The Alpha’s Dark Heritage

Chapter 4

***Nina***

I opened a teleportation portal from my room in the castle, feeling a rush of anticipation as I stepped through and found myself in my room in Willowsfield. The familiar sight greeted me—the bed, my clothes scattered around, everything just as I had left it. It felt like ages since I had been here, and yet it had only been a few weeks since we had fled this house. Back then, I feared my boyfriend might hunt us down. Witches and warlocks were the enemy—not just to the wolves but to every creature under the supernatural council.

We had left this place in a hurry, worrying that Mateo, being an Alpha, would alert the council to our existence. It felt like a lifetime ago, but just two weeks prior, my brother Asher had ascended to his place as king. Our alliance with the council had been restored, but there was still that one part of the agreement about different species being mates that remained unaddressed.

Realizing that Mateo was my mate and I was his was likely the reason my siblings and I were still alive. With the council now aware that my kind had survived, they wanted to avoid another war. Instead, they had agreed to let us rejoin the council—something we desperately needed, especially since demons were becoming a pressing issue I needed to discuss with my brothers later today.

Stepping outside the house, I took out my phone, ready to call my mate, when a familiar car pulled up in front of me. A huge smile spread across my face as the window rolled down.

“Good morning, princess,” Mateo teased. “Need a ride?”

“It seems you’re the one who needs a ride,” I bantered back, grinning. “It is my car, after all.” I had almost forgotten I had left it at his place the day things went awry between me and Sally.

Mateo laughed as I jumped into the car. “So, what are we doing today?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.

“I wanted to ask your permission in person first,” he began, causing me to freeze mid-motion as I adjusted my seatbelt.

“Is it bad?” I asked, anxiety bubbling up inside me.

“Well, I wouldn't say introducing you to my mother is bad,” he replied sarcastically, smirking at me.

My eyes widened as I looked from my seatbelt to the rearview mirror, suddenly feeling nervous about the prospect.

Mateo chuckled at my reaction, taking my hands in his. “You look fine just the way you are, and besides, my mother would adore you no matter how you look.”

I hadn’t planned on meeting my mate’s mother yet. This wasn’t the time to be showing each other off, especially since we were trying to keep our relationship discreet.

“Is it even safe?” I asked, reminding him of our precarious situation.

“It’s just my mother. She already knows that you’re a witch and my mate. She’s aware of the mating law and won’t breathe a word about us,” he reassured me.

“What if the council finds out? It seems like they’re always showing up whenever you and I want to spend time together,” I pointed out, a knot of worry forming in my stomach.

“Don’t let paranoia consume you. They’ve been coming to meet with your brother and me, and you always come along with him, so they might not suspect anything. We’ve been careful, and they seem distracted by your brother working so hard to make an alliance with the others. I’ve already agreed with your brother on everything, and soon enough, the others will follow suit,” he said, easing my worries as he put the car in gear.

“You’re right. I’m probably just overthinking it,” I admitted, leaning back into my seat, trying to calm my racing heart.

The drive to the pack house was quieter than usual. I didn’t remember a time when we’d been so silent together. My mind wandered to what his mother might look like. Never in my wildest dreams had I expected to be mated to a wolf—an Alpha wolf, no less. Now I was about to meet the current Luna of the largest werewolf pack in existence. What would the Silver Claw pack house be like?

Before long, we approached massive gates that swung open at the sight of Mateo. “Welcome to the Silver Claw Pack,” he announced as we pulled into the driveway.

We unbuckled our seatbelts and stepped out of the car. I stared at the imposing structure before me, my mind racing with thoughts. It resembled Sally and Sam's house but was much larger—almost like a castle nestled in the middle of nowhere.

I was awestruck, my mouth agape. Despite living in a castle myself, I had never seen a pack house this grand. I knew it housed numerous unmated wolves and high-ranking warriors, as well as the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma families. Mateo had explained how they decide who can stay in the pack house: those who are mated or have families get their own residences on pack land. This served as a reminder of why Sally lived with her parents while Sam resided here with Mateo.

Grandma Alice had once told stories of her visits to various werewolf pack houses during her travels. She’d described meeting many different creatures, from dragons and vampires to wendigos and fae, emphasizing how appropriate it was for a new royal to tour covens and form allies. It struck me that her stories had gone from vibrant memories to distant echoes due to the forgetting spell cast upon us. It felt surreal that I had little recollection of our grandparents beyond the fact that we were royals.

Suddenly, Grandma Alice’s image flashed in my mind, and I couldn’t shake the feeling of loss. My grandfather’s face, however, was gradually fading from my memory. I needed to ask Grandma Frances if she had any pictures of her. Perhaps I had forgotten due to another spell, or maybe it was simply because of the time apart, but I could not let it rest with just memories. There had to be images of both of my grandparents, or all of them together.

Thinking of Grandma Alice reminded me of the gifts I had inherited from her. Since Grandma Frances had come into our lives, I had begun to realize my ability to sense auras and emotions from others. If there was any chance of recollecting my grandfather's face, I'd find it—whether in a dream or a photograph that survived the castle’s destruction years ago. I felt certain that I could.

We had lost many families without even realizing it, all because of a spell. I continually questioned why the spell had been cast in the first place. There had to be more to it than just my twin sister’s kidnapping. I was determined to find Nora; I vowed I would do everything in my power to bring her back.

“Hey,” Mateo's voice drew me back to reality. “Where are you?” He came to my side of the car, wrapping his arm around my waist, concern knitted in his brow.

“Nowhere.” I forced a smile, trying to convince him—and myself—that I was alright.

"You sure?" he asked, his gaze unwavering. "You seem lost in thought," he added, studying my expression.

"I'm alright," I lied, quickly adding, "I'm just tired," as an excuse for my distant stare.

Mateo wasn't convinced. Thanks to my growing control over my gift, I could sense his concern. Thank you, Grandma Alice, for your therapy journals or whatever they were called—I've never felt so grateful for her wisdom.

He put the car into park and walked over to my side to open my door for me. I stepped out and he pulled me in close.

He sighed and said, "You know you can tell me anything, Nina. I’m your mate, and I’m here for you."

I opened my mouth to confide in him when his body stiffened with worry, followed by the serious voice of Ryan approaching from behind.

"The council members are here; they just arrived unannounced and said they need to hold an emergency meeting. Your mother is with them right now," Ryan reported anxiously.