"Blood is thicker than water, but family isn't just about faith, and loyalty, and who you love. If you don't have those things, I don't care what the blood says. You're not family." -Mira Grant
Erik POV
I closed the box, trying to think of what game Alex was playing at. Since he killed Everett, that means Alex will be the new alpha.
"This is going to be bad. If Alex is in charge, then he's going to make impulsive moves." Damon understood the situation we were in.
"Burn the damn thing then get messengers to send to our allies. Let them know a new alpha is in charge of the Bloodshed pack."
"What do you want us to tell the pack?"
"There'll be no secrets from the pack while I'm in charge so let them know the truth. It'll be a wake-up call for all of us."
The rest of the pack was sleeping while the rest were still patrolling. I couldn't rest with the thought that Alex was out there obviously trying to get back at our family. He was digging too deep in the past.
"Is everything alright hon?" My aunt asked with a concerned look. She has the ability to sense when something is wrong by just the mere change in atmosphere. Being a restless sleeper that she was, liked to keep everybody protected.
"No. Alex will come back. I know it."
"Everett had it coming to him. Alex though...you need to talk to him. Civilly. He's your twin, Erik. You were both inseparable when you were little. Just bring him back to us." She pleaded.
"The last time I saw him. He wasn't my brother." The thought of Alex made my temper rise. He accused us of not being there when we didn't even know where he was. So we figured he was dead. That wasn't our fault.
I walked up the stairs and opened the door to Faye's room, peaking in. She was lying halfway off the bed with her hair wild. I chuckled to myself before gently laying her back and pulling the blankets up to her chin.
"I love you, Faye. Good night." I kissed her forehead before leaving the room. When I came back downstairs, my aunt was in the kitchen drinking a cup of hot chocolate.
"Auntie Mary can you-"
"Yes, I'll check on Faye every thirty minutes and give her a cup of hot chocolate when she gets up. Anything else?"
"No, that's it. If she has any nightmares, just link me." Lately, Faye has been having some nightmares. Most of them consisted of us abandoning her like her father did. Of course, I would reassure her and keep her mind from drifting to those dark thoughts.
"She usually asks for you anyways." My aunt smiled at me while sipping her drink. She thought me and Faye were absolutely adorable together. Not that I disagreed or anything.
The whole night I was patrolling and constantly checking in on everyone. The only time I got any sleep was when my uncle demanded that I get some rest. I ended up falling asleep in a chair that I pulled into Faye's room.
I didn't like being too far away from her. The sun's rays were blinding me in my face, waking me up. When I looked over to the bed, it was empty. I abruptly stood up moving the blankets to make sure she wasn't trying to hide from me. I looked under the bed but she wasn't there either.
'Stop and just listen for her.'
I did as Klay told me. I stopped and listened for Faye. The familiar giggle I heard was what gave it away. She was somewhere where she wasn't supposed to be. I went into the hallway and pulled down the attic string.
Once I looked in I saw that the attic was cleaned up. No more spiderwebs or old furniture was in here anymore. Inside Faye was setting up a blanket fort along with my uncle. My uncle turned towards me and came over.
"I cleaned it up as a surprise for Faye. It was hard work but the look on her face was worth it." He said with a proud look on his face. I'm not going to lie, my uncle was making me jealous. I wanted to be the only one that made her smile.
I know it's selfish but she's the center of my world. My one and only. My mate. Though I knew she needed this, a pack, a family. She needed people to care for her after everything that's happened since I met her.
"Erik!" Faye screeched when she saw me. I bent down and picked her up in my arms. I swung her around, making her smile even more. Then I set her down giving her my best stern look that I could muster up even though it was difficult when it came to her.
"Why did you leave the room without waking me up?"
"Uncle Jonah said it would be fine."
"Since when have you started calling him uncle Jonah?"
"Since earlier. He knew you'd be upset that's why he told me to do this." She gave me a sad face even blinking her eyes to have more effect.
I moved her bangs out of her face while rolling my eyes but still smiling. "You're too much, cupcake." I turned her around by her shoulders and untied her hair that was bothering me so I gathered it up in my hands and started to braid her hair as best as I could.
"Since you feel like exploring. Do you want to go exploring the field."
"Yeah." She said in excitement.
I tied her hair in a rubber band and kneeled down. "Alright cupcake. Your ride awaits."
She giggled then climbed on my back. "Yay!" I ducked when going out through the door then went in circles once we were outside. Her laughter was the one thing that kept the smile on my face the whole time.
As soon as we got to our destination outside Faye was squirming. "It's beautiful! It's beautiful!" Once I let her down she ran into the sunflower field, running through them in a zig-zag.
"Look at this one Erik!" Faye exclaimed holding the biggest fully bloomed sunflower I've ever seen.
"It's beautiful, Faye. Why don't you keep it and we'll put it in a vase."
"I'd like that. Thank you." She answered while still looking at the flower.
"I can see why you keep her so close." A familiar voice said. I turned around to see Alex standing across from us with his arms crossed. Instinctively, I pulled Faye closer to my side and hid her behind my leg.
"What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to see if it was true. That my little brother has an eight-year-old for a mate." He smirked while walking forward. "You're a sick man, brother." He mocked.
"There's another one of you," Faye informed me while keeping her eyes locked on Alex. She tightened her grasp on my pants when Alex looked down at her.
Alex chuckled at what Faye said then crouched down. "Hey, there little one."
Faye didn't say anything back. I knew she remembered that Alex had attacked her pack and killed her sister.
Alex stood up looking at me as he circled me and Faye. "Do you remember when mom and dad told us stories how lycans are the harbingers of change. Well, they were wrong, lycans are the harbingers of war."
This had confused me. "What does our childhood stories have to do with this?"
"They have everything to do with this! You're just too dumb to realize it."
"Why did you kill Everett?"
"He was getting in my way. Afraid of what I would soon become." Alex's eyes were growing darker as he spoke.
"You need to leave my land," I said as I clenched my jaw.
"Last I checked, I'm older and have every right to take over this pack." A dark growl escaped his lips making Faye make a noise in the back of her throat.
The need to protect Faye overtook me. If she was scared then it was up to me to get rid of the threat. I grabbed hold of my brother's neck, lifting him in the air.
"You need to get the hell out of here!" I growled letting my wolf's eyes shine. I threw him off and into a tree where he grunted. He started to laugh as he got up.
"This won't be the last time I visit." Then he left the territory for good. The only question going through my mind was how he was able to mask his scent?
After Alex left, I returned Faye to the house. She was a bit shaken up, so I hugged her to calm her and myself. The light tingles engulfed me as I held her. "He scares me."
"I know, but he can't hurt you while I'm here." Someone cleared their throat catching our attention.
"We need to talk to you. About you and Alex." I looked at Faye then kissed the tip of her nose making her face scrunch up, only to laugh then push me away. She was going back to her blanket fort while making the other kids follow her to show off her set up in the attic.
My aunt and uncle sat me down looking tense. "I believe it's time that me and your uncle tell you something that may be helpful." She was quiet for a minute then continued. "You and Alex were both born...special."
"Special? Special how?"
"It's about the family history."
"History? I was never told about our history before." I looked at them both to see that they were uncomfortable.
"There was this saying in the family, that when things start to change, and we overcome forces than ourselves. Then the moon goddess blesses a special wolf with another."
"Another, I don't understand."
"Centuries ago one of our ancestors was...well different from the rest. He was stronger and faster than any average wolf. He passed the gene down and those who got it were so full of rage and intimidating. Our family has always had special blood in us, but only the gifted ones receive them. It's your second wolf Erik, your lycan. You have both."
"Are you saying that I have a dormant lycan within me?"
"Exactly."
I rubbed my forehead trying to wrap my head around this. "Why me? Why does all of this revolve around me?"
"It's not just you. It's both you and your brother. You both carry the lycan gene."
I was overwhelmed with all this information. "No." I shook my head. "That's impossible and unheard of."
We were in silence after that. I was taking in everything they had said. Then I remembered what the moon goddesses said in my dream, 'a gift appears not as it seems, but will need to be cherished to floral in time. All that's hidden will resurface in the darkest of nights. Beware the blood moon.'
"A gift. Beware the blood moon." I whispered out.
"What?" My aunt and uncle asked.
"I remember. A dream of the moon goddess that I had." I paced around the room trying to fit the puzzle pieces together.
They exchanged looks of puzzlement. "I remember you telling us this when you first shifted but you never mentioned that part." My uncle said exchanging looks with his mate.
"It's not a coincidence. A gift, the gift is probably Faye, right? So what is the blood moon though?"
"That's when all supernatural beings are empowered the night of every blood moon," Minerva stated walking into the room. "I believe a witch named Raina is helping quicken his shift and the perfect day is coming up."
"Why would a witch help Alex?"
"Because a dark witch seeks safety in a higher power. She'll be strong on the blood moon but weak afterward. She has many enemies and teaming up with Alex will only prove they're a force to be reckoned with."
I shifted a bit trying to grasp all of this. I was fine this whole time and now Minerva along with my aunt and uncle are telling me that I'm going to have to shift into something else. If I really do have a lycan within me that'll shift for the first time then that means it'll hurt, just like the first time with Klay. It'll hurt, a lot.
"Tell me more about the blood moon."
"The blood moon is known for its special abilities to the supernatural world. It somehow emanates into those who are strong enough to withhold its power and susceptible to change. It can simply alter or enhance the strength of a supernatural being into something more."
She walked up next to me, looking directly into my eyes. "You and your brother will shift on the blood moon, but he has the advantage. The lycan gene is only supposed to go to one but since you're twins, you share the power. He's older than you correct?"
"By a couple of minutes."
"Those minutes are what makes the difference. So because he is older, he'll be stronger and faster than you in lycan form."
All of this was too much for me. I left the room in search of Faye's comfort.