187 The truth of her birth I
Lyla
I’ve been called wolfless, a deviant, and every other thing all my life but never a murderer!
The word rang a hateful echo that refused to fade. My hands trembled as I clenched them into fists at my sides.
“I’ve had enough!” I cried out. My tears were flowing freely now, streaking down my calling me a murderer. I haven’t killed anyone. I am not a monster”
mother–or the
Woman
face. “Stop
I gazed at Luna Vanessa, my who I had always believed was my mother. Her expression was concealed with disdain, and her lips were pressed into a thin line. But I
wanted to try one last time. Maybe she had been so angry and had spoken out of it.
“Are you even my mother? You’ve hated me for as long as I can remember. Why? What did I ever do to you to deserve this?”
Nathan stiffened, his hand immediately reaching for me. “This isn’t the time or place, Lyla. We just need to get the joining ceremony back on track, that’s all.”
“No!” I shouted, shaking his hand off mine, as my voice rose with desperation. “We’re going to talk about this now. Tell me the truth,” I turned to Luna Vanessa again.
She rose from her seat and sauntered to where I was. Despite her unbelievably big stomach, she moved with the gait and speed of a wild cat.
“No!” she spat when she reached me. “I never wanted you in the first place. I am not your mother. I never was and I never wanted to be.
Her words hit me like physical blows, each one stealing my breath. I staggered backwards, my wedding dress rustling against the ground. “What are you saying?” I whispered. “You’re lying… you must be lying”
“Your father,” she continued, her voice dripping with bitterness, “Was on a mission when he met her met her,” She laughed, but the sound held no warmth. “He couldn’t keep it in his pants, and you were the result of that affair.
“That’s not true,” tears seeped into my mouth. I turned to face Nathan. “She’s lying right?” Nathan avoided my gaze, looking elsewhere but at me. I turned and scanned the faces of the Alphas in the room, all of them had their gazes elsewhere but me.
They all knew.
“Wow!” I laughed, hysterics already teasing at the edge of my sanity. “You all knew? Even you, Nathan. You knew I was Alpha Logan’s bastard and no one was kind enough to tell me. All these years, I’ve thought something was wrong
With me, that I was the problem, that it was my i
but to think my existence has been a lie in itself.”
“I kept quiet all these years because of your father. She showed up at our door one day, barely a
TL
LIJ.
187 The truth of her birth i
you in. I did it to keep my marriage, my home and my mate because I loved Logan so much that I was willing to raise another woman’s child and let you call me mother.”
“You could have refused!” I screeched as my chest heaved with tears. “You could have insisted. Why did you make it life’s mission to punish me all these years? Two adults came together and acted recklessly, why do I have to suffer for it, tell me?”
“Because you killed my son!” her eyes turned into hot coals as she neared me. “You killed my son, Lyla Woodland, a tear rolled down her check. “You took my joy away. How can I spare you?”
“Vanessa!” Beta Jeremy sighed. “It was a mistake. None of it was her fault. She just had her wolf, she was out of control.”
I turned to him, my eyes darting between thein as I tried to understand what they were talking
about.
“I had a wolf?” I walked to Beta Jeremy. “I don’t understand, who did I kill?”
“Why hasn’t anyone told the girl? It’s been nine years already. This is so pathetic,” one of the strange–looking men huffed. Then snapped his fingers at me, riveting my attention to him. “Listen here, Leila… when you were 14, you got your wolf and went on a rage. You attacked the Omegas in the pack house, chased the warriors and then stomped on baby Todd, your brother…”
“What!” the blood drained from my face. “L…I can’t remember.
“Of course, you won’t!” Luna Vanessa snickered. “Your witch of a mother took your memories away that is why you have no recollection.”
*Please!” Nathan rose to his feet. “That’s enough, you guys. You’re confusing her all the more. Please… let her go, we can cross–examine her another day”
“I’m afraid we do not have that luxury, Alpha Nathan, one of the men said with a satisfied smirk. “Nine years ago, when Lyla killed the Alpha heir and the rightful heir to the throne. Logan was devasted, and so was his wife, our sister. As stated in our laws, she was to be killed and sentenced to death…”
The man paused and the other man picked up from where he stopped. “But Lyla’s mother begged and managed to convince Logan somehow to spare his daughter’s life. Of course, he loved Lyla… was his favourite child back then…”
“Always ignoring Clarissa!” Luna Vanessa pitched in.
“So, he refused to allow Lyla to be killed. A petition was raised against him, and taken to the Alpha Council which is presided by the packs of the West. The presiding Alpha back then was lenient and decided to find a fair and easier means to satisfy both grieving couples.”
“Lyla would not have an inheritance in her father’s house, plus since there was no heir and no sign of another one coming because, after Todd’s birth, the pack doctors instructed her never to get pregnant again due to complications, an Alpha heir was chosen…”
“In return, after seven years, the Alpha heir would wed, Clarissa, in other to ensure the
187 The truth of her birth i
continuity of Alpha Logan’s bloodline and to keep the Alpha title in the family. Seven years passed and the treaty was not talked about or discussed. All attempts to connect with Alpha Logan proved abortive, he ignored us.”
“I don’t know whatever treaty you signed with Alpha Logan, and respectfully, I wasn’t informed. I have no intentions of marrying a woman I don’t love. You don’t understand, I love Lyla… I want to
be with her.
“My mother,” my voice cracked, as I forced the words out ignoring Nathan. “Do you have any
information about her? Is she still alive?”
A cruel smile twisted her lips as she nodded. “Your mother has been with you all this time, Lyla,” she paused as if waiting for the words to sink into my brain. “It’s Miriam.”
“Miriam?” I repeated.
She nodded. “Or is it Nanny? She’s your mother, Lyla… the slut Sigma who tried to steal my
from me.”
My knees
gave out, and this time I sank to the floor, unable to hold myself up any longer. Nanny the woman who had raised me, cared for me, loved me when no one else had was my real
mother.
“How could you?” I wailed as my heart kept breaking with equal parts heartbreak and rage. “How could you let me live in this house, thinking I didn’t belong when she was right there?”
“Because I didn’t want you to know. It was easier this way. She agreed to stay quiet, to be your disrupt our lives. She gave up her place as your mother for
Nanny, because she didn’t want to
your sake. And for mine.”
My chest was tight. Every part of my body trembled as I tried to process the additional shocking revelations coming in parts. “You lied to me, I choked out. “All of you lied to me.”
Luna Vanessa’s expression hardened once more. “What would you have done with the truth, Lyla? It wouldn’t have changed anything. You would still be a bastard, an unwanted child in this
pack.
The words pierced my heart, reopening wounds I hadn’t realized I carried. I pushed myself to my feet, though my legs were shaky, but I managed to stand.
“You’ve succeeded Mo… Luna Vanessa, I sniffed back tears. “You’ve broken me in ways I would
never mend. I hope your revenge is exactly how you wanted you waited until I had a chance to
be happy and then took the happiness away from me. All I’ve ever wanted was to feel like I belonged, like was loved. You’ve made sure I never had that.”
Luna Vanessa didn’t respond.
“Lyla, please!” Nathan came to me. “I know it’s too much to bear but, can you pause minute…”
for a
“There’s no pausing, Nathan, tears blocked my vision. “I can’t trust you… I can’t marry you…”
a waa alandad with k
187 The truth of her birth i
place…”
“If you loved me as much as you claim, you would have said something. Do you know how foolish it feels like walking around like an ignorant fool, having people laugh and snicker behind my back…”
“I know…” a tear rolled down Nathan’s cheek. “And I’m sorry. Please, Lyla… please.
I shook my head. “They’re going to make you choose, Nathan. You heard the men. Personally, I think you should do what they want you to do.”
“Lyla… please!” he tried to hold but I swatted his hand away. “Stay away from me, Nathan. I hate you!”
I turned on my heel, my chest heaving with the effort of holding back sobs.
I needed to find Nanny… I needed answers.
