Page 62 of Nita's Redemption

Chapter Eighteen

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN HOW you found my mom?” Tank thought his mom and dad had been part of the Shadow Wolves Pack.

“Your mother wasn’t born and raised as part of our traveling pack. She and a smaller group of wolves were here before we moved here. The entire pack was nearly killed by hunters. Only your mother was still alive when we stumbled upon them. It was a massacre, son. I think the reason she was alive was because she had fallen underneath a male, his blood mixed with her own must’ve masked her enough the hunters left to celebrate their great defeat. Seamus was beyond angry. We hunted the hunters, killing them like the dogs they claimed we were. As we returned to give the shifters a proper send off, I found your mother. Before Seamus could claim her, which he did anytime a new female came to our pack, I took her under my wing, and we claimed one another.”

“Wait, you mean you and my maman didn’t meet here in this area?” Hurricane looked out the window then back at Brock.

“We were about fifteen miles from here on the other side of the mountain. The water source we had, suddenly became poisoned. We weren’t sure how, but knowing our old alpha, he probably had something to do with it. Hell, he probably tainted the wolves who had been with Troyana. That was Tank’s mama. I wouldn’t put it past the bastard to have known the land over here was richer, larger, and better all-around for us shifters and did all he had to do to ensure we could own it. Of course, back then, his modus operandi was do first and fuck whoever got in the way.” Brock went back to the closet and pulled out a box.

“What’s that?” Honor asked.

“This is what I have left of Tank’s mother. She passed away bringing him into the world. I was so angry at fate for taking her while giving me such a remarkable gift. She’d been one of the greatest fighters, literally beating most of the males in our pack, and then she gave up and died right in my arms with our son nestled against her chest. I didn’t understand why the Goddess did that to me.”

Tank wiped at his eyes. He’d heard about his battle warrior of a mother who he’d killed coming into the world. He’d almost killed his own father, the huge male nearly taking his own life when he couldn’t stand living without his female. Instead, his dad had burned everything that had reminded him of his mate, except Tank who was a constant reminder.

“I thought you burned all of her stuff?” he asked, unable to go see what his dad held.

“Most everything. Like with their maman, I kept what I couldn’t part with.” Brock pulled out a beautiful lace scarf and a ring that glimmered. “This was passed down to your mother from her mother who got it from her mother and so on. If you look closely, there are wolves in the lace. When we mated she added our names and just before she gave birth, she stitched in Tank’s name.”

“What about the ring?” Tank moved next to his dad, his hand itched to touch what had once been on his mom.

“This was another thing that had been passed through the ages from females to her male. Hurricane, your mom gave it to me, and when our son found a mate, I was to pass it on to him so that he could give it to her, and so on through the ages. There’s magic weaved into the metal, so it will magically shift to fit the owner’s finger. I didn’t believe it until she slipped it off her finger and onto mine.” His father took a shaky breath.

“Why haven’t you given it to Tank yet?” Hurricane asked.

Brock smiled for the first time since he started talking, reminding Tank that his father was still young and handsome.

“I’m sure it’s because we hadn’t mated with Nita until recently. The lace is beautiful, and I’d be honored to gift it to our female. But our father is a wise man. Since there’s two other males in the bond with our female, he no doubt was thinking about the three of us. The issue of giving something special like the scarf to me, without also giving an equally unique bonding gift to Abe and Link to give to Nita surely held his hand. However, that ring is from your mother, not mine and is meant for you to give to your fated mate. ”

His dad shook his head. “Like usual, Tank is pretty much on point. I know I’m supposed to give this to you, but I feel like it’s still mine. Lorna told me I should wear it since I gave her a ring, and she hadn’t given me one, but...”

Tank held his hand out for the ring, taking it with reverence as he read the words inscribed on the inside. “To my beloved whom I’ll love ’til the end of time,” he read out loud. “I think you should wear it, and if it feels wrong then put it back where you had it unless Hurricane feels a connection to it.”

“No, I feel no draw to the metal. However, what you say about my maman leaving is all well and good, but still doesn’t explain why she came home with the impression that you wanted to share her. You say she left you this note,” he held up the piece of worn looking paper. “While I can obviously read, and yes, this looks like her handwriting there’s something off. Like you, I can tell when someone is lying, and either you’re an accomplished liar or you’re telling the truth. The question still remains and leaves me with the need to find an answer or I will have disrespected my maman’s memory. So, who the fuck was screwing with her and her memories?”

Tank went to the fireplace, grabbing a framed photo. With deft fingers he took the back off and slid the old picture from the back of the new one, showing them the image with Seamus in there. The old alpha stood in the front of their pack, his hulking form and red-haired image looked menacing in the picture.

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