Ray POV:
He took a deep breath, preparing himself for the ordeal, he seemed so broken. I don’t think I have seen him this terrified of anything in the entire day I spent with him today and whatever I remember about our past, which is not much. He is an alpha, yet he shows so many emotions. It’s hard to believe who his family is, he isn’t like them. But a small part of my brain is terrified. What if he is like them? I shoved that voice down and looked into his eyes waiting for him to get everything off his chest. Not knowing burdens me, but the burden of knowing the truth weighs him down. He needs to do this for himself. We waited for a few minutes for him to prepare himself. Even if I have no clue why this bothers him, I feel for him.
Finally, he starts explaining, “Ray, a lot has happened, so I don’t know where to start. Hence, I will start from the beginning. My family was part of the rogue king’s pack. His two sons, Seth and Simon, are current Alphas of the Black Foot and Red Claw pack. They are Connors and my sperm donors, unfortunately. When I was 6 years old, he sent my family and Connor’s family to your pack and Black Foot pack. Our mothers were supposed to seduce the alphas with the help of a witch’s magic potion, but they refused. That’s when the rogue king attacked both our packs and used our mothers as bait to get the alpha’s out, that was the plan to kill both your dads.
When Alpha Styder was fighting, they targeted Luna Rose. The rogue started attacking Luna, but somehow Luna Rose tried to save my mom, Riyena. You came running to save her. At that moment, they killed both Luna Rose and my mom, Riyena. Killing your family, Simon took hold of the pack, becoming the alpha.
For Día’s pack, they ripped the pack hierarchy apart, and Seth became the alpha. I don’t know why they enslaved you both at that time. I still don’t know the answer to that. They put everyone under black magic and the vampire compulsion to forget what had happened. I kept fighting Simon even after they removed my memories with the magic and compulsion. The hatred was not removed from my heart. I kept feeling that they were monsters and could not follow him. Connor felt the same way.
When I was around 11, they were lashing you in the punishing field. You were hanged from the tree, and your hands were tied with wolfsbane-lashed ropes. I got so mad that I attacked my father with Roy. I somehow shifted. Simon and his beta subdued Roy and me by firing wolfsbane-lased darts. They wiped our memories again. We were sent off to boarding school away from you, so we couldn’t protest against them or help you.
The black magic became weak when I was away; Luke and Stacey figured it out. They slowly helped us remove all the magic and compulsion; it took 6 months, but when the magic was lifted all our memories came back. We started trying to get you out. That’s when I tried reaching Connor, as I saw him fighting my father’s beta when he slapped you. We created a situation where Connor revolted against his father after I told him the truth. He was also captured and subdued. He was sent to the same boarding school. So, it’s easier for them to keep an eye on us and give us the magic potion.
Stacey created rings for us, which let us see the magical item. We figured out how they were feeding us the potions. After that, we avoided being fed any potions by avoiding anything offered by them. We stopped going home so they couldn’t compel us.
Then we started saving people from both packs strategically. We relocated them to a town nearby, but somehow the alphas found out. When they were about to attack, we got to know the plan from our informant. At the last moment, Stacey opened a portal, removing the rescuees from the house they were hiding in. Then we hid them in the forest for some time. But it was too dangerous for pups. One day we came across this place. We started building huts and brought people here. We put barriers and traps around to keep anyone with malicious intentions outside. We closed normal access routes and diverted the swamp water, creating this safe haven for anyone who needs protection. And finally, we made a magical portal as the only access point to reach here from outside.
So, once we had a secure place, we slowly moved everyone here after we saved them. Every time we tried extracting you, someone interfered. Once we were close, but Nicholas almost killed you. Something was stopping us from rescuing you. So, after a while, we started guarding you instead, so when they tried doing something we would create a diversion like fire, rogue attacks, etc. We were just trying to wait and get you out safely. Our plan was finally in motion, and we were on our way to rescue you when Nicholas attacked you. I am so sorry about everything they did to you. I am so sorry I couldn’t help you in time.” He started sobbing at the end. He was hurting. I didn’t know how to process this, that someone was hurting for my pain. That he did all this for me.
“Sure, I understand. Stacey, can you please check us as well if they have done something to us,” I said after he explained everything. I am trying to be reasonable and control my emotions. I don’t think I can comfort him if my head is not in the right place. I need to make sure those monsters haven’t done something that will put this paradise in jeopardy.
Stacey was a sobbing mess but nodded. Luke added, “We need to sit down and check you for compulsion too. I haven’t noticed any signs in you. But I haven’t spent enough time with either of you to be completely sure.” We both nodded. I looked at Connor now.