The Forgotten Daughter

-14-

A/N: If you see ***at the start and end*** of a paragraph/section, it is to indicate either a dream, vision or hallucinations.

*** "Taliaa .. Taaliaaa.. Talia sweet child, it is almost time" I hear a sweet voice faintly call to me as my eyes gently flutter open.

Where am I? Looking around everything was so peaceful, so calm and so beautiful. A meadow full of wildflowers with nothing more than a large old tree that held a diy swing.

"Talia, my dear I'm afraid I must be quick" that sweet voice calls to me again

I slowly turn my head to find a beautiful woman stood beside me in a flowing white gown, her aura ethereal with shining silver eyes, flowing white hair and porcelain like complexion.

"It's wonderful to see you my dear sweet Talia but I'm afraid we haven't much time. Let me to explain" she says gently

"W-who are you? W-where am I?" I stutter out

"That is not important right now. Talia, there are some things you need to know, some things you may not fully understand yet but you will" she pauses, smiling gently as a pained look crossed her eyes.

"The truth holds more secrets than you know, it brings with it rivalry, conflict, jealousy and great pain. Be prepared Talia, for I shall only come again if you're successful" she speaks so calmly of such devastating times.

Before I can even respond her eyes begin to glow and her voice flutters through my mind once more, barely a whisper as it fades "Good luck sweet child" ***

Sitting bolt up right I gasp "the truth holds more secrets than you know" I repeat to myself in an almost whisper.

"Dolly day dream, you're awake?!" Kanes voice from across the room catches my attention as I quickly take in my surroundings. I was once again in the navy and white room that I know to be Landon's, laid in his bed with the soft grey blanket draped over me. The room was dark with nothing more than a single lamp across the room emitting light.

"Seriously who keeps putting me in Landons bed?" I ask rubbing the back of my neck

Kane lets out a light chuckle "Wow! That's your only concern?" He slowly walks over taking a seat on the edge of the bed "Rors, you've been out for 5 days" he say with a look of concern

"5 days?! How?! What happened?!" I rush out, confusion filling my mind

"We don't know. They said your eyes were glowing brighter than ever and you were chanting something about Carn, then you just collapsed" he says rubbing his hands together in his lap.

"Rory, why do you want Carn dead? Do you even know him to wish such a thing?" He cautiously asks while watching me from the corner of his eye

"What are you going on about? Chanting what? Who the f**k is Carn? And seriously why am I in this bed again?!" I snap back growing more and more confused

Kane notices my frustration and stands before moving towards the door "let me grab dad and uncle Nico, maybe they'll be able to tell you more or at least give you some answers" he gives me a small smile before leaving.

As the door closes behind Kane, I lay my head back resting on the pillow and staring at the ceiling. What the hell was going on lately?!

'Did you see that too or was it just me' I nervously ask Alma

'Yeah, I saw it.' She quietly responses as if still trying to process it all

Just as I close my eyes hoping for a few minutes rest the door opens again and in walks my father, Uncle Mac and Beta Jacob.

Sitting myself back up I look across the room at each of them. Uncle Mac's the first to react sending me a relieved smile and rushing to my side, giving me a quick check over before pulling me into a tight hug.

"How d'you feel? You've had us all worried sick!" He says giving me another squeeze before standing.

"Talia, what happened?" My fathers asks getting straight to the point.

I glance at him before looking back to Uncle Mac. "I feel.. fine. Other than the fact Alma is almost clawing her way out itching for a run, I feel pretty good" I tell him with a smile. I still can't imagine how she's going to cope when I finally shift and she's able to run in wolf form.

"What. Happened?!" My father asks again, putting emphasis into each word.

I glance at him again, this time showing him how annoyed his impatience is making me. "I. Dont. Know" I retort. "Why don't you tell me, father dearest" I add, my words dripping with sarcasm

He clenches his jaw "and what could I possibly tell you?"

I stand from the bed taking steady confident steps before stopping in front of him, staring dead into his eyes "The truth holds more secrets than you know, it brings with it rivalry, conflict, jealousy and great pain. So again, you tell me" I repeat what the mysterious woman had told me.

His face instantly pales, jaw clenching and unclenching before turning and storming out of the room slamming the door behind him.

I was not going to let him walk away from me, from this. I quickly open the door letting out a menacing growl as I see him walking down the hallway "TELL ME THE TRUTH!!"

He stops mid-step and turns towards me. "It is not my truth to tell. I'm sure you'll find the answers you need if you just lo-" I cut him off before he can continue, these riddles are driving me insane.

"Enough! You have kept enough secrets from me, from this pack! It's time you tell the whole truth!" I spit through gritted teeth "now you have a choice, get back in this room or I get you back in there" I can feel the Alpha tone rolling off of my tongue with each word.

I see him physically battling with himself before he reluctantly bows, letting out a low frustrated growl before returning to the room.

I can't hide the proud smile that quickly forms, I just Alphaed the Alpha!

I follow behind him and close the door once more but decided to stay stood in front of it to prevent any of them attempting to leave again.

Unsurprisingly Uncle Mac and Beta Jacob have already taken a seat on the navy sofa awaiting my father and I. He takes a seat on one of the arm chairs and I slowly move to take a seat on the other, not letting my eyes leave him for a second.

"What have you not told me?" I ask, more directed at my father but I'd be happy for answers from any of them

My fathers lets out a deep sigh, quickly glancing and Uncle Mac and Beta Jacob before turning his attention back to me.

"Before I tell you, I have to ask.. how did you know I was hiding anything?" He questions, his face still paler than normal and his hand slightly shaking

"Is that really important?" I scoff

"Maybe.. but I guess either way you deserve the full truth" he pauses for a moment, taking a few steady breaths before continuing. "Your mother wasn't from this pack. We met under... unusual circumstances" he pauses once more.

"Get to the point!" I growl out at him

He sighs once more and looks towards the floor as if remembering the events of the past "Your grandfather Alpha Nicolas, my father, went into battle with another pack. A pack that disrespected all, killed for fun and abused their own" he growled out the last part

"on this particular day, I lost my father and found my mate. My father saved her. Her own twin was seconds from taking her life because his own stupidity and jealousy took over" his eyes were already flicking blue to black as he tried with all his strength to control his wolf.

"Mother has a twin?" I ask in almost a whisper

My father looks from the floor to me and slowly nods as tears roll down his cheeks "Alpha Carn" he whispers, shaking with hurt and anger.

I look to Uncle Mac and Beta Jacob who were sat silently but seemingly unsurprised "you both knew?" I ask them, they nod simultaneously but neither able to meet my gaze

I turn my attention back to my father "So, what does this mean exactly? She told me 'the truth holds more secrets', is that all?"

He looks at me with a furrowed brow "She? Who told you Talia?"

'He knows more, I can feel it. Speak with Cyrus' Alma advises me

"Apparently that's not important.. now as you seem reluctant to tell me more, I wish to speak with Cyrus" I inform him with my head high and voice full of confidence

He bows his head once more and when he lift it seconds later his eyes show that Cyrus was in control.

"Do not be mad with your father my child. The secrets you ask of are not solely his to divulge. I will tell you what I can but it will not be enough to answers all of your questions" Cyrus speaks with such authority even I can't argue with him right now

"I appreciate your honesty Alpha, but please what secrets and where do I find the answers if not from you? She told me so little and spoke in riddles that tell me nothing more than a war is coming" I sigh feeling a little defeated that even Cyrus refuses to give me all the answers I'm looking for

"Your father is right, your mother has a twin, Carn. His jealousy almost killed her when they were just 19yrs old, a grudge he still bares today. He is behind all of the recent attacks and I also believe that you are his target, whether it be to kill or capture I'm afraid I do not know. But one thing I can assure you, he will not stop until he succeeds. I can only apologise Talia the rest of the answers lie solely with your mother and her journal" he looks at me with a sparkle I rarely see from Cyrus

"Her journal" I whisper more to myself than him

Her journal?! The journal I had found all those years ago, that no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't get the little lock to open, the journal I'd bought an identical copy of to hold my own secrets. I had it all along!

"But.. I have her journal. It can't be opened" I tell him a little confused

Cyrus' eyes suddenly change, one blue one black, indicating that both he and my father were present "What do you mean you have it?! How?!" His voice raising slightly as shock claims his face

"I.. I found it" I half stutter "when you gave me the chest with mother's belonging, I found a secret compartment within the lid and there was an old locked journal inside, I tried for years to open it but never could" I sigh once more feeling more defeated than ever

I look at my father to see that he is now looking towards his Beta, I notice Beta Jacobs eyes quickly glaze, signalling he was linking someone. Not a minute later a knock at the confirms my theory.

"You don't have to knock boy, it's your room" my father chuckles as Landon slowly enters the room holding a small wooden box.

"Sorry Alpha Nico, I didn't want to just barge my way in and risk interrupting but I ermm" he stutters slightly looking at the wooden box he holds nervously in his hands before quickly looking at me and back to my father

"I believe this may be of some help to you.. well to Rory" he quickly looks to me again nervously before handing the wooden box to my father.

The look on my fathers face when he acknowledged the box he had been handed was one of shock, happiness, sadness, pride and pain before turning to sheer rage.

"WHERE DID YOU GET THIS?!" He stands with such anger that he pushes the armchair flying back.

Landon instinctively bowing his head to his Alpha while taking a handful of small steps backwards "L-Luna Talia" he stuttered.

The rage within my father grew deeper at the mention of my mothers name as his eyes instantly turn black and he grabs Landon by the front of shirt lifting him slightly.

"DO NOT PLAY WITH ME BOY!" He growls in Landons face "Where. Did. You. Get. This" he snarls through gritted teeth holding the box closer to Landons face.

I couldn't sit here and watch him treat a pack member this way, especially Landon. Not only had he been appointed my guard by my father himself but he was also the son of my fathers Beta and our top warrior.

"Put. Him. DOWN!" I emphasise every word getting louder as I do while slowly standing from my chair, a continuous rumbling growl emanating from my chest.

My father snaps his head towards me in shock, Cyrus still in control. "Ha! You dare try to protect him?! Do you even know what this is?!" He moves his arm pointing the box in my direction.

My eyes didn't even flicker to the box, right now my concern was Landon. "Maybe you didn't hear me" my eyes still locked on his as I begin to step towards him "Put. Him. Down" my voice calm and unwavering as I come to a stop before him.

"You do not tell me what to do child!" He snarls at me before quickly turning his attention back to Landon. "Now where did you get it?!" He growls at Landon once more. Once too many.

I quickly grab my fathers arm and release the grip Cyrus has on Landon, who hurries to stand with his father by the sofa.

Before my father even registers what happened I grab him in the same way he just had Landon, although I'm shorter than he is so it doesn't have quite the same effect but it's effective enough.

"You may be Alpha but I can soon change that" I spit "If you ever lay a finger on Landon or any other member of this pack without real reason, I will not be held accountable for my actions" I growl before releasing him.

He laughs. He actually lets out the most hysterical, maliciously sadistically laugh that I actually expect him to finally snap. "You are every inch your mother, stubborn as hell and always putting the pack first. You will be an incredible Luna" he smiles

"But what you fail to realise, is this box" he holds it before me again "belongs to your mother. And when she died, it along with her journal suddenly disappeared from on her desk" he looks from me to Landon and back "and yet, you two have them.. how?" He raises a brow and looks between us again.

His words run through my mind over and over. How could they be lost? I've had the chest since my 10th birthday and found the journal inside just a couple of days later. My eyes find Landon who was looking beyond nervous as he frantically rubbed his hands together.

"Landon?" I gently ask

"I didn't take them Rory I swear!" He rushes out "I don't even know about any journal other than yours. I found the box after Luna Tal.." he pauses mid-sentence worriedly eyeing my father who's eyes are once again flashing blue to black.

I send my father a quick warning growl, urging him to calm down. He finally settles and takes a seat back in the armchair.

"After she what?" I ask

"After she.. look I'm not mad ok but.. she.." he looks between my father and I, sighing deeply before continuing "she came to me.. I don't know if it was a dream or a vision or whatever, but I really did see her. We spoke for a while before she told me I needed to retrieve the key to the packs future and protect it with my life. When I followed her directions all I found was that box, I tried to open it but it wouldn't budge so I just hid it" by the time he's finished he had tears welling in his eyes.

"When? When did she come to you? Where was it hidden? What else did she say?" My father rattles off question after question, his eyes frantically search Landons for answers.

Landon looks at me and back to my father "my 10th birthday Alpha. She said that one day a war would come and the key to our packs future would lie in the hands of myself and another. She said that great power would conquer our world and bring the shifters and magical beings together once more"

Suddenly all eyes were on me.

"Where was it?" I ask ignoring their stares

"The cave in the low mountain surrounding the pack border" he stated

"What did you just say?" My father snaps "you found it in the cave?!"

"Err.. Y-yeah" Landon stutters, fear evident in his voice

My fathers stares off in the distance as if I'm a trance "The cave on the tallest of the low mountains? With a painting of a blood moon eclipse and two pups?"

"Yes Alpha, you know it?" Landon asks curiously

"I do. It's where I found you" he says looking at me. "When I thought I'd lost you forever, that's where I found you.." he says stopping as if he can't bring himself to finish his sentence

'Two pups? Your mother and Carn? Or you and.. what if we have a twin? Doesn't it run through family genetics?' Alma suddenly asks

'What?! You really think I could have a twin?!' I retort back shocked, I hadn't even thought of that

I look towards my father as he opens his mouth to speak "I believe I know what you're thinking and I'm afraid I just don't know. We never had scans the way they do today, it wasn't as technologically advanced back then" he says as if reading my mind.

I stand looking between my father, Uncle Mac, Beta Jacob and Landon. "Is there anything else I need to know before leaving this room? This is your final chance, if any of you have any more secrets that I need to know about, get it over with"

Silence.

I take the wooden box from my father before turning and leaving, closing the door behind me.