Chapter Twenty-Two – The truth

Adam and Talia shared a look of confusion. “Created? As in an experiment? As in – they didn’t even know what they were doing?” Talia’s voice was but a mere whisper, her shoulder slumped. Adam moved closer, wrapping his strong arm around her. “I’m sorry little one” Xavier didn’t know what else to say.

“Why?” Adam asked. There were always bad apples, always someone who wanted to gain more power and control. But the faes. They were considered a quiet and peaceful people, keeping to themselves, not bothering anyone, only using their powers to attack whenever they had to defend themselves.

“Because some people lose their minds in and tries to find ways to make them feel better” Xavier answered. “Others are delusional, having a twisted idea of reality, believing they need more power to protect those they love and care for” He continued, a somber expression falling upon his face.

“I never wanted them to do this you. If I had known, I’d gotten you away sooner. But I found out just days before the incident and was trying to find ways to get you out before it was too late. But it’s not that easy. Imagine if I had showed up one night, told you someone you loved wanted to harm you and that I needed to find a place for you to hide. Would you have believed me?” Xavier looked at Talia, who in turn shook her head.

“Exactly. You remember the good things, the loving family who treated you like a princess. The love and affection from doting parents. And I want you to hold on to that. Because they loved you, and they didn’t know” Xavier explained.

“Then who?” Talia wondered. Her parents where the people closest to her, the ones she trusted with her entire life. “Talia – are you sure you want to know?” Xavier asked, looking her intensely in the eyes, looking for any sign of uncertainty. “Yes” She said determined.

Xavier chewed on his lips, considering how she would react to what she was about to tell her. She just had her memories back, memories of what he assumed to be a happy and peaceful life. And he was about to shatter them into a million little pieces. “Your grandmother” Xavier said lowly, watching as Talia’s eyes widened in shock and horror, then narrowed to thin lines, glaring at him.

“You’re lying!” She jumped to her feet, standing over him, ready to blow. Xavier didn’t do anything to stop her, only watching her with the sincerest expression he could, showing without any doubt that he was telling the truth, and he knew that the truth her. Even he who had been an adult when finding out what his grandmother was doing back in France had felt the betrayal. It stung like hell knowing without a doubt that his grandmother was experiment on Talia, her one and only granddaughter.

“Why?” Talia broke down, silent tears streaming from her eyes. Adam reached out, taking her hand in his and guiding her back to his embrace, cradling her on his lap as she was a young child in need of comfort and protection. “Why would… why… she….” The words came out in stutters through her hiccups.

“Sshhh” Adam whispered as he hugged her closer, letting his one hand stroke her back as the other was wrapped around her, securing her to his body. “Do you know what they did?” Adam asked, locking eyes with Xavier. “Sadly – no. I don’t know the extent of it. Talia has always been special, able to do more than any ordinary fae. There was a rumor that she wasn’t pure, that her mother or father conceived her with another specie and covered it up. I don’t know how much truth there is to any of it. But – she needs to be careful. Faes are temperamental, we’re most dangerous when angered. It’s easy to lose control when your emotions are running wild and all you want to do is hurt those who hurt you” Xavier explained, and Adam could understand the feeling. It was hard to control another, stronger and more fatal part of yourself when all you wanted to do was to hurt others.

“Is there any way to find out more? Was she the only one your grandmother experimented on? Could there be others out there?” Adam continued. “I can try to find out. But it might take some time” Xavier said. “I’d have to go to France first. But I’ll do my best” Xavier finally rose to his feet, shacking the last shards of glass from his jacket. “I’m sorry about the window. I’ll pay for the damage” He looked up at the house and the gaping hole. “Don’t worry, I’ll have it fixed” Adam carefully moved Talia into his arms before rising to his feet, carrying her smaller frame easily. She had calmed down, her breath slow and steady.

“You truly care about her” Xavier said, feeling a tug of jealousy. “I do. She’s…” Adam paused, not sure if Talia wanted him to tell anyone yet or not. He had kept it a secret for a long time, just as Xavier. And he didn’t want to any longer. “She’s my mate” Adam said, looking at her tenderly.

“I see” Xavier said, his brows knitting together as he was thinking. “I’ve never heard of a wolf having a fae as a fated mate before” He continued. “Me neither” Adam admitted. “I’m gonna look into that as well, this is, curious” Xavier’s chin moved back and forth a couple of times before his lips curled upwards into a smile. “I’m glad though. I’m happy for you, for both of you. I’ve known since the day I saw you trying to save her that you were someone who cared. You’re a good man Adam, and a decent wolf. Just please – can I ask you one favor?” Adam nodded. “Don’t mark her yet. Not until we know more”
–
“I’m fine, honestly” Talia sighed.

“Are you one hundred percent sure about that?” Adam asked for the third time in the last ten minutes. When Xavier left, he had carried Talia back inside to her room, and stayed with her. He didn’t want to leave her alone. The way she had reacted to the news, the emotional roller-coaster she had been on, he had felt it. And it had worried him. One second she was attacking her family, the next crying like a scared child in his arms. There was no doubt in his mind that she was struggling, that she was having a hard time coping with all the old and new mashing together. And he had this feeling that she was hiding something from him. That he only got half the truth. Not that he blamed her, he’d only given her one half of the truth the entire time they had known each other. Yet, it still made him worry.

“Yes. For real. You have other things to worry about. Like borders. And rogues. And hunters!” She had overheard Devan and Katlyn whisper when Adam had carried her inside. Hunters? That was one thing she hadn’t expected to show up in this quiet and sleepy town.

“How did you… Never mind… You’re my… I care about you, so you’re my first priority. Always” He’d almost said mate but decided against it. It was a good feeling that she knew and didn’t hate it, didn’t reject him, but it felt wrong to use that as an excuse to be around her.

“And you care about the pack, and the pack need their alpha to be big and strong and watch out for people who might want to hurt them” Talia argued back, her arms crossing over her chest.

*‘She thinks you’re big and strong’* Damir smirked in the back of Adams mind, making a small smile present itself of Adams lip for a second before it disappeared. He did not want to think about that right now.

“And you are, in one way, like it or not part of this pack. And thus, I have to care about and protect you as well” Adam argued back, his arms crossing over his chest as he straightened his back, making himself appear at least two centimeters taller. Not that it seemed to face Talia.

“And I, much different from many others in this pack, can actually protect myself against any and all creatures that wants to attack me” Talia’s eyes narrowed as she locked eyes with Adam. This was not a fight she was willing to give up on so easily.

“Talia…” Adam warned in his alpha voice. It made the wolves stop arguing with him but had no effect on her. He wasn’t her alpha. And she wasn’t a wolf. Why did he even try?

“Adam” Talia took one step closer, head tilting backwards so she could keep her eyes locked with him. Blue determination meeting amber pleading. “I’m not backing down – you know that”

Adam narrowed his eyes, his brows furrowing as he tried to reason with her. Tried to make her see his side of this. He worried about her because he cared. And he wanted to be close to her because it made him feel better. *‘You know – you’re being kind of selfish’* Damir chipped in, earning himself a growl from Adam. “Shut up” He commanded, but the wolf didn’t listen. *‘She’s a bad ass miniature, female version of who knows what. She’s like a Goddess walking the earth. And you need to trust that she can handle herself like you have in the past’* Damir continued.

Talia watched as Adam’s eyes got a haze over them, signaling that he was having an internal conversation, or possibly discission with his wolf. It made her wonder, what was it like to have a second voice in your head? A second personality who could take control over your body and make you shift into a wolf. If she hadn’t seen it for herself, she would have claimed them all to be mad and in need of therapy.

“Fine!” Adam shouted in the end, making her jump in surprise. His arms fell to his sides as he admitted defeat, earning himself a big smile from Talia. “See – that wasn’t so hard” She teased before closing the distance between them, wrapping her arms around his torso, and resting her head on his shoulder. “Pft” Adam scoffed in response before wrapping his arms around her, giving her smaller frame a squeeze before letting go.

“I’m just worried about you” Adam admitted, pressing his lips against the top of her head. “Today have been – let’s just call it a lot” He sighed. He was still trying to make sense of everything himself. “And – I’d like the house to not need reconstructions” He added teasingly, earning himself a punch in the arm from Talia. “I’m not making any promises” She released him from her embrace and took a step back, a big and warm smile now present on her lips.

“Any damages, and I’m making you pay” Adam shrugged before he left her room. She was right, he had other pressing matters that needed his attention. And he hated that she was right about the defending. Most of them were trained to negotiate, to live in peace, and only fight back if your life depended on it. If there was a mad scientist out there experimenting on who knows what maybe it was best if they all learned more about how to fight the enemy. And then there was the matter of the hunters, who clearly didn’t know the difference between an ordinary grey wolf and a werewolf.

**“Devan – I need you and Dimitri in my office in five”** Adam mind linked his Beta. If there was anyone who could whip the untrained wolves into shape it was the two of them. Devan was skilled, had trained since he was little in his former pack. And Dimitri had spent most of his adult life in the military. Adam trusted those two to handle themselves. **“Can we say library? You’re office needs a little work”** Devan linked back. Right – the window. **“Fine. And get someone to fix that darned window will you”** He didn’t care how much it was going to cost, that bill was going straight to Xavier.