the table for everyone to see, her hands slightly shaking. "Turns out I've been drawing these... since I was about five years old."

The room fell quiet for a moment, all eyes on her as she laid the drawings before them. Jared was the first to break the silence.

"You drew this at five?" he asked, his voice full of surprise. His eyes widened as he looked at the images, some of which depicted scenes he recognized from his own life.

"Yeah," Aniya nodded, her eyes scanning the pages. "My siblings told me that I would tell stories about all of you using these drawings. For example, I drew a picture of Juliet and Embry, and then I told them the story of how they met one summer. Turns out, that was actually true."

She hesitated, knowing how sensitive some topics were, especially when it came to Sam and Emily. She wasn't ready to get into the details of their past yet. After all, she'd learned from Emily that Leah was Sam's ex-fiancée, and that was still a sore spot for all of them.

"Anyway," Aniya continued, trying to keep her voice steady. "I also drew all of you with these... females, calling them soulmates. I don't fully understand that part of it yet, but I'm guessing it's something to do with the wolves?"

Seth nodded slowly, muttering, "Yeah, a wolf thing."

"Right," Aniya replied, a small smile on her face as she looked at Seth. "So that's how it started. My drawings, at least." She glanced at Jacob, noting the confusion still on his face. He had been quiet this entire time, not interrupting, just watching her closely. Aniya was relieved he wasn't pushing her with more questions; it gave her the space to explain everything.

She carefully explained how each of them had met their partners, describing the tales she had told her siblings over the years. "It's exactly how we met them," Paul commented after Aniya finished. She could feel a slight tightness in her chest, the weight of everything she was sharing pressing on her.

As the group continued to process everything, Aniya felt a sense of clarity settle over her. She hadn't told them everything yet, though. One drawing, one that she'd kept tucked away in her bag, was the one she dreaded showing: the one of her and Jacob. She couldn't bring herself to share that picture—she knew the story it represented, and it wasn't a happy one. It was a tale where one of them—she wasn't sure which—always died, and she wasn't ready to face that reality.

"So, what's the connection, anyway?" Quil's voice cut through her thoughts. He was looking at her with curiosity, his brow furrowed. Aniya smiled at him, shifting her position as she leaned her hand on the table.

"Well, Quil," she began, locking eyes with him, "It turns out our fathers are cousins. Though my dad was adopted, so there's no blood relation there." Quil raised an eyebrow in surprise, his gaze flicking between Aniya and the others, clearly unsure of what to make of this revelation.

"Huh?" Quil muttered, glancing around the table. The others shared a confused look, all wondering what she meant.

"I was born here on the Rez," Aniya continued, her voice steady. "My dad's name is Tala Ateara."

There was a brief silence before Quil spoke again. "Tala," he repeated, a thoughtful look crossing his face. "I've only heard a few things about him."

"Same here," Aniya responded with a shrug. "My siblings told me none of them really knew much about what he did outside of the family." She turned to Leah, who had been quiet up until this point. "Through all of this, I never once drew you in my sketches," she said, her voice softening. "In fact, I didn't even know that females could shift, not from what I'd learned."

Leah shrugged, the corners of her mouth turning up slightly. "Neither did I," she replied. "But you did draw me in my wolf form." She reached for the sketchbook, flipping through the pages until she found the drawing of herself. She held it up, pointing to the image of her in her wolf form.

Aniya's chest tightened as she looked at the drawing, the sadness she had been trying to push away creeping up again. Leah was the only one she hadn't drawn with a soulmate, and that thought lingered in her mind. From what Aniya had gathered over the past few days, Leah deserved so much more than what she had settled for. She deserved someone who would treat her like the queen she was—someone who would give her the world.

Despite the sadness she felt for Leah's situation, Aniya couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope for her. She was sure that, someday, Leah would find someone who truly understood her, someone who would love and cherish her the way she deserved. Aniya could feel it deep down. Leah wasn't going to stay in the shadow of the past forever.

As the group fell into a brief silence, Aniya felt a strange sense of peace wash over her. It wasn't the complete resolution she was looking for, but it was a step in the right direction. She had shared her story, the truth she had uncovered, and now it was time to face the rest of it, no matter how complicated or painful.