Bound By Legend

CHAPTER FIVE: RECLAIM YOURSELF

REVERIE POV

Uma and I went our separate ways. I had tasked her with some final arrangements before our departure.

Leoric’s words rang in my mind: “Your room is always ready. The only thing missing…is you.” My heart thundered in my chest all over again. Home.

After so many years on the run as I wandered in between werewolf packs and Lycan clans, I finally felt like someone wanted me to belong–and it wasn’t the Solvane Frost pack I’d lived in for seven years.

It was time for me to fully vacate the house I’d stayed in with Kieran. I’d planned on staying after the drama with Nova earlier just to make a point, but after everything at the bar? I was fully done with Kieran and his dysfunctional, selfish family.

Dread settled in my gut as I made my way back to that house; it’d been hours, so I assumed that they’d all returned to the main pack house.

Yet of course, fate had other plans as I entered to find Alpha himself sprawled out on the couch in the living room with his phone propped up as Delilah’s face filled the screen. He looked relaxed and gentle, something I had never seen in the entire seven years we’d known one another–despite our alleged fated mate bond. The two of them looked as if they were passionate lovers who couldn’t bear to be apart–despite the fact she was clearly visiting her sick husband at the hospital if I knew the background of her call as well as I thought.

He finally sensed me, and a cold expression crossed his features. “Get out.”

I rolled my eyes and made my way to the bookshelf to grab a few more of my personal medical belongings and journals I’d forgotten earlier. Then, without speaking to him, I excused myself and made my way to the other portions of the house and closed the door.

Lost in my own little world while I worked through the logistics, I didn’t even notice Christine at the end of the hallway until her hand connected with my cheek so hard that I nearly fell over. It felt as though my teeth might fall out of my face. “What the Goddess?”

“You think you can ruin everything we’ve built! You are nothing but trash under my shoe!” She screamed at me and shoved her phone in my face. As my blurry vision returned, I checked the phone and saw that the online werewolf community was in an uproar. The secret affair between Alpha Kieran and his brother’s wife was trending everywhere, stocks in Kieran’s businesses were dropping, and the community that defended him grew smaller and smaller before my eyes in the court of public opinion.

Kieran walked out into the corridor to investigate the commotion but shook his head and ordered an omega to bring me an ice pack.

He passed it to me and then, with an angry expression, returned to Delilah’s call, who’d apparently just seen they were trending online and was growing more upset by the second.

Christine’s phone rang, and she answered angrily. “I don’t care about your excuses! Get rid of the online smear campaign immediately!!! It needs to be dealt with before Satori and Seth find out, or else–” She stormed off and left me stunned and confused in the hallway with an ice pack in my hand.

My own phone rang, “Grandmother Satori.”

“My beautiful granddaughter, please come see me. It seems we have much to discuss.” Her soft, weary voice came through the line.

“Of course, Grandmother.” I glared at the ice pack before I slammed it on the ground and took one last look around the home I'd basically been forced out of to make sure I did not forget anything else. My room had already been transformed into the pinks and peaches color palette Delilah preferred, and I shook my head. They move fast.

My heart fluttered as I stood in front of the old cottage that Grandmother Satori and her mate Seth resided in. It was smaller than a former Alpha and Luna would usually opt for, which made me smile.

The doors opened immediately, and she stood tall, her grey hair long and wild, wearing an orange sundress that complemented her skin tone. She gathered me in a hug and ushered me inside. Tea and snacks were already set out on the balcony that overlooked the rose garden. I kicked off my shoes and snuggled into the oversized egg chair. In the entire Solvane Frost pack, this was the only place I’d ever felt safe and welcome.

“I know what you are thinking, Reverie. I will only ask one time for you to reconsider the divorce.”

“Unfortunately, there is nothing left for me here. He’s made his choice, Grandmother.”

She nodded sadly. We sipped our tea in comfortable silence for a bit. She then sighed. “It is unfortunate my grandson never came around. He has no idea what he’s lost.”

“Oh, he knows. He just doesn’t care.”

She smiled and placed a hand on mine. “Or he simply forgot. The day I met you. Do you remember?”

“Of course.”

“When I found you, Spiritwalking within Seth to save his life. I knew you were something special, not just because of your rare skill set. Seth told me how it felt to have you in his mindlink. He sensed your pure heart. You were born to be a leader, Reverie. Never forget that.”

I smiled sadly and squeezed her hand. “I gave all of that up for him. All of my research, all of my power — you saved me that day just as much as I saved Seth. That is a debt I may never be able to repay.”

She grinned. “I think you suffering with Kieran for as long as you did is payment enough, don’t you?”

I laughed. “Grandmother Satori, that is your grandson!”

She laughed. “No grandson of mine would pass up the chance to be with someone as rare and special as you, Reverie.” Satori took a deep breath; a look of regret danced across her face, then understanding filled those loving, wise eyes. She focused on me once more. “ It is time.”

“Time for what?”

She grinned like a Cheshire cat. “Time for many things. Such as reclaiming your life, yourself, and deciding your future without him. More importantly, though, don’t you think it’s time for you to unlock everything you’ve been hiding and make him regret it?”

My heart thundered in my chest. What does she know?