19. Looking Forward
YILEYNA
A few hours had passed since Charlene had come, and Theon had once again become the quiet, cold,
stoic, arrogant jerk he always was when we weren’t alone.
Charlene had helped organise the stuff whilst Theon had stood outside the apartment, leaving the two
of us alone, but with the door broken I knew he could hear everything.
She had been so upset with what happened and refused to believe my parents would do such a thing
Goddess, I loved her. She wasn’t just saying it to appease me, she genuinely believed it. I just wished
her father also realised his friend would never do that to him.
“Are these are all for donating?” Charlene asked, pointing at the sacks I had stacked to the side.
“Yes.” I replied, feeling a wave of sadness wash over me as I looked at one of Mom’s dresses peeking
out.
“You are doing exactly what they would have wanted you to do.” She whispered softly.
I nodded, getting back to brushing up the broken crockery.
“Are you ok, Yileyna? I mean obviously not… but…”
“I’m fine, things happen.” “I heard you were taken to the hospital today…” I tensed, my heart thumping,
did that healer tell everyone about Theon or her assumptions? I hoped not.
“Yeah, I’m ok though.” I glanced at the door.
Charlene seemed to click on and she nodded.
I’ll tell her about Theon, just not when he could hear our entire conversation.
“Theon!” Charlene called.
My heart skipped a beat, wondering what she wanted. He stepped inside, giving her a cold glare.
“What?”
“Could you fix the door please?” Charlene asked with a small smile, although it didn’t reach her eyes.
I guess there were things we both needed to talk about. It wasn’t like her not to be so warm towards
him.
“I’m not a builder, nor your servant. Don’t call me for unnecessary things.” He was about to turn when
he paused, glancing back at me. “The Alpha wants to see you in an hour.”
I nodded, my stomach sinking. I was going to request a meeting today, but for him to call for me… I
wonder what he wanted to say…
“It’s going to be ok, Dad does not blame you.” Charlene said confidently.
“Hmm. I hope so, I didn’t think he’d blame Dad either.”
Our eyes met and she walked over to me, giving me a tight hug.
“One day, the truth will be revealed, and Dad will feel guilty.”
I nodded. I truly hope so.
I’d hold onto that because I will prove my parent’s innocence. They died protecting me and this city, I
would not let their name be tarnished.
Everything was done by the time I had to go see the Alpha. Charlene looked at the boxes.
“I will have these donated. Where will you go?” She asked as we stood near the front door.
She had mind linked some Omega’s to come help. If it had been me, no one would have come, but no
one would disobey the future Alpha.
“I’m going to go to one of the-”
“She has a place down by the woods, if you’re done, princess, shall we head back?” Theon cut in, his
eyes on me.
Did he not want her to know he was allowing me to stay at his place? I wasn’t going to mention it…
“Then we’ll get someone to take the stuff. Are you sure it’s a good place?” Charlene asked me
concerned.
“Yeah, it’s ok. I mean, it’s nice. The owner was very sweet and considerate to allow me to stay there.” I
smirked. 1
Theon’s jaw ticked, his burning amber eyes meeting mine. I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms.
Deny it, handsome.
He turned his back on us.
I smiled slightly.
“I’ll make sure someone takes her stuff. Now let’s head back, besides, she needs to see the Alpha.” He
said icily.
“Thank you, Theon.” I replied sweetly, brushing past him as I headed out the door, my breasts grazing
his arm and I felt him tense. Our eyes met before his flashed gold, my own stomach did a somersault
and then the moment was gone.
The reality of the upcoming conversation with the Alpha King weighed on my mind as I stepped away
from him. Well, let’s get this over with.
I stood opposite the king’s desk, as he ran a hand through his brown hair, his sharp grey eyes on me
and his brows furrowed in concentration.
“Do you want to take a look at the evidence?”
“Have you seen it?” I asked quietly.
He nodded and sighed heavily.
“It’s in Will’s writing, the maps… the notes… and it is my fear that he had been dealing with none other
than the Obsidian Shadow Pack.”
“Dad would never do that.”
“I want to believe it, I truly do, but I assure you I have seen far more in life than you, Yileyna. Giving in
to greed and betraying your loved ones isn’t that hard. I didn’t want to believe it, but the truth is before
us.”
My heart clenched, anger beginning to rise.
“Things are not always as they seem Alpha, do you think my parents would keep such incriminating
things in our house? This all seems far too coincidental.”
Anyone who knew my parents would know something wasn’t adding up.
The King nodded and gave me a small half-smile that held no happiness.
“I want to say the same thing, but the truth is, why would anyone try to frame them after their death?
What’s the purpose of it? There isn’t any reason, which points to your father knowing I’d always trust
him. He probably knew that was one place I would never search. The one place no one would ever
accidentally stumble onto. Only he didn’t realise he’d die trying to save you.”
With each word, my faith in our alpha was crumbling. I understood he had a kingdom to run, a pack to
answer to and peace and control to uphold, but did he not have any compassion?
“Then there is nothing for me to see.”
He nodded dismissively, as if he didn’t really care.
“You will not be punished for your father’s crimes. Although many wanted me to make you an Omega…
I will not punish you for his crimes. You are Charlene’s greatest confidant and she wouldn’t be able to
forgive me if I did that to you. Plus, there are others who seem to have your best interests at heart. I
don’t know how you do it Yileyna, but you know how to win people over.”
“Is it a bad thing? Or is it that maybe if I wasn’t Charlene’s friend, you would happily cast me aside?
Strip me of everything and make me an Omega?” I asked quietly, unable to stop the words from leaving
my lips.
His eyes changed, turning the pale yellow of his wolf, but I held his gaze.
“I’m still your Alpha, Yileyna, and I will not tolerate disrespect.” His voice was deeper, darker, and more
dangerous, but it didn’t bother me as it once would have.
Everything that had happened… it only made me feel worse.
I thought I wasn’t being treated right, but ok I guess I didn’t have my wolf. I don’t deserve the Beta
title… but then labelling my parents traitors?
There was a fine line between wronging me and completely abusing me and expecting me to stay
silent.
“Of course you are, I just wished as Alpha you realised I’m just an orphan who has lost her parents,
then her birth right and was cast aside mercilessly. But thank you for not beheading me for my parents’
crimes. I am truly grateful.” I said quietly, trying to keep the bitterness from my tone.
“I do realise that Yileyna, it’s why I wanted to ask you if you want to see the proof, perhaps when you
see Will’s writing-”
“But you automatically included Mom in that? Was there her writing in the evidence?”
“You know the law, mates are one, if one commits a crime, then the other, by default, is guilty.
I clenched my jaw, a law that needed to be abolished. A law that disgusted me. It would be better to
lock criminals up rather than kill them and punish their innocent counterparts. Finding your fated mate
was both a blessing and a curse…
“As I was saying, if you saw that it’s Will’s writing, perhaps then you will be able to accept it.” “No thank
you.” I said, clasping my hands behind my back, trying to remain passive as I stared at the Alpha. After
a moment, he nodded and stood up.
“The choice is yours. Well, anyway, the second reason I called you was because Theon and Charlene
are going on a trip… I have already told them both, and well, Charlene wants you to accompany her. I
think perhaps having some female companionship will be good for her.”
“A trip?” I asked.
Maybe some time away from the city would do me well, I loved travelling with Dad whenever I had the
chance.
“A trip to the Purien Isles. In fact, I think this might be something that would suit you. Your father always
said you were impressive with mapping and had good knowledge of terrain, seas and rivers. I think you
will be well suited for this trip.”
The Purien Isles… That was a dangerous path… If as I’m guessing, he wasn’t planning on spending
months taking a detour, something told me he wanted to make a direct journey there.
“Alpha, then you would trust me when I say that the journey is rather dangerous?” “I know, but it’s a
necessity. You see, there is a mage there and time is short…”
He sat down again as he began to explain…
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The meeting with the Alpha lasted under an hour, and although we did not discuss my parents after
that, it wasn’t something I would just forget. I walked through the halls and stopped outside my old
home. The setting sun shone through the curtainless windows, illuminating the dust particles in the air.
As promised, everything was gone.
I stepped through the broken door, the scent of Mom’s candles lingered in the air, the last hint of her
here… I ran my hand along the walls as I looked around one final time…
I brushed away a stray tear that I didn’t even know had escaped me with my free hand.
I paused at the door to my bedroom. The small knife dents that Dad made to measure my
height every summer remained. I smiled, fighting back the storm of tears that threatened to stream
down my cheeks. I slowly dropped to my knees, brushing my finger down the door frame until I saw the
first mark.
I was one year old when Dad made this one…
Even as an adult, he continued this little tradition, I remember complaining last year that I was too old
for this. Oh, how I’d let him do it forever if he was here…
I stood up, walking over to the sack of broken cutlery I had gathered up earlier. Taking out a broken
piece of glass, I returned to the door frame and stood against it, keeping my chin up. Reaching up, I
nicked the wood before stepping away and looking at the difference from last year, just about an inch.
“I grew Dad, just like you said I would… even if it’s just an inch…” I murmured, my voice echoing
slightly in the empty room.
Silence.
I smiled sadly as I glanced into all the rooms one final time.
When I step out of this room, I will be stronger, I will make my parents proud, I will prove to the world
that they were innocent. Prove that Yileyna De’Lacor is her parent’s daughter, true to her people, her
pack and her kingdom, even when wronged… I promise you, Mom and Dad, I will do better.
I walked to the front door, pausing and looking over my shoulder, my gaze lingering on the dining table,
a place that held one memory that overrode the rest.
Theon…
The walls… the kitchen… the memories.
I won’t forget the time I spent here with my family. Ever. I turned away and, with a deep breath, I
stepped out of the quarters that were once my home…
“Goodbye…” I whispered before I walked away not turning back. No matter how many times I wanted
to cast a final glance back at the Beta quarters, I wouldn’t. I couldn’t. From here on out, I would only
look forward.
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