Chapter 164: Lola's Gift

Kayden's POV

This is the first time I'm in this house but I know it like the back of my hand. I already feel Adelola's protection spells and since Phi is awake we both feel her presence, it's not malicious, on the contrary, it's very soothing and I already feel her embracing me as family, especially because of my genetic contribution of creating two Alphas to add to her legacy.

'Yo Kay, do you feel what I told you about this place?' Marcus was a little nervous the first time he came here just a couple of days ago but soon started to feel at ease. At first I thought it would only be Izzy who would be reluctant to let go of her mortal family, but as my memories keep coming I'm feeling the same way. I was really happy when Marcus ended up being mated to Natalia, I can't think of my life without him, I can't think of my life without the guys either...

'Yeah, that's Adelola's protection spells but I feel her presence. She did tell some of their ancestors that she purposely bound her soul to this house, so we have to accept that she's basically here! I feel at ease.' We're in the main living area with our mates, Maco, Amelia and Umbros waiting for Lola and Ishaan. Umbros is not looking well. I feel sympathy for the guy, but his fear was unfounded. I understand Adam's a little more because he was raised in a pack and country were he would probably have been shamed.

I can feel Izzy's growing concern about citizens of Karaya bringing these HUMAN beliefs and prejudices into their territory. In the treaty The Osupa have with everyone who came, they included their laws and what is unacceptable. They already knew that wolves from other places had accepted a lot of human beliefs which have been to a point indoctrinated into them, and they're working little by little to teach them how that disrespectful behavior towards others brings disharmony to the pack. But to hear it coming from her cousin, an OG Osupa, has her pissed. It's like he erased everything he's been tought.

"Izzy, Maco, I'm really sorry! I spoke with Lola earlier, she's mad but---" Oh boy...

"Umbros we're ALL mad at you! Seriously man when did you start thinking like a human or one of those packs that don't know any better?! Dude, we already KNEW about your preference quite a while ago, nobody gave you shit for it because it's NOT OUR WAY. Think dummy! You yourself knew about Nina and Tali, did YOU ever think it was inappropriate? Did you ever think about shaming them for it?!" As head of the family, Maco feels the family's resentment. Poor guy, him and Amelia have been absorbing all the negativity of everything that happened today.

Nina is off the hook because everyone feels through the filial Bond that she recognized her mistake and is REALLY sorry and is committed to make amends. However Ayiti and Umbros are in hot water. Ayiti's case is on standby until she fixes her relationship with her kids and those of Alpha Franco, but everyone knows that will be a longer process. And they are very disappointed on Umbros, the family feels like HE is the one who judged THEM unfairly. Yet what REALLY has them angry is his attitude towards Lola. From Izz's memory and what I feel through the filial Bond, Lola has always been one who doesn't make trouble for anyone and even with her problems with her brother, would always go on missions with him and Talia to ensure that they're safe. How Umbros went about it was cruel to her. Nina and Bayoán KNEW WHY they were angry at each other, Lola didn't have a clue of why her big brother would be so vicious towards her and now that she knows she feels betrayed by him.

"No. I never cared about what they did... Well except for Nina, HER shit made everyon--" He's trying to pivot.

"Umbros, we already dealt with THAT problem! Yeah, she fucked up and if you want the same thrashing we gave her for it we will be happy to comply! Dad didn't address it correctly and it kept snowballing, but WE cousin, WE have to be BETTER than the past generation just like I hope that the generation of OUR kids is better than us!" Izzy is reclining on me for comfort and I kiss her temple trying to keep her emotions in check. SHE feels hurt by Umbros's attitude, and she feels how VERY hurt Lola is.

"Umbros, we have faith that you'll try your best to fix this, but your not going to get very far by pivoting, shifting blame or throwing someone else under the bus!" Amelia chimes in with her soft and tender voice. Even though we had nothing to do with what happened to her, Marcus BEGGED for her forgiveness and after kissing my mate the second thing I did was ask for her forgiveness, too. I feel AWFUL about what happened to her, nobody should go through what she did.

Nina was leaning on one of the archways that leads to where we are just listening. She didn't even get angry at him for trying to throw her under the bus.

"Gee cuz, thanks for that! Umbros, don't you see where WE went wrong? If we would have kept it up we could have destroyed our family. I regret everything I did... I don't even remember the last time I hugged Dad... I've been trying to remember since I saw his writing on that stupid receipt! I'm thinking maybe when I was 6? I will never have the chance to talk it through with him... I wasted so much time and energy on my anger that I even started to feel it consuming me after a while but my pride was stronger. I was so... I was so stupi--" She's got tears drowning her. And the overwhelming feeling of her regret fills our hearts. Tony and Bayo came feeling her distress and before anyone could comfort her Tony let Bayo take her in his arms.

"Yo, yo, yo, yo! Stop, stop it! Shhh... That's enough sweetheart. C'mon, let's get a drink, Fatima and Roxy sent some edibles. I say we get some to help with our appetite, girl did you cook to feed the whole BLOCK?!" She let's out a tearful chuckle. He lets Tony hold her to calm her down and to lead her out, before he follows them he gives Umbros a cold glare.

"Don't you ever DARE do that again! At least she's taking FULL responsibility for what she did, and her and my issues are OUR problem to work out. I'M willing to forgive her and she's forgiving me, in her case it wasn't all her fault. She DID have a VALID reason for her anger, sure she took it to a WHOLE other level, but both Dad and I share blame and to a degree even Mom. You're a damn Truth Seer Umbros! I vaguely remember when Nina and I used to get along as kids... You on the other hand had a loving sister who even puts her life on the line to make sure that you were safe, even when she knew that you hated her!" And he went after Nina and Tony.

"I DON'T HATE her! Look I fucked up! I kno---" Just then Lola and Ishaan arrived. Umbros got up to go to her. The moment he touched her she shoved his hand off angrily and Ishaan gave him a warning growl.

Izz has a valid point for adding him as Beta, but just the thought of her loosing control and he having to implant into the Beta Bond a kill order is really distressing me. Apparently he will recover from his trauma, he puts up a good front but in our filial Bond we all know he's not well and in that state and knowing why Umbros was being such an asshole to his mate, he's feeding from Lola's hurt and is now in full protection mode for her, and I ABSOLUTELY understand it... If I was in his shoes, I don't doubt I would act the same.

Lola turns to Ishaan and takes his face in her hands and cooed him to calm down assuring him that she's ok.

"It's ok maay jaan. Shhh, we talked about this right? It's fine, let me handle this, ok?" She says softly. She really is a lot like Izzy. The first time I saw her in London I had to do a double take when we were in the helicopter because they were both flying it together. They're not just physically almost identical, their temperament is very similar, too. She looks like one of Phi's sisters with her indigo eyes, and for a moment I even thought she WAS one of them, as if she had done what grandmother and we did. But it's nothing like that.

To be able to get a vessel with the same physical appearance we had in our past life, there has to be a specific genetic mixing to ensure those characteristics. The thing is because of their same genetic mixing, it just so happens that Lola and Izzy look like twins even though Lola is a bit older. I even imagine that if she would have been the one to inherit Adelola's eyes it would have probably been HER who served as Phi's mortal vessel. It is said that we all have a lost twin in the world, for Izzy and Lola their twin is not lost.

"Yes, mera jeevan, I'm sorry." He shuts his eyes tightly and lowers his head a little ashamed and trying to regain control. Being a Beta himself and mate to his mate's sister, Marcus goes to him and with Lola's permission and takes him to the yard to talk. Lola looks as they leave with a distant look and starts talking:

"Maco, as head of the family and Izzy, as Cacique... For the sake of the family's harmony and MY OWN emotional well being, I will forgive BOTH my idiot brother and selfish mother. I'm tired... I'm REALLY tired. I don't want to be angry anymore... Lorenzo is gone and I am at peace with the Trudeau family. I found my mate and he's my world right now and he needs me. Anger and childish bullshit tantrums are stupid and ineffective towards solving a problem, so instead of following the example of the previously mentioned idiots, I'd rather be at peace. I don't have time or desire for groveling and an endless array of pleads for forgiveness... It's DONE, it's now in the past and I won't look back after today. Umbros, I forbid you from trying to make amends for your ignorance and cruelty, from now on we are going to brother and sister as before with no hard feelings... That's going to be my bitter revenge. You'll live the rest of your life knowing of the pain you caused your little sister and NOT be able to make it up to me. I forbid you from anything that will give you the satisfaction of thinking that you corrected your mistake, the same goes for Mami. That's MY LEGACY to this family... MY PAIN and Umbros's REGRET and inability to correct his idiocy to receive redemption from me. It will live inside the filial Bond for future generations to be aware that family is IMPORTANT and not a game. It will serve as a warning to all of our children that STARTING a hateful vendetta against one of their own can bear a heavy price. We joke around and mess with each other, and that's fine in our family, we have FUN with it... But when it's a relationship like what Nina and Bayo had, or Umbros and myself, there's a steep price to be paid." She's calm despite the tears flowing down her cheeks.

What she's doing is correcting by HERSELF the stupidity of her mother and brother and giving it power by declaring her intention, ensuring that the filial Bond becomes stronger. The pain of the betrayal from those she loves will live forever in the Mirabal bloodline and Bond so that those here and those yet to be born know that betraying family will ALSO be painful for them, so it's not worth the pain and better to talk it over and make peace as soon as possible.

No wonder she and Ishaan were paired! They're willing to take the pain to make the family stronger. It's a brilliant move despite the sadness she will carry forever. From staring at emptiness, Lola turns to Izz. Already everyone in the house was in different places in the room and are understanding her sacrifice of never allowing that wound to heal. It will turn into an eternal emotional scab so that we and future generations never forget that pain and ensure that we ALWAYS resolve a conflict immediately so it doesn't affect our relationship as kin and destroy the family. I'll make a special Blessing for her... I'll make sure that she DOES heals fully and not affect the intent she wishes for the family. I already prepared one for Amelia, and for Izzy's peace of mind I'll Bless Ishaan as well. I may not have the willpower to kill her myself if that time were to come, they might even have to try to kill me, too... I hold her tighter not even wanting to think about it.

"Izzy I don't want to go out on the field for some time, I want to be here to help my mate recover." Izzy's shaken up by her cousins pain, but this is Lola's verdict and as a family they have to accept it. Umbros's eyes are glistening over... His sister just saved his ass by showing him mercy and forgiveness, but he will always live with his regret as if she were dead and NEVER be able to get redemption. He wanted to throw Nina under the bus, but now he will KNOW her own pain of never having the opportunity to make amends with her father. Ayiti will live with that remorse as well but they will continue to be family.

Izzy doesn't want this, but accepts it... She is of water. She starts nodding with a face I have always hated seeing on her, pure sadness, her eyes also watering.

"I... I will inform Gloria about your sabbatical, you've earned it either way cousin." She said sofly, her voice breaking. Lola nods silently and then looks at Maco and Amelia.

"Patriarch, Matriarch... I would like to be HOME, Ishaan and I want to help with whatever needs to be done to ensure the future of our house." Adam sits next to Umbros wrapping his arms around him understanding what going on, as his mate he will share this burden for the sake of future harmony of the family with him. Ayiti's strong prideful exterior crumbled and she is being bombarded by waves of many regrets as her own tears can't stop.

"Lola sweetheart, you don't need our permission to come home in search of peace, this IS your home ALWAYS. Your room is ready for you and we welcome your help in what we want to achieve for our family." Amelia is definitely the serene Luna of this little pack, Izz's calculations on the healing that she would get because of the power surge for naming her Matriarch was spot on. She silently nods at that too. Ishaan had her in his arms, her head leaning back on his chest.

"Lola, this gift you have given the family will never be forgotten. And now more than ever I definitely know that you deserve this. A while back I handed Coa over to the Japanese Kappa steel artisans. They weren't able to repair her, yet because she was large enough and them changing to the anatomical structure of the Damascus steel, they were able to make two katanas and keep the aesthetic of the blade but it's no longer steel but an alloy stronger than it was before, they can cut through stone and even the Spanish steel rapiers downstairs." Freya comes up from behind her through the other archway entrance of the room.

She hands Lola an exquisite sword with a beautiful tsuka bearing a gold menuki of a roaring wolf, wrapped with leather ito battle wrappings the color of Lola's eyes and under the wrap is a ray skin samegawa two lighter shades of the same blue. The kashira is engraved with details of Taíno coquí symbols and the fuchi is adorned with a design of an elongated white wolf arching it's back trying to reach it's own tail it has a copper seppa and a gold habaki engraved with an orange blossom. Their family crest right beneath on the blade. It's saya is made of Honoki wood coated with lacquer the same color as the ito with a design of white orange blossoms in their branches and a silk sageo in black. Lola can't take her eyes off of it and suddenly her eyes go to Izzy.

"It's beautiful! Izzy... I don't know what to say." It IS a damn beautiful blade! Definitely the Japanese Katana Kappas are truly gifted!

"Then don't say anything. You said enough already cousin. You have earned this and I don't want to hear anything else about it. It's yours, and it will be the last sword you ever have. Because it's no longer Damascus steel even though it looks like it, it falls under the protection of Adelola's spell, so even if it falls again in the Mediterranean, you will always have it back." Lola kept inspecting the details.

"Thank you." She answered sofly just above a whisper.

"Thank you, too Lola." My beautiful mate answers as she goes to her to embrace her cousin.

"Hey where's the other one? I HAVE to see it!" Nía asks exited and Ura goes to Nía and hands her the other sword which is exactly the same as Lola's except that instead of blue, it's color is amber.

"Whoa! Who gets THIS one?!" Nía asks.

"Seriously Nía?! Who's the other Sword Master of our family?" Nina looks at her annoyed while facepalming herself.

"Oh right! Sorry Izzy, I guess you won't be borrowing anything from downstairs anytime soon! These are bitchin swords! Are you naming this one?" Nía is inspecting every bit of the sword with a huge grin on her face. Even though it's not hers, the fact that it's in the family has her excited!

"Yes! Her name is Omi." Of course! The Yoruba word for water...

"I guess it makes total sense! Everyone always confuses both of you for twins and now you both have twin blades! You two are going to be bad asses with these, I can already see all the gushing blood!" Izz started laughing breaking the tense mood that has been dominating this whole day.

"So much for thoroughly inspecting the craftsmanship Nía! It's a freshly forged blade and you already want to see it red! Girl sometimes you make me wonder..." HA! And she still doesn't know that our own weapons are waiting for us to pick up in Hades! Moira finally disclosed their location and as ALWAYS we tend to forget that we always leave them with Persephone for safekeeping! Izzy will be happy to see them after so long.

"Well I'm in a good mood now! Let's go eat! I didn't eat so much at lunch and I am starving!" Lola says completely ignoring the gloomy face of her brother and mother. They will live with their regret forever, but Lola's gift assured that their place in the family was secured.