The Forgotten Twin

Chapter 14: John

It had been two days since Darius contacted us and we had assembled the small group of warriors who were to travel to Dead-thorn and help Ed with the recruits. Elijah, Brody, Mariah, and Jack. Before they left with Ed, Terrance and Cillian I stopped them.

"I want you all to know, how happy I am I got to train with each of you. I also want to ask you to please not tell anyone, Alexa and my parents included, about the fact I am a crescent wolf, or that I am pregnant. Lastly, if you would like, when Dimitri heads over to take Ed's place, we can send other warriors to take your places so you can come home aswell."

"Luna Ashlyn, that would be wonderful." Brody said smiling at me.

"We won't tell a soul our pack business Luna." Mariah said.

"Luna should we meet our mate, can well tell them if they swear to secrecy?" Jack asked.

"I'm sorry Jack but no, as long as they are in Darius's pack he can command them fully. If the wrong wolves were to find out about who I am while I'm pregnant and can't shift, our pack could be ruined." Jack nodded and gave a sad smile. "I know it will be hard, but when you bring them home and they join us, then you can tell them everything, if you would like, I can be there when you explain."

"That would be much appreciated Luna." Jack said smiling a little brighter.

"Luna Ashlyn, I'm proud to be part of the pack you lead." Elijah said, I smiled at him and nodded lightly.

"Thank you Elijah, good luck to you all, I hope you find your mates while you are away."

"Thank you Luna." They all said. I watched them get in the SUV, Ed walked over and pulled me into a hug.

"I hope you find a second chance Ed, you deserve to be the amazing father I know you could be." Ed's first mate was killed a car accident on the way to the mall, it had been discovered she was 4 weeks pregnant when she died. I was just a little kid, but I remember how sad everyone was. Alexa and I slept in the same bed for days because the cries of Ed's wolf Duke, would wake us up and we would need to hold each other.

"Thank you Luna." Ed said with a nod before walking to the drivers side of the SUV. Cillian made me face him and pulled me into a deep kiss. 

"I'm gonna miss you Ash." Cillian said lightly. I knew I couldn't see my parents so I was staying behind with Ellie and Henry to run the pack for the three days, Cillian would be gone. 

"I'll miss you too Cill." I said as I breathed him in. "I love you."

"I love you too, I'll call when we get to their border okay?"

"You better." I said with a sad giggle. I kissed him again and shooed him to the SUV before I began crying. He got in the passenger seat as Terrance waved good-bye after turning from Ellie and Amber. He hopped in the seat behind Cillian and they drove off. As soon as they left my sight I let myself cry a few tears, I grabbed Ellie's hand and we went up to the office and started on paperwork.

.............5 hours later.................

Cillian POV.

Leaving was really f*****g hard, I missed my girl already. I pulled my phone out and called her as I hit the border as promised.

"Hello?" She sounded horrible.

"Are you okay?" I asked trying to stay calm.

"Pregnancy sickness." I relaxed into my seat and sighed. "Do you have the picture I gave you?"

"I do." I said feeling my jacket pocket. "Are you sure you don't want to keep it?"

"He had it under the mattress for a reason, just give it to him in secret, Alexa and Mary don't need to know about it." I sighed.

"I got it Ash." I said.

"Cill I gotta go gon..." The phone dropped but I could hear her throw up anyway. I grimaced through the phone, I heard a noise and she was back. "I'm gonna lay down Cill, I don't feel good." 

"Alright, I'll call you later."

"Mmkay." The line went dead and I felt bad for my mate, I would have to do something special when I got home. We pulled up in front of a large grey villa where Darius, Alexa and her parents were waiting with a few more people. We all got out of the car, Darius looked a bit disappointed but quickly fixed his face. 

"Alpha Darius, this is my beta Terrance, our most trusted warrior Ed and 4 additional trainers. Elijah, Brody, Jack and Mariah." I said the names in order of where they were standing, each one raised their hand as I introduced them.

"Thank you for agreeing Alpha Cillian."

"Where is Ashlyn?" Alexa asked.

"She felt under the weather and decided to stay home and run the pack instead of traveling." I said not really lying. 

"Ashlyn..." I heard John say lightly, he was staring blankly, looking lost. 

"That is unfortunate." Darius said.

"Alexa, I hope you are ready for tougher competition, I wont be going easy on you anymore." Ed said.

"Yes Ed." Alexa said surprisingly calm. Her mother Mary was glaring at Ed, who seemed unfazed. 

"You are the most trusted warrior, what is your greatest feat?" Darius asked.

"I was the one who trained Luna Ashlyn, she is my greatest accomplishment." I smiled at his words, I knew he meant them too.

"I have only seen a bit of her strength, but what I saw was impressive, we are lucky to have you." Darius said with a smirk.

"One more thing Alpha Darius." I said. "Seeing as Ed is our head trainer, he is going to begin the training, which is the most difficult part, after 6 months were are bringing him and these warriors home and replacing them with Dimitri and a few other soldiers. We don't want our men getting too homesick."

"Understood Alpha Cillian." Darius said.

"Dimitri, didn't I beat him once?" Alexa asked.

"You did, but he is now ranking number 4 behind myself Ashlyn and Alpha Cillian." Ed responded.

"Oh." Alexa said. 

"Would you like to see our warriors?" Darius said, we nodded and we all followed him to a training ground where his warriors were slacking off. There was a man talking to them with his hands on his hips. "Dead-thorn warriors!" Darius called out, the warriors stood and faced us all. "This is Ed and a group of warriors from Moon-lake, they are here to train you."

"What can he teach us? Isn't Moon-lake where Alexa is from?" One of the warriors asked.

"Come here wolf!" Ed growled, the wolf obliged and Ed got into sparring form, the other wolf charged and Ed flipped him easily using a simple clothesline. The wolf got back up but Ed kicked his ribs and flung him to the ground, then he snarled as he stepped on the warrior's throat. "Disrespect my pack and my warriors again we'll have real problems. Fall in line." The wolf got up and went back to his group of shocked comrades. "Training starts now maggots! 75 laps around the perimeter." Ed growled. The warriors took off, Ed tilted his head to the side quickly and the 4 other warriors followed them all. "You too Alexa." Alexa ran off without objection which was new.

"Impressive." Darius said.

"You just gotta know how to command them." Ed said shrugging. "I expect you and your Beta to join my Monday, Wednesday and Friday training sessions. Saturday we will do lessons in wolf form, your wolf is always stronger therefore only needs one training for every three the human form will do."

"Understood." Darius said. "Also this is my beta Zack." The guy behind him waved with his lips pressed together. 

"Where will we be staying Alpha Darius?" Terrance asked from beside me. 

"I have two rooms set up for you. John will you take them? I have an appointment with a prisoner." 

"Of course." John said walking off, Terrance and I followed him while Mary stayed behind.

"John are you okay?" I asked as I caught up to him.

"Something is missing." He said. We reached the villa and followed him to a room, before he could leave I caught his arm and pulled him into my room and locked the door.

"I have something for you John." I unzipped my jacket as he looked past me, I pulled out the picture and held it out to him. He looked down at it and smiled, he traced Ash's face and tears slipped from his eyes. He looked up at me and blinked a few times before shaking his head in confusion.

"Cillian?" He asked I nodded and he looked down at the picture. "Where am I? Why are you so large? Where are my daughters?"

"You are in Dead-thorn and I'm large because I'm a mated Alpha. Ash is home and Alexa is training." I said confused.

"You can't be mated, you're only 17." He said tilting his head at me.

"John, I'm almost 21." I said, his eyes got wide and he rubbed his chin in confusion. "Ash and Alexa are 18, Alexa is a white wolf and Alpha Darius's mate, which is why you and Mary live here."

"What about Ashlyn? Why isn't my princess here?" He looked very confused.

"Ashlyn is my mate and Luna of Moon-lake. She is at home running the pack, while I make an alliance with Alpha Darius." 

"My princess is Luna! Wait why did Mary and I move?"

"John, you and Mary neglected Ashlyn after she and Alexa shifted for the first time, Alexa was the white wolf and you forgot about Ash seeing as she was a normal grey wolf." I said in cold confusion.

"f**k You Cillian! I would NEVER neglect my princess." John snarled.

"But you did! She nearly died! Twice! And you were too busy with Alexa to notice." I growled back. Just like that, something snapped and John fell to his knees in sorrow and pain.

"Why did I do that?" He cried out. He pounded on his head and screamed in pain, his wolf emerged and he began shifting like he hadn't done it in years. Once he was full wolf he howled, I held my ears and screamed at the pain and suffering in his howl. My door burst open and a bunch of people walked into the room. 

"Daddy?" Alexa said, he snarled at her, she took a step back as he neared her threateningly.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Mary screeched, John snarled at her too, I stood in his way and he growled at me lowly.

"Think about Ashlyn. Would she want you to be arrested for murder?" I asked softly. He growled lowly before shifting back to human form, his eyes however were black. 

"I am Vernon, John's wolf I have been locked in a cage for over three years thanks to my own child." Alexa whimpered and he snarled. 

"Vernon, where is John?" I asked. 

"John is trying to cope. Alexa was able to control his mind and twist his love for his daughter into hatred, I was suppressed seeing as the wolf side isn't controlled, like the human side. I had to suffer as I watched John and Mary forget about their first born, my daughter." Vernon whimpered. "She was in so much pain, yet I couldn't get to her." 

Just then my phone rang and I saw Ashlyn's face on my caller ID.

"Hey? Are you alright?" I asked answering right away.

"Cillian what is going on? I can feel the mess of emotions in your head, it's making me worried."

"Look something happened, can you see me from where you are?" I asked her.

"Yeah...."

"Look, see for yourself." I felt my memories flicker in my head as she looked into my brain. When she was done I felt her sadness and her confusion.

"Can you put him on the phone?" She sounded hesitant, but I knew it's what she needed. 

"Anything." I said. I handed my phone to Vernon who pressed it to his ear.

"Hello?....Princess!?.....i'm so sorry little one, I had no control.....Really?......Certainly!.....No, she isn't......I love you Princess, I promise that I will do my best to be the father I should have been to you." He handed me back the phone and I heard a faint sob on the other end.

"I'm back." I said lightly.

"Can you bring him home Cill?" 

"I will do anything to keep a smile on your face."

"Hurry up and come back, I need you." 

"I'll be there ASAP darling." 

"Good, I'm gonna take a bath. I love you Cillian."

"I love you most Ash." I sighed as the line went dead. "Pack up Vernon, you're coming back to Moon-lake on orders of Luna Ashlyn." Vernon smiled and walked from the room past a crying Alexa and a snarling Mary. "You did this to yourself Alexa, the only sympathy you will get is from your mother." I growled. I went to Darius's office and knocked. I entered and told him some of what had happened and we worked out a rough treaty to finish another day. I grabbed Terrance and said good-bye to Ed and the other warriors giving them a small briefing, then Terrance and I met Vernon by the SUV we came in. I drove while Terrance sat in the passenger seat. Vernon sat in the back, still holding onto the picture of John and Ashlyn.