CHAPTER FOUR THE BLACKWOOD SECRET
1742 Words
CHAPTER FOUR
THE BLACKWOOD SECRET
“He was killed by a Blackwood.”
The words struck Mia harder than any blow.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Rain dripped from her hair onto her cheeks, mixing with the tears she hadn't realized were falling.
She stared at her mother.
Then at Adrian.
Then at Aiden.
“No.”
The word escaped her like a whisper.
Her mother shook her head desperately.
“Mia, you have to leave.”
“No.”
“Mia—”
“No!”
Mia stepped toward her mother.
“You've been alive all this time?”
Her mother's lips trembled.
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't you come for me?”
Her mother closed her eyes.
“Because I was trying to keep you alive.”
“You let me believe you were dead!”
“I had no choice.”
“You always had a choice!”
Mia's voice broke.
“For twenty-two years, I thought I had nobody.”
Her mother looked as though Mia's words had physically wounded her.
“I know.”
“No, you don't.”
Mia wiped her tears angrily.
“You don't know what it was like growing up wondering why everyone else had a family except me.”
Her mother's eyes filled with tears.
“I watched you.”
Mia froze.
“What?”
“Every birthday. Every Christmas. Every time you were sick. Every time you cried.”
Her mother pressed a trembling hand against her chest.
“I was there.”
Mia's anger faltered.
“Where?”
“Close enough to see you.”
“Then why didn't you come inside?”
“Because if I did, they would have found you.”
“Who?”
Her mother looked at Adrian and Aiden.
“The Blackwoods.”
Adrian stepped forward.
“You're lying.”
Her mother's expression hardened.
“I wish I were.”
Aiden moved beside his brother.
“Tell her the truth.”
“I am.”
“No,” Aiden said coldly. “You're telling her the truth you want her to believe.”
His mother stared at him.
“You don't understand what your family did.”
Aiden's jaw tightened.
“Then explain it.”
She looked at Adrian.
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because your father is still alive.”
Silence.
Adrian's face became completely expressionless.
Aiden's eyes widened.
“Our father died twelve years ago.”
“No.”
His mother shook her head.
“Your father didn't die.”
Adrian's voice dropped.
“Where is he?”
“He's the one who has been searching for Mia.”
Mia's stomach twisted.
“Why?”
Her mother looked directly at her.
“Because your father discovered what you inherited.”
Mia stared.
“My father?”
“No.”
Her mother's voice cracked.
“Not your biological father.”
Mia stopped breathing.
“What?”
Her mother swallowed.
“The man you called your father wasn't your real father.”
Everything seemed to tilt.
Mia took a step backward.
“Then who was?”
Her mother didn't answer.
Adrian suddenly looked at Mia's wrist.
The red mark was spreading.
“Mia.”
She looked down.
The symbol had changed.
It was no longer a simple mark.
It looked like a crescent moon wrapped around an eye.
Adrian's face went pale.
Aiden whispered:
“That's impossible.”
“What is it?”
Adrian didn't answer.
Mia grabbed his arm.
“You know something.”
He looked at her.
For the first time since she'd met him, the terrifying Alpha looked uncertain.
“I've seen that symbol before.”
“Where?”
“On my father's throne.”
Mia's heart stopped.
“What?”
Adrian continued.
“My father had it carved into the Blackwood throne.”
Aiden shook his head.
“That symbol disappeared before we were born.”
“Not completely.”
Adrian looked at Mia.
“It was carved into the throne the night our bloodline made a pact with the Guardians.”
Mia's mind raced.
“Why would it be on my hand?”
Nobody answered.
Then the forest went silent.
Not quiet.
Silent.
Every wolf disappeared into the darkness.
Selene was gone too.
Damon, who had been lying injured near the SUV, suddenly opened his eyes.
“Get her inside.”
Adrian turned.
“What?”
Damon's face was pale.
“They're coming.”
Aiden looked toward the road.
“Who?”
Damon's breathing became shallow.
“The King.”
Mia frowned.
“What king?”
Damon stared at her.
“The King who has been waiting twenty-two years for you to awaken.”
A deep growl rolled across the forest.
Adrian immediately grabbed Mia's hand.
“Move.”
She resisted.
“I'm not going anywhere until somebody tells me what is happening.”
Adrian looked into her eyes.
“If you stay here, you will die.”
“And if I go with you?”
His answer was quiet.
“You might still die.”
Mia stared at him.
“That's supposed to make me feel better?”
“No.”
His fingers tightened around hers.
“It's supposed to make you understand that I won't lie to you.”
Something about his voice made her believe him.
Aiden opened the SUV door.
“Get in.”
Mia climbed inside.
Her mother remained outside.
Mia immediately turned.
“Mom!”
Her mother looked at her.
“I love you.”
“Come with me.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
Her mother glanced toward the trees.
“Because if I leave this forest, they will know exactly where you are.”
Mia shook her head.
“No. I'm not losing you again.”
Her mother smiled sadly.
“You already lost me once.”
She touched her chest.
“But I never stopped being your mother.”
Then she turned and disappeared into the forest.
“MOM!”
Mia tried to get out.
Adrian stopped her.
“Let her go.”
“She just came back!”
“She knows how to survive.”
“You don't!”
Adrian stared at her.
“You're right.”
His voice softened.
“I don't.”
Mia looked at him.
“Then why are you helping me?”
Adrian didn't answer.
Aiden did.
“Because our wolves chose you.”
Mia turned toward him.
“And what if I don't choose you?”
Aiden's smile disappeared.
“Then we'll protect you anyway.”
Adrian looked at his brother.
For a moment, the twins seemed to silently communicate.
Then Adrian said:
“No matter what happens, neither of us will force you.”
Mia didn't know why those words affected her.
Perhaps because everyone else had spent the night telling her what she was.
A Guardian.
A mate.
A prophecy.
A weapon.
For the first time, someone was telling her she could still be herself.
The SUV accelerated.
Mia looked through the rear window.
The forest disappeared behind them.
But she couldn't stop thinking about her mother's final words.
Your father wasn't killed by the Council.
He was killed by a Blackwood.
And now she was sitting between two Blackwoods.
Mia slowly looked at Adrian.
“Did your family kill my father?”
Adrian's eyes met hers through the rearview mirror.
“I don't know.”
“You're an Alpha. You know everything about your family.”
“No.”
His voice was quiet.
“That's the problem.”
Aiden leaned against the seat.
“Our family has secrets even we were never allowed to uncover.”
Mia looked between them.
“Then uncover them.”
Adrian's gaze hardened.
“We will.”
“Promise?”
He looked at her for several seconds.
Then he nodded.
“I promise.”
The SUV suddenly jerked.
Mia screamed.
Aiden grabbed the seat.
“What happened?”
The driver shouted.
“We've lost control!”
The steering wheel spun violently.
Adrian grabbed Mia and pulled her against him.
The vehicle crashed through a barrier.
Glass shattered.
Metal screamed.
The SUV rolled.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then everything went black.
---
Mia woke to the smell of smoke.
Her ears rang.
Something warm covered her forehead.
Blood.
She tried to move.
Pain shot through her ribs.
“Adrian?”
No answer.
“Aiden?”
Nothing.
She pushed herself upright.
The SUV lay overturned.
The driver was unconscious.
Aiden was nowhere in sight.
Adrian was trapped beneath the wreckage.
“Adrian!”
His eyes opened.
“Mia…”
“Hold on.”
She tried lifting the metal.
It wouldn't move.
“Leave me.”
“No.”
“Mia.”
“I said no!”
She pulled harder.
The red symbol on her wrist began glowing.
The metal suddenly trembled.
Mia stared.
“What…”
A crack spread across the wreckage.
Adrian's eyes widened.
“Mia, stop.”
She couldn't.
The glow became brighter.
Then—
BOOM.
The entire vehicle exploded outward.
Metal flew through the air.
Mia was thrown backward.
Adrian landed several feet away.
He immediately ran toward her.
“Mia!”
She opened her eyes.
Adrian dropped to his knees beside her.
“Are you hurt?”
“I…”
Mia looked at her hand.
The symbol was gone.
Adrian followed her gaze.
His expression changed.
Because there was now something else on her palm.
A tiny black crescent.
Aiden suddenly appeared from the trees.
His face was covered in blood.
“Adrian.”
Adrian looked up.
“What?”
Aiden stared at Mia.
His face drained of color.
“What happened to her?”
Adrian looked down.
Then he froze.
The black crescent on Mia's palm began to glow.
And somewhere in the darkness, a man's voice whispered:
“Finally.”
Aiden turned toward the forest.
His eyes flashed gold.
“That's him.”
Mia's heart pounded.
“Who?”
Aiden's voice was barely more than a whisper.
“Our father.”
Then a shadow stepped out between the trees.
A tall man.
Silver hair.
Golden eyes.
And the same black crescent burned across his palm.
He smiled at Mia.
“My daughter.”
Adrian stood.
Aiden moved beside him.
Both twins stared at the man who had supposedly been dead for twelve years.
The man looked at his sons.
Then at Mia.
And said:
“You have no idea what your mother stole from me.”
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