Chapter 4 - Daddy
Delilah took another deep breath. “Your mother met a man many years older than she was. She was barely an adult; just eighteen. As you know, your father was different. He was a wolf. He was of European ancestry, Scandinavian. He was tall and muscular; very stunning, with blonde hair and bright green eyes. He had emerald green eyes, just like yours.”
Boone smiled for a moment. Now he knew where he got his coloring and his build.
“When your mother found out she was pregnant with you, she went home to her parents. After giving birth, she left you with them. She abandoned you and went back to her lover, back to your father.”
“I thought she died giving birth to me,” Boone seethed. He was hurt and angry. He had been deceived by his grandparents. They had lied to him his entire life.
“About three years later, your mother had another child, a girl. She did die giving birth to Star,” Delilah revealed. “Star looked like your mom, a raven-haired beauty. She was raised by your aunt in Colorado Springs. Your grandparents never knew about her.”
“I have a sister?” Boone asked, confused and concerned. He could barely remain seated.
Delilah continued. “Star ran away when she was about sixteen, in the spring of 2012 and found her father, your father. But Star never told him who she was because she was afraid he would shun her. She had never turned wolf. Even though she was half wolf, her wolf gene was dormant. Your aunt had found a doctor who had invented a drug which could kill the wolf gene. Your father would have had Star killed had he known the truth. The shame would have been too great for a man in his position and with his reputation.”
“Who is this bastard?” Boone demanded, his patience starting to wane.
Delilah continued with her story, not answering Boone's question. “Your father was killed a few months later; in October of 2012.”
“Where is Star? Where can I find her?” Boone implored.
“Star stayed with the pack and became the lover of the man who became Alpha when you father was killed. His name was Jeremiah Roth. Star never revealed who she was or what she was. Star had a very hard life. She wanted to be someone important but with her wolf gene eliminated, she was nothing but a human. She would never be anything but Roth’s lover. She could never be his mate.”
“How do you know all this?” Boone was becoming more agitated with each revelation.
Delilah was afraid to answer Boone’s questions. She did not know how much to disclose. She finished her wine and held out the disposable plastic cup indicating she needed more fortitude, more liquid courage, to continue. Boone hated that Delilah was stalling, but he understood her apprehensions. Boone took the cup from her proffered hand and stood. After pouring Delilah another cup of wine, he finished his bottle of beer and opened another.
Boone sat in front of Delilah. So close, they were almost touching. “Who was my father?” Boone asked again, almost pleading. His voice was soft but filled with hesitation and fear.
“His name was Rafer Henrikson,” Delilah revealed, almost whispering. She looked down at the worn carpeting as she replied.
“I know him!” Boone screamed and then quickly lowered his voice. “I came across his pack back in 2010. I was only eighteen. But how do you know all of this?”
“I have been following you and your family for years. I know a lot about your family. You have many half-siblings.”
“I have more family? I have other brothers and sisters?” Boone’s eyes were wide and his body nearly trembling with excitement.
“Yes, quite a few. Your father mated with many women. Some were willing mates, some not so willing.”
Boone’s excitement quickly turned to fear and revulsion. “You mean he raped some of them?”
“As you know your father was not a nice man,” Delilah unveiled while frowning and still looking down to the floor. She had a hard time looking at Boone. Not because she was afraid of him, but because she feared he would see the sadness and pity in her eyes. And she was afraid of seeing the pain in his eyes. It would have broken her into a million pieces.
“You know who my brothers and sisters are? You know who my family is?”
“You have met one of your half sisters,” Delilah disclosed, still afraid to look at Boone.
“I have? When?” Boone nearly jumped up again.
“It was when you were in Colorado. A young girl named Rayne.”
Boone remembered thinking about a young girl the night he had the confrontation with the bikers. “I was just thinking about her the other day. She is my sister too? I did not know. Her hair was darker than mine, and her eyes were light brown. I thought she was an orphan wolf being raised by the pack. No one ever said who her father was. It was kept a secret.”
“Yes, she is your half sister,” Delilah answered succinctly not revealing the green eye connection. Of course, Boone would not have known Rayne’s eyes were only green when she turned wolf. Rayne had not yet turned wolf for the first time. She had been too young when Boone was with the pack.
“Is she okay? And where is Star?” Boone asked frantically. It was if he was ready to run from the room and head to wherever they were to find them.
“Rayne is okay. She is in Tennessee with your half-siblings and her grandfather. She has a mate and two beautiful pups. She is surrounded by lots of love.” Delilah had to pause for another large sip of wine before she continued. “Star is dead. Roth had Star killed in 2015 to get her out of the way. It was shortly before he tried to kidnap your sister Rayne to mate with. Roth was murdered the night Rayne turned eighteen by the current Alpha of the pack once ruled by your father.” Delilah omitted the current Alpha was Boone's half-nephew; his father being another of Boone's half brothers.
Boone sat there in shock. There were so many revelations. He knew nothing about any of it. His grandparents had hidden the truth from him. He actually wondered if they knew any of what Delilah was telling him. His shock turned to sadness. His sadness turned to anger.
“You have known all these years? Hell, we have been running in the same circles for nearly ten years. Why did you wait so long to tell me?” Boone demanded.
Delilah was practically in tears. She was sad about what she had told Boone. She was sad fearing Boone would hate her, even detest her. “Your life has been difficult. You were raised by your grandparents. Your grandmother is Arapaho, your grandfather a white man. Couple it with your father being a power driven asshole of a wolf. Tell me, when would have been a good time to tell you?”
“I am thirty-one years old, and I knew none of this. I have known you for ten years. You have waited ten years to tell me?!?” Boone’s anger was starting to take over his entire being.
“I was only supposed to watch over you, not reveal your secrets,” Delilah whispered as she started to cry. She could no longer hold back her tears.
Boone realized telling the story was just as hard on Delilah to tell as it was for him to hear it. And her tears overwhelmed Boone more than his own anger. Delilah's tears were more torrential than they had been earlier in the day when she had been shot; more agonizing than when Delilah thought Boone had been injured or killed in the explosion. Her tears showed her pain and her fear. Boone pulled Delilah into his arms and held her while she cried. He could feel her body shake. “I am sorry Hooxei. I really am. Please do not hate me.”
“I could never hate you,” Boone whispered as he held her and inhaled deeply. Her scent calmed him. She was his solace; a welcome balm to his aching heart. “So where do we go from here?”
“We go home to Red Mountain.”
Boone pulled back holding Delilah at arm’s length. He looked at Delilah confused.
“Red Mountain is my home too. I live on the mountain.”
Boone had so many questions swirling through his brain. But he was not sure how much more he could handle in one night. “I want to know more.”
&nb
sp; “In time, Hooxei. But tonight we sleep. It is an eight-hour drive home.”
“I will see you to your room,” Boone offered as he stood and presented Delilah, his hand. While he wanted to know more, he would not push Delilah for more information. Boone knew it would be too hard on her. And he was still trying to wrap his head around what she had already told him. He had learned more about himself in one day than he had learned in his entire life. His thoughts and emotions were all over the map. It was like a roller coaster ride that never ended. Between a headache and the heartache, he was feeling physically ill.
“Will you be able to sleep tonight?” Delilah asked as Boone as he pulled her off the floor.
“I doubt it,” Boone smirked.
“Then I will stay. The bed is big enough for both of us,” Delilah offered with her mind already made up. She did not want to be alone either. Delilah still felt abandoned by her father. She needed to feel wanted, needed. She felt so forsaken. Her heart physically hurt.
Boone’s mouth gaped in utter terror and surprise. Sure he and Delilah had known each other for ten years but today was the first day they had actually spoken to each other for more than exchanging common pleasantries. While she knew quite a bit about him, for all intents and purposes, she was a total stranger to him.
“I know this is your first time sleeping with a woman, Hooxei,” Delilah chuckled. “But I am not talking about sex. I am talking about sleeping. I have a feeling you need someone with you tonight. I cannot protect you from falling asleep while driving home tomorrow. But I can provide you comfort tonight. We both need to sleep.”
“Why do you call me Hooxei?”
“It is who you are. It is what you are. Plus it is a beautiful name.”
“So what do I call you? Angel?” Boone asked.
“I am so not an Angel?” Delilah laughed through her bloodshot and swollen eyes.
“Then what are you?”
“In time, Hooxei,” Delilah smiled.
Boone removed his shirt, revealing his muscular torso and arms. He excused himself and went into the bathroom. When Boone returned, he found Delilah already in bed, wearing the shirt he had just removed. He looked at her surprised. He had never shared a bed with a woman nor have one wear his shirt.
“It smells like you, Wolf and strawberries,” Delilah giggled wrapping her arms around herself. “It is quite an alluring combination.”
Boone wasn’t sure whether to be insulted or to laugh. “I smell like strawberries?”
“To me you do.”
“You smell like fresh honey. You taste like it too,” Boone confessed as his face turned bright red with embarrassment.
“It must be all the wine I drink. Daddy makes it with honey.”
“Your father weaves rope and makes his own wine,” Boone mused. “You need to tell me more about this guy.”
“In time, Hooxei,” Delilah smiled.
“In time, Hooxei,” Boone mocked trying to feign a humorous tone. “You need a new line, Angel.”
“Climb in,” Delilah laughed watching Boone’s apprehensions. Boone moved to the far side of the bed and gingerly crawled under the covers while staying as far away from Delilah as possible.
“Are you sleeping with your pants on?” Delilah smirked as if laughing at Boone’s shyness.
“Maybe,” Boone blushed.
“I don’t bite,” Delilah laughed. “That is your territory.”
Boone turned off the overhead light and then removed his pants while still hidden under the bedding. “Better?” Boone asked.
“Boxers or briefs?” Delilah asked, amused.
“You really like this, don't you?” His tone showed he was a bit annoyed and embarrassed.
“All in good fun my strawberry wolf,” Delilah giggled.
Delilah curled up lying on her side looking at Boone. The faint light coming into the room from the neon signs outside made his green eyes glow. Boone stared at the ceiling. He could not relax. First, there was a beautiful woman in the bed next to him, and second, his mind was still swimming from everything he had learned about his family. The truths and the lies swirling together like a giant and dangerous whirlpool. It made his head spin. It made him dizzy and nauseous.
“Take my hand,” Delilah whispered. She moved her hand closer to Boone. Reluctantly he took it. “Now close your eyes.”
Boone closed his eyes. But feeling the warmth of Delilah’s hand intertwined with his caused his heart to flutter. Barely audible Delilah started singing a lullaby in French. Boone did not understand the words, but he found it soothing and relaxing. Finally, Boone succumbed to sleep.
Red Wolf Page 6
