Five Times Fated

Chapter Two

THE SCARLET MOON Pack wasn’t quite secluded, but it wasn’t out and about like other packs either. It resided way up in the mountains. Skye watched all of the gorgeous scenery pass by from the windows of the limousine that Fenris had arrived in. Her meager belongings were being brought in a truck, which followed closely behind. Skye watched the trees and greenery pass by with a soft sigh. She had never seen a place so beautiful and full of life. As they entered the main part of the land, Skye’s jaw dropped. Every home was large and perfectly curated. It was like looking at a museum of small mansions rather than a place where people actually lived.

What new reality had she just entered?

She had expected Fenric to live in some form of a castle, but it wasn’t quite. The large mansion made of stone sat at the top of a cliff, high above the other houses. Even walking up the driveway once you passed through the golden gates could be considered a workout for some. There was a large fountain in a loop at the end of the driveway, which looked well taken care of. They looped halfway around the fountain before the car came to a stop. The estate seemed to stretch on forever. It was a few stories high, made completely of stones. That was a common design theme, it seemed. The lawn was well taken care of, neatly cut, and so were the hedges. There were lots of flowers around the space. She wondered who liked them so much. Either way, the place was huge, and expensive looking. It felt like it belonged in a movie about the British aristocracy.

Someone opened her door for her, but she was too busy picking her jaw up off the ground to notice initially. This place could fit at least three of her house in it. Cornall nudged her with his elbow, causing her to startle. Her cheeks turned red almost instantly. “Sorry”, she murmured, slipping out of the car.

“This way”, Fenris instructed gently. “I’ll introduce you to everyone and then show you both to your rooms.”

They entered the double doors and stepped into a large foyer. The tile on the floor was sparkling clean. Once you left the foyer, the floor was all marble. The delicate patterns looked beautiful. The living room was decorated in a sleek and stylish way. Again, there were flowers everywhere. The couch was white and plush. A large tv hung on the wall. It looked like someone had lovingly crafted this home. Suddenly, she felt very out of place in her mom jeans and cream, knit sweater, especially because of her dirty sneakers. “I’m home!”, Fenris called into the large house. His voice boomed and carried, but she was still surprised that people could possibly hear him in that huge thing he called a house. However, three men did come from different parts of the house. Fenris smiled. “Let me introduce you to the twins, your half brothers. This is Carson.”

Carson Adalwolf was paler than his brother, but his skin still emanated warmth. It was as if the sun had lovingly kissed his skin and left behind her warmth. He had a rounded face, though his jaw was quite sharp. He was muscular, but not overly so. It was just enough that you could see it. She wouldn’t call him stocky, but he was broad shouldered and his muscles were thick. He had dark brown hair, almost a chocolate color, that grew out just past the nape of his neck. It swooped like a prince’s, reminding her almost of Flynn Rider. His eyes were dark and intense, his pouty lips set in a straight line. He was taller than her, that much she knew. Around 5’10? He wasn’t a typical alpha height. Part of her wondered why that was. After regarding her warily for a moment, his shoulders relaxed, his brows straightening out (now she could see that they were straight, not particularly thick but a little messy) and he nodded in her direction. “Hey”, he greeted, his voice raspy.

“And this is Rhodes”, Fenris concluded.

Rhodes Adalwolf seemed much more friendly in comparison to his brother. He had dark hair, practically black, that fell in a shaggy mop to his shoulders, which were a little less broad in comparison to his brother. He was quite muscular even still, though more lean than his brother, and wasn’t wearing a shirt. She could see an intricate tattoo on his left arm when he crossed them, something with an arrow, and a crown tattoo on his right shoulder, near his collarbone. Like his brother, he was only 5’10. What was with that? His eyes were also a dark brown, but they were much more warm. With his thick brows and big brown eyes, he almost looked puppy like. A neat bit of facial hair was growing along his square, sharp jaw. He had a mole on the right corner of it. She also noticed that they had the same nose shape - slender and just a bit upturned. His skin was darker, more of a beautiful russet color. “You can call me Rhodey, it sounds a lot cooler and friendlier”, he informed, his plump lips turning up into a dazzling smile as he pulled Skye into a tight embrace. “It’s so good to finally meet you!”

At first, Skye had been caught off guard by the hug, but, eventually, she relaxed into it. Rhodey was a bear hugger, squeezing her tight and lifting her off the ground. It felt like coming home after a really long day. It was full of so much warmth and love. She could tell that Rhodey had accepted her instantly, and that meant a lot to her. Still, there was an almost bitter taste in her mouth. This entire time she had had brothers she never even knew about. Once Rhodey sat her down, Carson hesitantly approached. Eventually, he pulled her into a hug too. His grip wasn’t as tight, but the embrace was still warm. Just gentle. Both boys had smelled like expensive cologne, but there was also the natural, musky scent beneath that. They smelled like the earth and cinnamon. It was nice. Briefly, she wondered if she smelled similar. She’d never had anyone describe her scent to her before.

“We’re about the same age?”, Skye asked in curiosity.

Fenris nodded. “The twins’ mother was my high school sweetheart. She never met her mate, so we were married. Your mother was my first mate. We spent a night together, thus creating you. But I had already marked Carolina, and I didn’t want to leave her. She got pregnant with the twins, and I… rejected your mother when I discovered how twisted her mind was. Carolina, unfortunately, passed away during childbirth. That’s how I ended up meeting my current mate, Conan. I guess the Moon Goddess felt sorry for me.”

Skye had heard the rumors that the alpha king was mated to a man, but she had thought they were just that: rumors. She was wrong, apparently. Not that she minded. She glanced over at the third man. Conan Adalwolf, her father’s mate, looked like a kind and genuine man. He had thick facial hair, but it was neat and had been recently trimmed. There were a few strands of grey speckled in it, which likely meant stress and age were beginning to catch up to him. His brown hair was neatly styled, though not quite as gelled back as Fenric’s.. He had a rounded face and cheeks, the apples of which rose when his lips curled into a welcoming smile. He had a sort of wide mouth, but it wasn’t particularly full or overly thin. He was pale in comparison to the twins, and wasn’t overly tall. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Skye. And you too, Cornall.”

“…Right”, Skye said slowly, looking around. “So, not only have you had all of this and let me struggle, but I was deprived of knowing my brothers. Also, I have a psychotic mother who intends to kill me and no one was going to tell me. Anything else I should know?”, she asked flatly.

Fenris frowned, sighing. “Skye, I understand that you’re angry, but, please, just give us a chance to make it up to you. I promise you, it’ll be worth it.”

Skye shrugged. “Whatever. I’m only doing this because my dad is asking me too. The dad that raised me, not the one who thinks he can show up after nearly eighteen years and be welcome with open arms.”

Fenris flinched. “Aleksander will show you to your room”, he said, gesturing to the butler.

“Right this way, miss”, the older man said politely, gesturing towards the large and elaborate, spiral staircase. It too was made of marble. How many things in this house were worth more than her?

“She’ll come around”, she heard Cornall say as Aleksander led her away.

Her room was on the second floor. She was informed that both her brothers were on this hall as well, if she needed anything. She didn’t bother asking about the upper floors. Not her business. The room was bigger than her living room, and even had a set of double doors. Once Aleksander left, she went straight to the doors that led to her balcony. She could see the backyard from here. There was a large infinity pool that looked well over fifteen feet, closer to thirty if she had to guess. It had a waterfall at the head of it, mostly for decoration. The cliff looked over the valley, which seemed to stretch on for miles. The wind gently caressed her skin and hair as she leaned over the railing. At least this way she was at peace. Overall, her room was nice. There was a plush, gray carpet on the floor. Her bed was gray as well, though the frame was white. It was queen sized, which was more than enough space for just her. A mirrored nightstand with drawers and a lamp designed to look like haphazardly stacked cubes with a pink lamp shade sat on either side of it. Two small, crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, one above the bed and the other in the main part of the room. There was a floor length mirror, which was also wide. She had a vanity with lights, above which were built in, thick shelves. The same shelves went down to the floor on both sides of the vanity. A desk with a computer sat in the corner as well.

Skye didn’t go back down for dinner and instead spent the rest of the day in her room. She discovered a huge walk in closet, and an en-suite bathroom that looked far too luxurious for the likes of her. It didn’t feel like home. She put her clothes in the closet, but it still looked empty and sad. Man, she did not belong in this world.

Eventually, there was a knock at the door. “Skye, it’s Conan. Can I come in?”

“It’s unlocked”, Skye mumbled, her voice muffled by her pillow. She’d been trying to get some sleep, but, truthfully, she had been too restless to sleep anyway.

Conan entered the room with a nervous smile. “When Fenris said you were coming, I went ahead and grabbed some uniform clothes for you”, he said, handing her the bundle. “I know you have two months before you’ll start there, but I wanted to be prepared.”

Skye smiled softly. “Thank you, I appreciate it.”

“Of course”, Conan nodded. “I know you have two dads already now, but I’m here for you too. I want you to know that you can trust us, Skye. And you can come to me anytime you need something.”

She hugged him lightly. “Thanks, Conan.” But she couldn’t help but to wonder what her new school would hold for her. Hopefully, she would like it there.