REVELATIONS

RYAN'S POV

The entire place?

Chaotic.

My heart was beating so fast, and couldn't help but let worry overcome me, after watching Audrey draw back her hand in her attempt to take the pendant off Rosa. What exactly was that pendant?

"Come forth!!!" Hazel suddenly yelled out from the midst of the MacQuoids, who literally surrounded her. Almost immediately, one of the glasses containing a relic burst open, leading to the ultimate escape of the most feared MacQuoid relic. The ice sword.

A lot was happening at once, because the next second, Rosa began shaking furiously. I was caught in between rushing off to wield the ice sword, before any damages were done, or staying back to ensure my mate was safe.

"Ryan!! Do something!!" Audrey yelled out, fear in her eyes as she made to hold Rosa still. She and Austin had made an attempt to hold Rosa at the same time, and the most shocking scene unfolded.

I had never thought she could possess such strength. One minute, they were reaching out for her, and the next minute, they were helplessly flying off and landing on the floor.

Without giving a second thought as to what could happen with the ice sword, I sped off towards Rosa's vibrating body. She seemed very much unconscious, which had me further scared and confused.

Trying to support her from behind, I felt a great magnitude of energy being exuded from her body. I hadn't expected such energy, but I tried my best to withstand it and hold onto her.

"Rosa! Rosa you have to fight whatever this is." I yelled out, reaching out to pull the damned pendant off her neck, when something else caught my attention.

I watched in dread as the ice sword actively began making its way towards Rosa, at a speed I couldn't fathom or even overtake.

That was a very wrong time to question myself about the meaning of everything going on, knowing my priority was to ensure Rosa wasn't hurt in any way.

The tip of the sword aimed its way towards Rosa's chest, making my eyes go wide as I reflexly placed my hand against her bosom in a bid to block off the obvious intended stab.

I gritted out in great pain as the sword pierced through the back of my palm, hitting at a certain object I hadn't realized I had covered in a bid to protect Rosa. The pendant.

The moment the pendant broke open beneath my palm, the ice sword pulled back and began rotating on a spot. I quickly pulled my hand away as a result of the surge of energy being released from the broken pendant.

With such a force I had never seen before, this ball of light that had escaped the pendant, hit against Rosa's chest. I instantly felt her bones stretching out and cracking beneath her flesh.

The next minute, she was releasing a loud howl, aggressively freeing herself from my grasp, and shifting into her wolf form.

Except...

Except, that wasn't her wolf.

No, that couldn't be Rosa's wolf. Definitely not the wolf I had seen a couple of days back. This one had complete sets of limbs.

Almost immediately, everywhere went silence. The disturbed relics had calmed, and Hazel had also somewhat returned to the physical. The entire MacQuoid clan shared glances amongst themselves, and at Rosa's wolf.

It was then, that I remembered Audrey had been aggressively thrown off by Rosa. Immediately, I reached out for her, helping her off the ground as she let out a loud groan.

"What was that all about?" She whispered to herself, clearly having not seen Rosa's wolf at the moment.

"No, Audrey." I shook my head. "What is that?" I pointed at Rosa's wolf, and it took Audrey a couple of seconds to understand what I was speaking of.

"What....?" Her voice almost betrayed her, as her legs walked mindlessly towards Rosa's wolf who just stood at a spot, observing the entire place.

I followed Audrey behind until we got to Rosa's shockingly different wolf. How was that even possible?!

"Ryan!" I looked up to see Logan at the second entrance of the hall. He had left immediately after the wedding ceremony earlier in the day, to go seek answers from Hecate at the MacQuoid shrine.

I was so glad to see him at that point. Hopefully, he could give some meaningful explanations to all of these.

He sped towards us in his vamp speed, a great wave of air in his wake. As soon as he got to us, he stared at me in a manner that had me so sure he knew things.

"Your mate...." He whispered.

"A lot has happened in the last couple of minutes, Logan." I blew out some hot air.

"Where is she, Ryan? There is something she needs to know. Doesn't make any sense, but it's the truth." He brows kissed each other, showing how genuinely confused he was about the information he had to share. Why did I have a feeling that whatever this was, would change her life forever? My fear was just.... I didn't know if it was positively or negatively. "Where is she?" He asked once more.

"There...." Audrey whispered, pointing towards Rosa's healed wolf. Yes, healed wolf.

I guess it was slowly dawning on me, that it was the new situation of things. Somehow, Rosa's wolf was no longer deformed, and Logan had this serious information to share.

"What?" Logan's eyes widened in surprise, as he looked over Rosa's wolf. A huge smile broke out on his face, afterwards. "It is true, then. It is true." He whispered to himself, looking so amazed.

"What is?" I asked, already getting frustrated with the whole tension and lack of understanding over all that had just taken place.

I guess the night got more intense when the entire MacQuoid Clan began making their way to Rosa's proudly standing wolf.

Before I could tell what was happening, Hazel went on one knee before Rosa's wolf. The rest of them all joined in, bending the knee until they were all prostating as their clan culture demanded.

"What.... is this?" My voice went inaudible at the end.

"What I wanted to tell you." Logan muttered beside me. "Ryan, your mate is a MacQuoid by birth. She is the power custodian of the MacQuoid clan."

"What?"

"There's more."

**********

**********

The moment I noticed the slightest movement from her, I literally jumped off my seat and headed towards the bed.

"Rosa." I called out, and she opened her eyes, blinking a couple of times.

"My darling." Audrey came up at the other side of the bed. "How do you feel?" She asked a blank looking Rosa.

"Different."

"H... how?" I stuttered, but she remained silent.

"What's happening to me?" She eventually muttered, slowly curling up on the bed as tears clogged her eyes. "Am I unfit again? Just like in shadow moon?" She whispered, the tears falling off her eyes. That sight made me feel greatly unsettled.

"Not, at all." I laid on the bed and scooped her body into mine.

"Then what happened? What happened?!" Her sobs got louder. "I'm not good enough for you."

"On the contrary!" I rushed out, finding myself chuckling in amazement. "If only you know how special you are, my Rose."

"I think you need to be given some explanation, Rosa." Logan finally spoke, making her quit hiding her face in her hands. "You're not weak. Far from that."

"Then what am I?"

"You are a member of the MacQuoid clan. And not just any member. You're their long awaited power custodian."

At hearing Logan's revelation, there was pindrop silence in the room. I looked at Rosa's face, and she seemed completely lost.

Just then, a knock was heard on the door, and I muttered a 'come in'.

Hazel MacQuoid and Dean MacQuoid stepped in, and Ralia followed suite. Rosa's eyes landed on Hazel and Dean instantly, following each movement they made across the room.

"What did you say?" She asked, turning to Logan.

"Rosa..... I know it is completely insane to even imagine, but it's true. I don't know how, but it is. You're a MacQuoid, and even they, have confirmed it."

"H... how do y... you mean?"

"They all bent the knee to you tonight. They bent the knee to you in allegiance, as their new power custodian. And do I also need to add that your wolf is....."

"Now whole." She assisted, her shaky voice betraying her. "How?" She whispered. "I have only known two parents all my life. How am I a MacQuoid?"

"We.... we are not so sure yet." I filled her in, and a tiny whimper escaped her throat.

"Please.... I don't.... She has to be my mother." A tear slid down her cheek. "She was my mother." She sniffled loudly, her face going all red from crying.

My heart broke, knowing I could probably do nothing to help this way she felt. It was obviously a phase of her life that she undoubtedly couldn't avoid. She had to really know all she had been oblivious about. This was her life. It was shocking to me as well.

"Is...." Someone made to speak, but trailed off. That person was Dean. I turned to look at him, and I could swear I had never seen that man in such a disheveled manner.

"Dean?" I called out to him, my head doing a thousand and one calculations at once.

Noooooo! Couldn't be.

"I...." He swallowed, releasing a deep sigh as he stood from the couch he had been sitting on. "I'm.... Please could you?" His question had clearly been directed at Rosa.

"Could she do what?" I asked, my eyes following every movement of his closely.

"Could you verify to me your mother's name?" He asked, and all eyes fell on him.

"What?" Rosa whispered, looking at Dean as if he was about to stab her in the chest.

"Violet." He said, and I watched as Rosa's eyes slowly dilated at the sound of that name. "Violet." He repeated, making his way closer to a scared looking Rosa. My first instinct had been to shield her from him, but Logan gave me a signal to stand down, which I did reluctantly. "Is that she?" Dean asked, tears already clogging his eyes. His hand reached for the locket chain lying around his neck, and he unhooked it. Pulling the locket open, he showed Rosa the picture of a woman in the locket. "Is this she? Is she your mother?"

The silence and tears in Rosa's eyes, were enough answer. That woman Dean showed to her, was indeed her mother. Then.....

Dean was her father!

"Ooohhhh... Goddess!" Dean fell to the ground, hitting his chest aggressively. "You're mine." He cried out bitterly, making my heart clench in pity for him. I had never seen him so distraught before. "You were mine all along, you were mine!!" His cries increased, and so did Rosa's. "I felt it within me, but it just didn't make sense." He was literally wailing now.

All of a sudden, her breathing increased aggressively and soon, she was gasping for air.

"What's happening?!" I yelled, as I reached out for her.

"She's having an anxiety attack." Audrey rushed out, hopping on the bed so quickly and reaching out for Rosa. "Get everyone out. Now."

Hazel stood immediately, having a hard time pulling Dean out of the room with her. Ralia and Logan followed suite, leaving just Audrey and I in my chambers.

"You're just fine, my love. You're fine, you hear me?" Audrey spoke so calmly to Rosa, tightening her embrace around her shaky figure. "Breathe, love. Breathe." She encouraged.

"This has happened before?" I asked, feeling so useless in that moment.

"Yes." Audrey nodded. "When my brother died." Hearing that, I remained mute for the next half hour, until she had successfully calmed Rosa and put her to sleep.

"I should head for my chambers now. Blaze is hasn't eaten yet."

"Thank you so much, Audrey. Let me escort you out." I offered, standing from the bed and following her out. We both walked to her chambers together, and I made to leave after we got there.

"No, she definitely wasn't distraught because Andrew died." She said out of the blues, making me turn to her.

"What?"

"Ryan, we both know that hearing me say she has a similar crisis when my brother died, had you questioning their bond."

I swallowed, unable to refute her claims. I mean, I had spent the last half hour thinking if she really loved that same man who abused her.

"Their bond was a joke, compared to what you both have." Audrey gave a reassuring smile. "She didn't have an anxiety attack because he died. She did because I had killed him."

"What?" It dropped out of my mouth before I could even help it. I had heard that her brother died, but I hadn't an idea that she was the one who.... killed him.

"He was going to hurt Rosa." She shrugged. "And I'd never let anyone do that. Not even my brother." She gave a sad smile.

In that moment, everything seemed so clear. The bond Rosa shared with this woman, was way beyond the normal. This woman had taken the life of her own family, just to ensure Rosa was safe. Audrey loved Rosa, just the way I wanted to.

"Goodnight Ryan." She smiled, heading into her chambers.

"Goodnight Audrey."

I turned and made for my chambers. On my way, Logan's voice filtered through my mindlink.

'Tomorrow may be another day of critical revelations, Ryan. There's more I haven't told you yet'.

'What?'

'Tomorrow is another day, Ryan. Everything would be revealed in due time, which is why I have already sent out some guards to fetch her supposed stepfather from the shadow moon pack. He has a lot of answers we would need. Rest up now'.

With that, he closed shut his mindlink, leaving me consumed in my thoughts as I made my way back to my chambers.

As soon as I got in, I pulled off my coronation outfit, stepped inside the bathroom for a shower, and eventually came to join Rosa on the bed. It didn't take long before I drifted off to peaceful slumber, until something woke me up in the middle of the night.

"Please...."

I slowly opened my eyes, turning to see Rosa looking very disturbed in her sleep.

"Father please....." She muttered, seeming even more disturbed. She had said 'father'. Was this what I thought it was?

My face scrunched up in worry, as I made to touch her cheeks. They were so hot. The next second, a tear slid down her cheek and my second hand reflexly reached out to hold hers. What dream or memory plagued her so?

As soon as her hand unconsciously clutched mine, I had my very first ever vampire mind intrusion.

Somehow, I had gotten into her mind. I could clearly see all she was dreaming about, and the sight had my heart shattering into several tiny pieces. Because deep down, I knew it wasn't just a random dream. It was a memory of what happened to her in reality, and the recently revealed truths about her life, had triggered it.

There, a young looking Rosa laid on the cold dirty floor, blood and several cuts all over her body, as this bastard who seemed to be her.... stepfather, kept whipping her mercilessly.

"Father...." She managed to call out to him.

"Don't you ever call me that, you shame of shadow moon." He said, and I finally lost it. I made to attack him, but Rosa's eyes dropped close in unconsciousness, shutting me out of her mind completely.

I opened my eyes, looking at Rosa's presently calm face. My eyes were filled with unshed tears, and my head pounded hard, wanting so badly to expel this pain that was brewing within me.

I was going to make him pay!

I would make them all pay dearly. Shadow moon would feel my wrath, starting from their imbecile Alpha.