Not All Heroes Are Guiltless

Prologue “Daddy, daddy! Look! Look! It says that there is snow on the top of the mountain even in the summer!” The little blonde headed girl pulls on her daddy’s sleeve. He picks her up with the book she is reading and sits down on the garden bench with her in his lap. She points to the mountains and the beautiful illustration of a mountain top. “Yes, Aela. I have been to a mountain like this before. The air is cold and crisp like an apple. The clouds skitter underneath you and the sunlight bounce off the snow with rainbow arcs. It's truly magnificent. What is best, though, is watching your mother as wolf disappearing out of sight in the pure white snow. She is a remarkable hunter.” “Will you take me to a mountain, Daddy?” Aela asks, looking up to her father. He pauses and swallows. Something keeps him from wanting to agree. Maybe the fear of disappointing his daughter. Since his daughter’s birth, his wife has been needed more in the capital, and now Queen Delana announcing the title of Crowned Princess to the toddler, his very daughter, is concerning. A moment of reprieve happens when the little princess finds something else interesting and tries her hardest to read the large book. Her question was forgotten, and he’s almost overjoyed. “Nell!” A sharp whisper erupts from the other side of the garden. He lifts his head and sniffs a familiar smell, which brings back memories of a boy he called his brother, and he shakes his head. He lets his daughter off his lap and sits her back down on the bench as he walks over to his secret guest. If his wife knew he was here, he was sure there would be a brawl. “You shouldn’t be here, Shadow.” The father growls, looking into the dark shadows of the bush in the corner of the garden. The figure steps out, and a moment of fear and shock is pushed down quickly. Ever since he found the boy wandering in the forest, he pitied the faraway haunting look in his eyes. A boy who had never known anything good in the world but was willing to follow him and learn. Nell was able to break the barriers the boy wrapped around himself, and for some time, he only saw the adolescent joy. Now, after all these years since the m******e, his expression is back to the way it was before. This time, the air around him is dark with hints of spiteful revenge. Nell heart hurts at his once beloved brother. No more youthful, and the rumors of his antics have made him doubt there is much left of his brother but his hatred. He learned he was attuned to the god Bellar before he met him. He never knew he would be an agent of Redland’s enemy. “You need to get away soon. You can’t stay here any longer.” His voice is a whisper and strikingly a different character than what he would imagine his cold spiteful brother had become. “I can’t leave. My daughter is the crown princess. She belongs here to learn to rule in the Queen’s place.” Nell answers and sees the disappointment in his brother’s eyes. He purses his lips in concentration before he turns, “I can see the weaving of a trap. I’ve done everything I can to find the target, but I fear that if I don’t separate you from Redland now, then I will lose you.” Nell can hear the distraught voice in his brother’s voice. He’s holding back emotions. “Do you think -” The little princess interrupts his questions with a large tug on his sleeve, “Daddy, who is this?” He bends down to her level and looks her in the eye, “Princess, do you remember what it means to keep a secret?” The young girl nods her head but still stares at the stranger. She then smiles largely, holding her hand out for a kiss from the stranger, “I am Crowned Princess AmAela. I am going to be Redlands' next general princess like my mother.” Nell drops his head in embarrassment. His daughter is as headstrong as his wife and mate. But he shouldn’t complain. He watches his adoptive brother take her hand and kiss it. He lingers a bit and then whispers softly, “Nadar”. Nell swallows hard as he recognizes what has just happened. His daughter is fated to his adoptive brother. “The gods must favor the two of you.” Nell says with almost a beam of pride. He may not like his vengeful brother’s ways now, but if he knows she’s his mate, then he will always be there to protect her. “A blessed coupling of strong wolves line.” “Or we are cursed.” He says with tears in his eyes. “Dungan?” Nell says worriedly. He pulls his daughter closer to him, and she starts to cry and stomp at the separation. Nell ears pick up movement heading to the garden. “Someone is coming.” “I wanted to warn you that another m******e is being planned. I’ll try to save as many as I can, but if you don’t leave soon, I will not be able to reach you in time.” His brother says with his wolf whimpering behind him. “My little Delia don’t cry. I promise we will meet again.” Delia? His light warrior? He must have seen her potential when he saw his vision of her in the future. The gods will give you a glimpse of the future with your mate when you first meet. But, he’s right they are either a blessed or a cursed coupling. A warrior of light mated to a child of nightmares. His presence vanishes, and Nell barely has time to acknowledge his departure. He pulls his daughter close to him, “You can never tell anyone about his visit, little Delia. You would put your nadar in danger.” “Nadar, like you and mother?” The little girl asks. “Yes.” He says when he sees the Queen walk into the garden.