Chapter 815 - Can you take me to see her?

Chapter 815: Chapter 815 - Can you take me to see her?

Matilda smiled, although the expression never quite reached her eyes, and the corners of her mouth trembled as she struggled to keep her emotions under control.

"When I was married off to Mary’s father, I began to dread the thought of getting pregnant. Female children born into our clan and given to the leaders were forced to become warriors, and none of them ever survived the brutal training. Not one."

Her voice cracked on the last words, the weight of all the girls who had lost their lives pressing heavily on her heart.

"Because of that, I started planning my escape. At first, I managed to reach the wolf lands, and that’s where I met a werewolf shaman who told me I was carrying the future Luna of a werewolf pack."

She stopped speaking for a moment, her gaze settling on the half-finished plates as though the sight had taken her back to a memory she had carried for years. Then, without warning, she pushed her chair back.

"I’ll get dessert."

She returned shortly afterward with a bowl of assorted fruits and placed it on the table before continuing her story. Her hands trembled slightly as she settled into her seat, but her voice was steadier when she spoke again.

"She told me to keep Mary away from both the packs and our fortress until she turns eighteen. That was exactly twenty-two years ago, the same year Mary was born. Now she’s twenty – two but sending her to the Lycans would mean my death."

Matilda continued, her voice gradually gaining strength as she recalled what the shaman had told her.

"I never saw her again until five years ago, when she began appearing in my dreams. She told me that if Mary didn’t shift before turning twenty-five, she would never be able to do it and would remain human for the rest of her life."

She turned toward her daughter, looking at her with so much affection that the tears gathering in her eyes were impossible to miss.

"As much as I love the human world, I want her to know who she really is. Her father was a very strong warrior with an equally powerful beast, and I know she can’t be weak. Unfortunately, living among humans limits our abilities, and now that I’ve met you, I know she’s finally safe. So, Alpha Ravyn, you are our savior."

Ravyn took a deep breath, his expression becoming more serious as he considered how to respond. He understood why Matilda had placed so much hope in him, especially after everything she had endured to protect her daughter, but he couldn’t promise her a future he wasn’t yet certain he could provide.

What Matilda wanted was a chance for Mary to let out her best but that was exactly where the problem laid.

"It’s not that simple," he began, his voice heavy with reluctance. "The Lycans have caused us so much trouble that our king has banned them from entering the wolf lands. I’ll have to speak to him before I can take Mary to my pack, and there are also some things about my personal life that I need to clear up before I can let her in."

He spoke honestly, although every word tasted bitter in his mouth. He knew Mary deserved the truth, but he wasn’t ready to expose the mistakes he had made before she came into his life.

Mary frowned, her brows drawing together as she studied his expression.

"What things do you need to clear up?"

Ravyn felt his shame rising, making it difficult to meet her eyes. He couldn’t bring himself to explain the situation with Daisy and everything that had happened between him and Seraphine, not when Mary had only just discovered that he was her mate.

"One day, I’ll tell you, but not now."

He turned his attention back to Matilda, hoping to steer the conversation away from the subject before Mary pressed him for an answer.

"Hasn’t your husband been looking for you?"

"He did, but he died ten years ago. The safest place for those of us who can’t abide by the strict Lycan constitution is the human world. Everyone blends in so easily here that it’s almost impossible for anyone to tell who we really are."

Ravyn nodded, offering a small smile that did little to ease the heaviness in his chest.

"I see. I’ll be in touch, and Mary..."

He turned toward his mate, his expression gentle but firm enough to make it clear that he needed her to understand what he was about to say.

"I hope you can understand that I need at least two months to put things into perspective."

Mary didn’t answer immediately. She studied his face for a moment, seemingly trying to figure out what could possibly require that much time, before another thought occurred to her.

"Is Damon a werewolf too?"

Ravyn nodded. "Yes, and Quinn isn’t human either. She’s a hybrid, part werewolf and part Lycan."

"I knew it!"

Mary’s sudden excitement caught both Ravyn and Matilda by surprise. Her face brightened as though she had finally found an explanation for something that had been bothering her for a long time.

"Ever since Quinn left, she’s been acting strangely. Can you take me to see her?"

Ravyn fell silent, his thoughts immediately turning to Voren and the complications that would come with taking Mary into the pack lands. He couldn’t make that decision without first speaking to his king, especially now that he knew she was a Lycan.

"I’d have to speak to our king first. Let me..."

He didn’t get to finish because his phone suddenly began ringing, the sound cutting through the room and interrupting his explanation.

He glanced at the screen, and his brows rose in surprise when he saw the caller’s identity. Without wasting another second, he answered, his heart giving an unexpected lurch.

"King Battal?"

The words had barely left his mouth when he noticed Matilda’s reaction. The color drained from her face so quickly that she looked almost deathly pale, and her fingers tightened around the edge of the table as though she needed something to hold on to.