All the things I didn’t know.

All the things she never told me. (Charlie’s POV)

An hour later we were entering my Dads office. It was exactly what I thought it would be like. Walls of rich, heavy woods surrounding a big bay window. The view is beautiful overlooking the forest as well as park of the Jade River but the anxiety I’m feeling is keeping me from being able to appreciate it, Dad sits down in his large leather office chair and leans his his elbows on his desk. He motions towards a burgundy leather couch and Cohen and I sit down. He lightly puts his hand on my leg above my knee, the scowl on my dads face tells me he’s not thrilled about it but the calming feeling it’s giving me it’s worth the dirty look. Dad closes his eyes for a moment and then takes a deep breath before he begins.

“Charlie, what I’m going to tell you is going to be pretty confusing and it’s going to be a lot to take in. I know you are going to have a million questions and I will answer every single one but please just let me get this out first. Do you think you can do that for me?” I nod my head but stay silent. Cohen gently rubs my leg as he feels my tension rise. “Jade River isn’t just a town, it’s a territory, our territory, the Jade River pack. What you are in now is our pack house. Charlie we are shape shifters, werewolves to be more precise. I am the Alpha of the pack meaning that I am the highest ranked member and the leader. Everyone here has a rank of some kind from Alpha to Omega. The omegas are the people you will see in uniform helping keep the house running. Your mother is human therefore making you half wolf and half human. When every wolf turns 18 their wolf awakens and you are able to shift for the first time on the first full moon following your birthday. If you choose to do so. You ever have a voice inside your head that will answer you when you least expect it? That’s your wolf.

You are special because you have a choice. If you are not on pack lands tor your 18th birthday your wolf will stay dormant and eventually fade away. But if you are in pack lands and willing the Moon Goddess presents you with the gift of your wolf. You are two entities dwelling within one body.

You have never heard of any of this because your mother forbid me from taking to you about it. And before you get mad at her you need to know what happened between us.

Your mom and I met very young and fell madly in love. Like can’t eat, sleep or breath without each-other love. We knew there was a chance I had a mate out there but we assumed I would never meet her and I thought I would never be able to love anyone the way I loved your mom.” The confusion over the word ‘mate’ must have been evident in my face because he began to clarify. “A mate is a gift from the Moon Goddess. A person chosen to be your other half. Truly made for you. When you meet you immediately feel a pull stronger then gravity and it can be physically painful to be away from them. You feel more love for them in an instant then many feel in their entire lives. Often times if one mate passes away the other can die from a broken heart if they aren’t strong enough.

One day when you were 6 it was our turn to host the Alpha Summit. Your mother the party planner extraordinaire decided it would be a good idea to invite the Alphas and Betas from the visiting packs to bring their families along. The first night of the summit we were having a cocktail part when her scent hit me, the smell of lilac and honey hit me like a tonne of bricks. My wolf, Archer was going crazy in my head, pacing and telling me to go find mate. Moments later I was being introduced to Alpha David of Moon Lake packs family when I saw her, Cadence. My mate. I instinctually went to her and claimed her, your poor mother had to watch the whole thing. I tried so hard to find a way to make it work with your mom but she wouldn’t stay and play second fiddle to another woman. Although I loved your mom but my heart belonged to another. I begged her not to take you away with her. I grovelled on my knees but she was hurt. I had hurt her so badly and she knew the only way to hurt me back was to take you away” his voice stated to c***k and he paused for a moment to regain his composure before carrying on.

“For a few months she refused to let me have any contact with you. Eventually she agreed to allow me to visit you under a few conditions. I never told you what you were, I couldn’t tell you about Cadence and I couldn’t invite you here until you were 17. It had to be your choice if you ever wanted to come back here. I agreed and visited you as often as she would allow, frequently making up fake business trips just to see you.

Cadence and I ran the pack together with her as my Luna. We loved each other desperately. We grew our pack, it doubled in size, our businesses were all very profitable and we wanted nothing except the one thing we could never have. A pup, or a baby you could say. We tried for years, having every test done but they never found anything wrong. I think it was my penance from the Moon Goddess for not waiting for my mate and for what I did to your mother.

About 4 years later, my Beta and his wife were killed by wolves from a nearby pack fighting over territory. They left behind their then 13 year old son, Cohen, we took him in and raised him our own. It’s tradition that the Alphas oldest son will take the role of Alpha when the current Alpha is ready to retire. In a few years I’ll be ready to step down, maybe even sooner. Therefore Cohen isn’t just Cohen, he’s Future Alpha Cohen Maxwell.

Two years ago Cadence was running by the river like she always did when she fell. She hit her head on a rock and slipped into a coma. She never woke up.” That was it, his breaking point. A traitorous tear escaped and he turned away from us as he wiped it away. How had I never known any of this, the man I knew, the loud, strong, unbreakable man who was always happy around me has seen so much loss and sorrow.

Wow. That’s a lot to take in. I don’t know what to say, luckily I didn’t have to think of anything because Cohen piped up. He took both of my hands in his, he then turned over my right hand so that my palm was facing up. He lightly dragged his finger tips along the inside of me forearm. “Do you feel that? The sparks?” I nodded as a small smile spread across my face. I lifted my gaze to meet his. “That’s the mate bond, you are my mate Charlie. You may not be able to feel it like I can because you aren’t 18 yet but when you do you will feel what I feel. I knew it the moment I saw you in my kitchen this morning. It’s like the world stopped and you became my whole universe. I know this is a ton to deal with all at once, but I hope you will let me help you figure it all out” he lifted my hand up to his lips and kissed my palm. A low growl escaped from my fathers lips. Cohen in turn laughed. Does this guy have a death wish?

We all sat in silence for a few minutes while I tried to process what I had just been told. Finally I opened my mouth “ okay, so let me get this straight. You are both wolves, I am half a wolf and can turn into a whole a*s wolf on my birthday if I decide to. The moon goddess is real and not just imaginary. She picks the perfect person for everyone. You and mom broke up because you find your mate then mom hijacked me across the province. You had a whole other wife that I had no idea about. I’m terribly sorry about both of your losses. You were his guardian as well as the leader of this huge pack and will be until you decide to retire and then it will be you” I pointed at Cohen. “You are my mate and we are destined to be together?” I looked around at birth of them as they nodded in unison.

“ I think I need to go lie down, would someone mind showing me where my actual room is?” I think I’m in shock.

Cohens eyes glaze over for a moment. “Torin is having someone move your bags into your fathers guest wing right now. I can take you up in a moment if you like.” “Yeah, that would be great” I answer. Then it dawns on me “wait. How do you know he’s having my things moved right now. I didn’t see anyone on their phone and no one has spoken to anyone outside this room.” Dad shrugged slightly then simply said “mind-link”. “What is mind-link?” It’s like they are speaking a different language. “Once you have your wolf and are officially a member of the pack you can communicate with any pack member telepathically. Of course why didn’t I think of that. What world am I in right now because it is certainly not the one I’m used to.

A few minutes later we got up to leave, dad walked around the desk and gave me a rib crushing hug. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t tell you sooner. You have to know I wanted you. All the time, I would have done anything to have you here with me. I hope you don’t hate me for what I did to your mom.” He released me and looked at me with glossy eyes. “I could never hate you dad, I love you too much” my eyes caught Cohens over dads shoulder “I’m starting to understand the whole mate thing.” Cohen winked at me and flashed me that winning smile and I swear if my dad hadn’t been holding me up my knees would have given out.