All In Good Time

**Salvi**

“I’m sorry it took me a few days to come and talk to you, I was trying to work out what happened before I came here I did not want to tire you”

I knew I should have come to him sooner but I didn't know he was going to be angry, he told me to bring her back and I failed big time. She revealed her powers to everyone there, even this pack wants to know exactly what she is they all felt it.

*” I waited for you to see me and you came with an excuse”*

He rounds the chair slowly, the anger evident in his tone. His aura is dominating and I can’t help but drop my head around him. As he draws nearer to me I dare not make a move, I know his temper, I know what he’s capable of.

*” You said you were trying to work it out, Salvi. What was the conclusion? Why have you come back without her ?”*

He stood in front of me and a chill ran down my spine as he placed a hand on my shoulder, his claws dug in slightly and I could feel him pierce my skin. I hold in the pain and don’t make a sound.

That’s what he wants from me; he wants me to be strong. Making noise would only prove I’m not worth it and after today I need to prove it even more so.

“When we arrived she was not outside, Ivar started getting restless. He was becoming more and more resistant so I did what I could to subdue him. I started to tear the shield they had put up, I used everything you had taught me I was winning I managed to get some of the pack through and then ….”

He backs away retracting his claws and I slowly lift my head but don’t meet his gaze.

*” Let me guess she then joined with them and you lost control, the tear began to seal and you started to panic”*

He’s right every single word of what he is saying is right. He warned me of this, he warned me that if she sided with them I wouldn’t be able to go up against them without his help.

“I should have got there sooner, I should have stayed focused”

Before I even realise what’s happening his hand has made contact with my cheek and I’m thrown to the floor.

*” You should have never let her go in the first place, this mistake is yours and yours alone and now I must pay the price by giving you more of what I’ve fought too hard to gain”*

“I’m sorry father I didn’t mean too..”

*” Your sorry is meaningless. Now come closer”*

Pushing myself from the floor I step toward him. He holds out his hand. I take it reluctantly. I know the pain of a power transfer, I know his mood can affect how much it hurts.

He grips it tightly and then forces me to look at him, his eyes are pitch black like two black holes pulling me in.

I take a deep breath to ready myself but before I can exhale he’s started the transfer, I try to focus but he starts shouting the pain increasing.

*” You have done this, I have to give you what I worked so hard to take. I spent years learning how to take the power from my family and you are taking it from me.”*

The pain coursing through me as he gives me more power is excruciating, with each word I can feel the spite as he gives me the power he learned to take.

*” You will not fail this time Salvi, you are my daughter, we are children of the first. NOW TAKE BACK WHAT'S RIGHTFULLY OURS”*

He lets go and I drop to my knees feeling weak and tired yet strong, all of the powers I had before have returned to full capacity.

*” Get my sisters brat and bring her back, once we take her power we will stabilise enough to take on those sisters then it’s just the last one left”*

I remain on the floor and nod my head.

“I’ll do it father, I’ll get her this time I won’t fail you”

*” As soon as it’s done we will kill this pack Salvi I’ve grown tired of them and the younger brother is a menace”*

I know he’s talking about Ildi. He has mentioned him before after hearing him talk through the windows. My father is lucky he makes it so no other can see him or Ildi would have even more questions.

My father speaks no more and returns to his seat, his back towards me. I don’t wait for him to speak again as I pick myself off the floor and leave the room.

When I’m far enough away I start to run. He’s right Ildi is a menace and the quicker I finish this the quicker I can get rid of him.

It’s a shame I will have to get rid of Ivar now though it was nice to have company now I know he is Sekretas real mate he’s becoming harder to control.

I could feel him pulling away from my hold when she was here, his wolf was fighting it and if the two of them ever fully realises then I know Ivar will tear me apart.

I head to find him, with this new spring in my step I can at least try to tighten my grip while I work out what the hell I’m going to do next.

Getting to her won’t be easy now they seem to be trusting of her. I doubt I’ll even get near her at all. She longs for a family, for a connection so maybe I need to play on that.

After all, she thinks we are sisters; she has no idea that we are cousins. I could play on her abandonment, make her feel like she is abandoning me.

I can’t help but smile as I walk towards my room. Have come to care for Sekreta, Sure but I like power more, I like feeling superior more than I like her.

Heading into my room I see Ivar sitting on the chair staring blankly out of the window exactly where I left him. He’s nothing if not obedient in this place.



**Sekreta**

It's been a weird few days, Selene and I have been getting on well. She even taught me how to control some of my power or at least the ones that she has.

Things have changed in the packhouse too, I’m able to walk around freely and people even say hi. I can tell some are wary of me but they still smile before they scurry away.

As I walk the grounds I can’t help but wonder what it would have been like to grow up in a pack surrounded by family and friends and people who would do anything to support you.

Even with all my anger I can’t help but think of Salvi, her life growing up must have been as miserable as my own. I know she lied about us not having any family but when she told me of her past I didn’t feel like her loneliness was fake.

Stopping just before the edge of a tree line I can see a small garden full to the brim with roses, each one more beautiful than the other. I’m pulled to it, so I walk around until I find a seat.

It's the most peaceful I have found myself in a long time. Sitting in the calming stillness I try to think of my mother, try to remember what life was like for us before Arlo. Selene is right. I should have some memories of my own she has been telling me over and over.

Closing my eyes I lean back letting the warm sun take over me while I did into my memories for the first time in forever.

*” Sekreta are you okay? you’ve been out here hours *”

Artemis sits next to me on the bench forcing me to open my eyes.

“Did you just say hours ?”

It has felt like only minutes but I can see the sun has set and the day is almost over.

“Sorry I didn’t realise the time”

*” No need to apologise you looked peaceful so we didn’t want to interrupt but you are going to miss dinner otherwise “*

She smiles at me softly and stands up, as I follow her back into the house I try to think about what I saw but I come up with nothing. How could I sit there for such a long time and remember nothing?

I don’t have one single memory to hand, I’m not even sure if I remembered anything at all.

Dinner passes on quickly, eating with a pack has been an experience often it's a free for all but at the end of it, everyone sits and eats, discussing their days or trivial matters, the younger children play together, it’s homely.

But I feel out of place still I am not part of their pack, technically I am part of no pack at all but I would like to me. I wonder if Calder and Selene would let me join this one when this is all over.

Once dinner is over part of me wants to sneak back out to the little rose hideaway but I know someone would notice, probably Artemis. I know she watches me like a hawk. I feel her eyes on me all the time.

I’m not mad about it, it’s nice to have someone look out for me. It's not something I’ve had before. The room starts to clear but I say seated, I don’t like to get in the way so I’m happy to wait.

**You know I like it here Sekreta, I told you they would look after us and they have been so nice**

“You are right Sav but they want to protect us and really we need to be protecting them, we need to protect Frode.”

**We don’t even know what from so how can we protect him**

“You know was week as I do that we will be going to the house in the next couple of days hopefully it will tell us everything we need to know”

**What if we get there and it doesn’t though? What if it tells us nothing and we can't help them keep that baby safe from our deranged sister **

“She is not deranged and you know it. Like it or not she is still our sister, we have a duty of care to her too “

**You are too nice you know sometimes I wonder if we really are a woman and wolf **

“You are being ridiculous you forget that we feel the same thing so you think the same as I do “

Once the room has cleared I head back out, I want to go to my room but I also want to go back to that little garden one more time.

When I reach the back door I hesitate before heading up the stairs to my room. As soon as I opened the door I saw Sel sitting on my bed waiting for me.

*” Good you're here we need to go over the plan. Artemis and Cynthis have agreed to let us go with the plan we gave them but we need to plan what we are actually going to do”*

I take a seat on the bed next to her as she pulls out some pieces of paper from under my mattress, it is the same as every night out plan to get the book has also become a plan to overthrow the pack with the help of Ildi.

All we need to do is convince him of Salvi’s treachery. I don’t think it will take much. He already seems to dislike her.