The Ripple Effect

A low, throaty growl rumbled against my lips as I dragged my hand forcibly down the length of my face. Muck flung from my fingertips, and I grimaced at the sight of the mud that was surely now caked to my skin. Tiny fingers tapped at my cheek as even tinier giggling filled my ears.

“Oh, ha ha,” I groaned sarcastically, pushing myself back onto my feet and brushing more mud from my clothes. “I certainly hope you know that this childish behaviour is unbecoming of a lady!”

Zeya slapped her hand against my cheek, but I could not help but smiling despite myself even as she squished the wet dirt against my skin.

“You little worm!” I teased, wrapping my arms around her and twirling her off of her feet.

“Papa, you’re filthy!” she shrieked in distaste, wriggling and squirming until she slipped out of my hands.

My smile slowly faded as my eyes landed on the woman responsible for this. Eliana waggled her fingers at me, snickering from behind the back of her hand. Her eyes sparkled with a mischief that rivaled even demons!

“You,” I mouthed, shaking my head slowly as my eyes narrowed at her.

But she simply shrugged, unconcerned, and turned her back to me as she innocently crouched down and began packing her things for the trip ahead of us.

It had been only three days since Eliana agreed to being civil and friendly with one another, but she already seemed to have forgotten about that fact! During the first day, she had hit me four times over the course of one hour—claiming to have seen a “poisonous-looking bug”. I had given her the benefit of the doubt...until she smacked me right on the nose with her palm. On the second day, she had convinced Zeya that I loved to be awoken by being thrown in the water; so she had gotten my little angel to help her throw me into a creek.

And now it comes to this: the third day, when she so sweetly asked for my help to pack up camp. I had been weary, but she said Zeya was having some difficulty with her foot—and that girl was my obvious weakness. When I approached Eliana, she had spun around and threw a gob of soggy earth at my face!

The crimes were so pointless, but I was always the victim! My wolf and I were treading a fine line... If my mother had not raised a gentleman, I would have let him take charge days ago!

“You are beyond irritating, woman,” I hissed, flicking my wrist in her direction and not batting an eyelash as the dirt splattered against her shirt.

She stood quickly, crossing the distance between us with the elegance and stride of a born-queen. I watched her through guarded eyes as she placed a gentle hand upon my chest. Eliana smiled warmly and peered up at me behind long lashes, and for a second my heart stopped. If she could be like this all of the time, being near her would not be such a chore. She was almost beautiful...

But then she grinned like a she-Devil, patted my cheek roughly, and said, “I forget what a proper lady you are, Luca. But be a sport. Really, for Zeya. Every little girl should pull a good prank every now and then, you know.”

I grimaced, but she turned away quickly and trudged away in her combat boots, sans any of the grace or warmth that she had fooled me into believing she had possessed. I played the part of the fool quite well, didn’t I?

The sigh that fell from my lips could not be helped, but I threw my bag over my shoulder and lengthened my strides to catch up with Zeya and Eliana. The two were already in a quiet conversation. Eliana’s hand was wrapped around her locket, and a sad smile played across her lips. Zeya’s face was soft, that of quiet reflection. And dampened by sadness.

Without a thought, I reached out and engulfed her hand in my own.

“Papa,” she mumbled, smiling sadly up at me.

I knew what was bothering her, and I didn’t know how to make it better. What could I even say? I had a very privileged upbringing, really. My parents had loved me unconditionally, and my brother kept me sane through all of the Alpha meetings. Sure, my half-brother had ruined that—but my parents had supported me.

Had they not loved me, they would have done what any Alpha in their position should have done. But then I wouldn’t be here.

I glanced to Eliana, but she was just staring straight ahead with this numbed look on her face. Surely she understood Zeya’s pain more than I ever could.

Tiny arms wrapped around me suddenly, and my body reacted on its own as my arms pulled her from the ground. She clasped her hands around my neck, her face buried in my chest as soft whimpers made my heart ache. Eliana gave me a pitying look, but she quickly looked away as she clutched her locket once more.

“Zeya, can I tell you a secret?” I asked, staring up at the bright blue sky above us. Her head moved slightly, and I smiled. “Fate makes mistakes, my darling. Even though it makes mistakes, Fate would never give us something that we cannot handle. You, my little angel, could take the entire world by storm if I didn’t enforce your bedtime.” I felt her smile against the fabric of my shirt. “And I know your mother is very proud of you.”

“You don’t know Mama,” she whimpered, peering up at me behind wet lashes. Tears trailed down her cheeks.

“I don’t need to. She’s your mother, Zeya. And from what you tell me, she clearly loved you—she gave her own life for yours.”

Zeya seemed to consider it, but then her lip started trembling.

“I killed my mama!” she screamed, clutching my shirt as she hid her face again.

Wow. I’m really bad at this.

“Zeya, I knew her.”

The voice was quiet, so quiet that I barely heard it. But I whipped around quickly to stare at Eliana. Her locket tugged on the chain, as if she had just released it, and she wore a hauntingly peaceful smile. How...was that even possible?

“Eli—”

“Stuff it,” she muttered, reaching out and easily stealing Zeya from my arms. I was too dumb-struck to even fight her. “Zeya, her name was Mae. She was a great friend once upon a time. Beautiful, elegant... Sweet and without a violent bone in her body. And you were her greatest treasure.”

“I... I was?” The hope in that little girl’s voice made my heart jump into my throat.

“Of course. She said the only thing she needed to know her life had purpose...was for you to be happy. Zeya, are you happy?”

Just like that, Eliana proved I was useless on most matters that pertained to Zeya. The little girl bobbed her head up and down vigorously, a huge grin plastered to her face. Then she scampered away, her previous limp nearly invisible.

But as Eliana tried to walk after her, I reached out quickly and caught her by the elbow. Her eyes narrowed and she jerked to no avail.

“Eliana, how did you know her mother?”

“I told you: we were friends,” she growled from behind clenched teeth.

I shook my head. “Zeya is from the Shadow Pack, and her father is Alpha. You said your mate was an Alpha. So something doesn’t add up.”

She opened her mouth, but then she closed it and rolled her eyes.

“I’m not from the Shadow Pack; I just lived nearby, so I met Mae one day. It’s not as uncommon as you seem to think, Luca,” she spat, but I had clearly hit a nerve.

“Want to change your story again? They say third time’s a charm.”

Her face started to turn as red as an enraged tomato, but then her shoulders slumped. Eliana ran her hand over her hair once, flicked her eyes across my face, and then smiled so sweetly.

“Luca... I could lie to you for days on end, and you could call them all lies. But in all of those lies, I can hide a truth so deep you wouldn’t believe if even if I said it. Maybe I lied to you about Aylin, Luca. Maybe everything I’ve told you is a lie to gain your trust. You’re so damn trusting.”

I shook my head, but I released her when she jerked away again.

“You can’t see yourself, Eliana. You don’t see how far away you look when you hold that locket—it’s the same look you had when you talked about Aylin, and it’s the same look you had just know when you were talking to Zeya.

“So maybe you’re right. Maybe you did just lie to me twenty times, but the truth is hidden in there. And you’ll slip eventually.”

“Maybe I don’t want anyone to know the truth!”

I tried to argue further, but she shoved me backward and hurried after Zeya. Eliana was a very scared woman, but losing your child would frighten any mother beyond repair.

But her stories... They were surely just that: stories. Because they weren’t adding up.