Chapter 11 Questions

Io

She looked at me thinking I was joking, but I was dead serious. I wanted to taste those beautiful lips of hers. She stared at me for a few moments, weighing her options.

"Okay, but on the cheek." What was I to her? Her father?

"Ah, no. On the lips. Like any normal couple," I reasoned.

"We aren't a normal couple. I've only known you for what? An hour? And you want me to kiss you?"She wrinkled her nose in distaste. "And if I don't kiss you, what will you do?" She raised an eyebrow, challenging me. My Luna thinks she can outsmart me.

"Well, I'll be coming with you...inside your room." I had to make it a tough decision for her or she wouldn't budge.

"I-I-I haven't kissed anyone before." She suddenly turns around and starts climbing the stairs again. "What I mean to say is, I haven't kissed a boy on the lips ever. But, I have had a boy come in my room before. Many times before. So, I guess you can come with." She motions to me to follow her. Damn, I thought I could trick her into kissing me. I follow her into her room and I was surprised to see how neat and spacious it was. I was also impressed to find there was no pink anywhere. "Just keep the door of my room open. That is my mother's one rule." She opens the door to her bathroom and walks inside then peeks behind the door. "Promise you'll keep the door open?"

"I promise. I don't want your mother to get mad at you, us." She smiled at me and I felt like I had won the jackpot. "Make yourself at home. If you're hungry, you can go downstairs and grab a plate then come back up." I'll just mind link Marcus to bring me dinner.

"Nice try, Kiaria. I'll wait for you here and watch TV." I sit on her sofa near her bed and turn on her Smart TV.

"Suit yourself." She closes the door and I hear the shower. I wish I could just walk inside and take a shower with her, but she would never agree to it.

I leaned back on her sofa and stare up at her ceiling. She was a beautiful white wolf with honey colored eyes and a moon symbol on her shoulder which appeared as the moon light shined down on her. Her white fur reminded me of pearls as it shimmered in the moonlight. I have never seen an exquisite beauty before and to think she is mine. All mine.

There were so many questions surrounding her very existence. She had said she was adopted. An orphaned wolf? Who were her parents and what pack did she come from? How did she become the daughter of the Wrights? Her mother and her father knew she was wolf and yet had never told her. Why?

Think, Io, think. She must be related to someone, but who? These are questions that I will have to ask Kiaria's parents when we're alone. A knock on the door broke me from my thoughts and I look towards the open bedroom door.

"Alpha, I have brought a plate of food for you." Marcus walks in and places the plate on the small coffee table in front of me. "The daughter, how is she?"

"She is fine. A bit shaken from the turn of events, but she is fine. Marcus, I want you to find out any deaths among any of the wolves eighteen years ago." Marcus raised his eyebrows at me like he was surprised I didn't know something. "Yes, you know something I don't?"

"The death of High Priestess Celeste. Her pack's territory is near here. I am surprised you can't remember it." I looked at him, confused.

"No one said she had a daughter," I argued.

"Yet a prophecy had spread about her pregnancy. Her pregnancy with the celestial wolf."

"I know of the prophecy, but no one can confirm she had actually given birth. Celeste and Blake's bodies with those of their pack were said to have been washed away from the great flood or swallowed by the earth during the earthquake. All believe Celeste's death led to the death of her pup, that is, if the rumours were true and she was pregnant during the attack of the Rogue Alpha." I tried to remember more on the story of Celeste's death. "There was someone though thought to have been with the High Priestess during the Rogue Alpha's onslaught. That someone could have escaped with Kiaria. Marcus, I want all information on Celeste and Blake as well as anything surrounding their deaths. Bring me pictures of them. I will contact the High Elder and find out what he knows. Hopefully he will provide some information."

After Celeste's death, no one spoke of her freely. It was all under the cloak of secrecy. My parents, who had an alliance with Blake, had also refrained from speaking of the circumstances of their deaths. No one wanted to catch the ire of the Rogue Alpha despite his dissociation with the wolves. However, everyone knew he was the lord of all crime lords in the country, something the Council of Wolves had tried to deny their involvement. All knew of the one demand of the Rogue Alpha, however little knew of the conditions of their agreement. It had caused many wolves to harbor distrust towards the council especially when their riches grew while many wolf packs suffered.

Marcus bowed and took out his phone as he walked out of Kiaria's bedroom determined to get the answers we needed. I looked down at my plate and started eating.

The food was wonderful especially the pork lechon. I was extremely hungry and welcomed the crisp deliciousness of the lechon.

Kiaria emerged from her bathroom as beautiful as ever. She had dark blue skinny jeans that hugged every inch of her lovely long legs, a black halter top and black boots. She placed her hair in a half pony tail, letting her long golden hair cascade behind her bare back. Such a beauty. I was actually surprised no boy has tried to kiss her.

"You've gotten some food. I'm jealous. Come on. Bring your plate and let's go downstairs to get some more."

"We can share. I'd rather have you here alone than standing around engaging in small talk with a bunch of people I hardly know."

"Io, that's considered rude. I need to go downstairs. Those are my parents throwing a party. Then, after I've had something to eat and have done my duty socializing, I was planning to come back here and do school work. Come on. I'll introduce you as my boyfriend. How about that?"

I stood up immediately. Why would I pass the opportunity to brand her as mine? She laughed at my reaction, walked up to me and started fixing the collar of my shirt, her intoxicating lavender and pumpkin pie scent emanating from her.

"Mine!" Beast, my wolf, yelled.

"Down boy. She's ours."

"You better take care of her. None of your nonsense, Io. She's different from your conquests." He growled at me menacingly and I was taken aback at my wolf's reaction.

"There, you're presentable." She smoothed down my shirt with her hands and I felt a zap of electricity with her touch. How will I be able to control myself around her?

"I'll bring your plate. You can get a new one. This is cold. Follow me, Io." She turns to leave her room and I watched as her buttocks swayed with each step. My eyes went up to her back where I saw the moon symbol I had seen on her wolf, shimmering on her shoulder blade. "Io, come on, I'm starving. Stop standing around looking like you're going to eat me." I nod my head and follow her out of the room, down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Happy Birthday Kiaria!" Everyone in the kitchen started applauding. She put down the plate on the counter and started giving everyone a hug. Why couldn't she do that to me too?

"Because you're a jerk who looks like you only want to get into her pants. I told you she's different. She has a good head on her shoulders and she is smart. Smart enough to counter your every distasteful move." Beast growled at me.

"Fine. I'll treat her with utmost respect."

"You better." Geez. My wolf had changed to what he was actually named, a beast!

"Are you hungry? There's so much food. Just help yourself." I jumped at her mother's voice. I didn't know she was behind me.

"Mrs. Wright. I would like to formally introduce myself. I am Io Hemming." I bow to her. She looked at me squarely in the eye.

"I know who you are, Io Hemming. The front page of the tabloids are always splashed with gossip of you and your many girlfriends. You, young man, better treat my daughter with respect." Eeek! My past was catching up to me.

"I will assure you, Mrs. Wright, Kiaria is very special to me and I will never harm your daughter nor hurt her in any way."

"Then we understand each other. I have been against this "mate" thing right from the very start, but it is out of my hands. She isn't my biological daughter and I have no control over her destiny, but I can still make it very difficult for you as her adoptive mother. You mark my word, Hemming." No use. I can't use my charm on this one.

"Mrs. Wright, you have my word. She is my mate, my everything, my future Luna, my future wife. If I hurt her, I will only hurt myself in the process." She stares at me and starts crying. She loved her daughter very much. I take her into my arms and give her a hug, telling her everything will turn out just fine. She wipes her tears and nods her head, accepting the situation even if it meant losing the one person who made her whole.

"Mrs. Wright, look at it this way. You aren't losing a daughter, rather you are gaining a son." She looked at me with hope in her eyes. "Kiaria isn't going to leave you, Mrs. Wright. You will be right by her side every step of the way."

"You mean that, Io? You aren't just saying that so I could feel better, are you?"

"I meant every word." She smiled at me and I sensed a change in her attitude. She started treating me like a friend and not someone who was about to kidnap her daughter. She told me to come join them at the dining room when we were ready.

I glanced at Kiaria who was chatting with her friends and noticed one man who was extremely close to Kiaria holding her by the waist. A surge of jealousy sprung from deep within me and I immediately walked to Kiaria and coughed making my presence known. Kiaria turned her head around and smiled sweetly.

"Ooooh, who's he?" The man whose hand was around Kiaria asked and I instantly felt ashamed. He was gay. My wolf laughed so loud at my mistake I had to shush him. Kiaria moved to my side and put her hand on my chest. Her touch felt so good.

"Everyone I would like you all to meet my boyfriend, Io." Everyone went silent. That hurt.

"Does your mom know? Girl, you are going to be in a heap of trouble," her friend, who had his arm on her waist, said.

"My mom knows. He's here right?" Kiaria argued.

"Well, if Kiaria becomes unavailable, I'm here. I'm Anthony by the way, but at night you can call me Toni with an i." I shake his hand.

"Nice to meet you Toni with an i." I tried to let go of his hand, but he held it tight.

"Toni, let go of my boyfriend's hand. You're making him blush." Was I blushing?!

"Hmmm, just SIZING him up." They all start laughing so I laughed along although I didn't get the joke.

"You're bad, girl. Well, my mom is waving at us to join them. I'll see you guys in a bit." Kiaria grabs my hand and leads me to the dining area.

"Happy Birthday!" Kiaria waved at everyone while we walked to our seats. I aided her in her seat and sat beside her. Kiaria starts piling food on her plate. I couldn't believe she could eat that much. I did the same. Might as well.

"Hemming? You're Io Hemming right?" The woman beside me asked.

"Yes."

"If you hurt our Kiaria, I will be the first one to stick this bread knife up your ass."

This is just fantastic. My future Luna has to hear of my womanizing past.

Everyone seemed to know me except her.

I definitely need to do some damage control.