Chapter 6

• Taliyah’s P.O.V.
• “Sweetheart, I don’t have much time left and still so much to tell you. Your father doesn’t even know my full name, it is Izabella. I didn’t want your Father to know who I was and now I don’t have the time to tell you.”
• We had been talking for hours, she had to catch her breath after almost every sentence. She was fading in and out of consciousness and she was not at the end of her story, yet.
• I could hear her heartbeat faint even further and I knew her end was near. “Mom, stop talking. I will figure it out somehow. Just let go. It is time.” I sobbed as I told her those words.
• She looked at me, just smiled and took her last breath. I waited for the sun to come up and then I linked the doctor.
• After my Mother’s body was collected, I went to my room to get ready for the day. I showered and changed in to clean clothes, going down stairs to have some breakfast.
• Walking in to the room, I see that my Mother had been right, Father had marked Alena and she was sitting next to him. My Father looked at me and said “Now that your Mother is dead, I have taken Alena as my chosen Mate.
• She is the Pack’s Luna from now on and your Step-mother.” I look at my Father as Alena decides to speak up.
• “Tali, now that I am your Step-mother, you can call me Mother or Mom.” She looks at me with a smirk on her face.
• “I am sorry, Luna Alena. I think you have been misinformed on my name. It is Taliyah. And as to what to call you, I will stick to Luna Alena.” I say through gritted teeth.
• I grab my plate and turn to walk out of the room as my Father calls out to me “Tali, you will behave yourself. She is your Step-mother.”
• “Father, you took her as your chosen Mate and that makes her this Pack’s Luna. I will respect that, but I will never call her Mother or Mom. Not even if my life depends on it.” After those words I walked out of the room.
• I feel the anger rise as I think back on that day and if I had ever felt any love for my Father it completely vanished that day.
• Alpha Talon’s P.O.V.
• I am in my office with Alena, my Chosen Mate. I marked her moments after my Fated Mate died, yeah I know I am an asshole.
• Bella, my Fated Mate, gave me two Sons and a Daughter and I was furious with her.
• I had told her shortly after we met and marked each other, that I needed three Sons to be my successors. One of my ancestors had come up with the idea after his Beta and Gamma had died without leaving children behind.
• He had three Sons and he let them take over the Pack after he stepped down. His oldest became the Alpha, the middle one became the Beta and the youngest became the Gamma.
• He asked the Council for permission to take this line of succession in to the Pack-laws for the future. The Council had asked him to explain it to them what happened if the Alpha didn’t have three Sons.
• So in our Pack-law it is stipulated that when the Brothers stepped down, the Brother with three Sons would provide the successors.
• The highest rank with three Sons would provide the successors, starting with the Alpha.
• This way the three highest ranking position would always stay in our bloodline.
• Right now my Brother, who is my Beta, has three Sons and that means that if we step down or if one of us dies, his Sons will take over the Pack.
• Alena was supposed to be my insurance that I could keep some control on the Pack after stepping down. I couldn’t imagine losing the control I have to do what I want and get away with it.
• Suddenly Alena calls out my name, getting me out of my thoughts. “What?” I grumble as I look at her.
• “You were about to tell me about Tali and Alpha Roger.” She says and from the corner of my eyes I see Xandros walking towards the tree-line. If he were to find out about my plans involving his Sister, all hell will break lose.
• “We still have to discuss the specifics, but soon she will be out of our hair. Tell her we are expecting visitors a week from Friday. Tell her to prepare the rooms and the menu for that weekend.” I know that Alena will enjoy bringing this message to my Daughter even though she hates her.
• Taliyah’s P.O.V.
• I hear a knock on the door and in walks Alena without waiting for a response. She does it to annoy me, but I have learned to ignored her stabs and jabs at me.
• “Luna Alena, what can I do for you?” I ask, knowing very well she hates the fact that I refuse to call her “Mother”.
• “Tali, your Father is expecting guests a week from Friday. He wants you to prepare the guest-rooms and the menu’s for the weekend and dinner for Friday night.” She says and I know it is an order. I just nod my head.
• “Alpha Roger, his Beta and four of his warriors will be coming.” She states with a smirk on her face, sending a shiver down my spine. Everyone knows that he is more cruel than my Father. I can’t help but wonder why he is coming.
• I have to find out why he is coming here, because I don’t like that knowing smirk on her face. “Will any of them be bringing their Mates?” I ask and for a moment she is stunned.
• “I need to prepare the bigger rooms if they are bringing their Mate.” I state and make it sound as if it is a normal inquiry. She tells me that they are all unmated, but hopefully won’t be for long.
• The look in her eyes tells me that she knows something, but I also know that she won’t tell me. Even though my gut tells me that I am at the center of the answer.
• After she leaves, I think back to the morning of my Mother’s death. His explanation to the Pack for his fast marking of Alena was that he needed a Luna and no one in their right mind argued with him.
• From the start she made it clear that she had no warm feelings towards me and nowadays I think she even hates me.