The Lost Gem

Chapter 12: History can be Harsh

Rose POV:

*Trigger warning: mention of multiple miscarriages and Domestic abuse. Please read with caution if such topics are sensitive. *

Sam terrified me last night. I gave Fen control, she put a stop to his rage with precision and still made sure he was okay. She didn’t want to hurt him, just stop him. After they left, I got dressed and just crawled back in bed. I planned to deal with the mess he caused this morning, but looking around at the remains of his clothes, the carpet torn by claws, the wet spots from drool, and everything his tail broke. I start contemplating making him clean all this up. Nonetheless, I drop to my knees and start picking up the shreds of clothing. His wallet, phone, and other belongings laid scattered about like a spilled deck of cards. A small, pocket-sized notebook with a solid black cover was under my bed. I would’ve missed had I not been on my knees. I retrieve it from its hiding spot and run my fingers along the cover, one side must’ve of the front cover as it had indents for a word on it. Holding it up to the rays of sun coming through the window, I see flakes of gold in the indents. I get to my feet and walk over to my reading area, sitting in my oversized bean bag and taking a closer look at the cover in the better light.

“Nightshade….” I read it aloud, “Isn’t that the name of the pack the king thinks I belong too?”

‘Yes! That’s the pack we were born too.’ Fen yips and howls in joy. ‘We found our pack history book.’

“Pack history book?” I ask her.

‘It’s a book that is spelled to magically recorded every detail in a packs history… even the details that hide in the shadows.’ She explains.

“So, this book will tell me for sure that I was born to this pack. It will tell me what happened to my biological parents… to my entire pack and family?” I say, my words coming out as a question, but I already had the answer.

Without a second more hesitation, I forget the mess and begin reading. The first few pages just explain that the pack is unique in the way that they weren’t born from the Moon Goddess alone, but by one of her children and the child of Loki. It continues to recount the history of the century and a half of history before getting to the history near my birth and my biological parents. My mother’s name was Grace, and my father was Francis. They were blessed mates. My father was the son of the Alpha, and my mother was the daughter of a nearby pack’s Alpha. They met at the border while patrolling the borders. Their bond wasn’t approved of from either side, father’s side wanted to keep the bloodline pure, and mother’s side didn’t trust the Nightshade wolves, but that didn’t stop them. When father took over as Alpha, he announced Grace as his blessed mate and future Luna of the pack. Once she was announced as the Luna, her wolfs fur turned black with a white tuff on her chest, the black fur symbolized that she was a member of the pack now.

They waited years to try to have a kid. Grace made sure that pack ran smoothly and started a class for female warriors to train and work to earn a spot as pack guardians. She learned the packs’ history and just about everyone’s gifts were. Francis had a temper that only grace could calm and when she was around him, he was a softy and gave into her wishes.

Five years after Francis took over the title of Alpha, they decided to try for a pup of their own, an heir to the pack. It wasn’t easy, because of Grace being from a different pack she struggled to carry a pup to term. She had 9 miscarriages before me and when she found about she was pregnant with me, Francis became overprotective and emotionally abusive. Telling her to stay in bed and how if she loses this pup, he would reject the bond and find someone who could give him an heir. Grace understood he was just scared of losing another pup before getting to meet them, but that didn’t stop the fear that raced through her when he would activate his gift of fire to make a point.

Setting the book down for a moment to catch my breath and calm my own anger. I jot down a few notes as a tear escapes down my cheek. My father abused my mother out of love and fear, but it doesn’t change the fact that he abused her. No woman, mate or not, should have to fear the person they love and trust the most. No women or man should have to deal with that. Picking the book back up, I continue reading. I didn’t know nor did I care what time it was.

Grace carried me to term; I was born healthy and powerful. My gift already showing itself from the moment I entered this world. The book explains that I could project my thoughts into another mind and talk to them though connection similar to a mind-link but different in the sense that only I could start or end the connection, as well as I could project my memories or see the other persons memories. It goes on to say that in my first months of life I only showed my father my gift once to get him to leave mother alone, other than that mother was the only person I used my gift with.

Mother had called me her gem. The gem of nightshade or the gem of Fenriris. The start of my life seemed perfect besides a few mishaps. When I was about six months old is when the pack was attacked, my father lost a challenge that was rigged for him to lose. He was poisoned, slipped into his food at dinner. It made him weak, slowed down, and an easy target. He was taken down with ease by the BloodHunters alpha. My mother did not go down easily though. Using the last of her strength to curse the enemy wolves on her pack lands. Their kids and mates for generations would carry the mark of my mother.

The rest of the pages are unreadable. Burned or torn out. It doesn’t have any more information for me so I close the cover, lean back in the bean bag, and stare out my window. The sun was high in the sky as it was around one in the afternoon. I read the morning away and missed breakfast and lunch. I am surprised that no one has come to check on me.

Taking a deep breath, I hop up and continue cleaning. Placing all of Sam’s belongings except the book on my desk, I will need to return them later even though he scared me last night. I don’t want to be alone with him right now, maybe I can get John to join me or give John Sam’s things to give to him. I have no way to contact him though.

‘Go through Sam’s phone to get the number.’ Fen suggests.

‘I can’t do that. That invading his privacy.’

‘And after last night that’s a horrible thing? You aren’t snooping you are just getting a number to be able to return his things.’

‘Fen….’

She grumbles but drops it. Her idea rattles around my head for about an hour when my thoughts are interrupted by Sam’s phone vibrating like crazy on my desk. Walking over to it and glancing at the screen, I see he is getting a call. The call declines and the screen shows 29 missed calls, 17 voicemails, and 183 texts. They were all from a single person. Someone named Brittany.