Alpha Tristan ✓ [Republishing]

Eikosiduo [ 22 ]

It was silent across the field and it was as if time had stopped.

"What are you talking about, Mum?"

She blew out a breath of vexation. "Your so-called mate killed your father, the only man I have ever loved. That's why I hate him."

I stayed silent for a long time, taking in her words over and over again. She peered at me somewhat expectantly and I clenched my fists tightly as I swallowed down the feelings of disgust that arose within me. I couldn't help but feel pure disgust and much to my mother's chagrin, it wasn't aimed towards Tristan.

It made me feel sick to know that such a cruel alpha who had a part in Tristan's suffering was my father. I took a step back and shook my head. "He's not my father. I'd never met him. All he is to me is the sick and twisted alpha that had a hand in all the pain Tristan had to endure." I could tell that my words angered my mother, but I couldn't bring myself to care.

"You didn't know the man I knew." She vehemently replied and I struggled to hold back what I said next.

"What man did you know, Mum? He left you while you were pregnant—us. You said yourself that he wasn't meant for you. He wasn't meant to be my father." I couldn't brace myself for when her hand collided with my cheek. The connection reverberated through the quiet fields as she gasped and I could barely register it before Markus was in front of me, shielding me from her.

He was right when he said it'd be like he wasn't there.

"Don't lay a hand on my Luna. I don't care if you're her mother. No one harms her in front of me." He seemed fiercely loyal already and something tugged at my heart at the thought of it. He barely knew me, but the fact that I was Tristan's mate meant he would protect me no matter what.

Laying a hand on his shoulder, I quickly spoke. "Markus, it's okay." The stinging of my cheek quickly subsided and the skin cooled down within seconds. Lightly nudging him to the side, I stared at my teary-eyed mother. "If it makes you feel better, hate him all you want. But, he's my mate and I could never hate him." She looked apologetic but I was drained by it all already. "If all we're doing is arguing then I don't think you want me here."

Her hands folded over each other and she shook her head profusely with a shocked expression on her face. "Sweetheart, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you." I stepped back when she took a step towards me, too upset to want her near me. "Of course I want you here, you're all I have."

I shook my head in response. "If I really am all you have, you'll leave this pack with me." Walking around her, I set off to go down the hill with Markus beside me. Deciding that I needed to clear my head, I walked around the territory aimlessly.