Alpha Reggie smiles and gives a little sigh before continuing.
“For all intents and purposes, Skylar is my niece and Xander’s cousin. There are some greats and grands and probably twice removed in there somewhere, but it doesn’t matter she is a blood member of my family, just so you are all aware.” I hear several intakes of breath, but I am still focused on Alpha Reggie. “I asked Skylar to keep the connection a secret until I had more information, now we do. As her team, you should know that, so you know what is being asked of you. She was a target before the discovery, now that she has been captured and from what I understand from Sky and Jena’s accounts of their time with the rogues, blood and other samples were taken…”
This time my friends didn’t hold back their surprise.
“What samples?”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“What does that mean?”
“You’re Royal?”
“Wait? Did you know she was Royal before you sent us on that mission?” Mina asks, kind of aggressively considering she is addressing the king.
“I did. Is there a problem with that?” Alpha Reggie keeps his calm, but his posture and aura change like he is readying for a fight.
“A little bit, yes. Sir.” She adds, not backing down. “Why would you send a royal on a mission with the intention to get captured?”
“You meant for her to get taken!” Nathaniel almost shouts. I don’t know if I have ever heard him actually shout before. He’s loud when he has to be, but he mostly observes and keeps quiet.
I place my hand on his shoulder next to me. “I was in on that part of the plan, take a breath, and calm down. We are getting off track.” I look back to Alpha Reggie. My friends won’t let that go, so I will have to tell that story later. I don’t know if Jena even knew that part.
So many secrets, from people I trust and care about. That is something to unpack later.
Alpha Reggie nods and goes on like there was no interruption. “I am positive that the Rogue King knows of Sky’s lineage now, or we should at least work with that assumption. She will be an even bigger target.” He holds up a hand as Wyatt and Nathaniel both look like they are going to interrupt again. “Before you say anything, I have no intention of locking her away, she is not a damsel in distress, she is an important member of the Royal family, one many people will want to get their hands on, no different than Xander. So I will train her mentally and you will all train her physically. Preparation is going to be our friend.”
Alpha Reggie stops to take a drink and appears to be collecting his thoughts. “Over the next few weeks you will all train in your specified areas as well as with the elite warriors. As information continues to come in about the Rogue King, kidnapped girls and Jena’s pack we will send your team out to handle it with some of our most skilled warriors. This is what we know so far. The kidnapped girls whose identities we could confirm were all high ranking females. They were subjected to the same treatment as the two of you,” He looked from Jena to me. “We did find a couple of the more recent girls disposed of very unceremoniously, meaning they were in a hurry and made mistakes. Doc Gannon and Doc Sylvia have come to the conclusion that the girls were being dissected…”
“What the hell? That’s awful. Why would he do that?” Oscar asked.
“Skylar already knows some of this, but my family’s history is somewhat bloody when it comes to succession. I have recently found confirmation that my Great Great Grandfather’s second son, who was wildly vocal about being passed over as the Alpha King when his nephew took the throne, captured his own sister and her daughter and O experimented on them both.”
He took a deep breath and we all waited silently for him to go on. “The women born into my family have special abilities and powers. I’m sure you have all noticed some of Sky’s talents are beyond that of an accomplished warrior. Don’t get me wrong Little One, I believe you would be a force without your abilities but even I have noticed abnormalities knowing what powers you could possess.”
“What do you mean ‘abnormalities’?” I ask, now concerned that something is wrong with me.
“Normally each female has one gift or enhancement. Your mother, from what I understand, had emotional control over others. Something I know you have, I’ve seen you use it on all of the boys, even here this morning. Jeną is drawn to you when her emotions become too much. You have the ability to keep everyone level headed. Proof enough you have that ability. You also can fight off an Alpha’s aura, even as a born Beta with Royal blood, I should be able to make you do just about anything and I don’t think you even know you’re resisting. And trust me, I have tried.
I don’t think it’s your natural stubbornness either.” He winks at me, breaking some of the tension in the room. “Then there are your scars. Based on all of your altercations and injuries, even you can’t deny that you have enhanced healing abilities, again, beyond what Royal blood would give you. You can fight off silver and wolfsbane put directly into your bloodstream.” I look down at my hands folded into my lap. I can feel my friends’ eyes burning holes in the sides of my head. I don’t think Xander knew about the silver until now.
“Is that what the scars on your back are? Silver?” He asks, just above a whisper. I can feel his body heat increase while he is trying to hold in anger that is radiating off of him.
