My Lycan Mate of Suicide Forest

"August learned some startling things from Zoe today," Graeme started, easing into the rest. "We need her. We need to keep her safe until she can reveal what she knows to the whole pack. Everyone needs to be on the same page."

"What did she say?" Greta frowned, lowering herself into a chair between August and Sam.

Graeme looked uneasily at his mate, unsure of how best to reveal all that was discovered and also keep Greta from killing the girl. August sensed his dilemma and shifted her eyes back to Greta, seeking the best words for these revelations.

"Maggie may still be alive," August blurted out. It was the most hopeful news of everything they had learned, and it seemed the best to lead with.

Greta, Sam and Lucas were visibly stunned at her words. Their Luna may as well have just struck them with lightening.

"What?" Greta scoffed. "Zoe said that?"

"Not in so many words," Graeme added.

"I don't understand. How many words?" she asked. "What did she say exactly?"

"A deal was made," August said. "According to Zoe, the elders made a deal with someone who organized the murder of your parents in exchange for the alyko of this pack."

Silence descended on the table as the others soaked in this new information. Graeme felt the instant that the realization hit Greta, because her confusion turned to rage.

"The elders killed our parents?" her summary of what August had said was repeated so low and threatening, it sent a chill down August's back.

"Without getting their hands dirty, yes," August breathed.

Graeme was bracing for how his sister's reaction would explode into unrestrained fury. He locked eyes with her, their twin expressions warring between sorrow and fury, but he was willing her to control it and hear what else needed to be said. The fire that had exploded behind her eyes dimmed just enough when Sam put an arm around her shoulders, calming her with his embrace.

"Who was this deal with?" Greta growled.

"She is unable to say," August replied.

"Are you kidding me?" Greta scoffed.

"No, truly. She couldn't tell me, otherwise I am positive she would have," August answered. Greta shook her head, a sarcastic chuckle escaping her lips in disbelief. How could August be naive enough to believe that?

"I can see it, Greta. Zoe says she is not lycan. She is not alyko. She is another kind of… of being. Of creature. Remember when we were in the dungeon after I healed you and I could see something was different about her? She truly is different. She has a restriction threaded throughout her being that does not allow her to speak about this one person and his or her activities. Every time she tries, it is as if it is physically painful for her."

"It's only physical pain that is preventing it?" Greta scoffed again.

"No," August's face crumpled with the frustration of being unable to explain this properly.

"We know enough," Graeme interrupted, placing a hand over August's in comfort. "We know this significant lie that has been perpetuated for years against the alyko, and we know the elders were responsible for the former Alpha and Luna's deaths." He glanced at Lucas to gauge his reaction to this news and recognized the fierce fire of vengeance that had lit behind his eyes. Good. That meant he was not loyal to the elders.

"We are asking Lucas to keep Zoe safe here until we can have her share this truth with the entire pack on Samhain. Everyone will be together. It is an opportune time," Graeme continued.

"But that will take too long. We need to find the alyko now! Where have they been taken?" Greta exclaimed.

"It has been ten years, Greta," Graeme responded. "We need two more days."

Greta rose from her chair and walked to the railing overlooking the forest. Everything she had believed about her parents' murders was a lie. She had been living amongst the elders ever since, and they were the ones responsible for the tremendous loss she had endured? That they all had endured?

"They ran you out of here," she mumbled. "They didn't want you to take leadership. They didn't want you to find out. And you were always sympathetic toward the alyko," she turned to her brother. "I'm sorry." Her eyes filled with tears, and she buried her head in her hands to avoid sharing the weakness of her tears with everyone present.

"Why are you sorry?" Graeme was up and next to her in an instant, tugging her into the comfort of his warmth.

"I should have seen it. I'm the smart one," she chuckled through her tears, letting her brother embrace her.

"We were so young when it happened, Greta. We trusted those around us. I should be the one apologizing," he grumbled next to her. "I left you all to be led by those who deceived us. I should have stayed and protected you."

"We have the information now," August's voice rose from behind them. "Why do you two always feel that you must blame yourselves? We have been given this information now for a purpose, and we need to concentrate on how to proceed with it."

Everyone's eyes shifted to the radiant Luna in their midst who sounded confident and determined.

"Lucas, are you able to watch Zoe here until Samhain? It is important that this truth be shared with the pack from her, if possible. If the elders become aware that she has shared this with us before then, they will try to come for her," August turned her attention back to the male.

Lucas nodded, still reeling from all that he was hearing. His emotions were warring in his chest as well, but the way August pierced him with her eyes and her unwavering voice brought his focus back to the duty that was given him.

"I understand how this is presented to the pack is important, but I wish to search for the alyko now. Maggie could be out there!" Greta exclaimed.

"There are others here who need us as well," August replied. "We will find the alyko. We will find the fae. I feel this is part of why I am here," she added with unwavering confidence.

Greta swallowed and nodded silently.

"I think there is something else important to answer about Zoe if we are going to trust her with such a huge role in this revelation of our pack," Sam spoke up.

"What's that?" August asked.

"What kind of creature is she?"