Looking for Wildflowers

Chapter 15

"I actually am a werewolf."

Taylor felt herself feel emotions she didn't know existed.

"There's no way." Was all she could manage to get out, her arms falling to her side. "Is my mom also a vampire, then?" She asked, genuinely concerned.

"No." Riley couldn't help but laugh a little. "But I do know who she is."

"Who she is? What are you talking about?"

"Taylor, you're mother was the leader of a dark fairy cult that took out hundreds of people," Riley said, his voice gentle. "There's a good chance that you're one as well."

"What if I am?" Taylor looked off the side, horrified at the thought.

"Then our love is forbidden." Riley said after a while.

"Forbidden?!" Taylor exclaimed, taking a step back.

"Yeah. Werewolves aren't supposed to cross-breed, especially with those of... dark region."

Taylor felt herself starting to panic.

"When I said I felt one, I figured your mother was coming back to get revenge. Apparently, she wasn't, or she changed her mind." Riley explained.

"So what? I'm a dark fairy now?" Taylor threw her arms up. "And our relationship is over. Fantastic." She turned on her heels and fell down on the couch.

"Not exactly. I said our love was forbidden, not illegal. We can still stay together, we just have to keep your identity a secret." Riley shrugged.

"How are we going to do that?"

"If you don't get as angry as you did today, then we should be good. You should only turn when you get triggered or something angers you beyond comprehension."

"Aren't werewolves supposed to have a pack or whatever?" Taylor acted as if she heard nothing Riley had said, but it was clear she had.

"I do have one. The story I told you about how I ended up on your doorstep, was all a coverup."

"So you lied?"

"To save my life, yes."

"So tell me the truth." Taylor sat up and looked at Riley with a confused but serious expression.

"Well, Hunters found my pack and started hunting us. So, being the Alpha, I got their attention and drove them away."

"You're an Alpha?" Riley nodded, leaving Taylor stunned.

"Anyway, once I got them away, I had no real place to go. One of them managed to get my leg pretty badly, which is how I ended up here."

"So everything else was a lie." Taylor said mostly to herself.

"The stuff I said on our first date wasn't. That was the only lie. I did what had to be done and if you hate me, then so be it."

"I don't hate you. I could never hate you." Taylor whispered. "I just wish we could be together."

"We can."

"We can't lie to everyone, that's not fair." Taylor insisted. "Wouldn't that also put me in danger?"

"Technically, yes. But we could make it work." Riley sat down next to Taylor, turning to face her. "I love it here. I don't want to leave. I especially don't want to leave you. Whatever I have to do to keep you, I'll do it." Riley was becoming desperate. He had found his mate and wasn't going to let her leave so easily.

"I don't want you to leave." Taylor started crying but acted like nothing was happening. "I want you to stay. If you're the Alpha, couldn't you just say, 'This is how it is, deal with it.'?

"Yeah, I could. And that's more or less what I plan on doing when your identity is revealed. But as I stated, it's only possible. There's no guarantee you actually are a dark fairy. Please, stay with me."

"I built a home here... I hate to just leave it." Taylor said, looking around. The back porch was her favorite spot, and she couldn't imagine living somewhere where she had no memories built. If she left the dead flowers in the vase, the old stove that she used to use for heat, and the old red chair that she always used to watch the rain, would it all disappear? Would her history just die?

"We can build another home together back with my pack. I'm sure you'll make plenty of friends." The idea of friends sounded nice to Taylor, who had been by herself until Riley showed up. The entire situation was almost impossible for her to comprehend, however. How could she possibly be an evil, dark fairy and how did she get to date an Alpha? And the stuff he said about her mother... There was nk way any of this could be real.

"I just can't believe any of this is real." Taylor let out a quick laugh.

"Would you like me to show you?" Riley offered. If he could just get her to follow him back to his pack, maybe she would change her mind.

"Show me? Show me what?" Taylor looked over at him, expecting him to just change into a werewolf.

"My pack. You healed my leg almost perfectly, so I could possibly make you a nurse or doctor. And if you are in dact a dark fairy, we could use your powers for good instead of bad, just as long as you can control your temper." Riley gave a small smile which grew as Taylor agreed to follow him.

"But if you're lying to me, I'll have your head." She said, seriousness heavy in her voice.

"I'm not lying, wildflower. Let's go."

"Wait, now?"

"Why not now?" Riley looked down at Taylor who looked up at him, unable to form an answer. Taylor gave a small shrug and stood up, grabbing a glass bottle of water from the fridge. She was already thirsty and had no idea how far away his 'pack' would be.

The two set out, heading straight into the woods behind the house, Taylor following closely behind Riley who acted like he knew exactly where he was going.

"How far away is this place, anyway?” Taylor finally had the courage to speak and break the silence of the woods.

“Not too far. Far enough for them to be safe, definitely not too much further though.” Taylor sighed. They had been walking for a few hours now and her legs and feet ached. She had already drunk all her water and was now beginning to feel panic rising in her. If Riley was lying to her, she would never be able to find her way back from wherever they were headed. Even if she could, it’d be too far a trip to make without at least some water. She didn’t know how Riley wasn’t dying of thirst already.

"I hope not, I'm still thirsty." Taylor grumbled, causing Riley to laugh.

"Yeah, me too."

It wasn't much longer that they came to a large clearing and Taylor saw what appeared to be a whole small town. There was a grocery store, doctor clinic, movie theatre, houses lined up everywhere. It was all fenced in, but it was obvious everyone was free to leave as they pleased.

One by one, they saw Riley approaching and began alerting others that their Alpha had returned. It didn't take long for word to spread that he also had a girl with him.

They walked through the gate and Taylor could feel her heart about to explode.

"This place is nice, Riley, but where's your 'pack'?" She gave a small smile just as two large wolves came out of the woods far off on the back. They stepped behind some trees and almost instantly a person came walking out. "What the f**k was that?" She couldn't believe her eyes.

When Riley didn't answer, she turned around and saw a light grey wolf with accents of white and brown and stunning blue eyes. This one was bigger than the other two she had seen, so she assumed it was Riley. The pile of clothes sitting next to the wold gave him away, as well.

Taylor could feel herself shaking. She was dating a werewolf? This was the type of stuff she wrote about, it wasn't supposed to be real. As Riley took a few small steps toward Taylor with his head lowered, Taylor backed up, terrified.

Seeing how scared she was, Riley changed back into a human and put his clothes back on.

"Thomas!" He called over at a man tending to the gardens. He came running over immediately.

"Yes, sir?"

"Tell everyone we're having a pack meeting in an hour."

"Yes, sir." With that, he took off, telling everyone he came into contact with and watching as they did the same.

Taylor couldn't take her eyes off Riley and felt tears forming but she fought them back, deciding to avoid crying if at all possible.

"Don't be afraid, Taylor. You're safe here. Much safer here than you ever were in that house." Riley was gentle as he took her hand and led her to a large building which she assumed was for the meeting.

As they entered, Taylor saw plenty of seating for everyone and there was a small desk at the front, clearly for whoever was speaking.

"You will be up front with me." Riley said.

"Why?" Taylor barely could get the word out, still fighting back tears and trying to comprehend everything she was experiencing.

"Because, I'm going to announce you as my Luna."