Chapter 44: Revelation

Pov Eldric

That black wolf reminded me of someone. I was sure I had seen him somewhere before.

"Who are you?" I questioned softly so as not to draw Rachel's attention.

"I am the protector of the she-wolf and the pups you're looking at." He didn't move at all. He stared right at me, just observing what I would do.

"Aaron. You are Rachel's adoptive father," my heart felt somewhat calmer, but not enough.

"And you are her husband." He stood up and came towards me, but not close enough. "I believed for a long time that I wouldn't be able to have a civilized conversation with you, but looking at those three," he looked back at me, "perhaps I'll make an exception."

I didn't like the way he spoke to me. I was the Alpha! The biggest and most powerful Alpha in those lands.

"I don't expect anything from you." I returned to observing Rachel with the children, who were now running in all directions, playing a game of catching each other, and I felt at peace.

"I know you don't, but I do." I looked back at him. "I hope that you have grown and become a true Alpha." That made me growl, "What you will take from here is the most precious thing my wife and I have, and I don't want to believe it will fall into the wrong hands."

"They are mine!" I stood up and stared at him.

"No, they are not. You haven't gained the boys' approval yet. Rachel may be yours, but the boys are under my protection and will remain so as long as they want."

"My children will go home with me, the place where they should have been born." I growled even more irritated.

"If your pride wasn't so great, you would have had that privilege. But don't worry, that's a flaw that affects all Alphas." He didn't mind provoking me.

Did that old man think I was kidding? I could tear him apart with a single blow, and yet he continued to insult me.

"Stop talking, or I won't respect your age, old man."

"I won't stop," he approached and stood a finger's length away from me, "Because I have things to tell you before you claim that family. I have information that, if you don't know, will destroy them at the first moment, just as you did with my family." I looked sideways at him, trying to understand where he was going with this.

"Say it already," I spoke reluctantly.

"Sit by my side. What I have to tell you is important, and I need you to pay close attention so that you don't repeat the same mistakes I and you made." Irritated, I did as he said and looked back at the scene in front of me. It was the peace I wanted every day.

"The first story will help you understand the second, and I need you not to interrupt me." I reluctantly agreed.

"Many years ago, I was part of a powerful nation. In my kingdom, everything was under my command, and I was the law and power within it. Nothing was done without my consent. I enjoyed the way everything was so much that I didn't care about stepping on anyone." I looked at him, trying to understand where he was heading.

"My wife and my children suffered the most because of this. She no longer accepted me, and my children were afraid of me, but each of them knew how to deal with everything that happened in their own way. One followed in my footsteps and became an improved copy, the other became the example that every father would love. Caliel and Gael always expected me to be enough, but one day I ceased to be." I looked back at my children, who were jumping on their mother and the lady who was with them. Their laughter was contagious.

"I lost my throne and my kingdom a few days after your father's invasion. It never occurred to me that my people were discontented enough to help the enemy. My soldiers couldn't stop the advance of your kingdom, and so, like so many others, I was conquered." If that was the case, he shouldn't be alive.

"I begged your father to let me escape with my family, that I would never set foot in that kingdom again, that I wouldn't try anything, and he allowed it." I was surprised by his response. "I went as far away as I could, but it still wasn't enough. Your father conquered so many kingdoms that I was close to him again soon." I shifted uncomfortably with that information.

"As I said, one of my sons followed exactly what I did and ended up leaving us." He looked at me, and I understood. "Caliel allied himself with an enemy of yours," Mine? I wasn't old enough to have enemies. "Sebastian." I was shocked by that information.

"How could he know Sebastian?"

"He knew him, I don't know how, I only know because Gael told me. We tried everything to bring him back to reason, but it was no use. Caliel hungered for power. You saw him on two occasions..."

"Which ones?" I asked, frightened.

"The day he killed Rachel's parents and the day you killed him, along with my son Gael." That was a shock. A lump of ice formed in my stomach, and I tried to remember. Little by little, everything became clearer, and memories flooded my mind like a tornado.

"I didn't know what her parents' motivation was," he pointed to my Luna, "I only found out who she really was not long ago. After that cousin started snooping around her, since then, I've been looking for any clues about what they did to Caliel and Sebastian Darkwood..."

"Is Darkwood the one behind the attack I suffered when I was young?" His look was confused.

"You didn't know?" I shook my head. "He wanted the throne since your father grew old, the only thing he didn't imagine was that this old man would manage to produce an heir, even if it was at the expense of his elderly mother." I agreed, knowing that story.

My parents tried so hard to have a child that when they finally succeeded, they did everything not to lose me, even if it meant my mother's death in the process.

"He hated you instantly. He was the king's boy until you arrived. He was sure he would assume power, but then everything changed. In the attack, he was going to blame my family, but you won." I agreed.

"You took away the victory he wanted so badly, and my son Caliel fled, coming back home scared and afraid. He pleaded with us to leave, but neither my wife nor I realized the extent of his actions. When you appeared on the hill where he and Gael were, you know what happened."

"I killed them, I returned what they did to me."

"No, you retaliated for what Caliel did to you. Gael was innocent." The wolf's voice faltered a bit, and I felt uncomfortable. "Gael never wanted any of that. He was different from his brother and loved us above all. He died for a crime he didn't commit. Just as you did with Rachel." His gaze settled on my Luna.

"I didn't know she was pregnant." It hurt me more than I cared to admit.

"We found her almost dead by the lakeshore. She could barely breathe. We took her to our cave and cared for her for five days. She didn't react to anything for three days and began to make small movements on the following days until she opened her eyes. She was so scared that she never told us who she really was." I looked at Rachel smiling and remembered how I had treated her in the last few days. "When the boys arrived, our joy was complete, but she always seemed to be missing someone." I looked at him, not understanding.

"She is your destined mate, isn't she?" I nodded. "Even though the Luna mother gave you this gift, your pride made you lose it. And I don't blame you. We have no idea what life will take from us until we lose it." The memory of her falling into the waterfall made me tremble.

"Don't let pride blind you to what's to come. This girl has sacrificed so much of herself to let them live. She did everything she could so that they wouldn't have to go through what she went through and always waited for you, even after everything." I swallowed hard. "Learn to understand her and listen when she wants to talk. Do the same with your children. Make them part of your life and learn from each one's differences so that when the time comes, you know what they are capable of. Our legacy is not the world, but the legacy we leave for it. I couldn’t see it until I lost everything. I hope you understand what I'm saying and do what I couldn't." He looked back at my children, and I mulled over everything he had told me.

"Thank you." That's all I could say to him now.

"Come, I'll introduce you to your boys." He began to walk, and I followed him, feeling my heart explode.