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I looked up at Cree with a small smile. "Now you don't have leverage." This meant that we had the upper hand. I was very glad that the plan worked out and the vampire didn't betray me.

"That's fine, I was waiting to take you on anyway." He smirked and shifted, ripping his clothing. His white wolf with dusty brown fur and green-grey eyes glared at me. His pack of rogues also shifted.

"I guess this is where it ends," I mumbled and shifted, ordering the rest of my pack to do the same. I spoke through my pack link.

Some responses while others nodded.

I was worried because they seemed to have more people than me, even with the allies but I had confidence in my pack and I was sure some wouldn't make it at the end of this battle, which saddened me, but in wars, it's all about luck. I glowered at Cree when I saw him giving me the same look.

We all rushed forward, making the rogues push us. When the groups collided the snarling, biting, and killing began. The adrenaline was pumping through my veins as I ran headfirst towards Cree as he bit one wolf's throat, instantly killing him. I tackled him to the ground and trying to bite his throat but his legs were strong and he pushed me off him. I landed not far away but I quickly got up not giving him the chance to use gravity and his weight to be my own.

I snarled when I saw his wolffish grin. We both circled around each other as the fighting around us continued. 'You're going down,' I growled. Which made him snort.

'I don't care as long as you and your family die.' He answered and then sprinted straight at me. I brace myself for the impact and head-butted him when he was close enough. 'Your father was a terrible Alpha and he didn't deserve respect and recognition. He wanted to divide the humans and make sure that one's mates to humans suffered.'

'My father did what was best at the time. The humans weren't accepting in those days and there were many hunters around.' I tried to justify my father's actions. I knew what he was terrible and he shouldn't go unpunished but I tried to put myself in his shoes. Being a leader can be hard and there are sometimes choices we make that aren't that ideal.

'What he was cruel and unforgiving. He didn't have to kill a mated human but he did! He didn't have to get rid of his true mate but he did!' Cree screamed as he rushed towards me in the fit of anger.

'What?' I was shocked. My mother wasn't his true mate?

Cree has pinned me down in my confusion and chuckled. 'Oh? You didn't know? Your mother is not your father's mate. She was a mateless wolf that your father used. She's not even your mother, more like a stepmother.' Cree chuckled. 'Guess daddy didn't tell his little Alpha the truth.'

She wasn't my birth mother? I was in shock when I heard this and looked up at Cree in confusion. The took the opportunity to lean down and bite my throat gently before biting down heard, making my howl.

I don't remember what happened after that but all remember is Luke or Kian pushing Cree off of me and biting his legs so he couldn't get up. My vision was blurry with tears, not of pain, but of truth. I finally understood why I never felt close to my mother, why there was no connection between her wolf and mine, not a deep connection like a parent and their offsprings have.

~•••~

When I opened my eyes again, it was dark. The room was very quiet and I couldn't hear anything except the soft breathing of the person. I closed my eyes and inhaled, his scent came rushing in making me remember everything, the pain of the bite, and the truth that I learned and finally knowing that Lionel was safe. "Zack?" I heard a soft mumble.

"Lionel," I called out with a scratchy voice and reached out my hand to touch his. To feel his heat and to know I wasn't dreaming.

"You're awake!" Lionel was suddenly alert and quickly got up to then on the light. "I'll go get the doctor!"

Before I could even respond he was out the door. I chuckled a little bit it hurt so I stopped myself from making any more noise. A few minutes later the door opened again and Lionel came in with the Pack doctor and my parents. I smiled at them, even if it was fake, I knew they were worried and I didn't want to talk about it yet. I wanted to heal first, spend some time with Lionel, and then talk to them. I knew we had the time and I wanted to take things slow. "How are you feeling? Any pain?" The doctor asked me and I nodded and pointed to my throat. "That's to be expected. You were bitten there. If it wasn't for Luke and Gina, you'd been dead. The wound would take a few weeks to heal so rest easy." The doctor examples and I nodded.

I looked at Lionel and said, through our link.

"I missed you too," Lionel spoke and he came closer and took my hand in his. He had tears in his eyes. "You were sleeping for three weeks and I didn't know when you'd wake up."

I smiled sheepishly.

"Well, you did and don't ever do anything stupid again. Also, you owe Luke and Gina thank you for saving your life." Lionel smiled as he kissed the back of my hand and I nodded. I knew I had to thank them but not yet, I just wanted to spend time with Lionel and focus on healing.

"Son, we were worried about you," Dad spoke and I looked at him and smiled.

I linked it to him.

"Okay, see you in the morning," Mom spoke. "Love you."

I smiled brighter.

Mom and Dad left leaving the doctor and Lionel in the room with me. The doctor was checking my vitals and injuries and exhaling something but I was too exhausted to even listen. I just hope Lionel did as I fell asleep again.

~••••~

The second time I woke up I was on high alert because the location was changed. It was my and Lionel's bedroom which meant that I was in our house and probably under the better condition to be moved here. "Good morning," I heard a voice. I knew who it was and I looked to see Gina in the doorway with a smile.

"Morning," I rubbed my eyes sat up on the bed. My vocal cords hurt less when I talked. "What day is it?"

"Well, three days since you last woke up." Gina smiled as she walked in and sat down next to me. She grabbed my shoulder and hugged me. "You are very dumb. Why did you just stand there as Cree but your neck? If Luke and I weren't quick enough you could've died."

"Thank you for saving my life." I hugged her back and patted her back. "Thanks to my training."

Gina pulled away and slapped my arm. "You're such an ass!" She laughed and I smiled. "Anyway, everyone is downstairs celebrating, you should come too." I nodded as I slowly stood.

"Can you send Lionel to help me?" I asked and Gina nodded be bolting out the door.

I waited for Lionel to walk through the door and he'll when he did I pulled him inside and locked the door. I pulled him in my arms and kissed his lips which surprised him. After a while, he kissed me back and I sighed in bliss to feel my mate's lips again. "Mmm," he moaned as I licked his lips for him to open and when he did, I didn't waste any time sticking my tongue in and exploring his mouth.

I pulled him to the bed and we both lied down. Lionel pushes me away and took a deep breath. "Wow," his breaths were short as he tried to clam his heart down. "That was the best kiss yet." He sighed and pecked my lips.

"I just missed you is all." I pulled him on my lap and hugged him. His scent calming me down. "You were taken away before we could enjoy our mated time."

"Yeah," Lionel sighed and hugged me back as he straddled me. "That was something."

"I don't want to go down there. I don't want to see anyone yet. I just want you." I whispered the last part in his years as I softly bit the outside shell. Lionel groaned.

"If we have sex now, they'll know. So you have to wait, until tonight." He blushed as he spoke.

"Or you can kick them out and come back here." I winked.

"That's rude." Lionel frowned.

I said through the link, making sure to block Lionel's so he didn't know. The music stopped and we heard footsteps shuffling out. "That's okay, they left already."

Lionel looked at me confused but that didn't last long as I pushed him down and pinned him on the bed.

~••••~

It had been about two weeks and I was finally healed enough to talk more and get the stupid bandages off my neck. In those two weeks, Lionel had to take work off and we spent a lot of the time making love and just feeling each other. If Lionel was a girl, he would've been pregnant by the end of it but that can wait, I wanted him before we thought about family.

Anyway, today was the day to decide Cree's punishment since he was captured alive and what to do with the rest of the rogues. I didn't want to harm any of them because of their Alpha's actions so I decided to banish them from these lands and as for Cree, we were still six saying because some wanted him dead for their families that lost someone and some wanted him to suffer. He was locked in the cell in the dungeon. I had yet to decide what to do before I do, I needed to speak to my parents and thankfully Lionel was with time as we made our way to their house.

I couldn't believe that I grew up in this house thinking the woman who raised me was my mother. I always thought she hated me because she would never pay much attention to me as my sister and brother, so I would always stick by my dad's side. I took Lionel's hand in mine and knocked on the door.

Before coming here, I told Lionel what I had learned from Cree before he almost killed me. Lionel hugged me and told me that whatever happens he would always be there for me and I cried at that. I finally broke down as the truth had drawn upon me. "Zeck, Lionel what a surprise, come on." Mom greeted and I smiled as we both walked in with a greeting.

"Is Dad home?" I asked and Mom nodded.

"I'll go get him, do you guys want anything? Water, juice?" Mom asked and I politely declined. That was going to prolong this anyway. "Have a seat."

"No, we are okay," Lionel answered and Mom nodded before going upstairs to get Dad. We both sat down and waited for my parents to make their appearance.

When they finally walked into the living room, I smiled and waited for them to sit down. "What brings your both here? Not that I mind you both visiting." Dad joked and I laughed a little along with Lionel.

"I have a question to ask you both," I spoke. I turned to Lionel and he nodded with a pat on my shoulder. "I heard down Cree that...." I paused, trying to get the words out of my mouth.

Dad looked worried and Mom was curious. "What is it?" Mom asked and I gulped the air that was stuck in my throat.

"I heard that you're not my biological mom." I sighed as soon as the words left my mouth.

Mom and Dad looked shocked and then looked at each other with wide eyes before they turned to me. "I was going to tell you eventually but I never found the right time." Dad sighed and he took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.

"So it's true," I whispered as I looked between them, I had the sudden urge to cry but I held it in. "Tell me the whole story."

"We are so sorry Zechariah." Mom closed her eyes as tears rolled down her cheeks. "We didn't want to hide it but you seemed happy and we didn't want to ruin it."

"It wasn't okay but I can understand, just a little," I mumbled and turned towards Dad as I waited for him to begin. "You'd still be my Mom even if we aren't related by blood."

"Thank you, honey." Mom came over and sat next to me and hugged me. "I really appreciate it."

"Hmm," I hummed as I hugged her back. The truth wouldn't change the fact that she was the woman who raised me, but I wasn't to know who my real mother was.

"Back when I was eighteen, I found a human girl, her name was Zuri. It turned out we were mates when the time came to be." Dad began. "She was an amazing woman and I loved her with all my heart but I was scared of my father. Your grandfather was amazing but a cruel leader who didn't tolerate humans. I knew if he found out, he would kill her and make me mate with someone who was mateless. So I hid m relation which her, I told her everything and even showed her my wolf. We mated a few years down the road." His eyes were sparkling as he spoke about her.

I wanted to meet her if she was still alive. "She sounds amazing," Lionel spoke and Dad nodded.

"We were mated for about a year before we found out she was pregnant with you. I was ecstatic as was she. We were both twenty-four and everything was new to us. I told my father that I wanted to live alone in the city and my father didn't ask any questions, which should've been a red flag. We moved in to get her and when she was eight months pregnant, my father found out and had her kidnapped as I was away at work. They kept her in the dungeon and when I found out I was furious. I came to my father and told her to release my mate and that was the Alpha. You should've seen his face." Dad laughed.

"What happened after that?" I asked. "Is she alive?"

Dad sighed and shook his head. "My father was not pleased with my decisions and my 'revolting' and blamed Zuri. He thought that the human corrupted my mind and I wanted to expose the Werewolf kind. He wanted her gone, but he wasn't going to kill off a child so he waited until she gave birth. I begged him to let her go and no one in the pack supported me." Dad looked down sad and I went over there and to hold his hand, to encourage him to finish the story. "She held the right after you were born and fed you until you were about a month old. I would watch her as she played with and held you in her arms. She was an amazing mother. She picked out your name too," he chuckled. "Then my father threaded your life and made her promise she would leave and made me mate with you Mom, making Zuri sick. She never saw you after that and moved away. When you were six, I got the word that she died because of an illness and that was the end of it."

I looked down sad. I was too young to know and would've probably forgotten. "I am sorry I couldn't form a connection with you, your birth mother was already connected." Mom said with a sad face and I shook my head and stood up. Mom and Dad both stood up and I hugged them.

I heard Mol sobbing which made me cry silently too. "It's okay, you both did your best to raise me and I love you both for that. What's in the past can't be undone but I am happy that I got to know about her." I mumbled on their shoulder as they hugged me back.

"I might have a picture of her, if I find it, I'll send it to you." Mom said and I nodded with a smile. "Will you both stay for dinner?"

"Yeah, if you don't mind extra moth to feed." Lionel joked and I laughed a little.

I turned towards my mate and hugged him tightly. I don't know what my father went through but I could only sympathize with Dad. It was probably worst than dying to mate someone while being mated. "We should visit her grave someday," I said and Lionel nodded before hugging me back. He held on tight and I knew what he was saying.

I was glad my Dad didn't let me experience that same thing as him and loved both my parents even more for it. It was because of one man that many lives were ruined but I was glad to be where I am today.

Lionel and I both walked towards the dining room, hand in hand.

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So kind of a long chapter, it was because I wanted to fit etching in and didn't want to create more chapters. This is the last chapter before the Epilogue, which will be posted on soon. I hope you enjoyed it and I hope you liked this story.