Valen POV
Few Hours Earlier
Waking up, my thoughts were all over the place. Everly was still asleep beside me, but I didn’t want to
wake her. Rolling over I spotted the letter from my mother. The storage shed was a real eye-opener for
me. The struggles she faced. My father growing up, had never once said a bad word about her, only that
she was Omega and he loved her.
He never mentioned she refused to conform to our way of life; he never told me she was one of the
original rogues this land was taken from.
Going through the storage locker, I was in there for hours. This entire City belonged to her family. In
search of a better future for their daughter. My grandparents sold pieces of it off, selling it to the different
packs that now resided here under the promise that it would create a better future for their daughter, my
mother.
Only it did the opposite, and they were thrust into the middle of a turf war over the very turf they owned.
Once theirs only to be turned into what it is today. Two generations of fighters. My grandparents wanted
the City to remain free, free for those to live without the sanctions the packs brought forth. Instead, the
City turned into a prison, one ruled by the packs that brought the land out, promising to maintain my
grandparents’ way of life, only they didn’t.
Instead, they stripped them from it. Looking at Everly, it was a similar circumstance, stripped bare of
everything she thought she would have only to end up placed within the sanctions of the packs that
surrounded us. A future set to repeat because of greed and blindness to what they were forcing on those
less fonunate to endure.
My own son was forced to watch his mother fight and claw her way to the top. My mother was
remarkable in her fight to bring freedom back and looking at Everly, I now understood why she fought the
bond the way she did.
Everly has all the makings of an excellent Luna. However, my father messed up, believing my mother
would harm his reputation and break the pack alliances. He was wrong; she would have brought about
change, and she would have been unstoppable force like Everly would be with me by her side.
Now, I understand what all the fuss was about. All the trepidation and fight. Everly wasn’t just fighting for
the rogues, for my mother or herself; she was fighting for the future, for our son. Picking up my mother’s
letter, I opened it and pulled it from the envelope finally finding the courage to read it.
*******************
For my son,
If you are reading this, it means my time has come and gone. I know you must have some questions,
pent-up anger towards your father, just know I forgave him. As time passed, and so did the years I
watched you grow from the shadows, and he did a pretty good job, you turned out alright, turned into the
Alpha in which you were intended to be.
Years I longed to ho Id you, the only way I could was in my heart, but know, I did try. I fought for you even
if it was
fro m the sidelines, I always watched, and I held onto the hope I would meet you in person again o ne
day. However, now obviously, it won’t be in this lifetime. Don’t feel bad for me, don’t feel sad. So with
that, I leave you my most incredible gift of all.
Your Luna and your son. I may not have had the gift to raise you, but I have watched her grow, watched
her fight, and she will. Watched her become a mother to your son, my grandson. Go easy on her; she
has a lot of anger towards not just you but the system in which we all live.
She will fight when the time comes, and I just hope it’s by your side and not against you. I’m sorry, son,
she will win. Tell that girl she can’t, and she will prove you wrong. You don’t want to go to war with her,
you could try to tear everything from her, but it won’t work. War burns bridges while that woman builds
them, just like my hotel.
I had lost all hope until she wandered onto my doorstep. I recognized Valarian the moment I laid eyes on
him. He reminded me so much of you, and it was like I was given a second chance at the one thing I
missed with you. She gave me drive and reason to keep fighting. When I met Everly and our sweet boy
Valarian, I was on borrowed time.
Waiting for my life to end, yet finding them, I invited them in and gave them a place to stay.
In return, I not only gained a grandson, but a daughter. For years, this place resembled how my life felt,
broken and hopeless. They gave me life, gave me back my home and my fight. So, in turn, I gave her
everything, everything I
owned. I would say your father wasn’t too pleased with that knowledge, but he would understand why in
time.
Now I know you are probably furious that your father lied to you all these years; just know it was a
different time, and I came with a lot of past and baggage. He saw me as a challenge; he wasn’t totally to
blame, though. I was a wild one, yet he loved me still, and I couldn’t let go of the anger or my home.
When he took you from me, that was the worst and most harrowing day of my life. For a while, he would
bring you to see me until you started questioning, so I was a pan of some of your earliest memories, but
my hatred for what he did over rode my reasoning. Don’t blame him entirely; we both made choices we
shouldn’t have.
It is as much my fault as it was his. You were deprived of a mother; I lost a son, but he lost his mate, his
Luna because his reputation was on the line. That was his loss and mine. I have realized over the years
that anger and hatred grow and it slowly destroys us. So let it go. It does no good to dwell in the past,
instead look forward to the future or what it can be if you allow it. Hatred and anger do nothing but rot
your insides, Valen, so let it go.
He was your father and still is; I know he regretted my passing; regrets his mistakes. But that’s where
history can change. Our past actions are a lesson for the future, so with that, take those lessons fro m
us, don’t blame, don’t hate, rejoice that you found Everly and Valarian.
Don’t let this be your biggest regret, don’t rule by emotion, rule with a level head, and make sure it is with
your family by your side. I am proud to say I may have rubbed off on her a little. Everly is strong,
stubborn but with a heart of gold. She will lead you along or astray. She will break you down and peel
back the layers before she rebuilds you like she did me. I was never one for emotion. She knew that, but
even I caught myself in awe of her ability to adapt, morph and change herself into the woman she is.
Valarian, too, I can see he will grow to be a great Alpha one day, and hopefully, you will be pan of the
reason he is. So don’t let this knowledge of my existence tarnish what you have, don’t let this be the
Blood Alpha’s regret. Let it be the change that is so needed in this City. Love them, and you will not o my
gain a Luna and a son but a family and home. She built her village; I just hope she lets you be a pan of it.
So with that, I am sorry for not being a pan of your life like I wished I was. Just know I love you, and I
always will.
Love Mum x
**************************
Placing the letter on the bedside table, I sat up and pulled my clothes on before leaning down and
kissing Everly’s cheek. I owed her this much, I thought as I got dressed and slipped out of the apartment.
By the time I had organized buses and pulled all my men from border patrols. It was nearly midday, and
poor Marcus had been run off his feet a s I gave him orders and a never-ending list of tasks for the day.
I pulled up at the school and walked in with Marcus to find Valarian. Valarian squealed loudIy when I
walked into his classroom and rushed over to me. Marcus scooped Casey up and held her upside down
by one foot, jiggling her like a teabag while she squealed IoudIy. The teacher stops her lesson and looks
over at us, interrupting her class.
“Can I help you, Alpha?” she asked.
“Yes, tell the kids to pack up; I have already spoken to the principal. The school is moving,” I told her, and
she turned, picking up the small phone when students started flooding the halls led by their teachers.
Valarian’s teacher jumped when the phone started ringing in her hand. She answered, and I could hear
the principal telling her what was going on.
“What’s going on, dad?” Valarian whispered as he watched the students gather what little belongings
they had as the teacher directed them.
“I’m sorry, you saw me like that, buddy,” I tell him, and he drops his head. I pepper kisses all over his
face, and he stans giggling, pushing my face away.
“Do you forgive me?” I asked him, and he wrapped his arms around my neck. “Always,” he mumbled,
and I sucked in a shaky breath and rubbed his back.
“Are you shutting my school down?” Valarian asked while pulling away and looking at everyone leaving
out the door.
“What about my friends? Where will they go?” he asked.
“With you to your new school?” I tell him and his brows furrowed.
“But they are still rogue Dad; they can’t go to a Pack school like Casey and me. What about Taylor?”
Valarian pouted.
“Taylor is coming. Your village just got a hell of a lot bigger,” “You’re letting them come to the school in
your pack?”
“I’m doing more than that. I am letting them join our pack,” I whispered to him before kissing his cheek
and heading out the doors toward the buses.
62fb1bb41dcb31934bd49bda