Torn between Wolves & Myths (Book 2)

The door opened, but she didn’t look at the one who walked in. She didn’t need to as Malik’s smell entered her nose and told her who was walking towards her.

Somewhere in the night she had managed to drag herself from the door to her bed and she hadn’t left it since.

Her tears had dried, but her heart still ached.

There is only so much a person can take before they realize they need a shoulder to lean on, to cry on. And she knew now that was exactly what she needed as Malik appeared in her vision. She grabbed his hand and pulled him down on the bed with her. He didn’t object. He just laid down next to her and pulled her against him, resting her head on his chest. Liv gripped his shirt in her hand as she was trying to fight the tears from falling once more.

“Your mom.” Her lip quivered as she closed her eyes.

He knew her better than anyone and he had also known her mother had called her that.

His scent and warmth wrapped around her in a comforting manner.

“You never knew that she was actually calling you by your title.” She didn’t. Which makes the pain worse. Everyone had told her that her parents had kept what and who she was a secret from her to protect her. But her memories told her more and more that- even though they never told her straight to her face- they did give her small hints of the truth. They hadn’t wanted to keep her in the dark. That much was clear. Which made her hate herself for ever resenting them for keeping everything from her. They didn’t have a choice. With everything that has happened to her and that’s still going on, it was more than clear why her parents didn’t tell her. They wanted her to have a normal life.

Would it have worked if King never would have crossed their border?

No, one way or another they would have become targets. Leif was the King of the Ulfhednars after all. They wouldn’t have let him live in peace. Not because of the war.

A war that Ulf believes he started.

She needed to know his story. She needed to know why he believes that is the reason, but how?

If no one here knows he was taken prisoner and if he was alive, how would they have the answers. No the only one who has the answers is Ulf himself. Which means that she was going to have to talk to him.

Without saying a word, Liv got up from the bed and walked out of the room. Malik following her silently.

Her wounds were feeling better already thanks to the fact that more time had passed and it was morning now. They would be completely healed in the afternoon. Which made it easier for her to walk around.

Already knowing where he was she walked into the main room, making the ones occupying it look up.

“What is the Bloodcall?” She asked, her voice a little raw but better than she would have thought it would sound.

Doc blinked at her in surprise before he rounded the table and stood in front of her. “It’s a primal call. When the sisters became queens they found out that they were linked in more than just the family bond. While every family shares the blood of the ones they came from, the sisters actually had the same blood. The exact same. In normal families the child could have the same blood type as the parent, but it would still differ from the magnitude of the sisters. It was during a battle that they were separated and it was then that- through a primal panic- the sisters were able to look at the other from miles away, like they were standing right there next to the other. It just started by being able to see the other and their surroundings, until they started to experiment. Soon they could hear each other’s thoughts, and were even able to actually transport their souls to the other, making the other see an apparition who they could communicate with.” Doc explained as he leaned against the table. Her lips had parted as she had heard the one thing she had hoped for, but how she was going to be able to do that was a whole other story.

“When the sisters found their true mates and completed the bond, a part of the power that resided in the sisters was transferred to the mates, but that wasn’t the only thing, their blood changed as well. Becoming the same as that of the sisters. The Bloodcall awoke within them as well. When your father and Ulf were born the same thing happened. No one has been able to use it besides them.”

“What about Rafe?” Brandon asked as he walked into the main room. Barring his neck at Liv with a smile as a sign of respect before looking at Doc.

A low growl came from the corner of the room. Making her eyes snap to Caden who was shooting daggers at Brandon who thankfully didn’t notice it. The conversation about her scars resurfaced in her head. She slightly moved herself closer to her pack member, making Caden’s eyes snap to hers and hold them, until Doc broke the tension.

“Rafe never obtained the Bloodcall. Everyone believed that it was because he was born from the sisters mate and not her true mate. Yes, there is a difference.”

“I know. Mates are chosen and true mates are found.” Brandon said through clenched teeth. Making Liv immediately take a step towards him. Dawn had been his true mate. He immediately shook his head as he took a deep breath and gave her a small smile. Telling her that he was fine, even though they both knew that he wasn’t.

“They are.” Doc said with slight concern as he looked at Brandon.

“The fact that you have it-“ Liv looked back and met the gaze of Doc who was now looking at her. “Means that your mother was Leif’s true mate.” She swallowed, trying to removing the lump which had started to form there.

There hadn’t been doubt in her mind about that though. She had seen how her parents gravitated towards each other, but hearing it confirmed made the dulled ache in her chest flare a bit.

She cleared her throat before continuing. “You said that the sisters had been able to see the other as an apparition and were able to talk to each other.”

“Yes, but that ability had taken them years to master and they had mastered their powers. You haven’t.” Doc said immediately.

“Which means that I need to learn, fast.”

“Liv-“ She held up her hand. Silencing Doc.

“Ulf believes he is the reason for this war. Don’t you think it is vital that we know why he believes that? We are at each other’s throats when only Rafe and Lycaon know the truth.” Her eyes shifted to Caden. “You told me that Freya had not intervened when she saw my birth. She wanted me to be born, because of this war.” He clenched his jaw, but didn’t say a thing. Her eyes shifted back to Doc. “If I am to end it, in one way or another, don’t you think that we need all the information we can get? Which means that we need to know what Ulf does.”

“We do, but you are no where near strong enough to be able to learn to use the Bloodcall like that. It will drain you till you can’t go on.” Doc explained.

“Then we will work harder to have me control my powers before we attempt the Bloodcall.” She said determined.

“Liv, your powers cannot be rushed, you know that.” Doc almost begged her to listen to reason, and she did, she just didn’t accept it as the only way for things to go.

“Do I? Because last I checked I am not a normal Moonblood so you don’t actually know what I can and cannot do with my powers. I know it’s risky Doc. I do, but with Rafe now basically exclaiming that I’m his enemy now, we don’t have a choice. If we are to stay here, Rafe will have a clear shot and that means that we need to work fast.” Doc exclaimed a whining breath as he moved away from her. Everyone in the room knew that her words rang true.

“Rafe will come for me again. I know he will. So I need to be able to protect myself and the packs as best I can. Even if it wasn’t because of the Bloodcall, I need to learn fast. There is no denying that.” Doc leaned with his hands on the table as he sighed. “I know.”

“Fine, courtyard at noon.” He said before he straightened and made his way around the table again. Placing a hand on her shoulder. “Go for a run. It’ll help you and the wolf to be in the same mindset. After you return get cleaned up, eat and get ready for the first of the longest and most tiring days of your life.” She gave him a resolute nod before he walked out of the room.

“You really think this is a good idea? Your powers might be more erratic than you want them to be.” Fare asked.

“If they are anything like her, they for sure as hell will be. But that also means that she will be able to control them better.” She rolled her eyes at Brandon who gave her a smile, before he squeezed her shoulder and another low growl erupted in the room. Everyone looked at Caden who held his death stare on Brandon alone. Liv rolled her eyes as she turned to Brandon. “Ignore him, go see if Doc needs help.”

Brandon narrowed his eyes at her before he nodded and walked away.

“Go with him.” She linked to Fare and Malik who were looking at Caden with a confused gaze. They both looked at her before they followed Brandon out of the house. Heavy footsteps sounded behind her before she saw Caden exit as well and turned to go upstairs.

“What was that about?” Ben’s voice made her turn around as a sigh left her.

“Honestly, I don’t know. He’s acting weirder by the minute so who knows.”

Ben raised his eyebrows at her. “You want to elaborate on that?”

She sighed as she ran her hands over her face and started explaining. “The other day, I was asleep on the chair when I got nightmares about what happened to me in King’s pack as a kid. I woke up with him calling my name. I had been thrashing and crying and he had seen the scar between my breasts and connected the dots when I told him about what I had dreamed about. He asked me about how many I had when his demeanour changed.”

“Changed how?” Ben asked with a serious voice. She looked up finding him looking at her with furrowed brows.

“He became, almost possessive. He wanted the names of the ones who inflicted them and told me that if I didn’t tell him he would make sure to get them out of me. When I told him that Brandon had- accidently- scarred me as well as a kid, he immediately moved away from me and wanted to find him. I had to restrain him and make clear that I will kill him if he goes after Brandon which was weird since he’s an Alpha and Brandon his my pack member. Attacking him would mean attacking me.”

“Is that the only thing that happened?” Ben asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Her mind took her back to the conversation and to the things he had told her. He had wanted to attack Brandon because he had scarred her. He screamed at her that, even though he had hurt her worse, he had never left a scar on her body.

The feeling.

“Yeah-“ Ben took a few steps towards her. “I don’t know what it was, maybe it was my power or something, but before he left, the place where he touched my skin suddenly started to tingle. I know he felt it too, but he never said anything about it.”

Ben’s eyes widened a bit before he composed himself. “Was that the only time you felt it?”

“Woah, back up, do you know what the feeling was?” She asked as she clearly didn’t miss the widening of his eyes.

“Answer my question first.” Irritated she thought back and the memory of him tackling her out of the way for the bullet came back to her. The same feeling had come to her then as well. It had been dulled down but it was the same thing. Only on the places where he had touched her skin.

Ben read her face and already had his answer, as she opened her mouth to speak. “Just once, when he tackled me out of the bullets way.”

“You power is already getting stronger it seems.” She looked at him, but his face didn’t reveal anything, which proved to her that he had just lied his ass off. The feeling wasn’t from her power. It was something else. And he knew what.

“Nice try, Ben.”

He chuckled as he took a few steps closer and leaned close to her ear. “I’m not lying, píka.” He straightened as he walked to the door. “But I’m also not telling you the full truth.”