The lost mate

Chapter 109: A hidden truth

The wind rustled softly through the trees, carrying with it the gentle scent of lavender and pine from the garden. Anne stood on the porch of Heather and Emily’s cosy home.

Taking a deep breath, Anne knocked on the door. Heather answered almost immediately, her face pale, her eyes tired, as if sleep had eluded her for many nights. Emily stood a few feet behind her, her expression a mirror of her mother’s—uneasy and troubled. The tension in the air was palpable, thick, and unspoken.

"Anne," Heather greeted, her voice brittle but welcoming. "Come in."

Anne stepped inside. Ryan ran inside and helped himself to the cookies kept on the table.

"I’ve been thinking about what Emily told me," Anne began, her tone calm but urgent. "About Jennifer, your sister, and Richard."

Heather flinched slightly at the mention of her sister’s name, her hands trembling as she clasped them tightly together. Emily, seated besides her mother, exchanged a worried glance with Anne but said nothing.

Anne pressed on, her heart pounding as she dared to voice the terrible suspicion that had been gnawing at her since the conversation with Liana. "I’ve been trying to make sense of it all. The bond between wolves and their mates is something incredibly powerful, something not even humans can resist once they meet their destined partner."

Heather looked up at her, her eyes wide with understanding—and dread. Emi bit her lips; she couldn’t resist Chris either, even when she was angry with him. She missed him.

Anne leant forward, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I think Jennifer was Richard’s true mate."

Heather gasped, her hand flying to her mouth, while Emily’s face twisted in shock.

"No," Heather whispered, shaking her head, as if she couldn’t believe what Anne was saying.

"Richard... Richard was just her boyfriend. She was young. She loved him, but... at that age, girls are impressionable."

"No," Anne said gently, her eyes filled with sorrow. "Richard is a wolf, Heather. And Jennifer—your sister—was his mate. I believe that’s why she couldn’t resist him, why she fell in love with him so deeply. She was drawn to him, just like wolves are drawn to their mates. Even if she didn’t understand why."

Heather’s breath hitched, and her eyes filled with tears. The pain of losing her sister all those years ago seemed to resurface, sharper than ever. "But... why? Why didn’t she tell me? Why didn’t she say anything?"

"Because she didn’t know," Anne replied softly. "She couldn’t have known. Wolves... we don’t always explain the bond to humans. Sometimes it’s easier that way. But that bond—it’s impossible to fight."

Heather’s sobs grew louder as the truth started to sink in. Emily put a comforting arm around her mother, her own face pale as she listened to the devastating revelations.

"But there’s more," Anne continued, her voice shaking with the enormity of what she was about to say. "Richard and Liana—Damien’s parents—they couldn’t have a child. For years, they searched for a way to produce an heir, a son. And when Richard found his mate—Jennifer—they realised she was the key."

Heather’s sobs quieted, her eyes filled with horror as she stared at Anne, waiting for the words that would confirm her worst fears.

"I think they used her," Anne said, her voice barely more than a whisper. "I think they manipulated her into believing she was loved and wanted... and once Damien was born, they didn’t need her anymore."

The silence that followed was deafening. Heather’s face crumpled as she dissolved into tears, the pain of betrayal too much to bear. Emily’s hand tightened on her mother’s shoulder, her own eyes brimming with tears as she watched her mother’s heart break all over again.

"They killed her," Anne said finally, the words like a knife twisting in her gut. "I don’t have proof, but everything points to it. Jennifer was a liability once Damien was born. They had what they wanted—a future Alpha to secure their power. After that, she was expendable."

Heather collapsed into Emily’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably. The room felt too small, too suffocating with the weight of the truth.

Anne sat in silence for a moment, letting Heather grieve for the sister she had lost—both physically and to the cruel manipulations of wolves who had used her for their own gain. But deep down, Anne’s own heart ached, torn between the love she had for Damien and the growing realisation that his parents were responsible for something unforgivable.

"I don’t know what to do," Anne whispered, more to herself than to Heather or Emily. "I love Damien. But if this is true... if they really did this... "

Her voice trailed off, and the room fell into another thick silence, broken only by Heather’s soft sobs.

"We need to be careful," Heather said, her voice hoarse from crying. "You can’t tell Damien. Not yet. Not until we know more. If they could do this to Jennifer... they could do worse if they feel threatened."

Anne nodded slowly, her mind spinning with fear and confusion. She looked out the window at Ryan, his laughter still ringing through the garden, innocent and unaware.

"But one thing is certain—Richard and Liana had committed an unforgivable sin," and I can never look at them the same way again.

"Anne, please don’t do anything." Heather suddenly said.

Heather wiped her tears with shaky hands and took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "I’ve lost Jennifer already," she whispered. "If you act now, if you confront Richard and Liana without solid proof... they’ll retaliate."

"I don’t want to sit back and do nothing," Anne whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "Jennifer deserves justice. Your family deserves answers. And Damien must know his real mother."

Heather sighed and said,I am just happy to know that Jennifer’s son survived. I always wondered about her baby. Whatever happened is in the past."

"Heather," Anne said softly, leaning forward, her voice trembling with emotion. "You can’t just... accept this. Don’t you want justice ?"

Heather looked away, her hands twisting nervously in her lap. "Justice?" she whispered, her voice hollow. "What kind of justice is there for someone who’s already gone, Anne? Bringing up the past will only cause more pain. And how will you prove this ?"

"I don’t know," Anne admitted, her voice faltering.

"Exactly ! You cannot prove it. So just let it go, Anne." Heather insisted.