chapter 7
Roman
Scarlet and the boys have been gone for two days now and I hate it. I haven’t seen or heard anything about the guy in the woods and everyday my family is gone the more my anger rises. As I sit in my office with Josh I get a call. In a hurry I pick it up ignoring Josh. “Hello?” I answer.
“Hi.” I hear Scarlet’s voice whisper.
“Hey baby. What’s wrong?” I ask, hearing the faint sound of her crying.
“M-my mom just told me some pretty big news.” She tells me.
“What is it?” I spin around in my chair so I’m not facing Josh anymore.
“I-I was adopted Roman, they’re not really my parents.” Scarlet sobs. “A-and she thinks that’s why Parker and Lacey are so close.”
“What does that mean?” I ask.
“She thinks they’re mates. Since Parker’s wolf is already with him she thinks he can feel the bond between them and it’s making him so cuddly already.” I can hear the tiredness in Scarlet’s voice.
“I’m so sorry this is happening to you Scar. We always knew Parker was fast developing and there’s never really been a resemblance between your and your parents.” I comment.
“Thanks Roman, that really helps.” Scarlet says sarcastically but I can hear her laughing a little.
“I’m here all night.” I joke. Now she really laughs. “Look Scar, I’m sorry this is happening to you. If you want, you can come home and we can talk about everything.”
“No, I need to stay here. Maybe find something about my real parents. Plus Parker really needs this time with his grandparents. If he’ll ever leave Lacey.” She laughs. “Hey! No! Lilly, put Parker down. No you can not throw him in the pool! I said no!” There’s a long pause. “I have to go Roman, the kids are going crazy. But I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Oh text me if you find anything on the guy outside. Love you!”
“Love you too.” With that she hangs up and I turn back around to face Josh.
“Wow. Talk about crazy.” He laughs. I laugh with him. “Well I’m headed out. Bella wants me home early tonight. Jack’s autism is really getting to her.” I pat his back.
“You’ll get through it. You two are strong.” He gives me a small smile and leaves. I lay my head on my chair and look at the ceiling. A bunch of glow in the dark stars stick to the ceiling long without glowing. Scarlet put them up there the first day I brought her to my pack. She always loved stars and anything solar so to make her feel more at home I let her stick some up there. I never got around to taking them off but as time went on I grew to love them. A constant reminder of my mate and love.
Turning off all the lights I head home. As I run through the woods letting my black paws sink into the earth I see a man right off the edge of my property right next to my house. When he sees me he runs. I chase after him, jumping over logs and dodging tall trees. He jerks right but I follow and nearly bite his tail. I let out a thunderous growl warning him to stop but he doesn’t. Finally he makes a small move that slows him down just enough I manage to bite the back of his leg. We tumble across the earth until we hit a tree. Together we shift back into ourselves, me on top pinning him to the ground. “Who are you!” I growl.
“Please! I’m not here to harm anyone. I just wanted to see Scarlet.” He tells me.
“Why?” I push him harder into the ground.
“I-I’m Henry, her father!” He cries. Shocked, I let go of him, standing. He stands with me.
“Scarlet only just found out she was adopted.” I tell him.
“I was planning on showing up sooner but when I got here and saw she already had a family I decided I didn’t need to. But then I changed my mind. All I want is to meet my daughter. Please, let me see her.” He pleads.
“She’s not here. She took the boys to their grandparents house until I could track you down. We thought you were a threat so she left.” I growl.
“The boys?” He asks. I nod.
“Parker and the twins Jasper and Jonah. Our kids.” I tell him.
“I was only aware of one. Last time I was here there was only one.” He comments.
“The twins are only a month old. You probably saw Parker. He’s three.” I explain. Henry smiles to himself.
“I’m a grandpa.” He whispers to himself. This pisses me off. Without a second thought I push him up against a tree.
“You are nothing to Scarlet or our kids. You left Scarlet so you left every part of her. You don;t get to come back now.” I yell. Henry shrinks backwards.
“I know you think I just left her on a whim but I promise you there’s a lot more to it than that.” He whispers. I’m quiet for a long moment.
“I’m going to let you come to my house. I’m going to get us some clothes and then you’re going to sit at the table and tell me everything. Why you left, why you’re just now coming back, everything.” I tell him. “And then I’ll decide if I’ll let you stay or not.” Hery nods and I let him go. Without a word I turn and started walking back to the house. Henry follows and when we get to the house does exactly what I told him to do. Sitting in the chair I got for him he starts.
“25 years ago Scarlet’s mother and I met and found that we were mates. Scarlett’s mother was unlike any other she-wolf I had ever seen. Her motherly instincts were strong and her love for any pup stronger. 3 years went by before we finally got our pup. A girl. But at that time our Alpha was cruel and wanted only male pups to be born so he would have the strongest pack. Any female born was to be taken from the parents and raised by the Alpha himself so he could breed with them when they were old enough. My mate Athena could not bear to see our first pup go to him or any pup for that matter so she made me leave with our pup.” Henry chokes back on his years. “I ran as far as I could and finally saw a house with it’s lights still on. I peeked through the window and saw a family. Two loving parents and a daughter who looked a little lonely. I decided they would be perfect for my daughter so I left her on the porch with the note my mate gave me to leave with her.” Henry goes silent and for a moment I think he’s done but he continues again. “When I got back to my pack my house was trashed and Athens was nowhere to be found. Soon though my Alpha held a pack meeting. Everyone had to go so in my state of depression I went. What I saw there was horrible. Every Female born within the last 18 years, all there, chains around them, wearing barely any clothes. Some were even pregnant. But the worst thing I saw was my mate’s head hanging on the wall like a trophy. I ran from the pack and never turned back. I thought about taking my daughter back and raising her but decided she would be safer there than with me.” He finally finishes and I am at a loss of words.
“Who is your Alpha?” I asks. Henry doesn’t look at me.
“Alpha Myers of fallen hill pack.” He whispers.
“That pack went crazy after their Alpha died. Know one could decide who was going to be their next Alpha because he had too many sons born around the same time. It ruined them and they all fled. The territory is now owned by my enemy Alpha Cole of Fang hill.” I tell him, astonished. “Why didn’t anyone go to the elders about him?”
“He had the elders wrapped around his fingers like candy. They all loved him. Anytime someone did get the courage to go to then they never came back.” Henry shakes his head in disgust. “Look Alpha Norwood, I know I’ll never get to be Scarlet’s father but I do want to at least meet her. Tell her why we did what we did. Explain that she was loved and that if we could have we never would have let her go. That’s all I want. Please, just let me stay in your pack and get to know my daughter.” He pleads. I think for a moment. How would this affect Scarlet? Our kids? Would they hate me for putting them in this kind of situation? So many questions swim through my head until I finally come to a conclusion.
“I’ll let you stay and become a member of my pack. But if Scarlet decides to push you away and not want anything to do with you, you’re out by sunrise.” I tell him. Henry stands and shakes my hand.
“Thank you Alpha. Thank you so so much.” He exclaims. I nod.
“Jonathan!” I yell. In seconds Jonathan my Gamma appears.
“Yes Alpha?” He asks.
“Take Henry here to one of our free cabins and order him some new clothes. He’s a new member of our pack and I want him to feel welcomed.” I order him. He nods and motions for Henry to follow him. With one final nod toward me they both disappear and I’m left only with my swarming thoughts.
And there you have it! Scarlet's true past!