Eclipsed Hearts

Guidance and Fate

[Ian]

I froze for a moment and stared at Alpha Keaton Black. He wasn’t smirking or acting superior at all. Instead, he looked at me in a way I didn’t expect. There was respect in his eyes.

“You called me Alpha…. How did you know she was my mate? You didn’t tell her, did you?” I asked.

“I learned about you and your pack a few years ago. The larger pack near you was concerned about a bunch of kids led by a single adult. They wanted to come take the children away from you, but things have gotten better for rogues since Storm Moon came into being. Now, packs will think twice before attacking rogues in case they have a membership to Storm Moon. No one wants to anger Alpha Livy or Alpha Oliver.

“They contacted Livy and she asked me to stop in to check you out. I have a lot of business that brings me to Michigan more often than you would think. Once I left the area, I investigated more. I found out where you came from and what happened to your pack. It was then that I realized the truth…. What do you intend to do about her?” he asked, tipping his head toward the bathroom as he changed the subject.

With a glance at the closed door, I let my feelings show on my face. He sighed and nodded. It was hard to say out loud. Just thinking it was killing me.

“That’s what I would expect. You know the goddess doesn’t do these things without reason. That woman might not be who or what you think she is. Yes, she’s a hunter, and technically a Damson, but that’s not all. Her father left their clan because he believed werewolves weren’t all bad. He bought their way out of that life. My father believed they were the future or a glimpse of what it could be. They wanted to be our friends.”

I inhaled deeply, feeling the weight of his words settle in my chest. It was a lot to process. Is there a chance that she’s not the person I believed her to be? Can she really bridge the gap between our kind and the hunters? Could there be a time without fear for us?

As I was pondering on these thoughts, Alpha Keaton Black kept on with his calm and thoughtful voice. “I know this is a difficult situation for you, Ian. But remember, not everything is as it seems. The goddess works in mysterious ways, and perhaps both of you losing your families was a way for you both to go into this relationship with your eyes open.”

“Her family killed my friends, family, and everyone else I ever cared about. They’re a threat to the children, the only other survivors of that m******e, who depend on me. She is a threat to the children who depend on me. I got this job to keep them safe. I would be pretty shitty if I set aside their lives and safety for a woman who called them monsters,” I hissed.

“Alpha, remember yourself. We don’t have long. She’s getting restless.”

I nodded. Mari always did that to me. The internal battle was intense, as I fought against my natural instincts that were screaming to claim her as my own, knowing she was my mate.

“Then what else did we need to cover? Do you know who put the hit out on her?”

“No. I tried tracking it down with some talented investigators. These people usually only need a couple hours to find out almost everything about a person. They came up empty each time they searched. No one can track where the original kill order came from,” Alpha Black said.

“I’m the only person who will kill Mari Damson,” I growled.

His brows furrowed together. “You really want to kill your mate, Alpha Kent? Isn’t your wolf fighting you? I couldn’t imagine killing my mate.”

“She’s dangerous to me and my pack, and stop using my real name. Do you think this is easy for me? My mate is related to the people who destroyed everything and everyone I knew. It’s just one more kick in the ass and f**k you from the goddess. My kids, my pack, is my entire life and I would gladly kill her if it meant keeping them safe,” I replied coldly.

Silence settled over us like a lead cloak. The stabbing in my chest was getting worse every time I had to say that. He didn’t understand how I had to steel myself against the pain. It was for the kids, for Fern and Jaden.

Alpha Black sighed heavily. His expression was both understanding and sympathetic. That didn’t help me, but at least he seemed to understand. I couldn’t risk them.

“I understand your pain and your responsibility, Ian. Don’t forget, the goddess has her reasons for bringing you and ‘Mari’ together. There might be a chance she can help you and your pack not only survive but also thrive in the world.”

“And maybe she’ll finish the job and take out the last of us,” I replied in a dark tone that reflected the growing darkness in my heart.

The goddess thought this was a good idea. She might have needed me to be less soft and more distant. I couldn’t be weak anymore. The kids needed someone willing to do evil things.

I killed that hunter and took over his identity. Since that time, I have taken down countless other werewolves, leaving a trail of bodies in my wake. Some nights, the haunting look of betrayal on their faces would replay in my mind. I bet Mari would have that same look of betrayal. It never hurt me before. They were bad wolves and only trusted me because I was also a werewolf. Mari meant way more to me than them, and I knew it would hurt even more.

But could I go through with it? Could I bring myself to harm the woman I had sensed a growing connection to? A woman, softer-hearted than her family, who had also suffered losses like me, tried to befriend me. It was a hard choice to make.

Alpha Black kept a close eye on me, sensing the internal battle I was fighting. Inhaling deeply, he spoke with a voice full of understanding.

“Ian, you can’t judge Mari based solely on her past. She’s not her family, just like you’re not the man you were before that m******e. I know you’re tired of hearing this, but her father didn’t want to kill werewolves. After talking to her, the only ones she wanted to hunt were the ones who hurt others and the one who killed her family.

“I have a feeling that she wouldn’t try to kill you if she knew you were a werewolf. If you’re her partner in every way possible, she will be your hunter. She will kill for you and your pack. Love changes the people who accept it and she’s been without love long enough that she’s practically begging for it. Look into her eyes when she looks at you and tell me you don’t see the deep-down plea screaming from behind them.”

The thought of allowing her in, or even attempting to do so, was unsettling. Even though Mari wasn’t trustworthy, I gave his insistence some leeway. He said she wasn’t the person I had imagined her to be.

“During this time, she will need support. I know you’re inclined to push her away, but this is unlike anything she’s ever experienced.”

“Not entirely,” I replied. “That’s the reason we’re here. There was a rogue in my territory with a dangerous history. I asked the hunter network to send someone to help me hunt him and they sent her. He’s the werewolf who killed her family. The man we were talking to earlier. He told me he was hired to kill her whole family.”

He didn’t respond, but I could tell he was taking it all in. Alpha Black pulled his cell phone out and sighed.

“No signal out here. They don’t even have Wi-Fi. It’s all wired, the whole damned place is all wired connections. I know it’s so we will focus on the courses and the connections we have here, but it’s damned annoying when I’m trying to deal with something. I was going to text my Beta and have him send someone to watch over your pack this week.”

“You think they’re in danger?” I asked.

“I think all of you are in danger. She’s sent to hunt the man who killed her family with a man whose family was killed by her hunter clan? The whole reason my pack is so successful is because we don’t believe in coincidences. Something or someone put these things together and I don’t think it was entirely the goddess. I know you’re an Alpha and this is technically your territory, but will you trust me as an ally?” he requested.

I sighed. “The kids call me Alpha, but I’m not. We’re not even a real pack.”

Alpha Black smiled at me. “Your pack didn’t die, Ian. It lives in you and those children. There were enough dominants to fill the roles of pack protectors. It shrank, but it never died. You were never rogues. When this is all over, I’ll help you to find a pack land for your pack and we can talk to Livy and Oliver about where we can gather warriors to join and help care for the pack.”

Our pack never died…. I was really the Alpha. It wasn’t just something I called myself so the kids would grow up understanding our culture. Even though it never occurred to me, it felt right as he explained it. It explained why most rogues avoided me.

When I remembered what Gino said to me on the boat, it made me even more angry. If Alpha Black sensed I was an Alpha, that meant Gino could, too. He was going to die before he ever got anywhere near my pack.

“She’s getting bored and frustrated. We should let her out and go get her things, too. We’ll find time to talk more. Okay?”

“Thank you for your help. I should have reached out to someone sooner.”

“No, you did what was right for your pack. You’re a good Alpha. I watched you for a few weeks. Those kids couldn’t have gotten a better Alpha than you. Come on. We need to move,” Alpha Black… Keaton… said.