BLOOD TIES

CHAPTER 6

BLOSSOM'S POV

I stared at Zelda in disbelief as the reality struck me. The truth I had known about myself growing up wasn't completely true. I grew up knowing that I was a complete orphan and I had made peace with that deciding to live my best life with everything I had. That was because of the trust I had for the woman I grew up looking up to but now standing there, I felt cheated and betrayed. What could that mean? That I also had siblings and a mother?

I turned to the stranger who had now taken a step back. There was guilt in his face but more determination but at that moment, I couldn't find the right words to say to him or the right question to ask despite having a tone of them roaming wildly in my head. I needed to breathe and since the only way I knew how to let go of my frustrations was kickboxing, I rushed back into the dojo breathing heavily.

"Blossom!"

I had felt him coming after me, his scent too strong to avoid but I didn't turn even when I felt him stopping behind me. I couldn't look at him and let him see the betrayal I was feeling inside. I had never been that hurt before and I wasn't sure what my anger was capable of.

Using my right foot, I threw a double kick on the punching bag hitting it with so much effort and the sound of the impact reverberated inside the room.

"Stop following me!" I stated without looking around as I landed several punches on the bag.

"I'm afraid I can't do that." I closed my eyes as the sound of his voice awakened my wolf once again. "Time isn't a luxury we can afford right now regardless of how much you need to take to process the news." I turned around sharply, meeting his gaze but the words that had formed in my head ready to put him in his place disappeared. Never had anyone had the power he had on me. "Your father is waiting for you and I only have one day to get you home."

"Why now?" I asked confidently and stepped towards him. "Why now after all these years I have grown up thinking that I had no one to call family."

He seemed to think about his response for a while and I studied his face to filter any lie he was planning on springing out on me. His eyes however seemed genuine enough as he spoke next and the calmness my wolf had embraced was proof that I could trust him.

"Because he was waiting until you were of age to take over after him as Alpha of his pack."

"Alpha?" I asked and scoffed. "How can I become an Alpha while I have witch blood, a werewolf's mortal enemy?" I realized my mistake too late but his indifferent reaction showed that he already knew that part of me and didn't seem bothered by it. Was it likely that the bad blood that Zelda had always talked about wasn't that bad? "Why me?"

"Because you are his blood and only blood can lead until a generation is over."

"So, now he expects me to do this after he abandoned me for twenty-four years? I don't know him, he doesn't know me, I have never known anything about leadership let alone be one."

"You are strong, you are a fighter, you are his blood," he stated calmly but none of that eased the way I was feeling just thinking that I could have had a completely different life if only I had grown up in an honest environment. His next words however almost had me going into shock. "And you are way better than your brothers."

"I have brothers too?" I asked, now with more interest. I had always wished that I had siblings growing up, more specifically brothers. There was just something about having someone I could annoy that made me become the social butterfly I always was around my competitors at the dojo and at my workplace too. This was the most interesting thing he had said from the moment he had first spoken to me. "How old are they? What are they like?" I asked excitedly without waiting for him to reply.

"Well... Capheus is-"

"That's enough, Jay!" Zelda interrupted authoritatively. "Caliph would never send anyone without writing to me first. He promised there would never be any surprises regarding her so, you better start explaining yourself right now or I will be forced to drive you out myself!" She warned, her eyes glowing a subtle purple that was only meant to stress that she meant what she was saying.

Was she just being protective or was she trying to hide something like she had been used to? I had no idea that they had been writing to each other which explained why Zelda never wanted me to get her mail.

"No!" I stepped forward and challenged her for the first time. "I want to know everything he has to say and if you care about me at all, you will let me make the best decision for me now." Zelda backed away for a bit, her eyes shifting restlessly between us. It wasn't distrust or doubt she had for him but she was somehow threatened. I had never seen her like that.

"You have protected me my whole life but not anymore. I don't know why you never told me that I had family or why you decided to keep me away from them but it's time for me to face my truth."

"The truth isn't as easy as you think it is Blossom," she shook her head sadly.

"But they are my family. I have to know them." I went on. "I actually have a chance to be around my blood for the first time in my life. You know it's something I have always longed for."

Zelda sighed heavily then averted her gaze from me. I could tell that she was struggling with something inwardly but I couldn't tell what. I doubted she was going to tell me so I didn't bother to ask.

"Why does Caliph want her now? It is too soon than we had agreed."

I turned to Jay. His eyes had a solemn look that didn't settle well with me and I knew that he was about to deliver bad news even before he said anything.

"Because he doesn't have long to live and this might be the only chance he gets to meet his daughter." My heart sank heavily. My excitement had only lasted for a mere ten seconds. Why had he decided to wait that long to find me? What was the point of it all? I didn't even hear Jay's next words as I got lost in my head until he nudged my arm lightly alerting me back. "We have to leave right away," he stated when I met his eyes.

"Right away?" I asked in confusion at the same time my adrenaline kicked in as the thought of meeting my family became clearer and more real. I wasn't ready though. I didn't feel ready.

As if he realized my hesitation, he took both my hands and squeezed gently. My heart did several uncontrollable flops and then calmed still. His soft gaze held mine and I had to admit that I had never known peace like what I felt there.

"You are ready for this," he stated calmly. Was he reading my mind? "Your father will be so happy to see you again and your destiny awaits you back in Greypark," he added with a smile.

I turned to Aunt Zelda. Our eyes communicated silently and seeing her slight nod of approval, I nodded and sighed.

"Take me home," I stated confidently but couldn't help but feel the sudden nervousness that took over. I managed to push it away and smiled, ready for my next real adventure. Something told me that it would be a wild one.