19 In Which She Shows

[RUKIYA]

She knew there had to be more if Rukiya risked having a banished alpha in her pack. Sure the Greysons were strong, but they went that strong against allied packs. They were just one pack, and if the other packs were allied to come against them, they would be done for.

"Could you please take a step back from my face? I need my personal space too," Rukiya said, her voice equally cold though hers wasn't filled with anger or any emotion for that matter. It was emotionless, too emotionless.

"Yeah sure, just tell me what I need to know because my patience is really running thin and I don't want to cause your pack trouble," Awuor enunciated as she roughly ran a hand through her shabby hair.

She was dirty and hadn't even been cleaned up. Then again, this woman was a wildfire, and cleaning her up would have probably cost them more warriors than they needed to.

Rukiya hated going back to her werewolves' mothers and telling them that their sons had died in war, which was why she had worked so hard to strengthen the pack and make sure no one dared to intimidate her people.

"I know you didn't kill your mother."

"I know you didn't kill your mother. Anyway, since you have limited time and want to go back to your shelter, you're gonna have to listen to what I have to say, Alpha Awuor.

"Otherwise, we can spend the whole day staring into each other's eyes, alright?" Alpha Rukiya said, her tone calm like she was trying to assure Awuor that they weren't her enemies. But then would Awuor really trust her?

"Great, now can I leave?" Awuor said, making it clearly known that hers wasn't a request.

"Summon mother in," Rukiya said to Adolf who looked at her like she had gone bonkers.

Everyone knew the luna Razia had no interest in what the kingdom had to offer she wanted to lead a normal life, especially after her husband had been murdered for colluding with the rogues to bring down the werewolf king.

He had brought shame upon their home and to make sure her daughter didn't go through the same thing, former luna, Razia had made it clear that she would be her child's mother and nothing else.

At the end of the day, she wanted to be a regular wolf even if she was never going to be the regular wolf. Maybe her presence would make it easier for Rukiya to lead a fairly normal life.

"You gotta be kidding, right?" Awuor asked Ukiya who just smiled sadly at her. The rumors in the kingdom were so obvious and while no one wanted to talk about it in front of Rukiya, Awuor knew she had been affected.

Her mother, luna Razia, the woman no one had seen in so many years, just happened to meet with the Sicario Luna, who was also her mother, Eniola. What the hell was even wrong with her? Was she some charity case?

There had to be more if Rukiya was willing to call her mother here. So patiently, Awuor sat back on the mattress she had been laying on before.

She knew once she walked out of Greyson, she wouldn't have the chance to sleep on a comfy mattress again. She could just make the best of this anyway.

"Yes alpha," Adolf said as he called the former luna through their mind links. Five minutes later, a woman in her fifties walked through the doors. Her striking resemblance to Rukiya was all that Awuor needed to know that this was the luna Razia.

The Luna Razia was she who hadn't done anything to make people hate her, but also the Luna who had been spotted because of what her husband had done. She had clearly learned to live with that because when Razia's eyes met Awuor's she could only utter one word.

"Eniola."

"Mother, please come in. Get her a seat," Rukiya said to her mother before turning to the warriors who were quick to bring everything that their luna would need.

She had been good to them and never once brought them pain. So they had no reason to spill her even when the whole kingdom whispered about her.

"You look so much like my dear friend, Eniola," Luna Razia said once she settled.

She was slowly taking in Awuor's appearance and for a few moments, her face contorted into happiness, disbelief, anger, and pity, though the last one quickly changed to a blank face considering Awuor hated being pities. It seemed like this luna really knew what she was after.

"Luna Razia, greetings," Awuor greeted as she bowed respectfully at Ruiya's mother, making Adolf and Sherry wonder what was going on with the woman.

Even in her state of terror, she could respect people. Well, that was what a true alpha did anyway. Right now, they were all so curious as to why Rukiya had summoned her mother.

"Greetings, Awuor. What happened? Did they finally banish you and blame you for your mother's death? Is that why you look like shit? Pardon my language child, but what did Sicario say when you were banished? Was he the one who banished you?

"Damn that stupid bastard—" luna Razia said and Awuor looked at her curiously. How the hell was this woman aware of everything unfortunate that had happened to her, and why did she seem so convinced that Awuor wasn't the culprit?

Was this blind faith or was there something more?

"How do you know all that?" Awuor said, respectfully and quietly interrupting the luna who just smiled sadly at her. It broke her heart, but then what had been done was already done.

"Your mother came to me six months before she died," Luna Razia said, as she removed stray hair from her eyes. Her long hair made her a pretty goddess, but right now, she was a heartbroken one.

She had lost her best friend and now the child was here because the worst had really happened and she hadn't been able to do anything to save the child.

"Why? Please, make me understand," Awuor said to the luna who just sighed.

"Alright, but please listen."