Every Rose needs a Thorn

The Truth

Thorn’s POV:

I woke up later still feeling groggy and unaware of my surroundings,  I heard 2 women speaking, I didn’t want to open my eyes yet so I just lay there, but one voice still sounded very young.   The younger one was speaking to the older one.

“Do you think he’ll make it mama” she spoke very fast, but I understood enough of the conversation to know that I was in bad shape.

The older women answered “He is strong, the herbs will also help”

The younger women spoke again “If only”

“I know what you are thinking, that was done for a reason, you of all people should understand”  Before I could hear anything else, I fell into darkness again. 

I woke up more aware a few hours later, I was able to take in my surroundings.  I was lying in a bed in one of the workers cottages on the Cummins estate, I knew it was the Cummins estate as this must be Betsie’s cottage,  I recognized her as she worked in the house as a cook.  There was a young girl with her.

A women spoke to me softly “My name is Betsie, Mr Alistair, my daughter found you and we brought you to my house, your face and body will heal, I can do nothing about the scar, Emma here will give you some tea to help with pain” 

The girl came closer to me and tried to hand me the tea, I was staring at a girl about 14 years old, whom had the exact same features as me, and she had my father’s intense blue gaze.   I pushed the tea away from me, just staring at the girl “what’s going on here, who are you?”  

Betsie spoke first, “Be calm Thorn, we will explain”  I grabbed Betsie’s hand.   I heard a slight growl from the girl.

“How did I get here and who exactly is she?”  I pointed to the girl

“Calm down, son”  Betsie inhaled sharply “we will speak again later” “I want to know now” She brought the tea to my lips and I was forced to take a few sips, she was very strong for such as small women.

Betsie started laughing softly at me as she got up to walk away. “Always inpatient, you get that from him”

I was completely confused now, and I wanted answers. “Who are you talking about” Betsie was still smiling. “Rest now son”

Something must have been in the tea, because I could feel myself falling asleep again.   When I woke up again it was morning.  Betsie and Emily were sitting round the table, they were eating some bread with milk.  Betsie noticed I was awake and came over to me.   she handed me some bread

“Morning Thorn”

“Morning”

She touched my head. “No fever that’s good.  Means your healed”

I felt a little uncomfortable, there was all these rumors that Betsie was a witch, but I never thought so, she was always very nice to me, but I had questions for one how long have I been asleep for me to be healed already.

“Look, just tell me what’s going on here and I’ll leave.” Betsie walked back to the table, Emma was just staring at me with open curiosity.

“Come, come eat son” I got up, I was surprised that I wasn’t as hurt.  I must have been out for days

“How long have I been out” “Emma brought you here last night”

“How can that be, I feel fine, I have no bruises except for the my face still hurting, I feel as good as new”

“Calm down Thorn, I will explain” I cleared my throat, “Go on, get this over with” She gave me an indulgent smile and walked to where Emma sat.

“Well Emma here is you sister, and I am your mother”

“Lies, I had a mother and I know it wasn’t you” She looked at me with sympathy, I hated it, I didn’t need any bodies sympathy.

“She raised you, but she was not your mother, I am.  Your father and I couldn’t be together, your mother couldn’t have children, so she agreed to raise you as her own.  She didn’t want you sister, when she was born, so I kept Emily with me.  Your father visited with us once a week, but we never stopped loving each other”

I was annoyed and caught off guard, this week couldn’t get any worse.  First the attack and now this, what else.  My mother was always off with me, but never cruel, she just kind of ignored me.  I was angry with my father though, my mother died before him, he had time to tell me about my real mother and sister but chose not to do that, and now I couldn’t even ask him about it, as he too had died a few months ago.  Then there was Betsie’s story, the only reason I actually believed her was because I could see some of her in me, our eyes for one.

“I know what you are thinking Thorn, why didn’t you father tell you about us after she died?  Well the answer is simple, I asked him not to.  You see, that could mean that you would lose your inheritance if anybody ever found out, and I wasn’t going to rob you of your birth right”

She sighed loudly before she spoke the next words  “Now be brave boy, there is more and what I am about to tell you, is very important, it’s part of your heritage and it is you and your sisters Legacy, it will be hard to believe but I want you to keep an open mind”

I felt very annoyed and just wanted to get this over with, how much worse could this get.

“Just get on with it – because I am about to walk out, I’m tired of this s**t, I’ve had enough of betrayal to last me a life-time.”  I looked at her daring her to speak and get this over with.

“There is a wolf spirit within you.”  I jumped up and held my hand up for her to stop. 

“Just stop women,  I can see that she is my sister and I can see my features clearly on both of your faces , but stop with this rubbish, I’ve heard enough of…….”

I heard another growl from the girl and I turned around to look at her.

Betsie looked at me with a sneer, she kept looking at me, not taking her eyes off me for a second.

“Show him Emma”

I heard the rumbling next to me, I looked next to me and I stumble back and fell right against a wall.  I could hear the stuttering in my own voice.  Before me stood a big black wolf with my sisters eyes.  “You’re a wolf, but how”  I watched as my sister took a few steps towards me and then change back to the young girl. My mother chuckled and look at me gesturing for me to take a seat again.

“We come from a long line of wolves, strong and proud packs, their blood running through your veins. 

My great great great grandmother traveled from Caledonia, you know it as the Highlands, she traveled to Amsterdam, were she met and fell in love with a sailor.  In 1654 they traveled here to the point of Africa to start a new life, one of my Ancestors then fell in love with one of the local tribe women and so we become workers to these people, but the wolf still lived in us and the spirit of the wolf was kept alive within us and grew stronger.  We kept the traditions of the wolf, now we made it our own with our tribe crafts.  That’s how we were able to suppress your wolf.  Your father and I fell in love, but society and hatred drove us apart.  I gave you to him and his wife to raise as you looked like your father, except for your eyes, that was mine.  I wanted you to inherit what was rightfully yours, it was the hardest thing I ever had to do”

I saw Betsie cry and Emma walked closer to her mother, our mother.

“When your sister was born, I couldn’t give up your sister, I already lost you, I couldn’t go through that again, your mother also didn’t want to raise another of your fathers little secrets, so I was spared that choice.”

She smiled when she looked at me, joyful smile “Now destiny brought you back to us, but we don’t have time, we are all in danger, you and your sister have to leave this land, go back to our ancestor’s home and begin your own packs, you are both of Alpha blood, you can no longer live here, it has become dangerous.  Hunters have decimated our packs, there is only a few of us left and they are close to finding us. That’s why I need you to take your sister and leave, more of them arrive each day, we can not hide from them forever

” I was shocked “Is that how I healed so fast”

“Yes, except the knife was silver, the scar on your face will never heal”

“Good I don’t want it to, I always want to remember, what they did, how they betrayed me”

“How long will it take to get yourself and Emma away from here.”

“I have to make preparations in England and here, the longest is maybe 3 years”

“Fine, I’ll can keep her safe till then.  But be careful Thorn, your wolf will help and guide you, listen to him, let him show you the way and let him guide you through your first transformation, which will happen very soon now”