The Alpha's Powerful Luna

Chapter 11

**Jade POV**

I went stiff. There was no way this woman knew my name. What kind of trap was this? I looked to Elliott who was standing next to me in disbelief. “Come now, Vera you’re going to suffocate your son’s brand new mate. Come, dear. Let’s go inside and we’ll try to explain the best we can.” The man gave me a reassuring look. But why would they know me? What was going on?

Elliott’s parents turned and led us into the glorious entryway of this fairytale palace. There were two grand staircases that led up to the second level of the house, and we walked straight between them. Despite this home’s otherworldly size, I noticed that my surroundings looked downright cozy. There were large windows overlooking the thick Forrest area behind the house, some of them equipped with comfortable chairs and a small table, probably for reading or having a morning cup of coffee. At least that’s how I personally would use them. The walls were adorned with a tasteful amount of beautiful paintings, some appearing to be very old. It began to occur to me that this pack house may be much older than average, which would explain why it appeared to be frozen in time somehow.

Before I could really think much more on that subject, the woman— Vera— swung open another large oak door revealing a very modern looking kitchen. You’d think it would look out of place in the castle, but whoever had designed this kitchen had done a pretty great job of choosing cabinets in a similar wood to the surrounding walls, and a color complimentary green marble for the counter tops, with sage green chairs lining it. There was a large, dark wood table which seated easily 20 people just a few feet in front of the kitchen, with shorter chairs in the same color. Behind the table were floor to ceiling windows lining the entire back wall. It must be like eating in the middle of the forest for everyone who lived here.

The man—William— motioned for us to sit at the kitchen table, and Vera set down a massive platter of snacks in the middle. Cameron and Jasper immediately began tearing into the food, and after being nudged by Cameron, Emma did the same. Elliott and I both just sat at the table, unmoving and confused. I couldn’t have thought of food even if I’d wanted to at that moment.

“Jade, my name is William. This is my mate, Vera. We’re Elliott’s parents,” the man stated their names and relation to my mate again gently, almost as if he was being careful not to upset or alarm me. “We know you because we knew your parents.”

“My parents?” I choked out in utter disbelief.

“Actually, we’re more like your god parents,” Vera offered nervously. “When we heard what happened to your pack, we thought you were dead. We went to the pack lands with a small army ourselves and looked for any sign of you, but when we didn’t find any clues we had to accept that you were most likely killed as well.” William came to stand behind Vera, resting his hands on her shoulders as she began to tear up.

“Wait, my parents were part of a pack? They weren’t rogues?” I was absolutely floored. I was always told my parents died because they were part of an illegal attack.

“Rogues! Who told you that?” Vera said angrily, and due to past experiences with Krista and the pain that usually followed her angry outbursts, I shrunk back in my seat for a moment. Elliott rubbed soothing circles on my back and everyone gave me a few minutes to gather myself and speak.

“The alpha of my pack did. He said nobody knew where I came from but I turned up after an awful attack that had wiped out an entire pack. No one at river bed claimed or recognized me, so I was most likely a child of some of the rogues who died.” I shrugged. Why would alpha Victor lie?

“He didn’t lie, we were carefully hidden in plain sight.” Astrid said mysteriously. What did she know that I didn’t? I’d have to ask her later. For now, I needed to focus. I wondered how anyone got anything done without being majorly distracted by another person’s voice in their head all the time.

“Jade, your parents were absolutely not rogues. They were the alpha and luna of Mystic Moon Pack.” William said slowly, seemingly offended that anyone would suggest otherwise, and my mouth dropped open. Elliott stiffened next to me, before snapping his head back toward his parents.

“This is uncle Matthew and Aunt Eliza’s daughter? The one I played with whenever we came to visit?” Elliott demanded and that only confused me more. Surely I’d remember having met him. Wouldn’t I? “You’re sure you didn’t have any siblings?” He continued, looking more than mildly perplexed.

“I mean, i guess I’m not sure. I don’t really remember.” I mumbled. Could I really have a sibling I’d forgotten? That would be horrible. What kind of sister would i be?! And where were they?! I had to stop myself there, if I had any siblings and they didn’t end up at the same place as me, that would mean they were killed with my parents. Wouldn’t it?

“Odd.” William seemed extremely focused on me for a few seconds, and then he looked disappointed and…. Frustrated? What was going on?

“Hold on, I have something.” Vera said, hopping up abruptly and gliding out of the room. Tears began to fill my eyes as I realized that up until now, I didn’t even know my parents’ names. Matthew and Eliza. Those sounded like amazing names. Even if they were lowly rogues, I at least knew their names.

“But they’re not rogues, they’re both of alpha blood. I knew we were of alpha blood.” Astrid sounded giddy in my head.

“How did you know all of this? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” I pouted, wishing she’d been more direct with me.

“I didn’t know the details, I only knew we were more powerful than you’d been told we were. I’m sorry if it came off like I was avoiding telling you. I just need time to access our suppressed memories or find some other way to put the pieces together.” Astrid tried to comfort me, but I was too numb with shock to really notice.

“Here it is!” Vera came sprinting back in with a picture frame held victoriously over her head. She made her way over to the table and handed me the frame. Inside, I saw a picture of a happy copperheaded baby in the arms of a child who looked to be about 5 or 6 years old. They were both smiling and I noticed two smiling people sitting in the grass behind them. I fixed my eyes on the two people in the background and it all came rushing back.

“Those are my parents,” I whispered, gently touching their image and somehow knowing what I said to be the truth. “Where did you get this?” I demanded, looking up at Vera.

With tear filled eyes, Vera put her finger over mine. “Eliza was my best friend. We were both alpha’s daughters, and our dad’s were great friends. We grew up together. We met our mates six months apart and I had Elliott. Oh, Jade your mother just adored him. She and your father tried for ages to have you, your mom and I were both pregnant at the same time. She had you only a few days before I had my daughter. And sweetheart, as much as your mother loved Elliott, I was as much in love with you. Eliza and I loved each other’s children like they were our own. It broke my heart to lose your parents, but it was absolute hell thinking you were lost too. I just can’t believe you’re here with us right now.”

I stood up to study Vera, feeling as though I had memories of her just below the surface, locked away in the dark recesses of my mind. As I looked intently at her, I noticed William come up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. It was that exact position I remembered them standing in, watching me play fight with a boy a few years older than me. A boy that looked just like…. “Elliott,” I whispered. “I knew you, I knew all of you. Aunt Vera and Uncle Willie.” Suddenly, memories of them rushed back to me. Of uncle Willie playing airplanes with me and running me across my backyard. Of Aunt Vera and I making flower crowns and looking for bears from her bedroom balcony. Of Elliott teaching me how to jump from rock to rock in the rapids behind my parents’ house. It wasn’t just the mate bond that told me I could trust Elliott, it was my own suppressed memories.

I wiped away the tears that had newly formed in my eyes and realized they’d been streaming down my face for at least a few minutes while I had my beautiful flashbacks. Without warning, I hurled myself at William and Vera, throwing my arms around both of them and hugging them tightly. “Thank you so much for keeping that picture.” I sobbed. “I remember you guys, I remember this house! I remember all three of you.”

Their arms wrapped around me and I felt Elliott embracing me from behind. “We just can’t believe you’re okay and that you’ve come back to us after all this time, to go from being our god daughter to our future daughter in law!” Vera took a handkerchief from the inside pocket of her long sweater and dried my eyes with it, placing a gentle hand on my face. It had been such a long time since I’d experienced a mothers touch, I had to catch myself before that fact made me cry all over again. I saw the light in Vera’s eyes as she looked at me. “I thought I’d failed you and Eliza by not finding you, but here you are! I’m sorry I wasn’t able to find you sooner, I’m just so sorry Jade.” Vera wailed.

“It’s okay, auntie Vera. You’re here now, and I’d love to hear stories about my mom some time.” I said, reaching up and patting her hand. It was like my own parents had somehow come back from the grave to me. I had to pinch myself, I knew this wasn’t the same thing as having my real parents in my life, but something told me it would be strangely similar.