Alpha of the Dead

Chapter 12

(Siobhan’s P.O.V)

I couldn’t sleep last night even after my intense workout, I just couldn’t shut off my brain—anxiousness surrounding having lunch with my parents, Preston going to the Lunar Realm, and my mate. I couldn’t feel Tiernan, nor could I feel his wolf Steele, it was like he was gone but not dead. If that makes any sense, so, waking up this morning at 6 in the morning meant that I needed coffee, lots and lots of coffee. Grabbing a mug, I pour myself a generous helping of the beautiful bean juice that gives me life. Taking a sniff, I let out a sigh.

“Going to make love to your coffee mug?” I hear from behind me.

Turning around, I see Anders standing in the kitchen with his arms folded across his chest and an amused smile spreading across his face.

“Contemplating it.” I laugh out.

I call down to room service for a breakfast buffet for everyone before we get our day going. Preston is literally bouncing around the suite, excited about seeing the Luna Queen and having her escort him to Eferhile. Seriously, if I have to hear one more random fact about the Luna Queen or the royal family of Eferhile, I’m going to stab him in the eye. Sooner than I would have liked, it was time for Preston and me to get ready to head to Hallowed Manes Pack. I kept changing my outfit, nothing seemed appropriate enough for lunch with my family. Preston was yelling at me to hurry up, Goddess he was seriously anxious to get there. I finally decided on just a pair of skinny blue jeans, a pair of plain black heels, and a cute white silk cowl neck shirt with lantern sleeves.

Well, time to get this over with.

I walk out to see Preston dressed in his typical three-piece suit looking more dapper than he does on a normal workday at the Bureau. He grabs my hand and practically drags me out of the suite and hotel and basically throws me into the passenger seat of the SUV. He speeds through the streets of the city before hitting the gates of Hallowed Manes 10 minutes before we were even expected to be there.

“Me, being the empath that I am, is sensing that you are excited about going back to the Lunar Realm.” I giggle.

Preston shoots me a glare, before rolling his window down to let the warrior know who we were and that Tiernan was expecting us. The warrior lets us through, and I direct Preston back to the packhouse where Tiernan and Patrick are standing on the front steps. We get out and I can smell Tiernan’s whiskey and campfire smell. Tala stirs and whimpers, wanting our mate.

“Alpha Tiernan, Beta Patrick. Thank you for allowing me to use your portal to Màni. I’m optimistic that I will be able to find the information I need in the Royal Archives in Eferhile.” Preston says, politely bowing his head to my brother and Tiernan.

“You’re more than welcome, Preston. If you would please follow me, I will take you to the portal.” Tiernan says, completely ignoring me and my existence.

Well, that hurts. I think to myself.

You have no one to blame but yourself.

Tala whimpers once again before going quiet. Patrick stares at me, emotions flashing across his face: anger, disappointment, pity. Pity? Why is he pitying me?

“We are expected at mom and dad’s. Get in the car and I will drive us over there.”

“I know where the house is, you don’t need to drive.” I say, with a small amount of annoyance in my voice.

“They moved.” He snapped.

“What do you mean they moved?”

“It means they no longer live in the house we grew up in, Si.”

He walks away from me and gets into the driver’s seat as I walk around the front of the SUV and jump back into the passenger seat. The ride to the new house is quiet and tense. I knew he was mad that I effectively rejected his best friend and our Alpha, but Moon Goddess above, there’s no need for him to be THIS mad. We pull up to a beautiful gray two-story home with a sprawling front lawn that had a beautiful white picket fence around it. There were beautiful flowers blooming in the garden; honeysuckle, roses, daffodils, and tulips. Our mother did always have a way with plants. Getting out of the car, Patrick walks with me onto the front porch and walks through the door.

“Mom! Dad! We’re here.” Patrick calls out.

I stood in the entryway looking around me. The house had a beach theme going for it—decorated in soft greys, whites, and blues. We loved going to the beach as a family. Some of my happier memories of my family. Patrick leads me further into the house, where there is an open concept for the kitchen, living room, and dining area. Our mother looks up from cooking lunch and runs over to me, engulfing me in a hug. My mother, Shelly, was a tall and statuesque woman with beautiful blue eyes and dark raven hair. Her golden skin always looked like the sun had freshly kissed it. I hug my mother back when I feel my shirt getting wet, I pull back and see that my mother is crying.

“Ma, why are you crying? Did someone die?” I ask, sort of concerned at this point because my mother rarely cried.

“No, I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.” She sniffles, drying her eyes on the hand towel she brought out from the kitchen.

“Hey, Tater Tot.” My dad calls, walking over to me and pulling me into a giant hug.

Again, I feel tears on my shirt.

“Are you guys sure someone didn’t die?” I ask again, getting more concerned.

“Yes, we are sure, no one has died.” My mother huffs.

She goes back to cooking lunch while my dad and Patrick discuss Beta things, which I tune out. The front door opens, and the sound of a group of people come walking in. Soon, I’m face-to-face with my younger sisters Morgana, Stella, and Lily, along with my younger brother Brian.

“What are you guys doing here? I thought it was just Patrick and I having lunch with you guys?” I ask my dad, kind of irked that they included my other siblings.

“Goddess, even after all of these years, you can’t stand to be in the same room as us?” Lily growls.

She and I never really got along, she was too obsessed with her looks and finding her mate for us to ever have a fruitful conversation.

“And with that, I’m out. Mom, dad, I would love to stay and have lunch with you guys but I’m not going to put up with this crap.” I say, grabbing my keys from Patrick.

“We know about Wyatt,” My father says softly.

I freeze. I never told them about what Wyatt had done. They knew I had a boyfriend named Wyatt, but other than that, they knew nothing.

“What do you mean you know about Wyatt? I told you we were dating.” I murmur, not wanting them to hear the tremor in my voice.

“We know what he did to you. What his friends did to you.” My mother says, a sob ripping through her.

My knees buckle and I’m thrown back to that night, not being able to breathe and feeling the world close in around me. How did they know?