Page 57 of Moonlit Choosing Ritual

My world tilted on its axis. “No…” I said under my breath as goosebumps lined my skin. “You’re mistaken. My mother’s name is Ayla. And I don’t have a father… or brothers…”

A sob came out of Thyra’s throat. “Oh, my baby. My Ylva,” she cried, her eyes going red as tears continued to fall. “Ayla was your nanny in our pack in Europe. She—” She swallowed her emotions, taking a hiccup. “She stole you one day and fled. We’ve been looking for her since then. We found out she was in America, but we didn’t know where. Your father insisted that we settle here until we find you.”

My eyes snapped to Alpha Frode Asgeir who was looking cautiously at me with love. “Ridiculous,” I blurted. “I’m a human. I don’t have a wolf. So I’m sure you’re mistaken. Please take me back to Talon. Or is this a conspiracy against him?” I pulled the collar of my shirt down. “I bear his mark! He’s my mate. Take me to him. Release me. You can’t keep me a prisoner.”

I lowered my head as sobs racked my shoulders. Then looked over my shoulder to see Alpha Frode, who stared at me with horror in his eyes. “You don’t have a wolf?”

I shook my head. “No. I’m a human.”

“That’s impossible!” he refuted. “You’re my daughter, and every Viking she-wolf has a wolf!”

“I’m not your daughter!” I shouted. “And for God’s sake, please stop imposing yourself on me.”

“Then why do you smell like me and Thyra?” he shot. “You look so much like your mother. Can’t you see the common features? Look at your brothers. We all have pale blond hair, high cheekbones and pale skin.”

Chapter 32

Kimble

My mouth dropped open as my gaze went to the five wolves standing a few feet away, staring at me as if I’d grown two heads. I studied their features, and—and—I didn’t want to acknowledge it. They all had the same hair as mine, only shorter. Four of them had blue eyes like mine, except Vandil whose eyes were dark. A cataclysmic shudder ran through my body. I shook my head. “No. No.” The shock of the situation was immense. If I was their daughter, then how could they have let Ayla steal me? “No. No.” If I was their daughter, then why didn’t they protect me? Imagine being the daughter of a powerful Alpha, and—and—I couldn’t even think of words. “I—I want Talon,” I gasped, unable to draw in air. “Please, please—” He was the only wolf who loved me, protected me, and had done everything in his power to keep me.

I realized that since I was declared a human, forbidden to marry a werewolf, he had used his power, strength, ability, and cunning to make me his. And only because I was his mate. No one questioned him, everyone was jealous of him, and everyone wanted to hurt him, using me as a tool. They knew I was his weakness. He knew I was his weakness. And he protected me by all means necessary, with everything he had.

Thyra took my hand and squeezed it. “Ylva, it’s true. I know it’s difficult for you to accept, but, my child, you don’t know how far we’ve come in our quest to find you. We practically relocated our pack to this country just to find you.”

“I want Talon. Please, I beg of you!” I cried, not wanting to hear another word of their lies.

“Talon is our enemy!” Alpha Frode shouted. “I will not allow my daughter to marry my enemy!”

The hairs on the back of my neck rose as I stared at him. “There’s no proof that I’m your daughter!”

“Do you want a DNA test?” Alpha Frode said, challenging me.

Why did I get the feeling it would prove his assertion? With my lips quivering, disbelief cruising through me, and dread settling like a knot in my belly, I continued staring at him. “What do I do?” I said. “Ayla—she—she hated me. Tried to sell me. I—I ate scraps of food, going hungry for days. She—” I swallowed. “She beat me until I fell unconscious.” I hugged myself as the dark memories flooded back. “She made me drink something every time I got this weird feeling coming over me, and her black tonic would kill both the feeling and me on the inside. But she raised me…”

A tear dropped from Alpha Frode’s left eye as his Adam’s apple bobbed. He looked away, not wanting to show it to me. Vandil and Sven stayed, but the other three left.

“Leave her alone, Father,” Sven said in a hoarse voice. “Don’t force her, please.”

Alpha Frode nodded. He cupped Thyra’s shoulders and helped her up. “Let’s go…”

Thyra let go of my hand and walked reluctantly out of the room, with only Vandil standing guard. I curled myself into a ball as the barrage of emotions that crashed inside me became too much to take. I had real parents in the world. And they’d let me go… Anger, helplessness, and frustration mounted. I wanted to scream, but all that came out of my throat was a sob. I sobbed until I was acutely aware of Vandil’s presence. He didn’t say anything, standing coldly, watching me.

Finally I asked, “Where’s Jackie?”

“She’s safe in the guest room, but we stopped her seeing you,” he replied quietly.

Good. Because I didn’t want to talk to her.

“Ylva,” he said softly.

“Don’t call me Ylva!” I snapped. “I’m Kimble… Talon’s mate…” The fucking pain of not being with him returned. Was he okay? What happened in the battle with Liam? “Is Talon okay?” I asked, bracing myself for a negative answer.

“He is, and he won the battle,” he responded as if knowing what I thought.

I sprang up with excitement. “Really?”

“Yes,” Vandil’s lips lifted into a ghost of a smile.

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