Chapter 12
It's not how we make mistakes, but how we correct them that defines us. By: Rachael Wolchin
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That Mark
Dante
Nothingness, darkness, guilt, and shame.
That's all I've been consumed with, and appearing even worse than how I'm actually feeling. It's been a week since Achilles ceremony and two days since it's been confirmed that Destiny is indeed my child. But how can I acknowledge her when I didn't even claim her mother?
I don't deserve Destiny. I know, I don't. I see the raw hatred, anger, sorrow, and pain all in her eyes whenever we manage to glance at each other. It's clear as day, she loathes me.
"Honey. There's a woman on the phone who wants to speak with you," Anna announced, knocking lightly as she steps inside my office timidly causing me to sigh. I yearn for her not to fear me, especially not right now when I'm in need of her strength.
"Alpha DeLuca speaking," I stated, once I picked up the office phone.
"Alpha DeLuca," a feminine voice replied. "My name is Sara Lightwood, and I'm humbly asking you to grant a conference with any and every one whom Destiny has been close in contact with since the time she has been in Rosewood," the woman demanded
Who the hell is this woman!
"What do you want with my daughter?" I sneered defensively, as she chuckles lightly on the other end.
"So, you now know. Good! Get the people together, including Destiny herself. I'll be there within the next five hours or so and I expect everyone there by the time I get there," she declared, hanging up.
Anna looks at me questioningly and I repeat what this Sara woman had said.
"We must invite everyone who's in contact with Destiny before this Sara woman comes,” Anna urges. “I don't know who she thinks she is, but it's obvious somethings up." She quickly adds.
“Some woman just calls out of the blue demanding a meeting with my daughter and you expect me to grant her wish?” I retort, sarcastically.
“Dante, this woman knows Destiny since she clearly knew that you are her father. Plus, it seems important if she's asking for everyone that has close connections with her," Anna says softly.
“I'm not anyone's favorite person right now,” I mumbled. Getting together Destiny's little group will be a challenge.
“I can help you with that,” she offered and I smiled feeling a bit better.
Tsk. Well then, it's best I get started right now.
~❤~
"Why are we here Dante, are you even listening to what I'm saying?" Cammy snapped at me and at times, I wonder if she'll ever forgive me for what happened with Maureen.
It took me a good two hours to get them all here. And by them, I mean the Tyler kid and his dad, The Parker's, Graham's and even the Steele's—who I'm surprised are even involved with Destiny.
"Just wait. You'll find out a little later," I say, dismissively.
"I must say, I'm in agreement with the traitor," my mother says, making teeth grind together.
"You weren't fucking invited mother!" I sneered, my canines come bearing out, making her shrink back in fear and avert her gaze away from me.
"Well then, now I know for sure where and whom that girl gets her nasty temper from," a voice says, snickering.
We all turn around to see an elderly, yet a stern woman with long flowing grey hair. She's slender and approximately 5'6 give or take, fierce-looking blue eyes and her aura is of power. My mother pales when she sees who it is, but before we can ask, Demon comes running up to her, excitedly wagging his tail.
"Hey boy. I missed you too" she coos at the dog, kissing him.
"DEMON! For christ's sake, you can't just keep running into people's houses like a bat out of hell, you little fu..." Destiny's voice growled, but she didn't finish once she saw who Demon had run off to as she speeds walks into the woman's embrace.
"Grandma Sara! You're really here," Destiny says softly. Then I see tears running down the corner of her beautiful face, only for her to break out into sobs.
"It's okay baby girl. It's okay," Sara keeps soothing her reassuringly. It takes a few moments for Destiny to calm down and for the first time, I see her natural silver eye iris.
Once Destiny calms down, it seems to dawn upon her that they weren't alone as she takes a real good look at her surroundings. The moment those eyes land on me, I see the anger and it comes off her in waves. What happens next shocks the hell out of everyone, besides Tyler and Sara.
"You, what the hell are you doing here?!" She growled as we see her canines.
Bloody hell!!!
Her power is so crippling, it brings us down to our knees except for Sara. Sara's hands begin to glow and she grabs onto Destiny's necklace and immediately, her eyes roll into the back of her head and she goes down—Demon catching her fall with a whine.
What the hell was that?
"She's a hybrid? OH, MY GODDESS, she's a HYBRID," my mother whispers before getting hysterical. So fucking annoying.
"Little girl. It's best if you shut the hell up before I do," a calm yet deadly Sara ordered my mother and by the goddess, she shuts up.
“What's wrong with her?” I questioned.
“Place her on the couch,” Sara demanded, without answering my question.
‘Don't you dare argue, do as she says.’ My mother mindlinks, glaring at me.
I want to ask her why she's so scared of this woman but I'm mentally blocked from our link.
Destiny's been out for a while which is good. It gives us time to process the fact that she's a healthy hybrid.
A hybrid.
I have a child, who’s something this world has never seen before. It's rare for hybrids to be conceived much less to develop properly in order to survive. Yet, here lies my daughter.
"So I'm guessing, you know," Sara says, referring to Tyler and he nods. "Hmm. I figured. You were the last to submit when she lost control," she mumbled.
We're all on edge and no one wants to ask her questions. She chuckles.
"Bridgette, you vindictive power-hungry snake. Why don't you tell your son, who am I. Hmm?"
"S... S... Sara Lightwood, a former member of the Crystal Covenant," my mother replied, stumbling over her words. And both Cammy and Jenny appeared almost as frightened as my mother.
"No need to look so grim. Let's just all wait for Destiny to wake up. After all, it's why we're all here.” Sara suggested as we all get comfortable.
~❤~
A groan is heard from where Destiny lays. "Tyler," she mumbles, causing the young alpha-to-be to rush by her side in no time.
"Hey beautiful, you're awake. You know, it's not good manners to keep guests waiting," he teased.
Blinking, Destiny opens her eyes and stares at Tyler in confusion until recognition flashes on her face. Then it starts to come back to her.
"Well, princess. You took your precious time waking up. Why don't you explain what happened?" Sara asked softly. Taking a huge breath, Destiny begins criticizing.
"Why am I here grandma Sara. More specifically, why is he here?" she sneered bitterly and the feeling of dejection stabs at my heart.
A loud slap echoes, as the room becomes painfully still. No one moved, no one dared to even breathe. "Destiny Edith Hawthorne, you will show some respect! I refuse to let you dishonor your mother's upbringing. Now, girl, you sit your hot-headed ass down so we can figure out why you're losing control again," Sara scolds and to our freaking surprise, Destiny calms down and obeys.
"Wait. What do you mean by losing control again?" I ask.
"That is for another time," Sara replied, and Destiny let out a grateful breath.
"Now Destiny. Explain yourself," Sara demands. Sighing, Destiny gets up and lifts up her shirt.
Holy shit! Not only does Destiny bears the mark, but she also bears an imprint that hasn't been seen in my family in years.
"Impossible."
"Shit!"
"Fuck."
We all say at the same time.
How's that possible? The last DeLuca who bore that imprint was my grandfather, Darren, and he was the strongest of all the DeLuca's in history. How does my own daughter bear it and not my sons?
"How long since it evolved," Sara whispered.
Sighing, Destiny replies. "It started a few weeks ago, but it's been this way since last week."
"They'll be coming for you," Sara stated sadly, and Destiny smirks almost sadistically.
"I look forward to it," she answered back with no emotion in her almost hollow-silver eyes.
We all stare at each other in question. Who the hell is "they".
But whoever they are, they had better stay the hell away from my daughter if they know what's best for them. I thought.
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Hope you enjoyed this chapter, until then.