Charlie’s POV


    We’ve dealt with the main threat. Eddie turned the corner at the top of the stairs, and Rita dropped down from the top of the hallway and knocked him out. It was quick and quiet. Colby and I caught him as he fell. We disarmed him and put zip ties on his wrists. We needed him neutralized in case he woke up before we were finished.


    Rita had suggested doing this, and we all thought it was a great idea. We needed to take him out quietly. I needed to give Ana time to get into position, and getting Eddie out of the way was the right direction to go. She had been sitting between Seth and Holden. She wasn’t going to be able to pull her gun at that awkward angle. We needed her to be ready to go when Tiffany decided to make her move.


    He looks toward his mate, who has tears streaking down her cheeks. He reaches for her, and she takes a step back. I am as confused as the rest of the room. “Reagan, I love Mnie, but this wasn’t a mistake. She didn’t identally do this. She intended to harm you and no one will convince me otherwise,” she says. The pain and regret rolling off of her is palpable. “You think she should die” Reagan asks visibly distraught by the thought.


    “Of course, I don’t want that Reagan. She is my pup. I love our daughter, but that girl who stepped into this room and saw you lying in that bed dying is not my daughter. I thought I was going to lose you, Reagan. I thought I was going to lose the other half of my soul. Do you understand how scared I was? If it wasn’t for De I would be burying you and Mnie was part of the reason you needed to be saved,” she sobs.


    “So as hard as it is to say this, I want her punished. Whatever the future queen decides is appropriate is what I want. That is not the daughter I raised and loved,” she says. My heart breaks for this woman I just met. I can’t imagine betraying my own family for anything, let alone a title or a man that isn’t even my destined. I move and pull her into my arms as she continues to sob. My energy flows through me and after a few seconds her sobs quiet.


    “Maureen, pleasee here,” Reagan says from behind me. She stiffens before she steps out of my embrace. I turn and watch her take the few steps to reach her mate, whose expression is unreadable. As soon as she is close enough, Reagan reaches out and pulls her into his arms. I look at Valor and then Ronan, intending for us to step outside and give them a moment. “Don’t leave princess,” Reagan says. When I turn back, Maureen is still wrapped in his arms.


    “Reagan, Ronan considers you his family, which means I do to. Please just call me De.” Rea gan smiles, but I can see he is still confused by my rtionship with Ronan. “As much as it kills me, Maureen is right. If Mnie truly intended to harm me because I wouldn’t support her bing Ronan’s chosen mate, then she deserves whatever punishment you see fit,” he says.


    I can see how painful it is for him to say each word. “Tell them about our powers to discern truth from lies and good from bad,” Amethyst says, startling me. “Amethyst, are you sure?”


    “Yes, you can trust them, and they need to know that when we decide her punishment it will be because you know what she has truly done. What kind of person she has be,” she says.


    When my eyes meet Reagan’s again, there is a knowing smile.


    “She was right, wasn’t she? You are the midnight wolf that we learn about as pups,” he says. I look at Valor and Ronan before my eyes return to him. I had hoped to tell the two of them this before anyone else, but now it feels important that Reagan and Maureen know who I am. “Your right, De. There will be people and moments that need us to reveal who we truly are. They will be just as important as when we announce our existence to the supernatural world,” Amethyst says.


    “After Roger was killed, she sent a group of warriors to attack the Red Moon. She insisted that the only way Roger and the other hybrid warriors were killed was because the pack contained the midnight wolf. When none of them returned she was even more convinced,” he says. “Actually, I wasn’t even in the pack the day Roger was killed.”


    “My Nana Evie had been kidnapped by an evil witch. She was pregnant with Calliope at the time. I was with my parents rescuing her.” Maureen’s eyes look like saucers as I’m sure she is doing the math. “I was around six at the time and to answer your question, I am the Midnight Wolf.” I give over Amethyst control, and she greets Maureen, Reagan, and Ronan before I’m pulled into strong arms. “Mate, is even more special than we realized,” Axel says and I giggle. He presses a kiss on my forehead before Valor manages to regain control.


    I turn back to face Reagan and Maureen, but I’m sure my cheeks are pink. “My wolf’s name is Amethyst and she has been with me since the moment I took my first breath.” “Not that I’m not grateful that you told us, but I can see even the boys are shocked. Why tell us,” he asks. “First I meant what I said. Ronan is important to me. I can’t exin why yet, but he may not be my mate, but we will share a bond. Not a romantic one but a bond just the same. Second, the sole purpose of meing to the pack, Reagan, was to save you.”


    “Third, Amethyst felt it was important for you to know. She feels we can trust you. Someday the world will know who I am, but for now, only those we trust do.” Reagan reaches his hand out to mine. I slip my small hand into hisrge one. “She is right. You can trust us De. We will never betray you,” he says as Maureen ces her hand over ours. “Now the reason I asked you about Mnie’s punishment is because one of my powers is being able to discern if someone is lying or telling the truth. If there is even a shred of good in them, that is worth saving.”


    “I n on asking Mnie some pointed questions and if I don’t like the answers, she will be held ountable for her crimes. Agatha is right about the royal pack’s involvement in the day–to–day running of the pack, but the minute she spoke to the king she opened the door,” I say with a smirk. “Bet once the old b**ch realizes that she will want to kick her own a**” Valor says. We all look toward him and guilt shes in his eyes when he looks at Ronan.


    “Sorry Ronan. I know she is still your aunt,” he says. “Don’t be. I was always a means to an end for her. She doesn’t care for me. Hell, I don’t think she really cared about Roger. She wants power. She believes that I can get her that power. It’s the only reason she even bothered with me. Every person that shares my blood has been a piece of sh*t that cares more about title, rank, and power,” he says. Sadness washes over me thinking about a small boy never feeling loved.


    “Don’t look like that at me, De. I promise you my childhood wasn’t as bad as you’re imagining. My mother was gone before I could meet her, which was fine with me. She only was with my father to try and create you funny enough. Roger was no kind of parent, so I was more than happy he never bothered with me. Hell Agatha never even started to speak to me until I was thirteen. The omegas that cared for me treated me like their own pups,” he says.<fn5331> The source of th?s content is f?i?n?d?n?o?v?e?l?</fn5331>


    I can feel the truth in his words. “I was lucky enough to have many women I considered like a mother,” he says, looking at Maureen. She smiles, tears forming in her eyes. “I also had a man I considered a father,” he says, looking at Reagan. “So I promise you, despite theck of care from the people I shared blood with, I knew love. It’s the only reason I didn’t turn into a raging a**hole like Roger,” he says. I move and wrap my arms around him, and he does the same without hesitation.


    I giggle when Valor tries to wrap his arms around us both, but Ronan’s size makes that impossible. “I’m not sure what the hell is happening with the three of you, but I’m happy to see that smile on my son’s face,” Reagan says. I manage to pull back despite four arms surrounding me and see the warmth in Ronan’s eyes as he nods at Reagan. A knock on the door of the room has us separating but not moving away from each other. When the door. opens, I recognize one of the men from earlier.


    “What is it,” Ronan asks, all the warmth of a few minutes ago gone from his eyes. “It’s Mnie. Perhaps we should talk outside Alpha,” the man says, looking toward Reagan and Maureen. A pit forms in my stomach. What the hell could have happened in a short time that has the man looking like he wants to be anywhere but here?