Chapter 73
Daniel got up from the floor, inches away from the front door, where his body had skidded to, after my powers exploded out of me. He dusted off his clothes and stormed back into the kitchen. I attacked before he had a chance to defend himself or make excuses.
“Who in the hell do you think you are making decisions for me?” I screamed, outraged.
“Charlie, please, if I had told you I was worried about an attack before you headed into the tribunal what do you think would’ve happened?” Daniel asked me as calmly as he could.
“I don’t know, and neither do you because you never gave me the chance!” I seethed.
“You would have panicked, and either insisted you stay by my side and miss the tribunal, tipping our hand to Owen that something was wrong, or you would have gone in there and thrown Owen across the room with your powers, causing panic and getting banished! I did what I had to!” Daniel begged me to understand his point of view. I walked up to him silently and stood directly in front of him to look him in the eye.
“Or you could have trusted that I’m not a child, that I understand plots, countermoves and strategy. You could've given me all of the information and made me your partner. Instead, you chose to cut me out of the decision altogether. So, what does that make me? Because it doesn’t make me feel like your equal.” I spat, fighting back tears, before I marched out of the kitchen and away from him. I heard them talking about something as I paced the lounge, half convinced I would be better off going home and getting a bit of space from Daniel until I had cooled down.
“I wasn’t keeping anything from you for my own benefit, I was worried about you, about how anxious you were. And I was afraid if you had insisted on staying by my side, I wouldn’t fight it, because even beside me in a fight felt safer than sending you within spitting distance of Owen.” Daniel tried to explain, I scoffed at him. “I have to get to the hospital, please don’t leave the house. At least until I get back?” I couldn’t find the words for how angry I was, with everyone, for keeping the truth from me. Even if secretly, I knew Daniel was right. I had no idea how to control my powers and I could have very well done something to Owen without meaning to. “I’ll see you later, I love you. Stay inside, stay safe, please?” He said as he left, Ben trailed behind him silently. I didn’t say a word in response, partly out of stubbornness, partly out of fear of what I could say in anger. I heard the door close behind them and let out a breath I wasn’t aware I was holding, and a noise from the kitchen caught my attention. I headed back towards Maria, determined to get as much information as I could, Maria was busy with Daniel’s ridiculously expensive and complicated coffee machine. Much to my surprise, when she turned around to face me, she was holding two steaming cups of coffee.
“Soya caramel latte, right?” She asked as she made her way to the table and placed the cups down.
“Yeah... how?” I couldn’t think what to ask first.
“I remembered from the coffee shop.” She answered quietly.
“Okay, now you just have to tell me how you know how to use that thing!” I pointed at the complicated machine, which made Maria laugh.
“Oh, that. After school job, in a coffee shop, from sixteen to eighteen. It’s a different model, but the process is pretty similar.” She said before she tore her eyes away from the machine and resumed her seat at the table. “I didn’t like keeping it from you, but Daniel ordered us not to say anything, we didn’t have proof, just a report from the Delta, the lead warrior, that something was up with the border patrols. When Daniel dropped you off with us to go into the tribunal, he was already setting a trap for the border with the pack warriors he trusts, just in case. Ben, Daniel and I were in constant contact, that’s how he knew to come in when things started getting out of hand. He also wanted Owen to see he was close, the border patrols intentionally let one rogue through. He was being tailed by two of the men you saw Daniel come in with after the last rogue was caught.” Maria stopped to take a sip of her coffee; I realised I had been so consumed with her story I hadn’t touched mine. I took a sip, savouring the sweetness. “Daniel was waiting with half a dozen Zetas, elite warriors, the rogue never stood a chance, he didn’t even get near enough to Daniel to hurt him. By the time he was caught, the border patrol had found their camp, retrieved their phones and had all the evidence they needed to arrest Owen. Two of the rogues at the border exchanged their lives for testimony against Owen, the rest were killed, as was the one they let through.” Maria grew silent as she stared at her cup.
“So, a rogue is like a wolf without a pack?” I asked, unsure.
“The blessing and curse of being more than just human or wolf, our brains have evolved to need socialisation. Wild wolves go at it alone and do just fine, but for Lycans, we need our pack to stay sane. To be made rogue is a punishment, you have to do something awful for your pack to turn their back on you. I’ve heard stories, we all have, of rogue wolves banding together to make their own pack, keep away the madness. Last night was the first time someone I know has seen it though, but even with their makeshift pack, there were only a few of them, and some were mad from the solitude. Probably too far gone by the time they met up with others in the same boat as them.” She mumbled absentmindedly before she drained the last of her coffee from the cup. “I’m going to need something stronger if there’s anything you want to know.” Maria finally said, looking at me for the first time.
“I’ll get the glasses; you get the whiskey?” I offered, she smiled and nodded, she got up from her seat and headed for the wooden liquor cabinet. When we sat back down, we had several bottles of whiskey, a bucket full of ice, and a bowl of sliced limes. Maria poured the drinks, while I added ice and lime to each glass. “So, when did you know all of this, what was your part of the plan, and do you agree with Daniel, about not telling me?” I asked after we both took the first gulps of our drinks.
“I didn’t know everything until this morning, when Ben informed me, my father was one of the rogues killed last night. He was banished when I was a kid, went crazy when my mother died, and blamed me, I don’t remember anything about it. My Aunt raised me after that and treated me like I was her own, she’s the only parent I’ve ever known.” Maria explained sadly.
“Daniel told me the story when he was trying to explain about the mate bond stuff, but he didn’t say you were the little girl in the story.” I prompted her a little.
“Yeah, no one at school knew, my aunt legally adopted me, changed my name, I became her daughter. Miranda remembered me though; it would’ve been funny if it wasn’t so tragic. The look on her face when Ben mated not just the daughter of an omega, but also the daughter of the wolf she had to banish for losing his mind.” She scoffed bitterly. “Not the warmest welcome to the family dinner.” She laughed humourlessly and drained her glass, she poured another drink for herself, while I had barely touched mine. “All the old guard know about me and him, but the kids, they were never told about that kind of thing. I’m surprised Daniel knew any of it.” She said with a shrug. “So, what did he tell you?”
“Oh, no. Not until my questions are answered, I asked first.” I countered.
“I’ve answered one question, now it’s your turn, then I’ll answer another question.” She mimed locking her mouth with a key and threw it over her shoulder, I couldn’t stop the giggle that escaped my lips.
“Fine, what do you want to know?” I replied exasperated.
“What did Daniel tell you about my family?” Maria asked quietly before she drained her glass a second time and poured herself a third drink. I took a small sip for courage from my own glass.
“He told me, when he was a little boy, a mother died in childbirth. The father was devastated by the loss of his mate and took his grief out on the child. Someone, I don’t think he knew who told his mother, who had to decide on a punishment for the man. Many members of the pack wanted him to be put to death, but Miranda felt to kill him would be to go against the goddess, so she banished him. That’s it, all he remembered, except that the child was a girl, and was given to the mother’s sister to raise.” I took a generous gulp of my whiskey, I felt empty, and I had a bitter taste in my mouth after digging through someone else’s trauma.
“Yeah, no one has been able to tell me what he did, or who reported it to Miranda and Richard. I think they’re all worried I’m going to go off the deep end or something, but the truth is, I just wanna know who to thank. My mother, the one that raised me, is wonderful, and I’m so grateful for her. I just wanna know what he was like before he lost his mind. And a small sick part of me needs to know what he did... I don’t know why.” She said sadly, I reached across the table, to grasp her hand in mine.
“I get it. My dad, I don’t remember him, my mother still believes the fantasy that he will come back for her, but because she still loves him, she can’t talk about him. I know next to nothing about him, which drives me crazy, especially now, it would be really helpful to understand what the hell is happening to me. And it would be nice to have someone show me how to control these powers.” I chuckled, I drained my glass, and Maria refilled it and her own before either of us spoke again.
“I don’t remember the question.” Maria slurred slightly as she drained another glass.
“I thought you couldn’t get drunk?” I asked, also slurring a little, but with far less alcohol consumed than Maria.
“It’s difficult, not impossible.” Maria giggled; she was still downing her drinks at an alarming rate.
“Do you agree with Daniel’s decision not to tell me, and what was your part of the plan!” I stated my earlier questions after I struggled to remember them.
“OH! Yeah, I remember now. Yes, I agreed with Daniel, you had enough on your plate, if you had known what that bastard was trying to pull when he managed to get under your skin and provoke your powers, you might’ve actually skinned him alive. Which would not have been good but might have been satisfying for me to watch... now I’m conflicted!” Maria pouted, her eyelids drooped, she nursed her glass of whiskey against her cheek. Even through my own drunken haze, intellectually I knew Daniel had done the right thing, emotionally it hurt that he hadn’t confided in me. But even I had to admit, my powers were becoming a problem.
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