Nix’s POV
When I heard a loud banging coming from the door, it startled me. I am not expecting any guests, even if I was no one I know would bang like that. I wasn’t expecting four men in suits standing on my porch. I want to say they were tall, but I was almost on a par with them. They were demanding to see my mom. I told them she was resting in her room, so they couldn’t. That’s when one of them barged past me.
“What the hell? Get out of my house.” I yelled at the guy. Two of them grabbed hold of me. The one that was in my house was walking around shouting, “woman, where are you?” I was watching him like a hawk. I don’t know what they wanted with my mom, but they won’t find her here. But when he started heading towards her bedroom. I yelled, “you can’t go in there.”
“Watch me,” was his response. Now I don’t know who this lot thinks they are, but this is my home and I will defend it. I started thrashing against the two men holding me in place. But when his hand went for the knob of her bedroom door, I just lost it. The rage I felt inside of me was overwhelming. I didn’t even know what was going on until someone called my name and told me to calm down.
I wanted to calm down. I needed to calm down. I told the stranger, “I told them they couldn’t go into her room. They wouldn’t listen.” My anger rose with the memory of them invading my home.
He spoke and I fell to the ground. Through gritted teeth, I said, “I will kill anyone if they go into her room.” That’s all I remembered before I blacked out.
I woke up lying on the couch in my living room. It was dark outside. I can't recall how much time I lost. I slowly got up, and my head was throbbing with pain. I took a quick look around the house. What are these men doing in my home? Why is the coach here? I honestly do not know what is going on.
“Finally awake, Nix?” the coach asked. I really suspecting he isn’t a coach.
“What do you all want?” I asked.
A man sits opposite me in a sharp suit. “Nix, where is your mom?”
I am sick of pretending. “Dead, she’s dead alright. Those filthy rogues killed her a few weeks ago.”
He says nothing, but he nods. “I am sorry about that, Nix. I really am. We sent Reed here because we heard there were rogues in the area.”
“Not soon enough, obviously.” I snarled, but for no reason. It’s not their fault the rogues killed her, but I am still angry.
“Nix, we need to know more about your past. You are strong.”
“Well, I work hard.”
“No, I mean, your wolf is strong. Stronger than most other wolves. Your aura could rival the Wolf King’s. We need to know about your parentage, your heritage. Have you ever had any relative visit?”
“Maybe you’re all weak. I don’t have a wolf, anyway.” I said to him, “Mom rarely talked about her past. She would say she’s not going that way, so why look back?” He nods his head in agreement. “Smart lady.”
“She was.” Tears ran down my face. “A woman and a girl once visited us. I must have been about 8 years old. Mom said they were passing through and stopped off to say goodbye to her. The woman was beautiful, the girl was dressed in blue. She had funny eyes, but she had a beautiful smile. I never saw them after that.” That is the only memory I ever had of anyone visiting our home.
“We need you to come with us while we figure all of this out.”
“I don’t know you. I can’t leave my crops or my animals. They are the only things I have left.”
“No, you have a future. I work for the Wolf Council. We work alongside the Wolf King’s. One of our duties is to ensure wolves don’t go near human land. They don’t know we exist. But Nix, your presence here could cause problems in the future. We want to help you find your place in the world wherever that, maybe.” I think about what he is saying. I shook my head and was about to answer him. “She wouldn’t want you to look back, would she?” He repeated what I had just said to him.
“No, she wouldn’t, but I am not going anywhere until this place is sorted.”
“Fine, I will buy your farm off you. Name your price?”
“A million dollars,” I said sarcastically.
“Fine, give me your bank details.” My jaw nearly hit the ground. He has never just agreed to pay a million dollars for my land, has he? “What about my animals?”
“Give them to someone you know. I don’t care. I want you ready to leave tomorrow. Reed will stay here with you until then. Get packing.”
I am speechless. I have just sold my family home for far too much money and am leaving tomorrow with a bunch of men I don’t know. What have I just agreed to?
I waited until I could verify that the money had been added to my bank before going to bed. I think he is joking, to be honest. I was suddenly energized when the money appeared. Crap, he was serious. One million dollars. Just sitting there, in my bank account. It truly is time to say goodbye to the place. The worst part is, if I leave, I will be saying goodbye to the home she raised me in, all those memories. But she would want me to move forward with my life. I should go, she would encourage me too.
I asked Reed if he could organize a vehicle for me. So, I can load my life into it. It’s not like I have much, but I want to keep anything that I can to remember her by. Her memories can travel with me.
She has been my life, my world, my everything so far. But I have to move forward. She would want me to. Now that the opportunity has arisen. I put my animals in my outdated truck and drove them to the farmer close by. The farmer will ensure they are taken care of. I also leave him the truck, seeing that I won’t be needing it.
Now for the hardest task. I stood outside of her bedroom for a while, a long while, before I eventually went in. There are pictures of us everywhere. I could still smell her. I just dropped to my knees and cried. I cried because she loved me just as much as I loved her, and now she was gone. This room is the only memory I have left of her and I am leaving. Leaving the thing I loved the most in this world.
Reed came in behind me, offering to help. I want to say yes, so I can get out of here quicker. The room holds so many memories. But in reality, the answer is no, because I want to enjoy those memories and I don’t want anyone else touching her stuff.
I boxed all the pictures she had around her bedroom. It felt like I was boxing up our life. I look at each picture and remember our happy times. We had bad ones too, but they are long forgotten. Sometimes my eyes were too blurry to see. But I need to do this. I need to take all these memories with me.
In her jewelry box, I found the gold necklace she always wore. It had a thick chain, too thick for the delicate woman she was. It had a golden wolf charm dangling in the middle and the wolf had a diamond for an eye. On the back, the inscription read ‘Always’. I put it around my neck, so a piece of her would always be with me.
I cried the entire time I was there. Reed appeared with some vacuum-sealed bags. So, I could take items that had her scent on them. It wouldn’t last forever, but for a short period, it would. I would hate to have seen what I looked like when I came out of that room, which was the reason I never went into it.
Reed got me an SUV. I loaded the belongings I was taking with me in it. I had one more stop to make. I had to say goodbye to my mom one last time before I left. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life. She has given me a lifetime of happiness. I will always remember that. No matter where I end up, I will remember that.
Nix’s POV We drove for nearly a full day. I shared the driving with Reed. From what he has told me, he works for the Wolf Council, which fulfills his need to be part of a pack, but he is not one of them. The Wolf Council only allows him to access the communal areas of the territory when he lives there. He says that it works for him as he has problems with authority. His brother is the Alpha of his home pack and they don’t see eye to eye. When his cousin Ethan offered him a position, he jumped at the chance. He told me I could stay with him until they figured all this mess out. He didn’t know what was going to happen or where I would end up. But I would at least be in safe hands. I know he was trying to reassure me, but it didn’t work. I have left everything I have ever known, am sitting in an SUV with a man I barely know who is taking me somewhere? I am sure I saw this in a horror movie I watched once. The thought that crossed my mind was ‘and he was never heard from ag
Reed’s POV Restless and with an empty stomach, I woke up. Nix and I had been confined to the SUV all day yesterday. I wonder how he slept? I am getting ready for the long day ahead. But no matter what my day holds, his day will be longer, as I know the Council Members will want to speak to him. But I don’t hear any noise coming from his room. I know he lived and worked on a farm. He would normally be up by now. I knocked on his door. No response, so I knocked again. There is still no response. I turned the handle and stuck my head through the open door. I saw he had made the bed and placed a toothbrush on the side. Crap, has he done a runner? I ran to the window and saw the SUV parked there. I know that for a fact, he wouldn’t have left without his stuff. So where is he? I tried to follow his scent, but it was weak. I am wandering around aimlessly when I hear a load of shouting. He wouldn’t have, would he? They wouldn’t have let him, would they? I am not privy to the inn
Council Member Ethan’s POV I returned to the council chambers after I visited Reed and Nix. Nix seemed to take the news better than Reed. But I didn’t tell Nix everything I knew. I know full well that Nix has a half-sister. I know full well her that father is the Alpha of the Mountain Creek Pack and I know full well she is younger than him. Which would make him the legitimate heir to the pack, should anything happen to his father. I don’t know how the Alpha will take this news. Nor how the Luna will react to her mate having a son older than her daughter. I also don’t know how Nix will take it either. He has never grown up with a father figure. Which is why I didn’t tell him everything. After seeing the house he lived in and how hard he worked every day, how he lived overall. Most importantly, how much he loved his mom. There would be no chance of me getting him there if I told him that his father was there. But I need answers and I can’t get them from Nix, as he knows no
Council Member Ethan’s POV I need to get the Alpha of the Mountain Creek Pack to remove Nix’s banishment. In the meantime, I can’t risk taking my talisman off him. That is, if it is a banishment affecting him? Right now, we’re in a dangerous position, just about a mile from the Mountain Creek Pack’s borders. Rogues could attack us. We all climb back into the vehicles and drive slowly, just in case there is a problem with Nix again. When we finally get to the territory border, a pack of wolves greets us. “I am from the Wolf Council. I need to speak to your Alpha, NOW.” I told them, knowing they can mind link him. We waited around 15 minutes before a car turned up. A few men got out, obviously the Alpha and Beta, with wolves appearing at their flank. “You wanted to see me?” the Alpha asked. “Yes, I am Council Member Ethan. The Wolf Council has sent me. Someone should have informed you of my arrival.” “Why am I here, Council Member Ethan from the Wolf Council
Council Member Ethan’s POV I followed Alpha Vance into his office along with his Beta, Reed and a warrior who stands beside the Alpha’s desk. I am introduced to Beta Colt. Alpha Vance does not know why Nix had a banishment over him. Seeing as he removed the banishment order immediately, I believe what he is telling me. Then he asks “Why are we all here? The phone call from the Wolf Council was vague, to say the least.” “Nix.” I told him. “His mom raised him in a human town. We didn’t know either of them were there. Nix told us he has lived there all of his life.” Alpha Vance will not like what I have to tell him next, so I plan on starting slowly. “What has that got to do with the Mountain Creek Pack?” Alpha Vance asks. “Rogues killed his mom a while ago and he is not coping very well. In fact, he has shown some unique abilities considering he is wolf less.” “He can’t be wolf less, otherwise the banishment effects would not affect him,” Alpha Vance interrupts.
Nix’s POV I had to leave Melissa and her mom in the kitchen because I was summoned. I suppose the answers to my future are in that room. I stay confident as I walk into the room, I won't be intimidated by them. I sat down beside Ethan. The Alpha started shooting questions at me straight away. I don’t know the answers to them, and I certainly don’t like his tone. Melissa’s mom walked in. I am guessing she is the Luna, as Melissa’s dad is the Alpha. He told her about what was going on, which was when I got a grasp of the conversation as well. I am just processing what he has said to her when I am asked for my mom’s name. I wasn’t expecting the reaction I got just from that revelation. I found out she was part of this pack when she was younger, but she once told me she couldn’t return. Something is not right with what they are telling me and I believe my mom over this lot any day of the week. A man refers to my mom as a slut! He never just referred to the woman who rai
Council Member Ethan’s POV I couldn’t believe what was unfolding in front of me. The former Alpha abused his authority to banish his son’s girlfriend. So that his son had a better chance of finding his fated mate, he had free will to choose who he wants as his mate. I nearly choked on thin air when he said Natalia’s original surname was ‘Mene’. Does he not know anything, Mene? As in the Moon Goddess is also known as Mene. He is obviously not an intelligent man if he didn’t know that! I dread to think about what the other Council Members will think. I already know he is an arsehole. But when he referred to his granddaughter as a cripple, I couldn’t believe he was ever an Alpha. Alpha Vance was on the brink of killing him. But when Reed yelled, “Get everyone out.” I realized it was Nix I had to be concerned about. He was losing control. “Out” I yelled, joining Reed in his need to get everyone out of the vicinity. “Get them all out.” I saw what Nix did to the protective deta
Nix’s POV Melissa is carried in by her father. He places her gently on a chair. But she stands up straight away and uses the furniture to make her way over to me. She hugs me, telling me how grateful she is that I am okay. She has just met me, but I appreciate her loving gesture. A girl pushes a boy through the door in a wheelchair. They have similar features. I guess they are siblings. She looks to be of a similar age to me, but it’s difficult to age the boy. She places him at the table and puts a backpack I front of him. “I’ll be back soon,” she tells him. “Hey Christina, do you want some food?” The Luna shouts as she is leaving. The girl stops, “I will, when I get back. There is something I need to do before dark.” “Okay, but don’t do anything stupid.” “Me. stupid, as if?” she says, smiling before she leaves. Luna then approaches the boy. “How is she today?” She asks him. “It wasn’t too bad today, to be honest, Luna. She appears to have made