CHAPTER 168 THE FORGOTTEN COUSIN

“Luna, where have you been?” one of them asked. Her voice was trembling.

Selena was confused. She closed the door behind herself as she approached them. “What exactly happened?”

“This is what happens when you have a half-breed Luna,” another person commented.

“You mean turned?” The first one spoke rudely. She returned her gaze to Selena. “Darkness has fallen over us since you joined our pack. Uncle Theodore died; our pack was attacked, and...” She paused. The words couldn’t leave her mouth. Selena was waiting, but her hand was in hers. When she looked down, she saw Dylan.

“Don’t mind them, sister-in-law.” Dylan smiled. “You aren’t to blame. They are simply attempting to direct their anger and blame at someone. If you’re looking for my brother, he is in the graveyard. “He has been there for hours.”

“Graveyard? What do you mean?”

“You should go and meet him. He’s going to explain everything to you. As you can see, this room is already full of werewolves grieving the loss of their loved ones.”

“Where do I find Tyler? I really need to talk with him.”

“My brother would be aware.” Dylan smiled softly as he watched Selena turn around and walk towards the door. Selena took a deep breath before exiting the house and closing the door behind her. She approached the graveyard that Dylan had mentioned. When she saw Titus’s sad back, she stayed in the distance. He was bending down. In complete silence.

“I know you’re there. What are you doing here?” Titus’s voice caused her heart to skip a beat. Of course he was aware. He smelled her scent.

“What exactly are you doing out here? Alone in the cold?” Selena approached him. “What did happen while I was gone?”

“You’re supposed to stay away. Why have you returned?” As Titus spoke, Selena could only see his back. He was unwilling to look at her.

Selena breathed deeply. “Well, I can’t. I’m being pursued and hunted by...” She took a moment to think.

“I need to tell you something.” Titus remained silent while she went on. “I found out things I probably shouldn’t have known, and it hurt me. I realized the man who nearly killed me when I lost my grip on you that night was my grandfather. Titus, he’s a hunter, and so is my family.”

Titus got to his feet and exhaled deeply. Eventually, he turned to face her. His eyes were red, and Selena could tell he had cried. He approached her and stared into her eyes. He grabbed Selena’s arms and tightened them, causing her pain. “Why are you here?”

“You’re causing me pain.”

Titus let go of her as he realized his grip was tightening her. “I heard everything you said. For years, your family has been causing havoc with the werewolves.”

“You get it. Is this why you rejected me? Because you learned about my family?”

“You could have informed me.”

“I didn’t know until recently. I wanted to resolve the issue, but...”

She was suddenly cut off. “There’s nothing to solve, Selena!” Titus yelled at her. “Let me guess. Now they know about you as well. They are out to kill you, and they will track you down in this territory to kill us all.”

“No one followed me here or noticed me passing through this area. I am certain.”

“So, what is the point if someone follows you here? We’re already as good as gone. We have already lost those who dared us. And...” He took a deep breath and blinked away the tears.

“And?” Selena shakes her head. When she saw Tyler’s precious bracelet on Titus’ wrist, she hoped it wasn’t what she expected. Tyler hadn’t been seen anywhere. “Please tell me it’s not what I believe it is.”

Titus took a deep breath. “He left this world thinking about you and how I shouldn’t resent you because of your family.” Titus began to cry once again. Like a child. Like a brokenhearted child in need of comfort.

Selena’s heart started to shatter. “No.” She shakes her head. “Tyler wouldn’t leave. He is a strong man.” She gave a sniff. “Did my family do this?”

“No. It was the rogues.” Titus stated. “They unexpectedly attacked us.” He smiled weakly. “And Tyler gave his life to save mine.”

“His death won’t go in vain. I will avenge him.” Selena tried to walk away, but was stopped. “You can’t be able to stop me now!” She yanked Titus’ hand away from her. “They deserve to die. Do you know how long I waited for him?” Her voice dropped as her emotions weakened. “He’s no longer alive, Titus. He is no longer alive.” She started sobbing, and Titus cradled her in his embrace to comfort her. She cried even harder, unable to believe what she was hearing. How is this possible? How could it possibly be Tyler?

“You won’t be able to compete with them. For the battle, we’ll need a bigger force.” Tyler was attacked by the Ansel wolf, and he will pay the consequences.

“Ansel?” Selena stopped sobbing and looked at Titus. “Ansel?” She repeated.

“It’s a rare werewolf. I only recently learned about him. He is tougher, with dark fur and white eyes. Stronger. Stronger than I am.”

“Oh, goodness.”

“What?”

She kept one inch between herself and Titus. “I recognize who he is.”

“What?”

“He attends my school under the name Easton. Easton Kenneth.”

Titus wasn’t expecting this. “Easton Kenneth? There is only one Easton Kenneth, and it’s... No way.” He had searched for him, but he had been right under his nose the entire time.

“What is that?”

“He is my cousin.” Titus clenched his fists. “The cousin I thought I had lost.”

* * * *

“Tonight is the full moon, Father. When do you intend to launch an attack on their territory?” Patricia inquired as they entered the room full of weapons.

Ferdinand let out a groan. “I still can’t believe my family lied to me.”

“I warned you that marrying Isabel and Jordan together was a bad idea. You didn’t listen to me.”

Ferdinand reached for his rifle. He positioned and displayed it as if he were firing something. As he lowered the assault rifle, he let out a low groan and smirked. “We are going to attack tonight, Patricia. Shoot any werewolves you confront.”

“So, what do we do when we find Selena? I doubt you intend to harm your own granddaughter.”

“Don’t hurt her; just make sure she is tamed. I will think about her family and lock her up in a lab in Arizona.”

“She is a member of our family, dad. She deserves to be treated like that.”

“She is no longer a member of the family. I will simply avoid killing her because Jordan, my son, was her biological dad. She is no longer an O’Brien and is now one of them ever since the venom became one with her.”

“Are you abandoning her?”

“Have you ever seen an O’Brien turn into a werewolf?” Ferdinand took a monkshood-laced bullet and loaded it into the gun before facing Patricia. “Well, it shows Selena’s weakness, and she should be imprisoned. She is not a fighter. She will never be a fighter, and being treated like family doesn’t seem appealing. What do you think society would think if they found out my granddaughter is one of our worst enemies?”

“So society is more important than your flesh and blood? Jordan’s child?”

“Patricia, just do your job and prepare for tonight. It’s either you kill or you die. We’ve all been waiting for this moment, and now you can exact your revenge on the Alpha. He is going to die tonight, once and for all.” He placed a hand on Patricia’s shoulder. “Are we on the same page?”

“Yes, Papa. Yes, we’re.”