Blood Legacy

26

"Yes, that's your biological father, Brent Forrest." Her eyes filled with tears as she stared at him. "The love of my life who was stolen way too soon."

"Why are you showing me this?" I didn’t know how, but this made everything seem so much more real. He now had a face and one that I would see every time I looked in the mirror. I wasn’t sure if I was happy to be able to picture him or if it somehow made the whole thing worse.

"Because you need to know your heritage. I know I tried keeping it from you, but it took seeing Liam treating you like a mate and you getting hurt to make me realize I’m not in control. That, in fact, I

was actually hurting you. By not sharing him with you, I didn’t let you in on something that you have every right to know about." She flipped the page again. "Unfortunately, Brent's parents died shortly after he took over the seat of the council. That's when the other council members became more to him.

They were his second family until he met me. The five heirs were inseparable growing up."

I glanced at the page and found five faces smiling at us. It was easy to pick out who was who. Simon's dad had that California glow like his son did. Micah's skin was just as dark as his father’s, and both Mr. Rafferty and Mr. Hale looked nearly the same as they did now. It was almost as if they hadn't aged.

When she turned the page again, her eyes clouded with tears. “This was right after our claiming ceremony.” The picture was a younger version of her with him on a beach. He had her scooped up in his arms, and they were looking at each other with love written across their faces. She wore a simple white dress, and he was in a black suit. The waves crashed behind them as though the ocean was applauding their love.

“You two were so happy.” If I had any doubts that she loved him, they were gone now.

“That’s how you and Liam look at each other.” She wiped a tear from under her eye and gave me a sad smile. “I still dream about this day. Sometimes, I wake up smelling the salt in the air as if I were still there.”

“I’m sorry.” I didn’t know what else to say. I couldn’t imagine not having Liam in my life. If he were to die, I didn’t know if I could be strong enough to move on like she’d done.

“I won’t lie. I miss him just as much as the day I realized he wasn’t coming home.” Her shoulders shook. “But know that with Ethan, Max, and you, I was able to find a sense of happiness, despite it all. What I’m trying to say is to cherish Liam. I was wrong for telling you to reject him. Cherish him and love him with all your heart. One day, he might not be there, and I don’t want you to have any regrets like I do.” She sniffed and turned the page again.

It was her in a room that had Wolf Moon Academy’s school colors with my dad bent down with his head on her belly. “That was when we knew we were having you. He set up a camera to capture the moment together.” She smashed her lips together as tears poured down her cheeks. “He was so excited. Your heartbeat was on the higher end, so we knew you were a girl. I was afraid he’d be upset when we realized you were a girl and not a boy. He shook his head no without hesitation on his face. He said it was fitting since the original Overseer had been a woman, and he hoped you looked just like me.” Her laugh was between a strangle and a cry. “And here you are, the spitting image of him.”

“Mom, we don’t have to do this.” My heart was aching, not only over the man I never got to know but because my mother was breaking down in front of me. She had never done that before.

What’s wrong? Liam’s concerned voice linked in my mind. Do you need me?

No, I’m okay. Mom is showing me pictures of my father. It wasn’t fair that dad had been taken from us. He didn’t get to live near long enough. I’ve never seen him before.

“Here is one last picture that I have.” She flipped to another page, and I blinked several times. There, beside my father, stood a man who appeared to be several years older than him. He looked like my professor for Shifter History 101. "Who is that?" Liam, you need to come in here. I opened the bond so he could hear what my mother was saying.

"Ah, that's your grandmother's brother. I’d heard he was the last living relative of your father." She gave me a sad smile. "He was never in line for the council seat because it was from Brent's mother's side. The lineage came down from your grandfather's family tree."

Liam walked into the kitchen and to my side. “What’s wrong?”

I pointed at the picture. "He's my history professor." It had to be him. The man looked just like him. "Professor Johnson."

"I'm not sure. I never got to meet him, but your father said he hated the council and everything it stood for. It was a point of contention between your grandparents." Mom's face filled with pain. "And honestly, your father and I had only a month together. Most of it was spent with the two of us caught up in each other.”

“So that’s why they are keeping him as faculty.” Liam laughed, but it was without humor. “I always wondered why they kept him on when Dad and the others hated him so much.” “What do you mean?” I wasn’t following his logic.

“Sometimes it’s best to keep your enemies close.” Liam’s eyes darkened like they did with anything that dealt with his father or the council. “That’s one reason why we heirs would always hang out together. Stay close so you can monitor and threaten if needed.”

“So, they are keeping him close so he can’t speak horribly of the council.” Mom shook her head

and took in a deep breath. “Trying to control what message he spreads into the world.”

“If you think that’s bad, you don’t want to know everything.” Liam met my eyes. Something isn’t right, and we need to get to the bottom of it.

His words scared me. They weren’t anything I hadn’t thought of myself, but this was the first time he’d said the words and meant them with every fiber of his being.