Talons

Chapter 147: The Conjecture

Lissette's POV

There is no doubt that Gordita is fated to an impulsive brute. The man attacks first and asks questions later, and the only reason I didn't come to my niece's defense is because unlike what I assumed, she seems to be able to hold her own against him.

I wasn't at their rejection hearing, but from what Mavis told me, the boy was nothing but cruel to B, right up until adulthood. Truthfully, I'm surprised he hasn't forced his mark on her, but either he is a good actor, or he genuinely wants her to accept him.

However, the reason I've come to the Iron pack isn't just to see how I can help my niece get away or to visit with my daughter. I'm here because I'm almost positive that she isn't a normal she-wolf.

It took months of convincing, but Grace finally told me that she liked being with her cousin because she felt at ease around her.

At first, I thought she meant she was just comfortable, but since then, she has made so much progress that we have to keep it a secret.

She isn't healed, but she can at least aid in her own care which is a giant step from where she used to be. I have no doubts that it's because of my niece forcing her to shift.

The last time I took Grace to the doctor, they cited 'unusual' brain activity as the cause for her cognitive development, and they were extremely interested in whatever ‘witch’ I had been working with.

Today, I want to prove to Mavis that her daughter needs to be protected, and it may not be from her mate. If the girl isn't careful, people may start to pay attention, and if she has any ability at all, she will suddenly become unbelievably valuable.

Not only is she smart, but she is strong, beautiful, and kind. I think she is really a true Luna, which is the female equivalent of a high alpha, but women with that title are so rare that no one is paying attention.

While on claw pack territory, I ingested hunter poison, wanting to see what my niece would do, but just as she was doing her thing, her stupid mate interrupted us.

The man was ready to kill me, and if Gordita hadn't intercepted him, I would have been too weak to fight him.

I wanted to curse the man out, but he said something that effectively shut me up. I couldn't believe that my niece tried to kill herself, and based on her expression, this is a conversation she needs to have now, so I let Miracle help me out.

Fortunately, Gordita didn't take long to arrive at the infirmary, and without thinking she began rubbing my back again.

"What was Azul talking about?" I ask, and Gordita makes a face that sends me into a coughing fit. Her facial expressions can be so funny, especially since she is an incredibly beautiful girl who truly doesn’t care.

“It's a long story, one that I’d rather not repeat, but yes; I did try.” I don’t question my niece because I know her, and if she felt that death was the best option, it’s likely that it was.

As we sit in silence Gordita has been rubbing my back. I can physically feel the poison in my body beginning to subside, and I now have confirmation of what I already knew; she is goddess blessed.

Eventually, the pain is completely gone, my nails have rescinded, and the doctor comes back with bloodwork, claiming that he saw nothing out of the ordinary.

Both Miracle and Dolton are staring in complete confusion. They know that I purposefully ingested hunter poison, and they know it doesn’t leave the body without medical intervention.

“Gordita, please forgive me for saying this, but… I think your mate really wants you.”

"He does," she replies. "But it's not because he has much of a choice." I tilt my head and my niece explains. "His chosen Luna broke his heart, and he is using me to get away from her."

"That isn't true!" A loud voice booms, and I look up to see Miracle's mate wearing the most serious expression I've seen on the man.

He is very clingy with my daughter, so I'm not surprised when he pulls Miracle into a hug.

While I honestly believe he is happy with her, I will still take Gordita's advice and take Grace to live with them, but for right now, I’m focused on what the man has to say.

Dolton’s POV

I’ve felt it before, but my mother-in-law's stunt just proved what I’ve already been thinking. There’s something special about B, and if what I think is correct, then she has been gifted by the moon goddess.

Usually, those blessings are exclusive to oracles or guides, but there is one account of Celeste, the first luna. Much like her male counterpart, she was stronger than other lunas and she had the ability to heal and soothe her pack members, often with just her words.

There has never been another documented account of a true luna, so most people ignore the scriptural mentions as conjecture, but as a high alpha, I had to study her deeply.

The woman was fated to a high alpha, and while unproven, many people believe that there are many true luna’s out there, they just don’t know. Unfortunately, it isn’t entirely a good thing.

B hasn’t allowed my brother to mark her, and after his stupidity, I don’t know if she ever will.

For now, I won't report my findings, but I will warn my brother because if anyone finds out that she has even a hint of an ability, I have no doubts that she will be forcibly marked by one of the unfated high alphas who will see her as a prize.

Miracle already knows how I feel about the girl, and while I love my brother, if she asks to join my pack, I will accept her with open arms.

The whole two lunas thing is too much for even me, and the fact that my brother didn't just say no irritates me.

He and I grew up promising our mother that we would wait for a fated partner, and that we would love that person unconditionally.

While we were always told it would be one of the Talons twins, we, well at least I, took that promise seriously.

I'm distracted from my thoughts when I hear my in-law defend Colt, which is weird since I know she was planning to take B back to Puerto Rico with her just a few hours ago.

I know it was wrong, but she asked Miracle to get something from her purse in Spanish and wanting to be nosey, I watched my mate closely, which is how I spotted the plane tickets.

"He does," B replies and her face tells me that she isn't just talking to talk. "But it's not because he has much of a choice." I listen closely and when the woman states her belief, I'm forced to interject.

"That isn't true!" B looks at me with a shocked expression, and even Miracle seems to be put off by my outburst.

“Colt didn’t think he had a fated partner and because he couldn’t find you, he settled.”

Colton’s POV

I silently followed my mate around, looking for the right words to say but there really aren't any. I shouldn’t have brought her past up without context, especially since she has only just started opening up to me.

“I’m not angry with you, you know?” I’m staring at my mate’s back as she digs what I know from her drawings is what she hopes to turn into a pond. “You and I are in the same situation if you think about it.” I have no idea what my mate is talking about, so she breaks it down for me. “If you weren’t promised to someone you disliked, you wouldn’t be holding onto me so tightly. I’m your means of escape, and as for me; you are my Jessica.” I hate the analogy my mate is using on so many levels, but at its very core it's wrong.

“Rhea, my relationship with Jessica has nothing to do with my relationship with you. I want you because I like who you are as a person. I may have been your mysterious friend, but I always knew who you were.” My mate stops digging and leans against a tree, and a nagging in my mind pulls forth a memory.

Dolton and I are helping our mother. She plants flowers that help her sleep at night, but she doesn’t let us get too close to them, so we sit against the tree that my mate often leans on.

My brother asks me which of the twins I prefer, but I don’t like either of the girls, so I ignore his question and respond with what I want instead.

“My mate will be nice, and quiet, and she will read to my pups in this garden, right mom?” My mother just chuckles before wishing me good luck on getting either of the twins to pick up reading as a hobby.

I didn’t understand it then, but the memory makes me smile. Not because of my mother’s coy response, but because I remember who I had in mind when I made that statement.

“Colton,” I hear, and I’m snapped out of revelry. “When did you start hating me?” The question hurts, but because my mate doesn’t seem to be asking in malice, the sting is less intense.

“Rhea, I don’t… I really can’t answer that question. I remember really liking you, but…” Once again, an intense headache makes me wince, only this time, my mate is around, and she quickly comes to check on me.

I can feel her hands cupping my face, and almost instantly the pain of the memory I was living in subsided.

“They hurt when they surface,” she says while gently stroking my messy hair, and because I’m terrified of what I just remembered, I don’t move. “Colton, I think we are remembering these things because we are spending too much time together. Maybe we should-”

“No-” I interject, but it sounds whiny, so I change my tone. “If I let you go, would you come back?”

“No,” she admits.

“Then you have to stay.”

“Okay,” Rhea replies, and I find myself chuckling.

“Which one is it?” I question as I stare at her perplexed expression. She has long since stopped stroking my hair, and wanting to duplicate her tenderness, I push a strand of her messy bun behind her head. “What does your ‘okay’ mean today?”