The Delta's Daughter Chapter 258

MORGAN

Three days ago, we left for the Kodiak Kingdom. Kian, Tobias, Finn a dozen warriors ran beside the convoy as an insurance to make sure we weren’t ambushed again.

Thankfully we weren’t.

It was nice being back here at the Clan Mansion. However, unlike before this didn’t feel like home. When I first arrived in the Kodiak Kingdom, I thought this would be my home. That I would never see my stubborn wolfman again.

How quickly that notion changed – For the better.

I didn’t ever think I would be this happy, or that my life would turn out this good at the beginning of our journey. It started out rocky between Kian and I. Truth is I thought he was the biggest unemotional and detached shifter I had ever met. Slowly, or as slowly a few weeks would allow, I caved to his quiet and brooding charm.

I thank the gods every day that we somehow found our way to each other. If I hadn’t of gone to Riocht, I wonder if Kian would have ever come looking for me. Or if his insecurities would have kept him away.

I shove the thoughts to the back of my mind, not wanting to dwell on the things that didn’t happen. I was happy with how things finally worked out between Kian and I, and I would cherish every moment we have together.

I cut my thoughts off as I reach Alpha Xander’s office and knock on the door.

“Come in,” He calls out and I push the door open.

Xander sits behind his desk, and across from him sits a pretty woman with bright and unique hazel eyes and chestnut hair. She stands up to greet me, offering me her hand. She is slight but not petite and she wears a nervous look.

“Morgan?” She questions, I nod “Thank you for meeting with me, I am Jonda. Queen Tala’s sister, and sister to Alpha John of the Sea Dog Pack.”

“Nice to meet you too.” I take her hand shaking it. Taking a seat next to her.

Xander stands up coming around the table, the prosthetic he wears catching my eye. Finn told me, Xander and a wolf named Damon were working on creating an electronic prosthetic. One that would be able to fuse with his muscles and ligaments, and also stay attached when he shifted, and would hopefully adjust to fit his beast's form too.

“I will leave you two ladies alone, to talk,” Xander says, closing the door behind him as departs his office.

“So,” I turn to Jonda, “My mother cursed you?” I can’t help but frown. From everything I know of my mother, she would never use her magic to bring harm to others. It was something she drilled into me during our time locked away together.

Jonda bobs her head, swallowing hard, her eyes drifting and unwilling to meet mine. “She did. Cursed me when I was in my own mother’s womb.”

“I’m sorry she did that. I won’t make excuses for her actions, but I will try to help as best as I can. Tell me about this curse.”

She shifts uneasily and begins to explain “A little over 23 years ago, closer to 24 now, Orion showed up on our Island with your mother and a little boy I now know was Finnegan Artos. To make a long story short, your mother gave mine a binding potion when she was pregnant with me. The herbs bound my wolf to me and cursed me never to shift. I can feel my wolf, sense her but I have never been able to speak to her nor have I ever been able to shift. Supposedly I will never be able to until I find my fated mate. A wolf-less shifter. Which is also a problem, without the connection to my wolf, I fear I would never even feel the mate bond.”

I watch as Jonda squirms, the look on her face and in her eyes, tells me she is debating on whether to add more information to her story. I wait patiently letting her come to the decision on her own.

“I want my wolf; I want to shift but…” She pinches her lips. “I found someone I want to spend the rest of my life with… I think.” Again, her eyes drift to anywhere but on me. “If I don’t find my mate, I will never connect and shift, yet I’m not sure I ever want to find my mate because of how much I love Mike. He accepts me as is, but I want to be more than what I am. I want to be the werewolf I was meant to be. Stronger.”

I give the she-wolf a sympathetic smile, I understand her plight. “Give me your hands Jonda,” I tell her and hold mine out for her. She takes them and I close my eyes. “I am going to see if I can feel the magic you were cursed with, if I can feel it, there may be a way to isolate it.”

I feel her hands clam up in mine and I mentally reach out searching for those threads of magic. My mother had taught me how to do this a long time ago, but it isn’t something I have practiced or can even guarantee will work.

I come up blank. Whatever herbs my mother gave hers, were no longer attached to Jonda. I open my eyes, meeting hers “I’m sorry.” I tell her with despondency. Disappointed in myself. “I will do more research but,” I shake my head. “Without knowing what herbs and what word alchemy she used, I can’t reverse anything.”

Jonda bows her head, also disappointed, I’m sure. Her pessimism only lasts but a few moments before she lifts her head and gives me a wide smile, a fake one that she is using to try and cover up how she really feels. “Thank you for trying, Morgan.” She says cheerily, but I can see just how disappointed she really is.

“So, the Royal Beta of the Wolf Kingdom is not your true mate?” I ask, letting go of her hands and regarding the beautiful woman.

She pulls her dark red stained lips between her teeth and shakes her head “No, he isn’t. But we are in love.” A faraway look crosses her eyes.

I smile, “Hunji wasn’t my fated mate either.” I tell her, in hopes that it would give her some comfort and ease the obvious emotional war I could see playing out in her mind.

Jonda stands up, and I pull myself off the seat opposite her to stand with her. Our conversation finished. “Again, thank you for at least trying and seeing me.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t do more. Unfortunately, in cases like this, usually, only the one who cursed you can break it and my mother is no longer of this realm. There’s nothing wrong with making your fate, Jonda. Sometimes it works out better that way - if we take our future into our own hands and not let the gods decide for us.” I speak from experience, but I have no idea if it will help her. I can only wish good fortune to her.

"It’s okay, I’ve lived with knowing I won’t shift my whole life, when I turned sixteen and my wolf didn’t reach out to me, I prayed to meet my mate, but it’s been almost eight years now. I guess you can’t miss what you never had.”

Jonda says her goodbyes to me. And I do the same, still wishing there was some way I could help her. Her situation still played on my mind hours after she had left. I go to the library where I see Abner Brooks.

“Ahh, young Morgan, I’m not surprised to see you here.” He gives me a genuine smile.

“I came to look for books on word alchemy, I’m not sure what or if they have any here.”

“They do,” He bobs his head in thought, “Not a whole ton but Bear Clans are very spiritual and keep many records of Witch Alchemy.” He leads me to a section in the back and shows me a bookshelf of old and dusty books that look like they haven’t been touched in centuries. If at all. “Knock yourself out, let me know if I can be of any help.”

“I will, thanks,” I absentmindedly say while my finger trails over the old book spines.

While thumbing through them, my gut clenches and that bad feeling grips me in an agonizing way. The sense is so strong I drop my hand and rush from the library in search of Kian or Finn, or anybody I can tell.

The pitfall feeling in my stomach is too strong and I have a fear that whatever bad is going to happen it's going to happen soon.

“Kian!” I yell frantically looking around when I reach the main foyer of the Mansion, only to bump into Ria.

“Oh, my goodness, Morgan!” She cries out - grabbing my arms. “The patrol just alerted us to intruders at the border. We need to get the staff and anyone else in the Mansion to safety. Xander and Finn are deploying units of warriors to the Eastern border.”

“No!” I shake my head in defiance “I need to find Kian,” My heart thuds wildly, my gut had not been wrong. We were under attack. Even if the battle hadn’t started yet. It would.  

I spot my wolfman just then, his eyes meeting mine and he rushes to my side. “I need to go,” He searches my face.

“I’m coming with you.” My words, firm. A look of despair crosses his face.

“No Morgan… I can’t…”

“Kian,” I lift my hand caressing his cheek. “I may not be a shifter, but I can help this time, I feel the echoes that roam these forests, I am not useless this time.” I hold determination in my words and heart and hope he understands – I must go; I have to help. I know I can.

I see the moment he relents, shaking his head like he can’t believe he is agreeing to this. “Ride me my little witch and stay by my side.” I nod “Promise me, Morgan!”

“I promise. I will stay by your side - or out the way.” I’m not an idiot. I know I didn’t stand a chance in combat against the people attacking us. I could more likely be a hindrance to them. But I don’t believe that - If I can use my gift to save the people I love? Then I will without question.

I believe in myself. And I know without unequivocal doubt that this is only one of many battles we will face - And I intend to play my part. I will not stand by idly when I can help.

I run outside with Kian, his swords already attached to his back wearing his red vest of armor and a pair of thick black pants. He takes the vest off, putting it on me. I feel the weight of his swords immediately. He shifts quickly and smoothly – a sight I will forever be in wonder of. And A little jealous to be honest. I could understand why Jonda wanted her wolf.

I’m thinking I may have a little shifter envy.

Ruda bends down for to me climb on. I take a moment to look around, watching warriors quickly shift, into magnificent bears. I see Finn, who comes barreling out of the Mansion. “You are not going, Morgan!” He shouts, striding towards us and pointing an angry finger at me.

Ruda growls, baring his teeth at my brother, not liking Finn’s attitude or his threatening manner. “Save it, Finn, I’m going and that’s final.”

“Why Morgan? Why?” Finn’s anger melts and he gives me pleading eyes.

My hand automatically finds Ruda, who is still growling, twinning my fingers in his fur. Ruda begins to quiet.

“Finn I’m going because I can help. I couldn’t help before, but here – in this place, I can. I can feel them all. An army of echoes.” I tell him hoping he understands.

Ruda’s fur disappears between my fingers, and I feel the warm sensation that only the touch of my mate’s skin can provide. I look at Kian, my eyes roaming over his body, and stutter when they gaze beneath his waist. “You just shifted… you still have your pants on” I’m bewildered.

Kian looks down at himself “huh,” he shrugs his shoulders. “That’s handy.” He then meets my brother’s eyes and glares at him, “I don’t like her coming along any more than you, but you’ve seen what she can do.” He doesn’t have to elaborate. Finn saw exactly what my gift could do in the streets of Eririat.

Finn growls, with annoyance. “Let’s go!” He concedes.

“Let’s talk about this later,” I wave a finger at Kian’s pants, before he shifts. I climb on Ruda’s back, circling my arms around his large neck – my fingers digging into his silk soft fur.

Without a moment to spare Ruda takes off with a speed I have never felt before, heading toward the fight.  

We arrived at the scene, immediately something didn’t feel right. Wolves were fighting against bears, and there were many of them. I tapped Ruda who bends down for me to climb off him.

Ruda shifted into his skin form, and within the blink of an eye, Kian stood before me. Pants still on. I began unfastening his vest and he slipped it off me, brushing his lips against mine “Stay back here, little witch. If the fight moves back toward your position, you move back. Stay within the shadows of trees – out of sight.”

He pulls away, putting the vest on himself. I nod in understanding. The bravery I felt earlier, wavering. “Be careful,” I plead. My eyes were glued to his. In the background, I hear the fight taking place. The gnash of teeth and the growl of beasts as they meet in a heated rage.

Kian takes a moment, lifting his hands to cup my face “Stay alive Morgan.” He implores, his will commanding me to.

I blink. “I will. Promise.”

Kian crashes his lips to mine in a hurried and hungry kiss. It’s sloppy but full of passion, he breaks from me all too quickly, letting me go. Giving me one last pleading look, Kian’s golden-brown eyes slip into pools of darkness: the mark of the Knight shining in the centers of his now black eyes.

He turns drawing his swords, and rushes towards the thick of the fight letting out an almighty wolf roar as he does. I watch his retreating form in awe of my wolfman as he begins to cut down enemy after enemy.

I pull the small dagger from the band around my waist. It was one Kian gave to me a few weeks ago. He told me to always keep it on my person when I was outside the palace walls.

The moment I thought I wouldn’t need to harness my gift, that they were winning this fight. Because as things stood, the attackers were backing down, and we were overpowering them. The scene took a turn for the worse.

The sound of dirt bikes filled the air, low whistles sounding in the night sky piercing through every other sound.  I watched as we were suddenly surrounded – outnumbered by a huge amount.

“If you can’t net them, kill them!” I heard a woman shout orders. I looked to my right, towards where the voice came from. Jumping off a moving dirt bike, a woman in all black, landed on her feet graciously.

Unholstering a whip from her side, the woman, with a quick twitch of her wrist, sliced her whip through the air, catching one of our shifted warriors in the neck. The bear shifter wailed out, dropping to the floor. His large paws grasping at his neck. He hit the ground hard, violently shuddering before he stilled.

The woman didn’t spare him a second glance. - Cracking her whip towards another one of the warriors.

Shit. I dug the knife into my palm, the blood spilling and rolling off my skin. The air around me stilled, and just like before – noises became mute; the thud of my blood drops hitting the forest floor echoed - The sound of each splashing drop vibrating through me.

I felt my eyes heat and reached out to the echoes I could feel.

Thousands. I could feel thousands of echoes willing to do my bidding. I could almost see as well as feel the tendrils of thread reaching out to them. I only grasped what I needed, still not knowing if they were a one-time use or not.

The mist of the spirits rose, twining and swirling until they took form, their apparitions waiting for my command once fully formed.

I walk forward and point “Those who dare to harm this, Clan!” My voice had that deep commanding tone again. A voice that I still don’t recognize as solely my own.

My army of dead move forward in a sweeping motion. More begin to rise and join their fellow echoes, ready to do my bidding.

I am the last daughter of Andora and they will feel my power.

The woman in black catches my eye again, as she stares in disbelief as the echoes begin to systematically move through the enemy sucking the life forces of everyone they come in contact with. I raise my hand, finger pointed to the woman in black, “Kill her.” I command an echo.

The woman in black lifts her head, nose twitching, nostrils flaring. She caught a scent of something. Her eyes shift and land on me then dart to the echo almost upon her.

“Morgan! No!” I see Finn racing toward the woman in black “Stop! No!” He screams. Panic-stricken and looking fearful.

The echo reaches the woman in black, passing through her, relieving her of her life. Her eyes bleed and her skin sinks in. She drops to the floor but never hits, as Finn catches her in his arms.

“Farah!” He cries in pain, rocking the woman in his arms. “Farah, I’m so sorry,” My brother sobs, his body lax, head bent.

I don’t understand.

“Farah, Farah, Farah,” He repeats over and over, tears falling from his eyes as he cradles the dead woman like she was the most precious thing in the world to him.

My gut clenches and my heart stops. Recalling our conversation. He had met his mate ‘her name is Farah’ He had told me.

This couldn’t be? No!

My heart began to break.

I killed my brother’s mate.

“I’m so so sorry. I’m sorry Finn…” My words fell short, I wasn’t far enough away for Finn not to hear.

His head came up slowly, eyes boring into me, swirling a bright purple. I didn’t think Finn would ever look at me with anything but love, but all I could see right now was burning hatred. A pure and unfiltered abhorrence to me.  

My brother growls at me and I jump back in fright.

What had I done? Oh, my goddess, what had I done?

The tears fall from my eyes. There is so much pain in my brother’s eyes beneath his loathing. I caused that. I caused his pain.

He will never forgive me. How could he? I took the one thing he had hope for - away.