Page 17 of One True Mate

"You knew?" I demanded, crawling out of my now too small space. "You knew all this time and you never told me? Never even let on that you had any idea of what I am?"

The feeling of betrayal was so strong that I didn't even notice I was standing naked before them until Elise yanked my robe off its hook by the steps and brought it to me. She hesitated as if judging my stability.

"Thanks," I told her, letting her know it was okay. I wasn't mad at her right then, I was mad at him.

I watched him cringe as I turned my attention back to him.

"How could you? How could you not tell me, even after everything I told you today!"

I didn't want to cry in front of him, but I couldn't stop the tears. I had been alone all my life, and finding out that the only friends I'd ever had were monsters just like me was both a relief and a fear. I didn't know for sure that Elise and Lily were werewolves too, but I suspected as much.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

KYLE

Chapter 8

I have never cowered to anyone in my life, not even my father who is the only wolf in all of Westin Territory who out ranks me, but seeing the pain and betrayal in my mate's eyes had me ready to beg for forgiveness.

"Kelsey, let us explain, please." Lily was begging already.

Lily wasn't an alpha like me. I was born an alpha. Alpha females by birth were rare, and the Grand Council had a standing kill order out for any that were born. Alpha females were dangerous and too strong and too powerful to control. I didn't really agree with the Council on this. I couldn't imagine killing a young she-wolf showing extraordinary powers, but it had been done for generations. And luckily, it was an extremely rare occurrence. Better yet, it had never happened in the history of the Westin Pack.

"You?" she asked my sister breaking, my thoughts, "Are you, Lily? Are you a werewolf too?"

"We don't really like the term werewolf. We call ourselves wolf shifters, or just shifters."

"How? How did you all get like this? Did a werewolf come through and bite everyone?"

I couldn't help the stunned look on my face. Did she really believe the wolf that had killed her parents had turned her into a werewolf? I tried hard to think back through the little she had confided in me.

"Kels, we're not created from a wolf bite. We're born this way," Lily told her as calmly as she could.

I saw the disappointment and despair in Kelsey’s eyes.

"Oh," she said quietly.

"Lily and Elise, excuse us. Kelsey and I have a lot to talk about."

I let some of my authority flow over them and saw Kelsey's eyes widen. So, she did feel it after all. I had always been lead to believe that alpha power was natural and that all wolves were born to it and born to recognize and respond to it, but since meeting Kelsey I had been second guessing that theory. Could it be that wolves were taught at such a young age about alpha powers that they never doubted it? Could it really be nurture and not nature? It went against everything I had ever been taught, but Kelsey wasn't raised in a pack and seemed immune to my powers.

With my sisters gone, I sat down on the floor, looking around and taking in my surroundings for the first time.

"This is amazing, Kelsey. I've wondered every day since you showed up in my office why you didn't come out to run. I waited for you. I called to you. This den is incredible. Is this what you use to keep your wolf side happy while cooped up inside?"

I could still smell her heightened stress levels, but they had eased a little with the girls’ departure. I waited for her to respond, but all I got was a small nod of her head.

"Is it okay that I'm down here? Wolves are very territorial."

She shrugged. "She didn't like it when Elise came down. I had to change back to keep her from attacking." She looked ashamed. Didn't she know that was perfectly normal? "You don't seem to aggravate her, though."

I should hope not. Her wolf side had to know I was her mate even if she didn't seem to have any understanding of it.

"Will you sit and talk with me?"

She sighed and sat.

"You don't understand, Kyle, I'm not like you guys. I need to get away from here, far far away."

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