Another Half

Azul Springs

June 2012

Rex remained silent throughout Blade’s story. He didn’t interrupt to ask questions or to ask her to expound on any details. As he listened, Rex massaged Andy’s scalp like Blade often did with him, and in no time at all the toddler relaxed in Rex’s arms and contentedly fell asleep.

I know the feeling, buddy. Rex looked down at the boy in his arms with silent appreciation.

“Do you have any tissues?” Blade got up, sniffing.

“I’ll get them,” he said, getting up and laying Andy on another sofa. He placed a cushion under his head. He didn’t have any blankets in his office, but he made a mental note to get one since he was obviously going to help Blade raise Andy.

When Rex got back to the sofa where she sat, his mate was staring off into space, tears running down her face. He knew she was reliving sad memories.

He handed her a tissue, took her into her arms, and held her while she wept. Rex was certain his mate had never mourned her family. Between the constant stress of keeping herself and Andy safe from Nick, while she devised an escape plan, the actual escaping, and then surviving without a pack, she likely hadn’t had time to process her seismic loss until now.

His heart broke for her. Rex had lost his immediate family, yes, but he had no idea what he would have done if he had lost his entire family all at once. He glanced at Andy and was glad for the little boy’s survival. Andy had kept his mate grounded at her worst possible moment. Still, Rex wasn’t about to let his mate wallow in sadness for long.

“So that’s how he did it.” Rex was in awe of his mate’s grandfather. He would have very much liked to have met Alpha Felix Zamora.

Blade frowned and narrowed her eyes at him. “How who did what?”

He took another tissue and wiped her fresh tears away. “How your grandfather became an Alpha of a pack. Contrary to what people think, any group of wolves, even a small family, constitutes a pack. As an Alpha, your grandfather created and led his own little pack. It makes sense why Andy is a young Alpha. Since your father and brother died, Andy would have eventually taken over your family compound.”

She sat up. “What are you talking about?! My grandfather was an omega, as were my father, my brother, and me.”

Rex laughed and tightened his grip on her to brace himself and her. “You’re about as much an omega as I am, mate.”

“But, my grandfather said we were all omegas,” she said, but her voice was suddenly bereft of its usual strength. “He said we were all omegas.”

Rex sighed.

“That’s not how it works, Blade,” he whispered. “One does not simply dictate another’s birthright. Andy’s mother, she was of alpha blood, wasn’t she?”

Blade gaped at him, and Rex realized she knew almost nothing about Alphas.

“All Alphas of a pack, rightful or not, can smell the predominant lineage of any wolf, Blade. We need that so that no wolf can lie to us about their rank. This helps us to keep order in the pack’s hierarchy. Not only can I tell that Andy’s mother was of alpha blood, I know yours was, too.” He inhaled her scent, and he ignored her flinch.

“Your blood comes from a long line of Alphas, all of them firstborn sons and rightful Alphas. You’re an Alpha female, which is incredibly rare since most Alphas don’t have daughters. Has no Alpha ever told you this?”

Rex watched her expression, and he could see the pieces of information falling into place for her.

She nodded. “Only one and at the time I thought he was lying. Maverick.”

Rex felt hot as bile rose from his stomach. Would he never be free of that fucking asshole?

“How is it that you knew that bastard?”

Blade shrugged. “He imprisoned me. He was,” she swallowed hard and pursed her lips. “He was planning to murder his mate and baby, and then force me to mate with him so he could have a son.”

“What?!” He tightened his arms around her even more.

She put her arms around his neck and burrowed her face into the crook of his neck, and slowly ran her tongue where she had Marked him. He relaxed almost instantly and loosened his arms around her.

“Obviously that didn’t happen,” she whispered against his neck. “You attacked that night, and it wasn’t hard to escape his stupid prison anyway.”

Rex laughed bitterly. “He wanted to take you, too—” He closed his eyes and groaned as she licked him again. “You’re playing a dangerous game right now, my beautiful mate. You’ve no idea how much I want you.”

She smiled at him. “Oh, I’ve got a very good idea. I happen to be literally sitting on that hard idea, but you’re also feeling very angry and jealous right now over someone who’s already dead. You’re the one who killed him, aren’t you?”

He hid his face in her hair and inhaled her scent. It called to him on such a deep level, like nothing else ever had, and it helped him ignore his embarrassment. “Yes. Don’t ask me to regret it.”

“I’m actually glad it was you. I hope you made him suffer. Someday, I want to go back to Blue and look for Caroline and her baby. I want to make sure they’re okay.”

“Your grandfather was an admirable man,” Rex said quickly. “I wish I had met him.”

“I’m not sure he deserves our admiration. He lied to me, to all of us, about something so serious,” she said, “I thought he loved me enough to not lie to me.”

“Blade, let’s think about this,” he said. “Your grandfather was a spymaster, a very dangerous occupation that requires the utmost secrecy. Not every pack has one; I do not have one and not only because it would be hard to protect him and his family.” Rex paused to cup her face with one hand and make her look into his eyes. “Has it occurred to you that perhaps he kept that information from you all to protect you?”

Blade stared at him, incredulous. “But he still could have told me. I’m a spy! He trained me to know how to keep a damn secret.”

“Yes, but we have to ask ourselves how is it that a rightful Alpha considered it necessary not only to make up his own pack but to hide it within another pack. He shielded you all from the world. Why?”

Blade got up and turned to face him. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Rex got up, too. “Have you not been paying attention? Your grandfather was a rightful Alpha. Leading calls to us–we have to lead; it’s what we were born to do. Your grandfather was born into a pack of which he was the rightful Alpha. What happened to it?”

“I don’t know,” she whispered, shaking her head.

He realized she was taking in too much information and was beyond processing it. Fortunately, she didn’t resist him when he pulled her to him again. He sat and cradled her in his arms. In silence they sat, Blade’s thoughts whirled in her head as she examined them, comparing them with previous information. But it was too much, and it all eventually exhausted her. Rex observed and said nothing, considering it a privilege to simply be with her as she processed everything. She could have left him to do her thinking alone, or gone on a run to talk to her wolf, but the fact that she chose to stay with him told Rex that she found his company as soothing as he found hers.

Crystal, do you mind coming to my office and picking up Andy? He fell asleep and so did his aunt.

Of course, Alpha. It’s true, then? She lied to us.

Even though they were communicating through mind-link, Rex could feel the hurt in Crystal’s voice.

It’s a lot more complicated than that, and I would only ask that you give her a chance to explain. You’ll find that it was justified.

A few minutes later, Crystal opened the door and went straight to pick up Andy. Before leaving, she went over to where Rex sat with his mate. Crys looked down with alarm at Blade, who slept peacefully despite her blotchy, tear-stricken face.

Rex smiled at her and shrugged.

“She’ll be fine,” he said. “She just needs time to heal. Do you mind looking into a nanny you and Blade can share? Or maybe we need two nannies? Blade will be busy with all of her responsibilities as Training Master and Luna, and I know you will both go back to school in the fall. You’ll both need help with the boys.”

Crystal looked at him with no small amount of shock. “You’re letting her do all of that and still be the Luna?”

Rex nodded. “Of course. Do you think she could be happy otherwise?”

He looked down at Blade, grateful that she had let him inside her head if only to observe. It was the best birthday gift she could have given to Rex. Not only had he gained insight into how her mind worked and everything she was capable of doing, but he had also fallen in love with her mind itself and how her emotions added color and texture to her thoughts. Rex knew he had to afford her the same privilege soon. Understanding each other is how they would rule in peace for years, if not decades to come.

He carried her up to their suite.