I'm Dying, Mate

(6) Truth in Alliances

IONA

I sigh while looking at my reflection the mirror. I look worse for wear, and I don't want anyone to notice that I am. I know for a fact that I'm getting worse after meeting my other mate, Drake on my backyard.

I woke up with the biggest headache I ever had and a ringing in my ears. I don't know what to do with the pain or the ringing, so I just found myself spending a long time in my bathtub with it's warm water and lavender scent.

It helped to a certain degree, but even after sleeping, I was exhausted. I sigh again when I see the bruises on my skin and the bandaged shoulder of mine. I remember Uncle Ross's claws breaking the surface and making me bleed almost to death

I don't really feel mad at Uncle Ross for what happened. I actually feel guilty about it. I haven't seen Aunt Sarah since the incident, and I heard she refuses any contact with our other relatives.

Mammie has found herself driving to and from here, so she just decided to lock her house up and rented a place near here. I didn't know why Uncle Fredo didn't offer her to stay here, which I found strange.

The heat of the water helped a bit with fading the bruises. The weather prompted my circulation to word a bit more appropriately, and I was thankful at least. My body can still do this. It can even survive.

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in," I say, my voice raspy.

The door opens, and I see the natural dirty blonde hair of a little girl. I smiled so much it felt painful on my dry lips while I raised my arms to urge her in my arms.

"Iona" she pouts, her eyes watering. She ran to my arms and encircled her arms on my waist.

"Oh, Synti" I coo.

"I've missed you" she looks up at me, her tears trailing down her plump and soft cheeks. Synthia really doesn't know how beautiful she is. She has all of the good qualities of both her parents

I see the scar from the car accident peeking from under her jaw. A small line if you look at her at a certain angle, but I know the path runs down to the side of her throat till her back. Mom was able to pull her out but not Synthia's Mom, Esme.

She was stuck, and no help was near one of the backroads they usually drive-in. It was purely coincidence that Mom used the same road to get to the hospital faster. Thank God for accidents.

I wipe the tears away with a soft smile. Cupping her cheeks and running my thumbs over her wet skin. Her cute button nose was red from all the crying, and her naturally pink lips were pouting right at me.

"You're so adorable" I giggle

She frowns "I've missed you, and that's the only thing you'll say to me?"

"I missed you too."

I let go of her face and hug her close to me. She fits just right in my arms, and though I don't have the energy nor the strength to urge her to sit on my lap. This was enough, her little body fit between my legs as I sat on the small vanity chair.

"But what are you doing here?" I ask, pulling back slightly.

"Dad was asked to come here to take a look at you. Your…relatives wanted to make sure there really isn't any way to save you." She whispers, her eyelashes still has some tears

"I'm glad you're here" I kiss her forehead and take tissue from the vanity and wipe the rest of her tears. "We're going to have so much fun."

"Really?" she asks, her eyes hopeful. "am I allowed to always come here?"

I scoff "Of course, I don't see why not"

She grins and let out a high pitched squeal "Yay!"

I cheered with her. Feeling my own grin growing on my face.

"Oh, I think Dad needs to see you first," she says, out of the blue. Her joy dampened to let out a stern look.

Synthia has always been a strange kid. There are days she talks to herself a lot and says things like "Be careful, they say it's going to rain" or "It's not safe to stay there, they say that accidents always happen there" and many more.

We've labelled it as just her active imagination. She has always been the creative type, I have seen her make large scale buildings that most design students do. She's pretty good at making things and doing a 3D version of it.

I nodded and followed her outside.

We saw her Dad talking to Uncle Arthur in such a severe manner you'd think they're talking about killing someone. Uncle Arthur's glasses inch down his tall nose, but Aunt Cara was there to push it back up.

She gives him one of the sweetest smiles I've ever seen come out of her face. I see the love in it and the joy while Uncle Arthur was distracted by her. He gave her a slow smile, admiring his own mate with appreciation and the same love that matched hers.

I feel a pang of envy that hit my chest. My own mates didn't want me, given that one thought I was mated to the other and the other one is a bigot racist. I've decided to read on much more about Damiano's pack and their cruel traditions

They were most known for keeping the werewolf bloodline pure. If there was a chance that you'd be mated to a human with a gene that indicates they'll have a human mate, it's either the wolf rejects you and finds a werewolf female to claim, or they get exiled.

A lot of what I read from my research is that Damiano is poised to take the Alpha role very soon. His father, a scary dark-haired man with pointy ears but a brave face, was incredibly proud and even told the reporters of his stepping down with great pride in his heart.

The business world is much interested in the development of Damiano's family because they are also owners of a leading company in the states. They invest in companies, and every investment is a success. They own shipping companies, tech and gadgets and a lot more than made my eyes ache from reading the long list.

Damiano was older than me by four years. He's on the spotlight since he was born into his family. There were countless of gossips about him and the women that she dates. Often are buxom blondes with long legs and the bluest eyes—a totally opposite of me.

"Daddy" Synthia calls out, catching Doc's attention.

"Baby and Iona!" Doc excuses himself with Uncle Arthur and walks towards us.

"Everyone is still here," I say, eyeing my Uncles and cousins in the large room.

"I hear they'll have a meeting with some other packs," Doc says while picking Synthia up in his arms and giving her cheek a kiss.

"what he hears is true" Aunt Cara saunters beside me with a confident grin. Her beautiful red hair in a messy ponytail and her soft green eyes meets mine. "You look pretty today, little dove."

"Thank you, Aunt Cara, but what's the reason for this meeting?" I ask

She gives me a knowing smile "What else? For you"

"We're going to expand our horizons," Aunt Farah says out of nowhere. I jump to see her beside me with a glass of water and some of my medicine.

I took it with a grateful smile and downed the medicine with the water. I've noticed Aunt Farah has made it her job to make sure I ate, drank enough water for the day and took my pills. She's turned in to the full-on nurse since I've come back.

She checked on me on my bath more times than can count. She even offered to hold my head up while I laid down in the water.

"Thank you" I give her back the glass to which she just sets on the coffee table near us.

"How are you feeling?" She asks feeling for my temperature by touching my forehead and even my neck. "Do you need to lay down?"

"Auntie, Doc is here, and that's his job. Don't worry so much" I gave her wrist a comforting squeeze as she held my neck.

She sighs "Okay, but don't tell me not to worry. It's my job."

"Where is Aunt Fiona?" I ask, looking around the room. Uncle Raven was here, but she was nowhere in sight. I just noticed the two of her boys weren't here either and only her eldest is. I've been missing Aunt Fiona for a while now, I have been named after her.

My mom and Aunt Fiona were close. They knew each other long before she became mates with my uncle, and I know her enough that she has a Wild Wolf syndrome that means she's more wolf than human.

Speaking of the eldest, Frier lays lazily on the couch while Keith annoys him by poking his cheek till he growls and snaps back. I've heard the tall behemoth of a man is close to inheriting Uncle Raven and aunt Fiona's pack soon. He doesn't look like his parents at all, nor is he built like the two of them, his wavy dark hair looks wet, and his striking blue eyes could glare you down.

"Rude" Keith pouts at him.

"The f**k are you on?" Frier scowls.

"She's teaching the other two some lesson. They seem pretty adamant on not apologizing" Aunt Cara answer me. She sighs, and I've noticed that her blonde hair is curling on the ends for some reason. She's mated to my Uncle Arthur and has the twins Airo and Manuel "Boys would be boys, but as mothers, we're going to beat them out for respect."

"I don't think that's nice" I whisper, fearing for my cousins.

"Oh, little dove, don't worry your pretty head about it" Aunt Cara smiles and kisses my forehead. She sounds sweet, but I still worried "Werewolves need beatings at times."

"Darling, I think it's time," Fredo says, before stepping into my field of vision and kisses Farah's forehead. He then looks at me. "You, Iona need your check-up with Doctor Frederick in the clinic."

I hear a lot of cars outside the house. My curiosity piquing "What packs have you invited?"

"Anyone who wants an alliance with us" Uncle Arthur blocks my vision of the window outside with his vast body. He kisses my forehead lightly, I almost thought he hasn't, but I could feel the soft warmth of his lips on my skin.

Mom always said that Uncle Arthur was the sweetest one. She often told me of how he coddled her and was more like a mother than a brother at times. His light-coloured eyes make it hard for me to pinpoint what colour it is as it always changes in the sunlight "Go, I don't think it's smart for them to see you…unprotected"

My brows furrow "Why?"

There was a brief silence in the room. They look to each other in the decision whether to tell me or not, and I really hoped that they would. I held my breath while finally Aunt Farah touch my shoulder and smiles at me

"They're not exactly allies at this moment."

"Sheesh, just tell her already" I hear Skylar say when he enters the room. He has a cut on his cheek and a split lip. Frier's shadow as they call him in the family too

Aunty Fiona follows behind him with a grim look on her face, and she looks set on pulling Skylar back again. But he dodges her by jumping over the couch and going across the room to get away from her.

"We're inviting enemies for you, dear, Iona" Skylar sarcastically says. Rolling his eyes at me

"Boy! Come back here" Fiona growls, her fierce blue eyes glaring at Skylar. I have heard that she's the strongest warrior in her pack. She trained like a bull, and she's tough as nails. "Don't make me come over there."

I thought she was going to shift with the way her eyes start to turn gold, but Uncle Raven steps beside her before that could happen and almost immediately, she relaxes. She lets in a deep breath then exhales.

"Skylar, you're not allowed to shift for a month for aggravating your mother" Uncle Raven calmly says, his eyes never leaving Aunt Fiona as she tries to take control of her wolf.

I didn't hear anything from Skylar since then. He left the room without looking behind him. I feel at fault for what happened between him and Aunt Fiona. He got punished just because he won't say sorry.

"I think it's better if we take Iona and Doctor Frederick here to the infirmary" Jared offers. He steps beside me, and I chose to lean on his side. A sense of security and comfort comes to me when it's Jared and Keith. So far, they're the people that I know the longest.

"I think so too," Farah says

"We're leaving then" Jared pulls me away from them just as I heard a loud knock on the door.

We walk down the halls with Doc and Synthia. Jared kept a firm hold on my hand and doesn't let go. He probably thinks that I'll run away and get in the middle of this supposed meeting.

"Is Skylar mad at me because I am putting the pack in danger?" I whisper, low enough so that Doc and Synthia wouldn't hear. I look behind me, and I see them happily chatting about Synthia's day.

Jared sighs, "he has a lot of issues, don't worry about him."

"So, yes?"

He gives me a look that tells me he wants me to stop.

"I'll take that as a yes."

"Iona, don't listen to the i***t. He has a lot of trust issues for a long time now."

"Is it because of me?"

He lets out a long sigh "It's not only you" he admits

"So, it is because of me."

He doesn't answer probably giving up from talking. We reach the infirmary and Doc didn't need any help from Jared on what to do or use. Doc made one criticizing look around the room and nods. "This will do, now you know what to do Iona."

I nod and sit on one of the chairs. "let the stupid diagnosis begin."

It was about an hour so of examination that Doc concluded that I was getting worst. I can see his judging look whenever he glances to meet my eyes. I know he knows that I was entirely rejected now and none of my mates wants me.

"Daddy, you're going to have to talk to her for her to say something" Synthia rolls her eyes while smiling at me

I smile back, stifling my laughter when Doc threw a playful glare at the kid who just shrugs her shoulders.

He takes a deep breath and faces me "Synthia, can I have a moment with Iona for now?"

Synthia meekly nods. She kisses my cheek and smiles at Doc before leaving to go outside. She must have been bored out of her mind during the examination, but she's a perfect kid who tries to endure it all.

Once the door closes, Doc takes a chair and faces me his eyes never meeting mine. I notice his five o'clock shadow at how close he is. He is contemplating about something because he was rubbing his hands together, which he often does when he's deep in thought.

"Doc, you should be talking" I urge

He purses his lips and sighs "So, he rejected you, huh?"

I nod "I'm sorry."

He shakes his head, dejectedly "Your mother is going to hate this."

"You've done what you can."

"But not enough."

"You've tried hard enough, and there is only so much that you can do, Doc" I put my hand over his large ones. Trying any kind of comfort that I can give to him. "The odds against me were high from the start. I wasn't supposed to live for this long and yet I have. You've done so much already."

I see his eyes water, but he avoided my gaze and looks at our joined hands. "Esme would have wanted me to save your life."

"You have" I assure him "You've saved my life countless of times now. Look at me, I'm alive because of you. I need you to understand that."

I feel the drops of his warm tears on the back of my hand. His shoulders start shaking, and I hear soft whimpers coming out of him.

"Let me say my goodbyes."

"Your uncles are going to battle this to their ends, Iona" he sniffs.

"It won't be a long battle, then" I smile and squeeze his hands. "my end is soon."

"I can always tell your uncles the truth, and he'll force those men to their knees."

"And then what? They'll be with me out of obligation and not love? Do you think I'd accept that?"

"It's better than you being six feet under the ground Iona."

"I've lost so much, and I've endured a lot. This is the only thing I ask Doc. Why can't you give this to me?"

"Because it's selfish."

The new voice that joined the conversation made us snap our heads to the door. My eyes widen at the sight of the newcomers. I wondered for a moment where Jared and Synthia was. I know Jared was guarding by the door when I started to take my clothes off for examination and he should be with Synthia right now.

"Who are you?" Doc clears his voice. It was shaky from the crying, and I couldn't blame him

"My name is Damiano, and this is my Beta Ryland." Damiano introduces, his eyes flickering to me. I see a blonde man beside him who was an inch shorter than him. his Beta is a big man with large muscles and a striking face.

"I'm Drake and I honestly just got lost in this massive building," Drake says while brushing past Damiano.

"From the conference room?" Doc steps in front of me in a protective manner. "No, I think you guys have another kind of intent."

Drake looks amused. His eyebrows c****d up, and his grin was maddeningly attractive. "My, what are you insinuating? Are you saying I'm here to hurt the little Tesoro?"

All of a sudden, I hear a loud crackle of lightning. I gasp in shock at the loud sound but was even more shocked to see a grey wolf in front of me, and Doc. Drake takes a step back at the wolf that popped out of nowhere.

I hear loud footsteps that ran towards our direction. I was even more shocked to see a bewildered Uncle Raven stepping beside the grey wolf.

"Fiona, calm down dear" he whispers comfortingly

That's Aunt Fiona? How did she even get here without us hearing?

Fiona whines at his mate, but Damiano seems to use this as a signal to move forward. Fiona's ears lay flat on her head while she snarls at him.

"What's wrong?" I ask

"So, we've got to see the legendary warrior shift. This is our lucky day" Damiano says, interest in his eyes. It looks almost menacing

Fiona growls I hear the wood splintering under her claws as she prepares her body to lunge.

"No, Aunty!" I cry, my heartbreaking at the thought of the two of my mates being hurt. "Don't."

She flinches and relaxes her body a bit but doesn't leave from where she stood.

"Alpha Beast tamer," Drake says almost mockingly to Uncle Raven "The only man to ever tame the Red blood Alpha's daughter who has to succumb to the madness of her wolf. I heard you met her while she's running around prowling in the forest in her craze."

Uncle Raven ignores him "It seems that you three have another agenda coming down here after taking a break from our talk. My mate has been watching you two Alphas much more than the others."

"We didn't mean to make it seem like that. Please don't misunderstand." Beta Ryland says. His dark eyes lingering at me then at Uncle Raven. "We just got lost, and my Alpha was drawn to this room."

"Excuses" Uncle Raven sneers. Aunt Fiona growls, agreeing.

"Believe what you want. We've done what we came here for. We heard your proposal and your plea. I'll think about what to do with it" Damiano says, his eyes glaring into mine.

I swallow the lump on my throat when I saw the bite mark on his neck. He really was mated to someone else.

"I agree," Drake says with a lingering look at me. "There is a lot to think of."

"You're welcome to leave unless" Uncle Raven puts his hand on Fiona's head. "You need a better incentive."

Drake laughs, and Damiano grins. "Don't worry, we'll leave on our own"

Then they left, but by the way, they gazed at me one last time, it seems not for long.