Chapter 8

• Maleah’s p.o.v.
• Alpha Dominic looks at me and I know the conversation on John Clarkson is over, he will ask me about my Lycan and my Assassin abilities. “Maleah, we told you to join us for another reason and I think it is time you explained a few things to your Father and us.” He says and I know that at least Dad deserves a few answers about why I never said a word.
• The Scout seems to be confused as to whether he should stay or leave, I don’t care if he stays and hears my story. I know it will get known throughout the Pack within a day and I will feel better if he gets the information first hand. “I have a question first, it is something I haven’t been able to find an answer to myself and I hope that one of you can answer it for me. What happens if a Wolf or Lycan shifts before they turn sixteen?
• I was able to find out that with a pure bloodline a Wolf or Lycan tends to shift earlier, but what does it mean for that Wolf or Lycan when their Pack or the Council of Elders hear about it.” I say and it looks like Mack’s Father and mine know where I am going with my question.
• “Sweetheart, it usually means they start training immediately. This goes for every rank because it always means they have a gift that needs to develop.” Dad explains.
• “In case of an Assassin it might also mean that the Council of Elders will take them away to train them themselves, it has happened a few times during the centuries. If it is for the better that the Council of Elders trains them I am not sure.” Mack’s Father states and I am glad I never told anyone I shifted for the first time, I would have hated being away from Dad and our territory.
• I tell them about how I grew up and Alpha Max still gets a pissed off look on his face when I mention my Mother’s lack of care for me, “I had been feeling off all day when I turned eight, but I wasn’t in any pain so I just pushed the feeling aside. Dad returned from his assignment the following day before school was out and like every other time I decided to see how far I could get before he would feel that I was there. They always stopped talking the moment Dad could feel me and I never was able to get close enough to hear a word that was being said.
• This time I was able to make it to the living room without either one of them feeling my presence and I was able to hear the conversation between my parents, if I ever had any hope that my Mother would finally start caring for me it died that day. She told Dad that she would stick around until I was old enough to become useful to her and that she would make sure Dad was left behind brokenhearted. I quietly left the house and sat down on the back porch, waiting for Dad to come looking for me.
• I doubt he ever figured out I overheard their conversation, but I know he felt something had changed between me and my Mother. Two days later Dad left after dinner on another assignment and when I woke up in the morning my Mother was also gone, with it being Saturday I took my time getting ready to go to the Pack-house. I ate my breakfast before I got dressed and as I started to pack my bag I doubled over in pain, I don’t have to tell you the pain I went through because you all did before me.
• The thing that surprised me though was that it only took thirty minutes before I was looking at my Lycan in the mirror in my room, I just stood there for a while staring at her and I don’t remember shifting back or falling asleep. After I woke up again Fortune started talking to me and she explained why I had been able to walk in and out of the house without anyone noticing,” I look around the table after I stop talking and I see that everyone is in shock.
• “Maleah, I think it has been a good thing no one knew you had your Lycan that early.” Mack’s Father tells me and I ask him why he believes that. “The Council of Elders would have insisted on training you, they would have forced you to become an Assassin and you would have never had the career you have today. Your Father shifted two months before he turned sixteen and that is….” He stops talking when he sees my Father shake his head.
• “I shifted two months before I turned fifteen, but my Father asked our Alpha to wait a year before putting it in my file. He knew what would happen if the Council of Elders found out and your Father agreed with him, Alpha Max.” Dad explains and I see a smile appear on Mack’s face, “I knew you had to come from a very pure bloodline, but shifting at the age of eight and on your own. I mean, your aura is a lot stronger than mine and mine is one of the strongest out there.
• Fuck, if the Council of Elders had gotten their hands on you…. No, I don’t even want to think about it.” Mack mutters and I think I understand why. Everyone seems to be lost in their thoughts when suddenly the Scout looks at me, “What color is Fortune?” He asks and I chuckle at the most normal question he asks after hearing I shifted when I was eight. I don’t answer his question with words, I just point at my violet auburn hair and his jaw drops.
• “I always knew you would be something special.” Luna Elyse says as she places her hand on my arm. “I finally saw what you did with my drawing.” I say to her to get the attention away from my abilities and it seems to work like a charm.
• “Of course, I did tell you where I placed it but you never entered the Alpha floor before today.” She responds as she smiles at me. “It is still one of the best birthday presents I ever got.” She continues.
• We talk about the drawings I made as a child and everyone has their own drawing to reminisce about, “I still don’t understand why I never saw you draw the one you gave to me. It wasn’t like you could hide that one easily and I believe it would have taken you days to finish it.” Alpha Max says and Alpha Dax asks him why it would have been difficult to hide it from them.
• “As I already explained my Mother would vanish the moment Dad had left on an assignment and after my eighth birthday I spend a lot of time in the Pack-house. Mostly in the office of one of your parents, that of course changed when they started to train all of you for your future position. They still checked up on me during the days I was in the Pack-house and it never bothered me that I was no longer able to sit at my little desk in their office to draw.
• I had made friends here at the Pack-house and I was never on my own if I stayed here. I would even come to the Pack-house if I wasn’t staying here, just sitting in the kitchen with my friends drawing and talking. But to answer your question, Alpha Max. I made that one at home in Dad’s office.” I tell him and I see my Alphas looking at their Father.