The Alpha's Secret Luna

6. HISTORY REPEATED

“Her name is Alicia, she’s the daughter of a friend of mine. But I thought…”

Before Lyam had a chance to respond Carlos and Penny barged into my room and I was snapped out of my thought.

“Come on in guys, the doors open.”

“No sarcasm Cora. You.” Penny pointed at her son with a fury that I was glad wasn’t aimed at me. “You explain why 3 naked Omegas passed us on the stairs, whispering and joking about that ‘poor boy’?” Lyam went to speak before his mother scolded him again. “Did I or did I not tell you not to pay any attention to those—those—whores?!” Again, before Lyam had a chance to defend himself his father entered the one sided argument.

“And you tell us you think you’ve found your mate, but she went running past us in tears moments before we encountered the others?! I thought we raised you better than this boy!” I saw Lyam clench as his parents had never spoken to him this way, being at Shadow Bane was taking a toll on us all.

“Okay, okay, let’s all take it down a notch.” I played mediator and stood between the family, a very dangerous place to be.

“Stay out of this Cora.” Warned Penny, but I didn’t listen.

“No. I will not stand by whilst you berate you son for something he didn’t do and judge him so harshly when, even you said it, that you have raised him better. Now if you could both shut up for a moment and let the man speak.” I found myself wavering at the end as Penny looked to call a lightning strike down on my head, and being one of the highest-ranking witches she most definitely could do. I widened my eyes at Lyam to talk, his mouth opened but no sound came out. Fine. “Lyam entered his room to find the 3 Omegas waiting for him, they pounced, and he fought them off but not before Alicia saw this and ran off. Presuming the same as you that he was doing something he knows not to do. He came in here for my advice and we were working out a plan when you two came storming in demanding answers.”

“Alicia?” Carlos looked lost.

“My mate. Cora recognised her.” Lyam piped up.

“I remember you mentioning an Alicia…” Penny was lost in thought as well. She snapped her fingers as she placed the name. “Odessa’s daughter, you were close friends!”

“Yes.” I hung my head.

“If you were friends then that puts us in good standing.” Carlos was pre-emptively celebrating before noticing my demeanour. “Doesn’t it?” He looked between me and his wife, who had recalled where the name came up in what little I told her of my life.

“Cora, are you sure?” She took my hand and held tightly.

“I’m almost certain.” I answered glumly.

“What? What is it?” Lyam was rightly concerned. “Is this something to do with what you were saying before my parents came in?”

“Yes.” I squeezed Penny’s hand for support. Only her and Harrison knew this story. She gestured to her husband to close the door and he did so dutifully without question. “You both know I was banished from these lands but not why.” The two men sat down, expecting the need to. “You know of the fire that devastated these lands and that fire---” I felt Penny tighten her grip. “---it started in a wing off the hospital ward and quickly spread, some believed it was arson and a deliberate attack. I was in the training grounds, as I was to be a warrior in this pack when it broke out. I couldn’t do anything---” My throat tightened as my eyes started to betray me.

“Cora’s original pack was attacked and burned to the ground. It started in the hospital ward, same as the one here.” Penny explained. All of Twin Falls knew I was an orphan and the only survivor from my original pack, only a select few knew I was banished from my second and thankfully those few believed my version, the truth. I found my strength and continued.

“That fire claimed the lives of 34 innocents. Or so I thought.” Lyam figured it out quicker than his father.

“Alicia.”

“Her mother was Odessa. A nurse of extraordinary talent, a woman of immeasurably bravery, and my very first friend here. She cared for me and nursed me back to health. I helped her with her daughter, Alicia, who was only months old at that time. I took Alicia as my little sister; we did everything together. I was there for her first words, her first steps, when she started school. I loved that little girl more than anything.” The tears were coming freely now. “When I managed to snap my brain into working, I ran straight to the ward as that’s where we stayed. The roof was collapsing in, and the fire burnt my skin before I could even get close. I saw Alpha Thomas, Marc’s father, in the thick of it, holding up ceilings and pulling people out. The fire was barely touching him. I screamed at him about Odessa and Alicia, and he went headfirst into the building and seconds later it collapsed. He never came back out. I was useless, I stood by and did nothing as another fire was ripping my world apart!” My legs started to give way and Penny helped me to the bed whilst Carlos got me some water. “By some miracle the fire was eventually put out and we all got involved trying to find any survivors, personal items to salvage. In the wreckage of the ward they found Alpha Thomas, he had used himself as a shield to protect Odessa against the roof, but the fire and the weight was too much they said. He died protecting his people. Alicia’s body was never found, all they discovered was her favourite teddy singed just above a sink hole that opened up due to the heat. She was only 6.” They listened to me in silence, unsure of what to say. “After the death of his father, Marc took Alpha and had surrounded himself with poorly skilled advisors, and still does to this day I imagine. They found false eyewitnesses and created fake documents detailing the attack and wrote it all in my hand.”

“WHAT?!” Both men leaped to their feet.

“They blamed me for the fire, and I was banished for it. I had nothing left for me here. It was good he didn’t exile me or else I wouldn’t be able to be here now.” I let out a soft laugh as I wiped my nose from the tears.

“He thought you set it?! He’s far more stupid than I gave him credit for.”

“Thank you Carlos but calling him names won’t help us now. What I want to know is how she survived and where she has been all these years. If she has been here, under his dictatorship, I’ll never forgive myself for leaving.” And I wouldn’t, I cursed myself for not trying harder, looking for her.

“There was nothing you could have done.” Penny pulled me in for a hug. “But now we know she is alive, we can do something about it.”

“Cora?” Lyam took my hand. “I will spend the rest of my life in duty to protect her, nothing and no one shall harm her again. This I promise you.”

“You know, I almost believe you.” I teased. “Now, let’s go find your mate.”