"My great grandfather killed them all."
Shame bloomed through me. This is not what I wanted to show her first when we got home. I wanted her first experience here to be a good one. A warm one, a memory worth remembering. Not this.
"Your grandfather…." I cut her off with a sigh.
Rubbing my hands through my hair, " Growing up I've heard stories, people whispering about these white wolves. When I asked my father he would say they were ambitious, and just wanted the throne for themselves. It didn't match the stories I've heard. As a kid, who was I to go against his word? I didn't know any better, it wasn't until I realized through personal experience how much a worthless lying piece of shit he was that I started questioning. I went to the libraries, the archives, the royal records. I asked some older Elders. That's when I learned the truth, my great grandfather killed them off and stole the throne." I was afraid to look at her, scared at the way I might find her looking at me. Disgust? Fear? Regret?
I continued with the story.
"I found out the truth. My great grandfather was best friends with a white wolf. The heir to the throne in fact. They were raised together, according to some first eye journals I've found in the royal archives and the words of some elders, they were described as inseparable. One day in their early twenties they met a she-wolf. They all became close instantly. Though my great grandfather started having feelings for this she-wolf. I do not know what exactly transpired between them but all the records I've found was that the she-wolf rejected my great grandfather's advances. No matter what he did she rejected him. She told him in many occurrences that she only saw him as a friend or brother. That was until one day he caught her and his best friend, the future king together." Angered soared through me. I turned around and walked ahead of her not wanting to meet her eyes at the shame that my great grandfather had done.
" Jealousy sprung in him. He started hating his friend, even after they told him they were fated mates. He wouldn't accept it. After a couple years his friend became King and the she-wolf Queen. My great grandfather became a warrior in his royal army. Loyal, brave, sworn to the service of his closest friend the King. Or so they thought.The ledgers explain the Queen to have been the epitome of grace, together they were loved and cherished throughout the kingdom. My great grandfather felt drawn to her more each day. A forbidden yearning, he could not escape. She was everything he wanted, and when he found his fated mate, she was nothing compared to the Queen. He let his admiration turn into something darker, sinister. Jealousy started eating away at him slowly, to the point he couldn't even be in the same room as his own mate. One night he snapped, killing his pregnant mate,"
Sam gasped then, I turned to look at the horror in her face. "Some records say it was an accident that couldn't have been prevented but from the Elders I spoke to they asked how a dagger, 17 times to the chest, would be an accident." I shook my head in disgust. " There he started planning against the throne. Gathering other Alphas and their packs to rebel. A war broke out one night, an attack on the royals that they did not see coming. My great grandfather killed his friend down in battle. Eye witnesses say that the King still tried to reason with him despite everything."
Samantha covered her mouth in disbelief with one hand, shaking her head. My chest tightens at the thought of being related to this man.
Taking a deep breath I continue, "He led the raid to kill all white wolves, he later declared himself king and his bloodline the new royals."
"No." She whispered to me, eyes bulging.
At this point I'm unable to hide my complete disgust "That is my bloodline. My ancestors." Shaking my head mortified at my confession to her, "I do not deserve to rule, all the conflicts, the evil in the kingdom is because of what my family has done. Every generation has done unspeakable things, that is what runs through my veins, why this kingdom, this pack is doomed to fail no matter how hard I try. "
She quickly grabs my hand, speaking softly as if not wanting to aggravate me further "How can you say that? Since I've met you all you have been is kind. The person who you describe in that horrific story is not you, Kieran." Something in her eyes that I cannot describe shown through.
"Samantha, I did not want to tell you this, in fear that…"
"What? I would look at you differently? Are you troubled about what your kin did over a century ago? That has nothing to do with you, Kieran. Yes it was a tragedy, and something unforgivable on his part but you have no quell with it."
Looking at her defeated, "Sam, I can't ease what's in my blood, If hearing this you choose to reject our bond. I will understand." Looking directly at her beautiful piercing eyes. Wanting her to know that I would understand if she chose to walk away.
With a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, "You can't ease who's part of your blood, but your blood doesn't define you." Taking my hand she pulls me towards her and hugs me. As if she doesn't I would disappear from here. I breathe in her scent grounding myself to the moment. Just a few hours and I'm totally captivated by this she-wolf. She pushed back a bit and looks up to me,
"Do you really believe the white wolves had power? This so-called lumen?" she said by passing all the information I told her about my family. I wonder if she's trying to change or shift the conversation a bit away for my sake.
I gave her a smirk, "what, you don't believe in magic?"Giggling a bit she pulls back holding onto both my hands facing me. "Although I am a shifter, no I do not believe in magic. I'm a strong believer in the things I can see. If they were so strong, why didn't they use this Lumen power?" Her question does have me pondering for a few seconds. "You do have a point, but I can assure you that their power is real. From all the stories I've read, the journals and eyes witness accounts, that information was a constant variable. Their power was made to help the lead, heal and purify. I don't understand why they didn't use it."
Sam scuffed in disbelief, "How does this so-called power even manifest. What does it look like?" Looking at her with a serious face,
"Fire."