“Yet, you turned your back on Grace when her parents died,” Artur said bluntly that Amy paled.
Steve growled, “Artur.”
Amy shook her head as she said quietly, “He is right, but I did not have a lot say in the matter. My father had forbid me to go anywhere near Grace’s house. He seemed to relish the thought that her father was considered a traitor.”
“He was jealous,” Ted said, and all heads whipped around to where he stood.
“What did he have to be jealous of Grace’s dad for,” Artur asked with a frown.
“Troy was getting the Alpha’s attention just by being who he was,” Ted explained, “You see, Amy was right about Troy. He was a quiet man; he never boasted about his abilities although Tomas sensed he had a lot, and he never seemed to follow trouble. Some assumed he was a rogue because he was a loner wolf, but Tomas always thought that he was a loner wolf because he lost his pack. Troy never opened up about his past so everything was speculation. Troy, though, was kindhearted person although he had a bad temper, and when he got mad, you would want to get out of his way. His daughter has the same temper although she has a better reign on hers due I think to her mother’s influence. Troy adored Alyssa, Grace’s mother, and that was surprising considering how much they try to deny each other. When Grace was born, you could not have seen a prouder dad.”
Steve sat next to Amy where he put his arm around her, “Sounds like you knew them pretty well.”
Ted walked over to the kitchen counter, and lifted himself up on one of the stools, “Better than most here, but they still kept mostly to themselves. I think Grace knows more about her mom and dad now than anyone else in this pack.”
“How about her mom,” Ace asked taking a sip of his drink as Susan laid her head on his shoulder.
Ted smiled, “Alyssa was a sweet girl, although I sensed she had a troubled life. She arrived here when she was eighteen years old and looking for work. Tomas had just become Alpha at that time, and did not know what to do about a young unmated female in his territory. His father suggested that she be allowed to stay, and she stayed with the pack doctor at the time. He trained her in helping him in his practice, and she become damn good at it. In fact, she met Troy at my restaurant because a fight broke out while he had been dining and he helped me break it up. Of course, for his troubles, one of the individuals broke a bottle over his head. One look from him, and the man sat down in his chair and did not move for the rest of his visit. I always remember that when I think about him for some reason, and it has always made me think that he had some Alpha in him. I had seen him do other things that made me think the same thing, but he said nothing then the feeling would disappear.”
Amy frowned as she said hesitating, “I wondered why he let my dad win when they had that mock fight.”
Ted looked at her saying, “You think he let your dad win?”
Amy nodded her head, “This was after I saw him fight in the forest, and his fighting was different as if he was not really trying, merely going through the motions.”
Ted sighed, “He probably was then because he did not want to attract any attention, and I am sure that Alyssa knew the truth.”
Artur sipped his beer as he thought about what they were being told, and then asked, “So why was he named as the traitor?”
Amy frown became troubled as Ted said with anger, “Because the leader of the rogues, when he notified Tomas requested the presence of Troy. Shane and Amy’s dad, Grant, pounced on that to make everyone suspect that Troy was a traitor.”
“Shane,” Amy, Steve, and Artur said at the same time.
Ted looked at them, and then he explained, “Shane had lusted after Alyssa the moment he saw her although he had a mate, and she did not give him the time of day. He thought no one knew how he lusted after her, and would stalk her, but the old pack doctor and I knew so we kept an eye on her, or someone was always around her that he kept his distance. When Troy showed up, and Alyssa was attracted to him from the beginning, Shane had been pissed. He had liked the fact that they tried to keep their distance and deny the attraction although he got a little impatient.”
At his or her questioning looks, he explained, “One day, he try to make a pass at Alyssa where he thought no one was paying attention. Troy, Sean, and I were in the office at the time talking when we heard Alyssa’s cry, and Troy was the first one out the door. I never saw anyone run so fast especially in human form before but when we arrived, Sean was lying on the ground, and Troy was holding Alyssa in his arms. He did not say a word to Shane, but just looked at him. In that look alone, I felt the hairs on my arm stand on end. Shane got up to his feet, dusted himself off, and walked away. Yet, Sean swears that he saw Shane’s legs shaking as he walked away. We thought that he hit him, but Alyssa said that he just threw him to the ground after he arrived on the scene. There was no evidence to prove otherwise, and not even a week later, Troy and Alyssa mated. From that day on, whenever Shane came around, he always wore a look of anger and wariness. I do not think he attempted to harass Alyssa again, well not in front of Troy anyway. Something tells me that if he had, he would not be here today, and I think he knows it too.”
They were all silent for a few moments until Amy asked, “Have you heard from Grace?”
Ted shook his head as he ran his hand through his gray hair, “But I was told that she is resting comfortably and that she will be back sometime within the next month.”
“Next month,” they all exclaimed except for Artur who put down his beer bottle and walked out of the kitchen.
Ted watched him leave, and after saying goodbye, followed him out. He found him on the front porch just as Star stepped out of her car.
“Hi, Artur honey,” she called seductively as she walked up the front steps swinging her hips.
“Hi, Star,” Artur said without looking at her.
“Would you like me to keep you company tonight?” she asked running her tongue over her bottom lip.
Artur looked at her for a moment, and Ted could see the flash of disgust before he blanked his eyes, “What about Bryan?”
She laughed seductively as she said, “Bryan is visiting with his new girl at the moment.”
Artur's anger ignited as he thought about Bryan and his attitude toward the women in his life. Keeping a tight rein on his temper, he leaned down and pecked Star lightly on the lips saying, “I am sorry, Star, not tonight for I am not in the mood. I think I would be a disappointment to you tonight.”
Ted watched in amazement as Artur forced himself to blush as if embarrassed of his state. Star was already losing interest as he could not give her what she wanted now, but she smiled at him and winking said, “Another time then, Artur honey.” With that, she sashayed into the pack house.
“Very good,” Ted murmured as he stepped out of the shadows five minutes after she walked into the house.
Artur swung around at his voice, and he frowned.
Ted said, “Walk an old man to his truck.”
Artur followed him as Ted headed for his truck.
“I heard that you lost your mate a few years ago in an attack on your pack,” Ted said as he reached the driver side.
Artur nodded his head wondering why he was bringing this up. Ted looked him in the eyes, and then said before climbing into the truck, “Somehow I do not think you and your mate were very happy.”
Artur looked at him in shock as Ted closed the door of his truck.
He rolled down his window and said before he drove away, “If you ever feel like talking, come by the restaurant.”
Artur watched the truck drive away as he stood there in thought. After he could not see the taillights anymore, he walked slowly back into the house where he immediately saw Star sitting in Tucker’s lap, an unmated wolf. He shook his head as he walked up to his room.
What do you want to do, his wolf asked, and Artur had no answer for that particular question. Before he fell asleep, the only thing he knew for sure was that he would probably be t
alking to Ted Jacobs soon.
His last thought as sleep claimed him was a pair of violet eyes looking at him warily.
Chapter 6
Grace walked around the area where there stood barren land, and she wondered what it looked like when her father was 12 years old. She sunk down to the ground, and closed her eyes as she thought back to what Sean told her a few days ago.
She had woken up two days after Sean had brought her to the house starving, and feeling so much better that her eyes glowed. Sean and his wife made her right at home, and for a week she did nothing but helped his wife in the garden, cook dinner, and relax reading a book or talking with Sean about something when he was home. It was going into the second week when Sean had asked her to come to the study after dinner, and with one look at his wife, she knew it was something important.
“I found it,” he had said quietly when she had sat down in the chair across from his desk. She had paled at that for she understood what he meant. Two years ago, when she helped a young woman kidnapped by a possessive ex-boyfriend, there was a comment about the “Fire Blood Pack”. At the mention of her father’s pack, she had immediately asked Sean for help in finding out some information. She had thought that there was nothing to find, as he never contacted her.
“Is it bad,” she had asked in a quieter voice.
Sean had looked at her with sad eyes as he said, “From what I can gather, your father was right in his diary to you and the entire Fire Blood Pack was slaughtered leaving no one alive. I also discovered that there had been a massive search at the time for a young boy around 12 years old, your father’s age after the slaughter. It seems that the leader had been pissed when he discovered that they missed the boy.”
“Are you sure that my father was that boy?” Grace asked, and not because she did not believe her father’s own words. She needed to make sure that she had the right pack before she decided anything else.
Sean understood as he said, “I checked and rechecked from those who knew the pack but they were only able to describe your father accurately at the age of 12. If that was the only thing to go by, then I would have second thoughts, but one old woman who I talked to said that she remembered something else about the young lad. On his right side, midway under his armpit, there was an odd-looking scar. She said that to her it looked like a bolt of lightning although she knew that it was from an attack that happened when the boy turned ten, and some rogues tried to kidnap him.”
Grace gasped at this information for she knew what scar the woman was talking about as she had seen it once herself.
Sean nodded his head, as he continued, “I remembered that scar when your father came for his physical because I thought it looked like a lightning bolt too. In addition, I remembered your dad explaining when he was younger, rogues tried to kidnap him although he never explained how he escaped or their reason behind the attempt. According to the old woman, your father fought them off until his father arrived. It seems that even at a young age, your father was a strong individual and it was rumored that he would be even stronger when he shifted, and became Alpha of his pack.”
Grace’s eyes widened at that as she asked, “Is that why his entire pack was slaughtered, just to stop him from becoming Alpha?”
Sean shook his head as he said honestly, “I do not know. From what I gathered, nobody knows why a group of rogues attacked and slaughtered the pack. The pack stayed out of trouble among the other packs unless otherwise provoked for the pack could be fearsome when needed to be. There had been some trouble over the eldest daughter as it seemed that your father’s sister was being stalked by an obsessed wolf, and the day of the slaughter was the day of her mating celebration along with your father’s birthday.”
Grace frowned at that, and she sat there in silence until Sean said, “I have the location of where your father’s pack once was located. Would you like to have the location?”
Grace had looked up at Sean, and she knew that she wanted to visit her father’s birthplace for the first time.
Two days later, she had ridden away on her motorcycle promising to stop back by before heading home.
Now, here she sat on the land that her father once called home. She opened her eyes to look at the empty land as someone called out harshly, “You are on private property.”
Grace turned her head to see an older male with piercing blue eyes, and Grace immediately calmed her wolf for she sensed evil in the man.
Grace got to her feet, and she made sure to do it clumsy and watched as the man smirked at her.
“I apologize, sir,” she said, “I was merely exploring and got tired so I thought I would sit down, and rest for a moment.”
He glared at her, and said icily, "This is my land and I want you to leave. I have someone coming to look at the land, and I do not want anyone around when she comes to see it.”
“Of course, sir,” she said, and with a nod, she walked away. She wondered how he got the deed for the land, as her grandfather would have held the deed, and it would have passed down to his son.
“Old coot,” a voice muttered as Grace passed by, and she glanced over to see an older woman with a cane and she glanced at Grace before trotting over to her.
“You look familiar, my child,” she said scrutinizing her.
Grace smiled as she said, “I am just passing through. I have never been here before, ma’am.”
She nodded her head and Grace saw sadness in them as the woman exclaimed, “For a moment, I thought I saw my young master Troy in your eyes, but that is not possible. He died years ago after the slaughter of his family. He was brave, my poor lad, but so young to be left on his own. I was not a true member of his pack you see, but his father and mother trusted me, and so I would watch their little hellion for them when they needed someone.” She laughed suddenly and Grace could see the memories she was thinking about reflected in her eyes.
Grace swallowed the questions she wanted to ask, and asked, “You called him an old coot, why?”
The woman frowned as she refocused her attention, and Grace could see that the old woman would not have much longer to live maybe a couple months at the most as she croaked, “The young master’s father had not been too long buried when he bought the land. Although how he did that when the deed for the land was in another's name, left people guessing at what he did. He has not been able to sell the land though because they saw it is cursed, and I believe it is.” She laughed with glee at this, and Grace could not help laughing with her that the old woman looked at her again with wide eyes.
“Grandma, you know you should not be out here,” a voice scowled her, and Grace turned to see a man with a little girl on his hip as he walked over to them.
“I am sorry that she bothered you,” he said smiling, and Grace could see the wariness in his eyes. She smiled politely as she waved her hand at the little girl who tucked her head into her father’s shoulder and smiled at her shyly.
“That is okay, she did not bother me,” Grace assured the man.
The man sighed as he confided in Grace, “She walks over here every week although how she travels the distance we can never be sure for we live way across on the other side of town. She loves the area, said it was a happy time when the pack that lived here was alive. I don’t really know about that but then again I was born about ten years after the packs slaughter.”
Grace nodded her head in understanding as he walked over to the old woman. He lightly grabbed her arm, and she turned to him with tears in her eyes. He must have understood for he said, “I know, grandma. Let’s get you home.”
“Come grandma,” the little girl said.
The woman smiled, and they led her back to the car that he parked behind Grace’s motorcycle.
Grace said aloud, “It was a pleasure to meet you” and waved goodbye to them as the young man buckled in his little girl, and then his grandmother.
Grace waited until they were at the end of the road before she contacted the old woman.
Ma’
am, do not cry for your young master lived longer after his 12th birthday. He found his mate, and had a child. He did survive that day, I should know because I am his daughter.
The old woman did not respond at first but she heard the tears, and then I knew there was something familiar about you. It is in the eyes not the same color but the look, and when you smiled, I swore I could see your father looking at me. Thank you, my dear, for telling me that he survived.
Then there was no more, and Grace knew that the old woman would live peacefully now she knew that her young master lived longer than what she had been told, or had believed.
Grace turned to take one last look at her father’s land, and then she turned to walk to her motorcycle when she heard a whisper and felt a hand on her shoulder that made her swing around fast.
Then she heard it as the wind began to speak to her: Daughter of Alpha Troy, we will avenge our deaths by the man who had it ordered. We will leave the rest to you for the one who did it will not rest until he wipes out every member of the Fire Blood Pack. You are a unique wolf in your own right, as we sense your mother and grandmother’s gift flowing through you. Be careful, our child, and remember as one of the last Fire Blood Pack members and rightful heir to the Alpha position, we are always with you.
Then the whisper stopped, and Grace glanced up to see the old man standing still as if frozen. The wind whipped around him in angry gusts, and his eyes were wide with fear. Grace did not have any sympathy for him because he had an entire pack destroyed for the land that they had resided on, and with a last look, she walked away. Getting on her motorcycle and strapping on her helmet, Grace said one thing: Thank you.
As she drove away, she heard the wind whisper back: You are welcome, and remember we shall always be with you.
Grace drove away with tears in her eyes for she figured she was always alone without a pack, but now she was a part of a pack even though the pack was long gone, she was still one of the last survivors. It was time to go home.
The Traitor's Daughter Page 5
