The Lost Rogue Heiress

TWELVE - Letters

“So—you’re telling me there’s basically a palace around here somewhere—and we can’t find it because—it’s enchanted?” Lizzie questioned Olivia with a tone of disbelief.

“Yea, something like that,” Olivia replied with a small chuckle.

She knew that Lizzie would be just as floored as she was when she saw Grayson’s castle; calling it a pack house wouldn’t be giving the structural beauty nearly enough due credit. It would always be a castle to Olivia, even if it was going to be her home.

They had crossed the river in their human forms and were still drenched. It would have been easier to let their wolves out while they traveled, but Lizzie was still hesitant to give any control over to Aries so soon after this morning’s vision. So they walked and they swam and they searched, but the forest was as empty as it ever was. Olivia was beginning to wonder if she was losing it and had made it all up.

Just as doubts entered her mind, they turned a corner and Olivia could see the outline of the castle through the trees and smiled.

“Finally. I was starting to question myself there for a second,” she said to Lizzie.

“Finally? Where? Liv, I don’t see anything,” she replied.

Olivia looked at her friend, then back to the castle that was tucked away behind ancient trees, then back to her friend. Perhaps Lizzie couldn’t see it yet because of the enchantment.

“There, through the trees. You don’t see the stone walls?” Olivia asked Lizzie as she pointed directly at the center of the castle.

Lizzie squinted her eyes and covered her brow with her hand to make sure there wasn’t a glare in her vision.

“Yea, I don’t see anything there. Just more trees,” Lizzie answered softly, her incredulous tone still present.

“Alright, well, I promise it’s there. You’ll just have to take my word for it. Come on,” Olivia grabbed Lizzie's hand and picked up the pace as she headed toward her grandfather’s home.

As they walked down the barely cleared trail toward the castle, Olivia began to feel her skin tingle and her blood warm. It must be the energy from the magic that Grayson had started to tell her about. It was electrifying and calming all at the same time, but not something that she felt as though she had any control over as her grandfather did.

The little girl within secretly hoped she would be able to wield magic as he did, and she smiled at how drastically her dreams were changing in such a short time frame. It was only days ago that her priorities mainly revolved around avoiding conflict and confrontations, and simply making it through each day without any unwanted attention. How much time had she spent simply avoiding life? Hiding under a cloud of fear and uncertainty, trying to fly under the radar had been her only goal each day. Now, as though she was a character in a fairy tale, she had dreams of wielding magic and living in a castle.

Lizzie suddenly squeezed Olivia’s hand and gasped. Her jaw dropped and her eyes were wide as she was finally able to see the castle in all its glory. The trail had abruptly ended and they stood at the edge of the clearing that surrounded the grounds. Lizzie continued to stare, mouth agape. Olivia chuckled, realizing she must have had a similar look when Grayson had transported them, only they had landed right at the front door.

“What the—” Lizzie couldn’t find her words.

“I know. Kinda crazy, right?”

“Definitely,” Lizzie blinked several times and snapped herself back to the present before finishing. “Well, are we going to stand here all day or what?”

“You’re the one—” Olivia rolled her eyes, “Nevermind. Let’s go.”

Approaching the front entrance, Olivia got a whiff of her grandfather’s scent and the recognition of kin being in close proximity just as she had the night she met him. Her instincts told her he was right behind the front door just as it swung open to welcome them.

“Olivia, I’m so happy you came back,” Grayson locked her in a bear hug of epic proportions. It wasn’t until he realized her hand was still attached to another’s that he recognized Lizzie’s presence.

“I said I would,” Olivia breathed out with difficulty. Grayson may have been an older man, but he was still more than formidable. She wouldn’t go up against him if she could help it.

It was then that Grayson acknowledged Lizzie’s presence with a nod before releasing his granddaughter from his death grip.

“And you’ve brought company, I see,” Grayson paused. “Do you really think that was wise? I know you love her like family, Olivia, but at the end of the day, she’s not. She’s a Jadewood, and their princess at that.

“Like hell, I’m not family,” Lizzie stated defiantly. “Who’s been there for her if it wasn’t me? Certainly wasn’t you and your lot of Rogues.”

Grayson’s eyes began to glow slightly in their signature amethyst hue. Her words had struck a chord, and there was no taking them back, nor did Lizzie have any desire to. If anything, she seemed to be more interested in why Olivia was abandoned to grow up as a Jadewood omega than Olivia was.

Olivia’s grandfather sighed, knowing that Lizzie had a point but was also aware that neither woman knew the whole story. The decisions he had made were not easy, nor were they entirely in his control to a certain degree.

“Olivia, can you please escort Lizzie to the lounge area we sat in yesterday? Help yourself to some coffee in the kitchen if you’d like; I’ll have lunch made and brought to us shortly. I just need to grab something from my office and I’ll meet you there,” Grayson ushered Olivia and Lizzie into the front foyer of the castle walls and shut the door.

“Grab something?” Olivia asked curiously.

“Yes. Something that will explain things better than I’ll be able to,” Grayson said.

“What is it?”

“Letters. From your mother and father.”