“You two were supposed to protect her!” Garrett’s voice sharp with rage, jostled me awake.
“What did you expect us to do?” Alec snarled, “You might’ve tied her up and locked her away, but we’d never. We protected her with everything we had, which is more than you’ve ever done.”
“Yes. I would’ve locked her away, boy.” Garrett all but shouted. The anger in his voice ebbed and flowed, and I found myself listening intently when his voice cracked. “My own daughter, a white wolf. Can you possibly understand the danger this will put her in? You both are nothing more than children. Children playing at being an Alpha.”

“Do not overstep your authority here, Garrett.” Kade’s voice was cold, colder than I had ever heard it before. It sent a trickle of fear down my spine, and I found myself worried for Garrett. I could feel Kade’s anger like it was my own, and tasted that metallic tinge on my tongue. “While you may be her father, we are her mates. You are in our pack, and you will treat us with respect. Children or not, we can demolish your pack.”
“All of us understand the danger she is in, Garrett. She is your daughter. Show some compassion. We can’t just lock her away and hope the world forgets.” I recognized the voice of Alec and Kade’s Father. “Now that the world knows, word will spread. All we can do is work together to keep her safe. Do you think you could put aside your differences and do that for Aurora?”

“I will never agree with the position your children hold in my daughter’s life—but, yes. For Aurora, I will.” Garrett paused for a moment, then replied. He sounded resigned, but also worried.
Garrett was not the father figure I had pictured for myself, but I was beginning to understand him better. Feeling his emotions, it gave me more insight than I had ever had before. Where I once resented him—hated him, even; I now understood.
Garrett cared in his own way. Yes, it might be superficial and based on my position in his pack, but he cared nonetheless. He was worried, terrified even that this would be used against me. While fear, worry, and anxiety rolled through him in waves, I could feel his pride. He was proud a white wolf had come from him, that one lived within his family.
“You do not seem surprised about this revelation, Julian.” Alec pointed out.
Alec’s words had me focusing on Julian. As his emotions washed over me, my entire body stiffened and my eyes snapped open. A wave of shock rolled through me, strong enough to force my hand.
Light flooded my vision and I cringed against the pain behind my eyes. I was laying on a couch, the smooth fabric felt like silk against my skin. I glanced down at my body and flushed red. Someone had put clothes on me. Alec or Kade, I had hoped. Standing a few feet away were Garrett, Julian, Alec, Kade, and their parents. My mouth moved on its own, and though my words were raspy, I was understood perfectly.
“It’s because he already knows. Don’t you, Uncle?” I spoke.

All eyes snapped over to me, and I let Julian’s guilt wash over me in waves. He had known and said nothing. From the looks of surprise, he had even kept the truth from his own brother.
The pieces clicked together easily, and I now understood how Julian had known. I had only ever shifted one other time, back when I had run. If I hadn’t been able to sense emotions, I would’ve felt enraged. Julian had betrayed his family, had tried to have his own niece captured. As it stood, I felt absolutely no malice or ill intentions from Julian, only intense guilt.
Alec and Kade surged forward, slamming Julien into the wall with enough force to shatter the pictures that hung. Kade’s voice was low, contorted in what was now a guttural snarl.
“Give me one reason, one reason I shouldn’t f*****g k**l you.”
I pulled myself from the couch and stood on wobbly legs. I still felt weak, but managed to hobble over to where Alec and Kade stood. I placed a hand on each shoulder and fought against the rage that nearly consumed me.
“Don’t k**l him.” I shook my head, “Let him go, please.”
“Let him go?” Kade growled, turning his head to meet my eyes. Some of his rage faded, but the brunt of it remained. “We can put the pieces together ourselves too. You shifted once before this, the time when you were nearly captured. Seems Julian’s been busy trying to f**k over his family.”
“He did try to capture me, but not for the reasons you think.” I pleaded, “Guys, you know I can feel what he feels. I don’t know why he did it, but he didn’t do it to hurt me. That much I can tell.”
“You can feel emotions?” Garrett scoffed, running a hand down his face. “Well, that explains what you did on the battle field.”
“Please, let him go.” I repeated, ignoring Garrett for the time being. “I’d like to hear an explanation.”
Alec and Kade reluctantly released Garrett, but remained close at my side. They stood on either side of me, my towering and slightly overprotective body guards. I didn’t mind their protective side. If anything, it was the only thing that made me feel truly safe.
“Thanks for that, kid.” Julian grunted, smoothing out his shirt.
“Explain.” Alec barked, “You’ll find were not nearly as kind or patient as Aurora is. You have ten seconds before we make Aurora the official leader of your pack.”
“When I was your age, I didn’t know what I was either. Garrett and I are half-brothers. Our father was a p***k of a man. Didn’t want a half-breed b*****d son sullying the name of his family, so he tossed me aside as a child. Unlike you, I was not my father’s first born. Half-breeds have a thirty percent chance at being able to shift. As the son of an Alpha, the odds were a little higher. Once I turned eighteen and finally shifted, he deemed me useful.” Julian sneered, clearly harboring no kind feelings for his father. “Like you, I ran. The difference between us is that no one came looking for me. I shifted alone, and remained alone. It was by pure luck that I became the Alpha of a band of rogues. I nearly died at least a dozen times. I wanted to spare you from that. You did not know me, so you would not listen. While my methods were a bit unsavory, I couldn’t allow you to make the mistake I made.”
Alec and Kade looked to me and I nodded, “He’s telling the truth.”
I wanted to remain angry at Julian, but it’s harder than you think when you can feel the emotions of others. I felt nothing but concern and sincerity from Julian. While I’d never consider the man my family, he did what he thought best at the time. Now that I had Alec and Kade by my side, no one would attempt such a thing ever again.
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