More than Secrets

Future Luna

TYLER'S P. O. V.

"Tyler, why are you home and not at school right now, young man?" my mother asks me as I walk into the foyer. She stands on the bottom step, hands on her hips and scowls at me. My mother quickly changes her expression though, as soon as she spies Dani coming in behind me. "Oh Dani, happy birthday!" she squeals and runs up to her, engulfing Dani in a tight hug.

I resist the urge to roll my eyes at her. Do I even exist to my mother now that I have a mate? I don't think so.

"Hi, Celia. It's good to see you again," Dani replies with a big smile as she hugs my mother back.

"Mother, I was actually hoping that you and father could join us in the conference room. Dani has a few... er... questions for us," I ask my mom and motion for her to follow us.

She nods and her eyes cloud over as she quickly mind-links for my father to meet us in the conference room.

"What was that?" Dani aks, as she looks at my mother in amazement.

"Oh, that's called mind-linking, dear," she replies. "All werewolves in the same packs can mind-link with one another as well as your mate once you've marked one another."

"Marked?" Dani asks in confusion. Then her eyes go wide as she looks at my mother again. "Wait, you're a werewolf too!?"

"Uhm, let's go talk in private, shall we?" I say nervously, nodding my head in the direction of the conference room.

Dani follows next to me, but I watch as she takes quick glances back at my mother in awe of this new realization.

My mother rolls her eyes and chuckles at her.

Once my father comes in and greets Dani too, we all take a seat together at the conference table.

"So, I have a few questions," Dani starts, looking down and twiddling her thumbs nervously.

We all nod for her to continue.

"You're all werewolves?" she asks, still looking down.

"Yes. I'm the Alpha of this pack, and once Tyler graduates from high school, he will take over my position," my father replies.

"Alpha?" Dani asks, looking up at him in confusion.

"The Alpha is the leader of the pack. He protects his members and enforces the laws. No one in my pack can disobey my commands... or the Luna's," my father replies, gesturing to my mother.

"What's a Luna?" Dani asks, while looking at my mother.

"The Luna is the mate to the Alpha, she helps and supports him and takes on the role as the sort of "mother" of the pack. She makes sure all of the members of the pack have their needs met and are happy, to the best of her abilities, of course. A Luna must be kind and gentle, but also protect her pack fiercely when necessary," my mother replies.

Dani lets out a long breath. "That sounds like a pretty tough job."

My mother laughs. "Oh, it is at first, but you get the hang of it soon enough. Growing up in a pack, and watching my mother in action helped me to be the Luna I am today. It might take you a little while longer, but I'll be with you every step of the way. We all will," my mother says, taking a hold of Dani's hand and giving it a quick squeeze.

"Me?" Dani ask with a shocked expression.

"You're Tyler's mate, which means you'll be the future Luna of Red Moon pack," my mother says with as much reassurance in her voice as she can muster.

Dani just sits there, shaking her head in disbelief. Then suddenly stops and looks at all of us with furrowed brows. "What's a mate?"

LORNA'S P. O. V.

"You summoned me, Alpha?" I ask my cold-hearted husband as I stare into his evil, beady eyes.

He nods and gives me a devilish smile. "Why do you still insist on calling me "Alpha" even after all these years, my dear?"

I resist the urge to gag (that will surely result in me being punished) and reply as calmly as posible, "You are my Alpha, so that is what I will call you."

He smirks at me. "I am also your husband, surely you can drop the formalities now?"

"You are my husband, but not by choice," I retort and lift my chin in defiance. "Now, just what is it that you require my attention for? I was rather enjoying my time alone in the garden... away from you," I spit.

He laughs humourlessly at me, then slides a small rectangular box across his desk towards me. I already know what it is without having to look down. Crap.

"Tell me, wife, why I found this amongst your undergarments?" he sneers.

I gulp as I look down at the birth control box now. I always switch my hiding places every day for this exact reason. Just my luck that he actually searched through my underwear drawer today.

"Since I now know of the true reason behind your supposed "baroness" you will go directly to our room and wait for me-" I open my mouth to protest, but he stands up and grabs ahold of my chin. His grip on me hurts so badly, but I refuse to give him the satisfaction of seeing and hearing me cry out in pain.

"-you will do as I say or I will torture everyone in this packhouse until I find out just who it is that's helped to smuggle this to you all these years... and I'll end their miserable life so quickly, they won't have time to beg for my forgiveness. Do I make myself clear, Lorna?"

"Yes Alpha," I reply through gritted teeth. He lets go of my chin and I turn to leave his office. I didn't want Gerta (the kitchen Omega who's been helping me to not fall pregnant) to die because of me.

Oh Moon Goddess, I beg you, don't let me fall pregnant with this monster's spawn.

I can't even run away again. Security since the last time I escaped has been upped to the point where I always have a guard following me. There are bars on all of the windows and down in the sewerage tunnels too.

Hang in there, Lorna. We won't be prisoners forever, my wolf, Midnight, says to me.

I really hope you're right, I reply to her as I make my way to the bedroom to wait on the devil himself.

I just thank the heavens that Daniella is safe in Green Hills, and pray that she heeds my warning in the letter to not come looking for me.

DANI'S P. O. V.

"So you're telling me, this "Moon Goddess" whoever she is, selects your soulmate or partner for you... for life, and you have absolutely no say in it?" I ask Tyler and his parents. My jaw is probably touching the floor right now, but I don't even care. This is the craziest s**t I've ever heard in my life.

They all just nod.

"What if I don't want a mate?" I ask them, causing Juno to growl in my head. Tyler looks like I just punched him in the face.

"You don't want to be mates with me?" he asks with a heartbroken voice.

"No, it's not that," I quickly say, hating myself for causing him any pain. "It's just that I don't know if I'm ready for all of this. Werewolves and packs and mates," I say waving my hands at everything in the room, "it's all just a bit much to process right now. I mean, why didn't my parents ever tell me that we're werewolves?"

Tyler's dad looks down and his mom looks at me with pity.

"What?" I ask them.

"They're not werewolves. They're humans, Dani. You're the only werewolf." Tyler replies with so much sadness swimming in his green orbs.

I'm so confused. "Can humans give birth to werewolves?"

They all shake their heads and look at me, waiting for the penny to drop...

"No!" I shout, getting to my feet with so much force that the chair I was sitting on goes flying back into a wooden cabinet that's standing against the wall behind me.

It splinters and cracks down the middle from the impact.

Tyler puts his hands up in an effort to get me to calm down. He too, gets to his feet, but he does it very slowly. "Dani, we're not trying to play a cruel joke on you. Everything we've said to you is true."

"I have to go," I say, backing away from the table and turning to leave. "Sorry about your cabinet," I yell over my shoulder, but I'm already running out of the room.

I hear them calling after me, but I just can't hear any more of this. I need to confront my parents right now.

I make it to my car in less than a second, but I don't stop to wonder how. I hop in and speed off, ignoring the damn beeping - my car's way of telling me to buckle up.

You know in your heart that they're telling the truth, Juno says to me. Think about it... you've always felt like an outsider in your family.

Shut up! I yell at her. She whimpers in reply.

I feel bad for snapping at her, but I just can't help it. I'm so angry and hurt. Why do all the people I trust the most, keep secrets from me?