Chapter 135: About Time - Callista's POV

My parents didn’t say a word when we pulled up and got out of the car. They were on the porch with Sabine, just sitting there as if they had been waiting for us. I glanced up at them slowly, wondering if they would say a word about this, but they just stared.

Once we were on the porch, I looked at my father. “Riven needs his things from the mansion and so will Raze. We’re not staying with the Alpha King.”

He blew out a breath, then looked at Riven. “I’m not sure what is going on, but you’d better—”

“Protect your daughter,” Raze finished. “She has us both for that.”

He glanced at Raze then, his gaze unsteady. I knew what he was seeing. The demon was so close to the surface that you could tell something was wrong with Raze. His gaze would flip between red-gold then black. It wasn’t as often as it was, but it was still unnerving to see if you didn’t know what was going on.

“You? And just who are you?”

“His brother,” Raze said, his voice low. “The son my father said was dead.”

My father flinched at that. “The…heir…You’re him?”

“Yes,” Raze admitted, his tone changing to something lighter. “We can explain everything inside, because it’s time I think you know everything.”

I let out a slow breath. My family didn’t need to be involved more than they already were, but it was time for the truth. I glanced at Sabine, who was staring at me with pity in her gaze.

“Everything?” She asked softly.

I could only nod. Words had left me as soon as Raze said that we’d tell them.

"Come inside," she said simply.

I let Riven and Raze go in front of me before stopping in the doorway. My eyes locked on Sabine’s.

“I’m—”

Before I could even apologize, her arms were around me. “It’s okay. I’m just glad you’re home and you’re not hurting anymore. You need him. I can see that now.”

I hugged her tightly, though my gaze never left Riven. He was turned around now, staring at me with a grim smile. When Sabine let me go, that smile left as she turned to face him.

“I meant what I said,” she said, her voice tinged with anger. “But I also see that my sister is somewhat better. So, you’re off the hook unless what you say next harms her.”

I moved inside, trying to keep her calm. My parents were the last to enter. We walked to the kitchen, all of us taking a seat around the table.

“You look like you haven’t been outside in weeks. Did your father keep you hidden all this time? You were never let out?”

Raze shook his head. “No, he kept me in the east wing. Your daughter came and found me over a year ago.”

I noticed how he didn’t say anything about what really happened. Yes, I found him, but that was only half the story.

“We can always go out back to get some sunshine,” she said softly. “If you all want.”

“Right now, I think we need to sit here,” I muttered. “There is much to discuss.”

My mother looked at me across the table, her eyes shining with tears. “Go on.”

“I think I need to start at the beginning, back when you heard me wake up screaming.”

My parents’ gaze locked onto my face.

“What was it?”

I blew out a shaky breath. “That night I dreamed of our death. I saw you, Dad, and Sabine laid out in the living room with blood everywhere. Our entire pack was dead and Riven was hunting me in the dark.”

“Hunting you?” My mother asked, her gaze narrowing on Riven. “Why? No, that can’t be a real vision.”

“He told me that he was the Alpha King and lunged for me,” I continued. “I woke up screaming, but before you came in, I discovered that I was Moon Marked.”

“So, those didn’t come after seeing him at school?” My father asked, his voice low. “I thought—”

“I know what I said, but I wasn’t sure what was going on. It’s not as if everyone gets Moon Marked at sixteen,” I said, my voice firm. “A fated mate bond, okay. Weird. But a fated mate bond with moon marks? Being Moon Marked is rare.”

“I feel like there’s more,” my father uttered softly. “Why would that dream Moon Mark you?”

“Riven was outside my window that night and apparently gave me that vision. He had been having nightmares that I ended his family too. It’s a mess,” I breathed. “Anyway, we met and talked. The fated mate bond snapped into place. Then he showed up at my school.”

Father nodded. “Go on.”

“I wanted to hate him. I thought the Moon Goddess made a mistake,” I admitted. “But I’ve realized we both needed each other. This is right and we’re fighting for something bigger than we knew.”

“And what are you fighting?”

“I’m cursed,” Riven said, his voice barely audible. “My brother and I both are. Our father had us…cursed as babies. Raze progressed worse, leading him to say that he was dead and then he hid me in hopes of keeping the curse at bay. Supposedly, his brother is after the Alpha King position.”

“Cursed?”

I nodded. “Yes, cursed. There is something within them they call a demon. The Alpha Kings centuries ago used it when there was a big battle. They wanted to defend the wolves. Since then, they have…kept using it. That’s why heirs die. The only thing is, the Alpha King’s line continues on through the same blood line, because usually there is usually more than one child.”

“But the—”

“Oh, just believe us. We found out the hard way,” I said softly. “Alpha Kings are normally born with a sister and Ronan said that he had a brother. There are always multiples of them. They just hide the others.”

“What if you two aren’t the only children then?” Sabine asked, finally breaking her silence.

“We don’t know,” Riven admitted, then looked at his brother. “There is also another issue. It’s worse.”

“And what could be worse than what you already told us?”

“Demons come in two. Ours are from two different summonings,” Raze breathed. “Which means that there are possibly two more like us out there. We just don’t know who yet.”

“Two more with your…issue?” Sabine asked, her gaze narrowing.

“Yes,” I said softly. “And now you know the truth. Ronan isn’t good. I think he’s corrupt.”

“What about the ceremony?” My father chimed in, his gaze locking onto my face. “You have his blessing already so you can go through with it, but I don’t know—”

“The only way to save him is to go through with our ceremony. This should seal the demon away and cut the connection so Raze’s demon won’t feed off his. But if there are two more, then it’s not enough.”

My parents blew out a breath at the same time.

“This isn’t good,” my mother admitted.

My father just stared at the table, as if trying to collect his thoughts. “None of it is.”

“I’m just glad you are finally including us,” Sabine stated plainly. “It’s about time.”