Chapter 19


    19. Looking Forward


    YILEYNA


    A few hours had passed since Charlene hade, and Theon had once again be the quiet, cold,


    stoic, arrogant jerk he always was when we weren’t alone.


    Charlene had helped organise the stuff whilst Theon had stood outside the apartment, leaving the two


    of us alone, but with the door broken I knew he could hear everything.


    She had been so upset with what happened and refused to believe my parents would do such a thing


    Goddess, I loved her. She wasn’t just saying it to appease me, she genuinely believed it. I just wished


    her father also realised his friend would never do that to him.


    “Are these are all for donating?” Charlene asked, pointing at the sacks I had stacked to the side.


    “Yes.” I replied, feeling a wave of sadness wash over me as I looked at one of Mom’s dresses peeking


    out.


    “You are doing exactly what they would have wanted you to do.” She whispered softly.


    I nodded, getting back to brushing up the broken crockery.


    “Are you ok, Yileyna? I mean obviously not… but…”


    “I’m fine, things happen.” “I heard you were taken to the hospital today…” I tensed, my heart thumping,


    did that healer tell everyone about Theon or her assumptions? I hoped not.


    “Yeah, I’m ok though.” I nced at the door.


    Charlene seemed to click on and she nodded.


    I’ll tell her about Theon, just not when he could hear our entire conversation.


    “Theon!” Charlene called.


    My heart skipped a beat, wondering what she wanted. He stepped inside, giving her a cold re.


    “What?”


    “Could you fix the door please?” Charlene asked with a small smile, although it didn’t reach her eyes.


    I guess there were things we both needed to talk about. It wasn’t like her not to be so warm towards


    him.


    “I’m not a builder, nor your servant. Don’t call me for unnecessary things.” He was about to turn when


    he paused, ncing back at me. “The Alpha wants to see you in an hour.”


    I nodded, my stomach sinking. I was going to request a meeting today, but for him to call for me… I


    wonder what he wanted to say…


    “It’s going to be ok, Dad does not me you.” Charlene said confidently.


    “Hmm. I hope so, I didn’t think he’d me Dad either.”


    Our eyes met and she walked over to me, giving me a tight hug.


    “One day, the truth will be revealed, and Dad will feel guilty.”


    I nodded. I truly hope so.


    I’d hold onto that because I will prove my parent’s innocence. They died protecting me and this city, I


    would not let their name be tarnished.


    Everything was done by the time I had to go see the Alpha. Charlene looked at the boxes.


    “I will have these donated. Where will you go?” She asked as we stood near the front door.


    She had mind linked some Omega’s toe help. If it had been me, no one would havee, but no


    one would disobey the future Alpha.


    “I’m going to go to one of the-”


    “She has a ce down by the woods, if you’re done, princess, shall we head back?” Theon cut in, his


    eyes on me.


    Did he not want her to know he was allowing me to stay at his ce? I wasn’t going to mention it…


    “Then we’ll get someone to take the stuff. Are you sure it’s a good ce?” Charlene asked me


    concerned.


    “Yeah, it’s ok. I mean, it’s nice. The owner was very sweet and considerate to allow me to stay there.” I


    smirked. 1


    Theon’s jaw ticked, his burning amber eyes meeting mine. I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms.


    Deny it, handsome.


    He turned his back on us.


    I smiled slightly.


    “I’ll make sure someone takes her stuff. Now let’s head back, besides, she needs to see the Alpha.” He


    said icily.


    “Thank you, Theon.” I replied sweetly, brushing past him as I headed out the door, my breasts grazing


    his arm and I felt him tense. Our eyes met before his shed gold, my own stomach did a somersault


    and then the moment was gone.


    The reality of the uing conversation with the Alpha King weighed on my mind as I stepped away


    from him. Well, let’s get this over with.


    I stood opposite the king’s desk, as he ran a hand through his brown hair, his sharp grey eyes on me


    and his brows furrowed in concentration.


    “Do you want to take a look at the evidence?”


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    “Have you seen it?” I asked quietly.


    He nodded and sighed heavily.


    “It’s in Will’s writing, the maps… the notes… and it is my fear that he had been dealing with none other


    than the Obsidian Shadow Pack.”


    “Dad would never do that.”


    “I want to believe it, I truly do, but I assure you I have seen far more in life than you, Yileyna. Giving in


    to greed and betraying your loved ones isn’t that hard. I didn’t want to believe it, but the truth is before


    us.”


    My heart clenched, anger beginning to rise.


    “Things are not always as they seem Alpha, do you think my parents would keep such incriminating


    things in our house? This all seems far too coincidental.”


    Anyone who knew my parents would know something wasn’t adding up.


    The King nodded and gave me a small half-smile that held no happiness.


    “I want to say the same thing, but the truth is, why would anyone try to frame them after their death?


    What’s the purpose of it? There isn’t any reason, which points to your father knowing I’d always trust


    him. He probably knew that was one ce I would never search. The one ce no one would ever


    identally stumble onto. Only he didn’t realise he’d die trying to save you.”


    With each word, my faith in our alpha was crumbling. I understood he had a kingdom to run, a pack to


    answer to and peace and control to uphold, but did he not have anypassion?


    “Then there is nothing for me to see.”


    He nodded dismissively, as if he didn’t really care.


    “You will not be punished for your father’s crimes. Although many wanted me to make you an Omega…


    I will not punish you for his crimes. You are Charlene’s greatest confidant and she wouldn’t be able to


    forgive me if I did that to you. Plus, there are others who seem to have your best interests at heart. I


    don’t know how you do it Yileyna, but you know how to win people over.”


    “Is it a bad thing? Or is it that maybe if I wasn’t Charlene’s friend, you would happily cast me aside?


    Strip me of everything and make me an Omega?” I asked quietly, unable to stop the words from leaving


    my lips.


    His eyes changed, turning the pale yellow of his wolf, but I held his gaze.


    “I’m still your Alpha, Yileyna, and I will not tolerate disrespect.” His voice was deeper, darker, and more


    dangerous, but it didn’t bother me as it once would have.


    Everything that had happened… it only made me feel worse.


    I thought I wasn’t being treated right, but ok I guess I didn’t have my wolf. I don’t deserve the Beta


    title… but thenbelling my parents traitors?


    There was a fine line between wronging me andpletely abusing me and expecting me to stay


    silent.


    “Of course you are, I just wished as Alpha you realised I’m just an orphan who has lost her parents,


    then her birth right and was cast aside mercilessly. But thank you for not beheading me for my parents’


    crimes. I am truly grateful.” I said quietly, trying to keep the bitterness from my tone.


    “I do realise that Yileyna, it’s why I wanted to ask you if you want to see the proof, perhaps when you


    see Will’s writing-”


    “But you automatically included Mom in that? Was there her writing in the evidence?”


    “You know thew, mates are one, if onemits a crime, then the other, by default, is guilty.


    I clenched my jaw, aw that needed to be abolished. Aw that disgusted me. It would be better to


    lock criminals up rather than kill them and punish their innocent counterparts. Finding your fated mate


    was both a blessing and a curse…


    “As I was saying, if you saw that it’s Will’s writing, perhaps then you will be able to ept it.” “No thank


    you.” I said, sping my hands behind my back, trying to remain passive as I stared at the Alpha. After


    a moment, he nodded and stood up.


    “The choice is yours. Well, anyway, the second reason I called you was because Theon and Charlene


    are going on a trip… I have already told them both, and well, Charlene wants you to apany her. I


    think perhaps having some femalepanionship will be good for her.”


    “A trip?” I asked.


    Maybe some time away from the city would do me well, I loved travelling with Dad whenever I had the


    chance.


    “A trip to the Purien Isles. In fact, I think this might be something that would suit you. Your father always


    said you were impressive with mapping and had good knowledge of terrain, seas and rivers. I think you


    will be well suited for this trip.”


    The Purien Isles… That was a dangerous path… If as I’m guessing, he wasn’t nning on spending


    months taking a detour, something told me he wanted to make a direct journey there.


    “Alpha, then you would trust me when I say that the journey is rather dangerous?” “I know, but it’s a


    necessity. You see, there is a mage there and time is short…”


    He sat down again as he began to exin…


    –


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    The meeting with the Alphasted under an hour, and although we did not discuss my parents after


    that, it wasn’t something I would just forget. I walked through the halls and stopped outside my old


    home. The setting sun shone through the curtainless windows, illuminating the dust particles in the air.


    As promised, everything was gone.


    I stepped through the broken door, the scent of Mom’s candles lingered in the air, thest hint of her


    here… I ran my hand along the walls as I looked around one final time…


    I brushed away a stray tear that I didn’t even know had escaped me with my free hand.


    I paused at the door to my bedroom. The small knife dents that Dad made to measure my


    height every summer remained. I smiled, fighting back the storm of tears that threatened to stream


    down my cheeks. I slowly dropped to my knees, brushing my finger down the door frame until I saw the


    first mark.


    I was one year old when Dad made this one…


    Even as an adult, he continued this little tradition, I rememberiningst year that I was too old


    for this. Oh, how I’d let him do it forever if he was here…


    I stood up, walking over to the sack of broken cutlery I had gathered up earlier. Taking out a broken


    piece of ss, I returned to the door frame and stood against it, keeping my chin up. Reaching up, I


    nicked the wood before stepping away and looking at the difference fromst year, just about an inch.


    “I grew Dad, just like you said I would… even if it’s just an inch…” I murmured, my voice echoing


    slightly in the empty room.


    Silence.


    I smiled sadly as I nced into all the rooms one final time.


    When I step out of this room, I will be stronger, I will make my parents proud, I will prove to the world


    that they were innocent. Prove that Yileyna De’Lacor is her parent’s daughter, true to her people, her


    pack and her kingdom, even when wronged… I promise you, Mom and Dad, I will do better.


    I walked to the front door, pausing and looking over my shoulder, my gaze lingering on the dining table,


    a ce that held one memory that overrode the rest.


    Theon…


    The walls… the kitchen… the memories.


    I won’t forget the time I spent here with my family. Ever. I turned away and, with a deep breath, I


    stepped out of the quarters that were once my home…


    “Goodbye…” I whispered before I walked away not turning back. No matter how many times I wanted


    to cast a final nce back at the Beta quarters, I wouldn’t. I couldn’t. From here on out, I would only


    look forward.