Memories

Dante

Flashback

18 Years Ago

"You cannot love her, I forbid it!" I'm screamed at by my mother.

"Mother, I love Maureen,” I argued. “And she loves me for who I am on the inside only. Not because I'm an Alpha and not because of my family's heritage!"

Her charcoal eyes turned cold with emotion as she glared at me. "Boy. You listen, and you listen up real good. You'll marry Anna Wilson whether you like it or not. She's from a good, substantial and prestigious family. You will not ruin our family's name by marrying a witch, a low-level one might I add.” My mother snaps.

“Just because she's spreading her legs for you, doesn't mean you love her. The Hawthorne's are a disgrace, even to their own kind. By the goddess and our ancestors, I will not let you throw it all away just because you claim you love some good for nothing girl!”

“Now, get your act together. The Wilson's will be here shortly. And son, if you see that girl again. I'll finish what the Crystal Coven failed to do all those years ago. I'll make sure the last Hawthorne is only known in this lifetime." She says, smoothing out her skirt.

With that threat, she walks away with a fake smile plastered on her face leaving me in utter shock. I've always known my mother is all about the power, but never a devious soul. Who the hell does she think she is? I'm the Goddamn Alpha to be. If she thinks she can command me around like some pup, she doesn't know what her own son is capable of doing.

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Present

It turns out, I'm the one that didn't know what a vindictive person my mother really is. I recall on that day while I was on my way to see the love of my life to apologize for my behavior weeks before, hearing a heart-wrenching scream from Maureen's mother. By the time I reached the once beautiful ocean blue and white two-story house, it was already engulfed in burning orange flames. I also remembered getting tackled to the ground by a furious Cammy, calling me a murderer---breaking our alliances only to pledge loyalty with the Greyson's instead.

It's been eighteen years since that tragic day, yet, that scene still haunts my very core. It's like, every time I close my eyes; I dream of Maureen first, then I'm bombarded by the memory of her mother's screams and their burning house.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR DEAN! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!" Everyone sings to my youngest son who turns six today, as my attention returns to the party.

Dean claps and giggles in excitement like the ball of energy he is. He inherited his mother's soft features and baby blue eyes, which gets him out of trouble most of the time. His light blond hair and pouty lips are just icing on the cake of his cuteness, which he uses to his full advantage on pack members; both men and women alike

"Happy birthday, baby boy. " I say smiling, ruffling his hair a bit.

"Thanks, Daddy. I love you forever and always," Dean replied lovingly. And just like that, I'm tense again by his words.

Anna notices it and quickly shares the cake around.

Sighing.

Anna Wilson, a woman I had no choice but to marry.

A good wife, an amazing mother, and Luna. Yet, even after all these years bearing my mark---I still can't bring myself to love her completely as she deserves. She knows about Maureen and doesn't complain about it. That's why I care for her so deeply. I love her very much, but not as much as I loved Maureen.

Maureen, I believed, was my soulmate.

*********

Conference Room

"I'm sorry Alpha, but Dean does not possess the alpha birthmark." Jackson, my top warrior, and leading pack doctor informs me timidly.

"What the hell do you mean, he doesn't have the mark? His brothers don't have it, we were so sure Dean would. For christ sakes!" I reply livid.

The fuck is this, how is that possible. Anna and I have three older boys. They don't possess the mark. It's natural for our family's next alpha to bear the mark at the age of six. Sighing, I yell in frustration. “FUCK!" I punch the wall.

"Son, calm down. You and Anna can try again," mother says, trying to calm me down, but it does the opposite.

I'm pissed off.

"Try again! Try again, you say!? My sons are paying the price for what this family did years ago! What you did years ago! Anna can't try again!" I yell angrily, glaring at my mother in accusation. Recalling how difficult Dean's birth was for my wife, and how we almost lost both of them during her labor. I can't put her through that again.

"We'll get a strong surrogate she-wolf," mother explains like it wasn't a big deal while I just fight the urge to rip her damn throat out with my teeth.

Gritting my teeth, I try my best to calm down and keep a leveled head. But it doesn't work since I can still faintly hear her yapping away about surrogacy.

“GET THE HELL OUT OF MY SIGHT!" My voice booms, bouncing off the walls like a ping-pong ball. She all but runs out of the room. My silver eyes blazing brightly in fury. It's one thing my mother has come to respect, is, not to push my limit when I'm angry.

"Get. out. all. of. you," I grit out the command and everyone quickly clears the room. I sigh. But little did I know, the reason my sons do not possess the mark is that someone else does.

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Downing the whiskey in one go. I reminisced every single detail about Maureen. She was very beautiful and kind-hearted. Standing at only 5'3, slender but possessed curves in all the right places. It was her kindness that drew me in. She was the first person to ever look at me with genuine care. I recalled how her beautiful ocean blue eyes would sparkle with love and adoration, a darker shade of blue each time I buried myself deep in her.

Damn it!!! Now I'm getting hard.

The last time we made love, I had brought her to my ancestral lands far into the wild. We had countless sex there and if she hadn't noticed my canines just in time. I would have marked her on spot. But I betrayed the trust she had in me.

I have some knowledge about the Hawthorne bloodline, it's mandatory for us to know. They were once powerful people, so much so that werewolves feared them. No one knows the real truth about the family's destruction, just that they've fallen heavily from grace. It is even said that they possess both the elements of water and air. Which made them dangerous in the eyes of the werewolf law.

I saw Maureen using her powers without the assistance of actual water and knew she would never tell me her family's secret no matter how much in love we were. So I used my alpha command on her while gripping her wrist hard, the look she gave me tore at my heart. Her beautiful eyes that held nothing but love, glared at me in disgust. I knew something broke between us that day the moment she called me alpha.

"Water is everywhere, Alpha DeLuca.” Maureen's voice kept echoing in my head, even now. I wish I had handled the situation better, but wishing can't bring her back, nor can I do anything to make up for it.

I just have to live with that guilt for the rest of my life.

For some time now, I've been dreaming of myself in wolf form with a little girl riding on my back. “Faster daddy!” She would giggle, showing off her bright smile and missing front tooth. I have no clue where we were, but goddess it's peaceful and alluring. The beautiful lily flowers wiggles to the beat of the wind and the drum of the rushing sea waves. The dirt, soft as cotton candy, and the grass as lush as a baby's rosy cheeks. But the dream does not last. Every time I shift in the dream, the toddler becomes a teenage monster with angry and feral eyes.

Deciding I've had enough, I emptied what liquid remained in my glass into the potted bamboo plant that's by the window. Anna thought it would give the masculine, black-themed office a bit of light. The corner of my mouth quirks up into a small smile at the thought.

Turning off my lights, I close the door and head for my bedroom.

*******

"D-D-Dante," Anna stutters out her climax, panting. I roll us over so she's halfway on top of me. "I'm sorry," she whispers in the silence after we've regained our breath. I didn't say anything, just gently caress her arm for her to continue.

"I'm sorry none of my sons bear the mark," she mumbles in a small voice. What the hell is she saying?

Grabbing her, smashing my lips onto hers, kissing her brutally, only stopping when the air is called upon.

"You married me with the knowledge I loved another. You gave me a family to call my own and for that, I love you, Anna," I state honestly, giving her a sweet kiss, using my thumb to brush away a tear from her face.

"I just feel like a failure. I've given birth to four boys, and none of them possess your family's birthmark. There's no heir and that mark means everything in your family, honey. How do we inform the pack that there's no heir? " Anna says worriedly as her body goes tense.

"I don't know sweetheart, we'll figure something out eventually. Right now, there's not much we can do." I reply honestly.

After a few more minutes, Anna's fast asleep. Pecking her on the lips before covering our naked bodies. She cuddles closer to me and is content. I close my eyes welcoming the peaceful darkness not aware that my life as I know it, will be turned upside down.

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