50

POV – Kai-Lea
Everything was in place, and we were dressed and waiting by the steps of the front door. I thought about the last time I was like this, about how I was just hoping beyond hope that I was going to survive the night. Now I am happier than ever, I have my parents, my mates and a larger family than I’d ever thought possible. And all we were doing now was waiting on even more of my family. Within a few minutes we finally saw a SUV pulling up. It was just one, but it was just a little longer and more like a small limo. After coming to a stop, the warriors got out then a man and a woman. He was definitely my father’s brother. Their facial features couldn’t be more similar, or they’d be identical. His mate was a tall brunette, and I actually mean tall. She was wearing flats and stood as tall as my uncle. Who was at least a half a foot taller than my father. “Brother. You’re alive.”
“I am. It’s nice to see you again.”
“Fuck nice. I love it that you’re alive. And Kelly, looking sharp as ever.” My Uncle said kissing the back of my Mom’s hand.
“Watch it. Sawyer. You may be my little brother, but she’s mine. Not yours.” my father lowly growled at him. I snickered like he really needed to do that. “Of course. Big brother. And have my own, don’t need nor want yours. No offense.”
“None taken.” They hugged like they were frat brothers seeing each other have a few years of working at different law firms. They were so goofy. I loved it. “Sawyer, I’d like for you to meet your niece. Kai-Lea Jasmine Tulip Black.”
“Kai-Lea. Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you, Uncle.” I smiled.
“Where have you been all this time?” he asked. I took a deep breath. “Survived years at Black Moon pack, where I met my mates, and this part of my family. Who brought me home. Where I’ve been for almost three years now.” I answered.
He breathed through his nose; my guess is to keep an angry growl from coming through. At least you could tell that I am loved. We finally made our way inside the house where I finally got introduced to my Auntie Cassandra. Who preferred Auntie Cassie. I laughed. She told me that I have eight cousins from her side of the family. She had three girls before finally having my first boy cousin. Not that he is the only one, just the first. Dad, my father and Uncle Sawyer, warned me that both Uncle Sawyer and all of my uncles would be having a healthy conversation with my mates. This caused Asena to growl, as she didn’t like it when our father had his conversations with them. More like hated that our father attacked our mates.
“Asena! It’s fine.” our father’s wolf sternly said.
“Fine.” she growled back.
“You definitely are your fathers daughter.” Uncle Sawyer said.
“And, if we can’t handle your father, or uncles then we have no place being your mates or Alpha Kings.” Kallen said, making his way to my side. While Stuart was coming up behind me.
“Exactly. Your father and Uncle are Alpha Kings. Powerful ones, at that. We consider it an honor that they haven’t killed us out right. And it helps up our training for all future attacks.” Stuart said, snaking his arms around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder where his mark sat. This made me smile and Asena calmed down so much. “Fine.”
“Let’s eat. You can wail on each other tomorrow.” My mother said. Forcing my father to go to her side. Dad and Mom were already smiling from ear to ear next to each other.
“Yes, Ma’am.” everyone under twenty-five answered. While I could understand the reasoning behind why my father and uncles wanted to make sure that my mates could protect me. Asena was having issues with it as she hadn’t had the chance to mate with her counterparts, just yet. So, them being wailed on by even our family, made her more than a little on edge. ‘You know that they’d never actually kill our mates, right?’
‘Yes, but it’s… “It’s not Kai-Lea who wanted to mate with them. That day we were attacked and almost killed. It was me. I can suppress her heat but only for so long. In order to do so though, I have to heighten my humans’ sexual desires. Which is why she wanted to mate with them then. It also unfortunately was what led to us being vulnerable. If anyone is to blame it’s me as I thought that they were closer than they were and let out some of her suppressed heat. This meant that he was able to find us easier.”
“Because of Kai-Lea, being a Lotus Wolf, her heat is active the moment her human counterpart starts having a cycle.”
“He never touched you like that, did he?” my father, uncle, and Dad growled.
“No… um Alpha Talyor locked me in a room. That he had built inside the main bedroom. Where he had me held every time, I had my heat. After it was over, I was beaten. Asena was afraid that it would tell them what we are. But thankfully it didn’t or at least Alpha Taylor never said anything about it.”
“But that gave Milton your scent while in heat, for life.”
“That settles it. They are in the clear, Asena. We know you feel that you are to blame.” my father said.
“I’m sorry.” Asena said, as I started to cry. I hated thinking about those days. I hadn’t even talked about them in therapy. They were the scariest of days in my entire life. As while Milton never did anything to me, his mother sure as hell did. And it all started with making me scream as loud as I could. Not that it ever did any good.
“DO NOT EVER SAY THAT. YOU HAVE NOTHING TO APOLOGIZE FOR EVER. ARE WE CLEAR?” every male in that room bellowed out. I bolted, not thinking, not looking back. My mates’ voices echoed behind me, calling out, but I couldn’t focus. Panic had taken over, clouding my mind. It felt like the walls were closing in, and suddenly I was back there — trapped in that room again. Every breath I took felt suffocating, bringing with it the nightmare I’d tried so hard to bury. The torture, the violation... It wasn’t just a memory; it was a living, breathing horror clawing its way to the surface.
Asena whimpered softly in the back of my mind, guilt radiating from her. She knew her confession had triggered this, bringing back the pain I had fought to forget. ‘It’s not your fault, Asena. I’d just hoped those memories would stay buried forever’, I reassured her, but even as I said it, I could feel the weight of it crushing me.
Then I felt my mates' arms, their warmth wrapping around me. But instead of comfort, it made the panic surge. I couldn’t breathe. My heart was pounding out of control, and the world blurred around me. It was too much, too fast. My body gave out, and everything went dark.