Talons

Chapter 154: The Plush

Rhea's POV

I'm not offended that Colton thinks I'm a dealer, especially considering that I have been spending more money than I should have. 

Eventually, I will tell him about my business, but not before I tell my family. 

It's not that I don't trust him… well, actually… I don't trust him, and I don't want him to suddenly get the idea to force his mark on me to push me into improving his pack.

"Call me crazy, but I don't think he’d do that."

"Crazy." Sylvia chuckles deeply and I settle into sleep that gets interrupted by the sound of groaning. 

I jump out of bed, running to the source of the sound, thinking that Colton may have been attacked, but I find him sleeping on the couch.

I approach, knowing that he's having a bad dream and wanting to calm him without startling him, I begin to sing. Eventually, his groaning stops, and his breathing steadies.

When I'm sure he won't attack me in his sleep, I get closer, and for some reason I smile.

Colton was always so mean to me, evil really. He hurt me so badly so many times and right now I could easily kill him in revenge, but I don't even want to. 

Aside from the bond, I feel sorry for the man, who like me has trouble remembering the past. 

He must have been having a nightmare and I wonder if he will tell me about it in the morning. 

Colton's POV

I’m dreaming again, but no matter how hard I try, I cannot wake up. My grandfather and father are arguing so Dolton and I know we should be on our best behavior.

We’re at breakfast, so my mother can’t hide us away like she usually does. That means we must become invisible at the table, but sometimes trying not to be seen makes you stand out more.

"Why isn't your hair combed?" Neither Dolton nor I know who my father is talking to, so we both freeze as we wait for a name to be called.

"I'm talking to you both!" My brother and I know it's a test, so as the older twin, I respond.

"I didn't think we had-"

"You always have to look your best!" My father shouts as he slams his fists on the table.

Out of reaction, my brother and I flinch, which we know is like candy to our father. He stands, but my mother intercepts him.

"Carlton, they are just children."

"Children?" My father snaps. "They are the future of this pack; do you see Mavis' son running around with tangles in his hair?"

"He’s an older boy, and OUR sons have curly hair, Lark doesn't."

"Always with the excuses," my father snarls, slapping my mother who shouts for us to run.

My grandfather is seated at the same table with us, but he hasn't said a word, nor will he. 

"You go ahead." I point in the direction my brother should run, lingering behind so that my father catches up to me first if he chooses to chase either of us.

My brother and I know better than to run together because getting caught together is somehow worse than being caught separately. 

Since we’re both alphas, our father has never encouraged a brotherly or loving relationship between us. It's my mother who's always been the one to insist that he and I stick together.

It's early, and the sun is bright so seeing isn't an issue. If Dolton is lucky, he will come across one of the guards who sympathize with us. 

Usually, they secretly escort us across Iron territory and into the Claw territory, where my father will not go unless given express permission.

Once I'm across, I make it to my favorite place to hide. My father hasn't discovered it, so I know I will be fine until I get hungry.

My father is usually more lenient with Dolton, so I’m not very worried about him. However lenient doesn’t mean spared; if Dolton takes the punishment this time, I will take it the next.

Intense waves of sadness overtake me as I wait in the small clearing, and pulling my legs up to my chest, I begin to cry. 

I'm just a child but I know this is wrong. I know I shouldn't fear my father and I know that my mother shouldn't be mistreated by her mate.

I hear a branch break and I scurry to my feet, but my initial fear is replaced by curiosity when I see a tiny girl staring at me. My conscious mind knows it’s Rhea, but the me in the dream has no idea who she is.

She’s holding a plush that I recognize as mine, and I tell myself that she found it.

"Who are you?" I’ve ‘never’ seen her before and want to know how she found my hiding spot.

The girl doesn't answer but she walks up to me, places a hand on my chest and says my name, but with an R in it. She then puts her hand on her chest and says her name. 

Since I don't understand what she said, I decided not to repeat it, but I'm still curious about her. 

"Are you hiding too?"

"No entiendo," the girl says, pointing to her ear and I mistakenly think she’s deaf, so I start trying to use hand signals that only make her giggle. 

Frustrated, I sit down again, but the girl doesn't leave. Instead, she sits extremely close to me and links our fingers together. 

I look into her eyes, wanting to know what she’s doing, but instead of making me happy, the comforting smile she's wearing causes me to break into sobs.

I'm used to being called weak for crying, and even my mother tries to stop me from shedding tears, wanting to avoid my father's punishment, but this girl, Rhea, only squeezes my hand tighter.

She says words I don't understand and pulls me to lay my head on the plushie, while she smooths my hair. Normally, I would hate this, but I don't fight it, and before I know it, I'm fast asleep.

The next thing I know, I’m wrapped in someone's arms, and when I open my eyes, Luna Mavis is carrying me. 

“Do you know how worried your mother gets when you run away?”

“Does she know I’m here?” I ask, slightly embarrassed that the woman is carrying me, but I don’t want to make her feel bad by forcing myself out of her grip.

“Not yet; my baby girl came to get me after you fell asleep. She wants us to have dinner first.” Almost instantly my stomach growls, and I bury my face in embarrassment. 

It's then that I notice that, while I’m being carried, the little girl who sat with me is quietly walking beside us, her hand in Luna Mavis’ free one.

“Is she your daughter?”

“Are you just figuring that out?” The woman asks with a chuckle.

Once in the Packhouse, Luna Mavis sits me at the table, but when the tiny version of Rhea goes to sit next to me, her mother stops her.

I don’t understand the conversation they are having, but Rhea pouts and nods her head before climbing into a highchair near the head of the table. I can’t help but to laugh a little, and she looks up at me almost in shock that I would dare.

“How old is she?” I ask, but instead of Luna Mavis, one of the twins responds. 

“She doesn’t have an age, she fell from space,” Robin says, making her mother shush her. 

“That isn’t true,” Raven adds. “She will be four soon, right mom?”

“That’s right,” Luna Mavis says with a smile.

“Can I come to the party?”

“She won't be having a party,” Luna Mavis adds, “She likes quiet.” I kind of feel bad for the girl, so I offer to send her a present, and by instinct I know that Luna Mavis translated for me, only the reaction wasn’t what I thought it would be.

“What did you say?” I ask, trying not to sound annoyed by how sad the little girl looks.

“I told her that her big brother Colt said he’d buy her a present.” I laugh because I’m not her brother, and I figure that the girl is confused. “Colt, haven’t your parents told you that you'd be fated to one of the girls? That would make Rhea your sister.”

I don’t hear anything else Luna Mavis says as the name ‘Rhea’ filters through my mind, and just like that, I forget it.

“Alpha Jay and Lark step into the room, and I stand out of habit, but the man just pats my head and tells me to sit.”

“I’m so used to being quizzed, drilled, hit, tested, all manner of ridiculous things that determine my worthiness of sitting at the table that I’m surprised I didn’t have to do that.

“Hey Colt,” Lark says. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”

“I kind of ran away.” I know that I shouldn’t have even said that much, but I can’t exactly tell the truth. Mom says that no one can ever know how my father treats us or the council will take everything away.

Happy chatter goes around the table, and I notice that only the little girl and I are not speaking. She looks sad, and I know that part of it is sitting in a highchair and the other half is not understanding.

“Luna Mavis, why do you make her sit in that chair; she doesn’t like it.”

“Is it that obvious?” the woman says. “My little girl is very small; I’m afraid she’d get hurt sitting in a regular chair.”

“Until what age?” Alpha Jay mutters. The couple whispers back and forth, and although no voices are raised, I know they are arguing. 

When the food is brought out, I try to eat as much as possible before my parents are called.

I’m already bracing for a punishment, and truthfully, my full stomach has made it worth the beating.

Right before my father beckons me, the little girl pushes something in my pocket, making the shush gesture before hiding.

 My father and I are only just driving away when he slaps me unconscious and when I wake, I’m in the dungeons.

“Since you want to leave like a man, I will treat you like one,” he says. “By the way, if you continue this behavior, that girl will die.” I shout in protest as my father leaves, but I’m not alone.

“Sorry little alpha, but your father insists.”

“I don’t want to forget,” I growl.

“I know, but for your future mate’s sake, you have to.”