Past Sins

Chapter 9: David

It was about two in the afternoon and the Alpha meeting was just now winding down. We have been at this since 7 am and we’re all frustrated and ready for it to be over. We’ve discussed territory disputes, rogue migrations, and our businesses in the human town. I was more interested about the discussion that dad and I asked to have with Matteo once the meeting was said and done. 

“Alright gentlemen! Does anyone have anything else they would like to discuss.?” Matteo asked, as if he was reading my mind. I looked around the room and no one seemed to have anything else to talk about. Thank the goddess!

“Since no one else has anything they would like to discuss I guess we can call this meeting to an end. My omegas have prepared a late lunch in the dining hall for everyone so anyone who is hungry can make their way there.” he revealed. Dangling a lunch in front of a pack of hungry wolves was an easy way to clear out a conference room.

The other Alphas and Betas got up and left the conference room. Enzo, Barrett, Asher, Matteo, My dad, and I all stayed behind. Once the door was shut, we began the meeting we’ve waited all day for. 

“Okay. Now that we’re finally alone, what is it that you would like to discuss David?” said Matteo.

“We just want to let you know first and foremost that we are very happy the moon goddess paired Valerie with a strong mate. We know she will be well protected and cared for here but.. Until her 18th birthday we think that it’s best Valerie return to and stay in Silver Fang.” I said.

They all tensed up and I could understand why. I was taking their Luna away and keeping her from them for four months. As her mate her safety was Matteo’s priority now but as her brother I can’t help but want to keep her close. 

“I actually hoped to talk to you about her sticking around until her birthday. I hoped to get to know her before then. May I ask why you’re in a rush to get her back home and keep her there?” he admitted. 

My father and I looked at each other silently asking each other how much we want to divulge. Teo is her mate though and has the right to know what’s going on with her. I know that I would want to know if anything of this caliber was happening to Laura. 

“Valerie seems to still be in danger.” I said.

“From who?” Matteo asked

“When she was younger I noticed that Valerie attracted the attention of rogues. They seemed to follow her around but never came out of the tree line just outside our border. We noticed because there seemed to be a pattern. It appeared that no matter where Val had been or just been there was the scent of a rogue closely behind. One day I noticed that one was going to leave the tree line and attempt breaching the border. Valerie and Blake were playing right next to the border even though dad had strict rules against it. My dear little sister and her friend had slipped her security. When the wolf came out from behind the trees I felt a pain like no other. I noticed my fingers elongating into claws and my teeth were sharpening into fangs.” Teo, Barr, and Ash sat staring and mulling over the information they were just given. They all had shocked looks on their faces and I couldn’t blame them. When my father found me he was shocked to see me in wolf form. There have been a handful of wolves that have transformed before their 18th birthday. Asher was the first to break their silence. “You transformed.. At 16 that’s incredible.” I nodded. 

“My wolf emerged because my sister was in trouble. The rogue saw me and took off back into the forest.”

“Do you have any idea who is targeting her?” Matteo asked. 

“We believe it’s my fathers old gamma, Roland. It’s the reason we feel we need to get back to Silver Fang as quickly as possible. We do not want to jeopardize your pack anymore than we already have.” I said. Dad and I talked all last night through mindlink about this and that’s the one thing we could agree on. Autumn Moon did not deserve to have our problems become their own. Valerie may be their alphas mate but she is not of age and that means her protection was still our responsibility. I wouldn’t allow any of Matteo's wolves to die because of a problem we didn’t realize followed us far from home. No matter how much he wanted to keep Valerie close he didn’t know the full extent of what was happening. I guess now is as good a time as any to fill him in. His beta and gamma should also know what they are in for. 

“Please don’t worry about that. My pack will fight to the death to protect their Luna and so shall I. We do need to know the full extent of the threat though. I also feel that I need to ask the Obvious. Why is Roland hell bent on getting back at you, Robert?” he questioned. 

It’s just what we thought he would ask. I exchanged a look with my dad indicating that he should tell them what they need to know. I hoped that this would be my chance to get the whole truth from my father. I’ve gotten bits and pieces of the story from the age of 16 up until I took over as Alpha. I never pushed him to tell me the whole truth and he never offered it. I just needed to know enough to keep Valerie and the pack safe. That changed the moment Kol left to track Roland and kill him. We were all cut deeply by our mothers death but other than me and dad Kol was probably the only one strong enough to take him down. He’s not only supremely strong because of his bloodline but he’s strategic and one of the best trackers. Dad used to say that playing hide and seek with him was pointless because he’d find us within minutes. When he became the lead warrior my heart plummeted to my stomach. Everything I knew about my little brother went out the window and he was just that, my little brother. The brother that I swore to my mother the day he was born that I'd always be there for and protect. Even so I still waited for my dad to open up and tell me the truth. I may not have demanded it but I knew we wouldn’t be leaving this room without teo, barr, and ash knowing the whole truth. I can’t say I was damn ready to hear it either. My father sat up in his seat and cleared his throat.

“Because I banished him. I stripped him of his gamma title and forced him to endure life as a rogue.” Robert confessed.

“If you had the backing of the tribunal..” I asked but dad cut me off. Powerful and fair Alphas, Betas, and gammas who have passed on their pack have been asked to sit on the Tribunal. An Alpha doesn’t take orders from anyone but they’ve found having a second opinion from someone who’s been in their shoes is always a great stress reliever. My father, Enzo’s father, and Beau’s father (my gamma) made up a part of the tribunal now. They were only brought in when needed which wasn’t often. Though almost every pack had them, not all Alphas liked to use them. Made them feel like they weren’t fully in charge. 

“I didn’t consult them. The choice was mine and mine alone.” he confessed. As if his declaration was a normal practice. Which for most packs it is but father has always sought the opinion of the tribunal on such matters.

“Why didn’t you consult… D-Dad what was the reason behind his banishment? What did he do?” I contested. Something wasn’t right, my father and grandfather had a great relationship and he would go to him often for advice. If he didn’t bring my grandfather into this it must have been something severe or something he didn’t want other people to know about. It had to be something severe that had to be handled quickly. My father wouldn’t hide anything from his family. He’s always been an honest and true Alpha, he’s not built to deceive unless it’s for the benefit of his family and the pack.

“Nothing. It came to my attention that he did absolutely nothing and I still banished him.” he admitted.  Dad at least had the decency to look ashamed of his actions as he cast his head down and fiddled with his hands. I on the other hand was practically blowing steam out of my ears. I was so angry. I don’t know how I'll get past this or how I'll be able to keep this from Laura or Valerie. 

“You banished an innocent man and he spent his life packless.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. My father was always revered as such a caring, just, and smart rule. Come to find out he banished an innocent man ultimately ruining his life. 

“Yes. When I finally had the nerve to make it right he wanted nothing to do with the pack anymore.” he declared. 

“I don’t blame him dad! What you did was inexcusable! His life was ruined!” I shouted.I shot up out of my seat and slammed my hands on the table. What did dad think would happen when he banished him? That he’d go happily into the night without a care in the world that he was being separated from his family and friends. Rogue life is brutal! You don’t have the comfort and safety of a pack. You are out there all alone with no sense of direction. He banished him to a life in the cold and didn’t think of the repercussions of his actions. He separated a man from his friends and family. 

“I know. Your mother said as much to me when she demanded that I find him and invite him back to the pack to make it right.” he said. The same look of anguish covered his face as he remembered mom. It happened anytime he mentioned her no matter what the memory was. It hurt for me to see him that way. I remember him before everything happened and he was the picture of strength. He still was but if you truly looked at him some days you could see the cracks my mothers death left behind. We all tried to be the glue to put him back together and in ways we did but not completely. There’s still one chip in his armor that only a person's mate could fill. She was the light and love in his life and someone ripped it away. Casting him forever into the shadows. It doesn’t surprise me that mom was the voice of reason though.

“Did you?” I questioned.

“I did. I sent out two wolves that were tasked with finding him and bringing him back so I could extend his invitation back to the pack personally.” he said.

“Okay… What happened?” I felt like I was pulling teeth trying to get him to give us the full story.

“Two wolves left. One came back… badly injured, injected with wolfsbane, and holding the head of his fellow warrior. Roland sent him back with a message.” he recounted.

All I could do was stare at this stranger standing in front of me. The man that raised me taught me to be a fair yet firm leader and above all make sure I did everything for the good of the pack. But who is he really? He barely answered my question about what Roland did or what he thinks Roland did to deserve banishment. Matteo and the guys have been sitting back not saying a word as my father has told his story. I on the other hand am pacing the floor and running my hands through my hair to the point of going bald. I see why he kept this to himself for so long, he didn’t want to reveal his greatest shame and have others view him differently. When he finally decided to make it right it was too late and his kids paid the price for it. Valerie is still paying for it. 

“His message was, ‘It’s too late brother. I begged you to reconsider your decision and you believed others over your own blood. Now I want nothing more than to watch you, your pack, and your family burn. Don’t worry you’ll see me again and when you do you’ll feel the pain I did when my tie to the pack was severed. You’ll feel it when your kids are dead and when the last breath leaves your precious luna.‘ After that I amped up security for all of you and for the entire pack but..” he stopped mid sentence. 

“He still made it through.” I finished for him. 

“Yeah. We found out that later on with the help of a witch practicing dark magic is how he made it through the border that night without setting off any alarms.” he said.

“The rogue ambush was Roland coming for everything you’d built. For us.” I revealed. 

“He succeeded in his threat. Part of it anyway. You and Kol were at Ezra’s so you weren’t where Roland thought you’d be but Valerie was. We couldn’t figure out why he left her alive, we just assumed the guards got there before he could get to her but then the notes started coming. Then the gifts with notes attached. They were all addressed the same. ‘For my little wolf. My little Valerie.’” he said with so much disdain. The letters clearly still making him recoil to this day. I know exactly how he feels- if anyone tried to touch or take my children I would raise hell.

I had a sick and twisted feeling in my gut. Val was only 4 or 5 years old when our mother died. p********a isn’t uncommon in our world just like the human world but i’ve never heard of a case so close to home. Though if Roland were very sick he would have taken Valerie right then but he didn’t. I think he fought his general urge to take her but it didn’t stop him from getting attached to her. “He formed a romantic attachment to Valerie that night. Didn’t he?” I said, trying to keep down the vomit trying to force its way up my throat. 

“Yes. He had some sick inkling that Valerie was his long awaited mate. He couldn’t accept the fact that he was wrong about your mother being his. He thinks his attachment to Eva was because she would birth his true mate. So he sent gifts and letters every month like clockwork. We could never trace them and the last one he ever sent was addressed for me instead of Valerie.” dad said.

“What did it say?” I snapped.

“Here.” He pulled a weathered piece of paper out of his pocket. “Read it for yourself.”

 -Hello old friend, 

I know you’ve been intercepting my letters to that precious little girl of yours and I have to say it’s become quite the nuisance. I’d like for my little wolf , my little Luna, to know that I love her very much and one day I will come for her. She needs to know that her true place in life is by my side. She’s growing more beautiful just like her mother every single day. It makes me wonder what exactly she got from your side of the family. She is so much like Eva; She’s kind, beautiful, sweet, and so very smart. I can not wait to hold her in my arms for the first time and to be able to smell her sweet scent up close and personal. How badly I long for her. I'm surprised that I've been able to keep myself from coming for her early. Enough about that for now though. Dear friend, you've built a nice community within the pack and everyone regards you so high as a fair Alpha. They do not know the real you, do they? They do not know that you banished a pack member, your gamma, with no evidence at all that he’d committed a crime. The death of that omega was not my doing and no matter how hard I tried to plead my case to you I never stood a chance. You took matters into your own hands with none of the facts and with no thought as to how it would affect anyone else. Thank the goddess for Eva, she pleaded my case but even she could not sway you. I was devastated when I was given my punishment but i’ve grown to like it out here. I know you’ve noticed that the rogues seem more uniform now and their attacks more calculated. You have yours truly to thank for that. I’ve spent my banishment corralling the rogues and have made a little pack of my own. Know this and let it haunt you for the rest of your life. I WILL be coming back for Valerie whether it be today, tomorrow, next month, or maybe on her 18th birthday when she’s to find her mate. I will come for my little wolf and if anyone attempts to stop me I'll return their heads to you on a spike. Do not test me and do not stand in my way, i’d hate for my love to have to witness a blood bath when things can be done calmly. If you do not hinder me then in return I will spare your boys and you won’t have to feel their loss like you did with Eva. It was truly a shame that I had to end her life. She was a thing of beauty and grace and was such a true friend until the end. You should know that she screamed out for you and as your true nature you let her down. That is another way you and I differ- Valerie will never know what it is like without me by her side once she’s mine. I will protect her with such ferocity that no one would dare attempt to take her from me. Enjoy your time with her and let her know that I'll see her soon and that I love her very much. I do hope you don’t mind but i’ll be keeping tabs on her more frequently until the day I come for her. Can’t have you sneaking her off somewhere.

Until then goodbye old friend,

“This confirms that he’s been the one behind the rogues trailing Valerie.” I turned and handed the note to Matteo so he could read it as well. We still had a serious matter to address and now it was more urgent than ever. He’s going to come for her and he’s not going to stop until he has her. The decision needed to be made now. “I still think that we will take Valerie and head back home but I know you’re as eager to protect her as we are. He knows Silver Fang well and so far hasn’t taken an action to attempt to take her that we know of. Last night could have been his attempt to do so for all we know. What do you purpose?” Matteo looked between his beta and gamma having a silent conversation between themselves. 

“Knowing all this I feel even more strongly that she should stay here in Autumn Moon. He does not know our lands and would have a harder time penetrating our borders. We have the two strongest packs on this side of the globe. If he comes for her he has to do so at full force with full strength and he won’t have that after how many rogues were killed last night. He would have to come for her in transit.” Damn it! He was right! Roland’s rogues would have to come for her when we were on the move. They wouldn’t have much of a choice since they wouldn’t survive another attack against the pack.I hated the thought of leaving my sister behind but I can’t spend much more time away from the pack. There are things there that I need to attend to and Laura and I have been away from our kids long enough.

“You’re right. His absolute best chance at getting to her would be on the way back to Silver Fang. It’s settled then, we will return to home the day after tomorrow and Valerie will remain here under your protection.” I sighed. 

Just then there was a knock at the door but before anyone could answer the door burst open and Valerie stumbled inside. Her hair was matted down by her sweat and she was visibly shaking. “Valerie? What’s going on?!” Matteo asked, his voice etched with concern. Her eyes rolled back and her body began to crumple to the floor. I ran over and caught her before she hit the ground. Picking her up I carried her to the couch in the corner of the conference room. “Val?!” I shook her but she didn’t wake up. “Valerie?!” She was out cold, I checked her wrist for a pulse. Thankfully I felt one but it was weak and thready. “A doctor! She needs a doctor!” Matteo lifted her into his arms holding her close to him as if she was the most precious thing in the world to him. He took off out of the conference room and out of the pack house to a building not too far. Once inside their pack hospital a nurse and doctor ran over with a gurney and helped him gently lay her down. They took her through a set of double doors and requested that we stay behind. I could feel my inner wolf attempting to force the shift and I knew I had to get control or I'd tear up the waiting room. I wasn’t the only one who was having trouble keeping control and it reassured me that the decision to let her stay was the right one. Matteo paced back and forth clenching his fists. Asher was speaking with the nurse for an update and demanding to know when we could go back to see her. Barrett’s eyes were glazed over, he was mindlinking someone. I can only assume it’s the warriors to have them figure out what exactly happened to my sister. The dedication they showed to her shocked me though it shouldn’t. I’ve seen the same care shown to Laura when she got hurt or was upset. My Beta and Gamma would rip off the head of anyone who dares hurt their Luna and I would do the same for their mates. 

Two hours of waiting and the doctor who took her finally came back out to give us an update. “Alphas, Beta Enzo, Beta Barrett, and Gamma Asher she’s stable for now and her pulse is already getting much better. She was in a severe state of shock and it appears that she had a ton of adrenaline in her system so whatever happened she fought and as a last resort ran for her life at full speed and with that much adrenaline in her system she pushed herself harder than her body could handle.” he stated.

“When can we see her?” I blurted. I needed to see for myself that she was alright.

“She is getting settled in the Luna suite in the upper wing. Once she’s settled a nurse will come out and get you.” he said. 

“Thank you so much doctor.” Matteo said. 

“Of course. If you all will excuse me I’ve got other patients to attend to. I will check on the Luna personally in a few hours.” Matteo lifted his hand to stop him and was about to speak when the doctor cut him off. “Don’t worry Alpha. Her care team is aware of the situation and we will not address her by her title until she’s of age.” With that he left going back through the double doors that they wheeled Valerie through. A nurse came ten minutes later and escorted us to the Luna suite.