The Mahani Wolves (Completed)

Chapter 46 - Aubrey

I awoke in a comfortable bed with a weird smell all around me. I haven't had a bed since my pack was killed, so saying it felt strange is an understatement. When my memories flooded back, I couldn't help but whimper.

My brother sold me.

The tears started against my will.

"You're okay. You're safe." The man whose voice I've come to rely on assured me. Usually, I'd hide from anyone my brother brought into the house, but my wolf trusted this man. She never trusts anyone, not even my brother.

I glanced up at his face. He always has a smile for me. I don't understand why. I'm an Omega. While he keeps telling me that all wolves are the same, I know we aren't. He's wrong.

His eyes lit up momentarily and then returned to their standard color. I remember from childhood that he was mindlinking. Packs can do that.

I look down at my hand, which is held by his. As I watched, he rubbed his thumb along the back of my hand. It feels so good to have someone touch me in something besides anger.

After a minute, a woman I've never met before walks in. The power rolling off her is scary, but my wolf studies her closely. She's an Omega. How???

"Hello, Aubrey. My name is Lily." She says as she walks to the man, Keith.

"Luna." He stands and nods to her. She motions him to sit back down.

Luna. That means she's mated to a Blood Alpha. But she's an Omega...

"I have a sad story to tell you, my dear. Do you feel up for it?" I turn to my wolf, as she has always known better than me. On the times I went against her instincts, I paid for it.

She wanted to hear what the Luna had to say, so I nodded and tried to sit up straighter, but my back still hurt.

"Let me help you," Keith said softly as he gently pulled me up and stuffed a pillow behind my back while the Luna moved the head and feet part of the bed. "There. Are you in pain?"

"Not really," I said. My throat was still raw from screaming, but I seemed to be healing faster than ever.

The Luna sat beside my legs on the bed, facing me.

"Aubrey, did you know the man you were sent to after your parents were killed?"

That seemed an odd question. "He's my brother, Michael." His name sounds strange coming out of my mouth. The first time he hit me was for calling him by name. I was only allowed to call him sir.

"No, dear. He wasn't." She said softly. "Michael died minutes after your Mother did."

"What? No. He smelled like my family." My voice had gotten softer as my wolf sent me image after image of proof. Somehow, she had known that man wasn't who he was supposed to be. Things that hadn't made sense before were suddenly clear.

"Michael had been banished from the pack and disowned by your father when he chose another male Delta as his choice mate. However, your mother kept in contact with him. When her pack decided to handle the rogues circling them without asking for outside help, your mother asked Michael to meet her at the border and take you until the danger passed.

"Just as she finished packing your bag, the attack started. She linked Michael to leave and hid you in a cubby. Michael contacted his mate, who agreed with your mother and wanted him to go, but Michael was conflicted as he didn't want to leave his mother and little sister in danger.

"While the two mates were arguing, the link with your mom broke from her death, and Michael howled in pain and fury. That howl alerted the rogues of his presence. As a Delta, his fighting ability was basic, and they killed him within seconds of finding him.

"His mate felt their bond break with his death. Like most wolves, in his pain and grief, he submerged himself in anything with Michael's scent. When you arrived days later, he still smelled of your brother. His anger towards losing his mate now had a target. You.

"Everything he told you and all the beatings were his punishment to you, just for existing. In his anger, he couldn't see that you were innocent or that his mate would have wanted to see you loved and cared for. He just saw you as the reason for his pain. I'm so sorry this happened to you."

While my mind felt overloaded with memories of all the hateful words I hadn't understood then, my wolf howled in anger that this man did this to us.

"He had killed my mate," I whispered. "He had said after that since he couldn't have his, I wasn't getting mine. I never even got to meet my mate." My soft words were heard as my tears started. The Luna held me as I cried. I could feel her power trying to soothe me, but it wasn't overwhelming.

"It seems your mate had somehow gotten close enough to your brother's mate to smell you and your blood on him. He followed him to your home and broke in, trying to get to you. He was caught easily by the Delta, and once the young boy said he only wanted his mate, well, you know what happened," the Luna said as she held me tight.

It was my first hug since my mom died all those years ago. I couldn't help but cry harder. Every emotion I had locked in was suddenly released as my human side sobbed.

My wolf, though, she was angry. That man caused us so much pain since I was nine years old, and I'm 18 now. He sold me a week after my birthday. Half my life was spent in misery.

Once I came of age, I let my wolf take over whenever she wanted. She took many of those beatings, pushing me back to protect myself. Those men who bought me gave me a shot to prevent shifting so they could use my human body. I can feel that I can shift now, but my wolf knows I'm safe, and my human body needs medical treatment.

She's still taking care of me. I would have died with my mate if she hadn't been so angry at my so-called brother.

Once I got my tears out, which took a long time, I had a big question.

"What's going to happen to that man and me?"

"He was sentenced to death by the Council last night. And you, my dear, are safe here with Keith."

When I glanced over at the man in question, his wolf was in his eyes. That should have scared me. Whenever HIS eyes had shown his wolf, I had gotten the worst beatings.

But for some reason, it didn't.

*******

Please vote and comment with your thoughts. -- April