The Chronicles of Moon

Truth and Lies

Moon grips Colin’s hand as Caleb smiles menacingly. It seems to her that he is a pathetic and sad version of Colin. He had everything Colin never had and wanted so much, yet he is cold and twisted. While she can see his every emotion in his eyes, they are somehow hard and unfeeling as well. How can someone be as cruel as Caleb? Even when Colin tries to hide his feelings, nothing about him is as cold as this man.

“You know it would be much easier to have a pleasant conversation if I weren’t hanging from the ceiling.” Caleb takes his eyes off Moon for the first time in several long moments to look at his stoic brother.

“Not going to happen,” Colin growls.

“Well, I would hate to forget something or black out again. But if you don’t mind not getting all your answers, then.” Caleb sneers.

“Just tell us what happened to Callie before we leave, and you rot down here.” Moon orders and Colin is impressed by the force in her voice. Caleb flinches from it. He is starting to break, whatever it was that was protecting him before from her powers seems to be fading now.

“Awe, sweet Callie. You know she adored Colin more than anyone. I hated that my twin sis could love him more than me, but she always did. She was just as bad as our mother always begging for dad to treat him better and see how hard he tries for him. Dad knew better. He knew I was the better one of us.” Caleb glares hatefully at Colin, who stands tall and blank, refusing to let anything he says affect him, but Moon can feel what he feels now more and more. She can tell how much things hurt him. She glares back at Caleb.

“Get to the point of what happened that night!” She orders, and again he flinches.

“Fine!” He yells back, “I did it! Sweet Callie came to find us in the woods. She thought I was going to do something to Colin, and she was right; I was going to kill him that night. When she showed up, I had gotten him angry, and he was going to fight me, but she saw Dalton and the others in the trees ready to attack him. She screamed, and I knew she was going to run for help. Colin thought he frightened her and went to find her, but Dalton got to her first on my order. I chased after her as well and caught up with Dalton and her just in time to see him clawing at her. She tried to fight him off and got out of his jaws, but she was bleeding so much.

She jumped from the cliff. Colin, you know that cliff. The one we dared you to jump from? The water is a good fifty feet down, and you broke your arm doing it. Well, she jumped from there. We searched the water most of the night, but all we found was her ripped dress. She must have been swept downstream, but Dalton never could find her body. We found you, and it was easy to cover you in her blood that was all over Dalton. You made it almost too easy to frame you for it.”

Did you know Callie was seeing someone? She went to the woods all the time. I followed her once, and she was meeting a man. I didn’t think our innocent little sis could do that sneaking around. I mean, she was always so good and never did anything to upset dear old dad. He would have been so mad if he knew about it.” Colin is starting to ramble a bit now, but Moon hangs on every word.”

“You killed Callie.” Colin is tense, his eyes dark as he starts letting Farrell have control to do as he likes with Caleb.

“Wait.” Moon breathes next to him. He pauses, and she moves closer to the door. “What did the man look like?”

“He looked like any man. Tall, long blond hair. Regular creep.” Caleb rolls his unswollen eye.

“She didn’t die in the fall. She lived.” Moon announces. She turns to Colin, and he looks at her trying to understand what she knows or how she can know it.

“She was in love with Helios. She was meeting him. Bella is their child. She didn’t die.” Moon tells Colin, and his eyes go wide. Bella is Callie’s daughter. Then how was she left for another pack, Alpha and Luna, to raise? Why isn’t she with her real parents?

We need to talk to Helios again. Kiara interjects, just as shocked as Colin looks.

Yes, we do. Moon replies, feeling angry for not being told sooner. The gods are still keeping things from her.

***

Moon and Colin left Caleb, and the noxious smell of the cells returning upstairs. Colin is tense as they enter his office. If he had been alone, the office furniture wouldn’t be safe from him. As soon as the door is closed and they are alone, Moon does what she does best. She hurls herself at Colin wrapping her arms around his neck as he catches hold of her around the waist holding her close. He breathes her in, and she can feel his tense, shaking muscles relax ever so slightly.

“I didn’t do it.” He exhales, sinking in Moon’s tight embrace. “I didn’t hurt her but then what happened to her?” he pulls back to look at her face. “How is she Bella’s mother, and how do you know that?”

Moon tells him about the only part she left out when she was lost in the woods recovering her memories. She didn’t think it was necessary at the time, but clearly, she was wrong. He clenches his jaw as he listens.

“Why didn’t he just tell you this last night? Why keep this information from you? Why don’t they ever tell us everything at once?” he spits through clenched teeth.

“I wish I knew, but I would like to find out.” Moon is as angry as Colin. Being kept in the dark is getting old, but she doubts it will change any time soon.

“I didn’t tell you because you never asked me.” Helios turns in the office chair sitting there again looking far to comfortable. Colin growls, and Moon thinks he might lunge at Helios for a moment. “do you want to attack me or hear what happened?”

“I’m trying to make up my mind on that.” Colin hisses.

“Why don’t you tell us. Caleb doesn’t know what happened after she fell. Why didn’t you punish them for what they did to her?” Moon asks, trying hard to remain calm.

“She asked me not to hurt her twin. She was far too kindhearted, but I couldn’t deny her what she asked of me. She was happy to finally be free of your brother and father. She didn’t want anyone to know she was alive. She didn’t know you had been blamed for her death though.

“I found her after she fell and was able to help her. We had met a few times, and I loved her more than I have ever loved another. She was so gentle and kind.” Helios looks sad and lost in memories for a moment. “When she got pregnant, she was thrilled, but I worried. I knew not everyone would be so happy about the baby. Shortly after the child was born, I had to go and deal with some things in my world.

“When I returned, Callie was gone. I don’t know what happened, and when I found the baby, she had been left for a Luna to find. I was so angry I wanted to burn the pack down, thinking they had something to do with Callie going missing, but Selene stopped me. She assured me it wasn’t them. She has been helping me look for her, but I don’t know if she is even alive. I believe she is, but that could just be the hope of a broken heart. Now you know, does it really change anything? Will you love Bella more now, knowing she is Callie’s daughter? You had nothing to do with her supposed death, which should be enough for you. Now live your life. Do what you are meant to do, fix your world, and I will look for her in mine. “

Helios is right there. Knowing Bella is related to Callie doesn’t make them love her more than they already do, but it is comforting to Colin to know a part of his sister is with him.

“What did Callie call Bella?” Colin asks softly.

“Nora.” He replies in a low voice laced with love and loss. “Now you two have a lot of work to do, and aren’t there Alphas or whatever coming here in just a couple of days for a ceremony and pack joining?” Helios raises a brow, and Moon gasps. That is still happening, isn’t it? Now it needs to happen now more than ever.