Bonded

Chapter 41

"Rebecca. Stop. You are an Alligra." Imara's words had Rebecca turning back.

"I thought those were a myth?" Greyson's loyalty was torn between his mate and his High Alpha. He was just happy they were both still in the same room. If Imara wanted to talk about old myths, so be it.

After Imara failed to address Greyson's question, Rebecca gave in to her curiosity and asked a question of her own. "What's an Alligra? Is that supposed to mean something to me?"

Imara gestured toward the loveseat. "Little One, sit, please, I will explain."

Rebecca hesitantly made her way back to the small couch and Greyson. He looked at her with a million questions in his eyes. The idea that the woman he loved had been suffering for all the years that they had known each other, pained him and angered him in equal measure. His wolf felt immense shame over not protecting his mate. But somehow, Rebecca's words explained so many things about her, so many things that he had noticed and questioned over the years. Once she was within arms reach, he grabbed her and pulled her down to the loveseat. She gave him a half-smile and mouthed the word 'later.' Greyson pulled her close to his side and kissed her temple to calm them both.

Imara delicately cleared her throat and began. "For thousands of years, humans and werewolves co-existed peacefully. They lived in harmony. They respected and appreciated the strengths of both species. Often, a village of humans would be located very near a pack of wolves. The wolves would vow to protect the human village, in return, if an Alligra child was discovered among the humans, they would give the girl or boy to the werewolves."

Rebecca looked at the High Alpha in horror. "They would give away a child as payment for protection? Like a wagon or a load of hay?" The very thought hit a little too close to home for Rebecca.

It was Imara's turn to look offended. "It was an honor! And it saved the child from growing up being tortured by the voices in their head... by never feeling safe. The child was taken in by the wolves because it was in their best interest. Because they could be protected. Trained. Because the wolves knew what the child really was."

Rebecca wasn't pacified by Imara's words. "You still haven't answered the question. What is an Alligra?"

Imara folded her hands in her lap and looked intently at Rebecca. "What do you know about the Werewolf Wars?"

Completely out of patience with the entire conversation, Rebecca rolled her eyes. "Is it some werewolf trait that no one can answer a straightforward question?"

"Becks..." Greyson was worried that his human mate would offend the High Alpha.

"Little One, I will answer all your questions. I will speak with you for as long as you like, but you must understand that there are no straightforward answers to your questions, at least not when you are as ignorant as you are."

"Ignorant!?" It was Rebecca's turn to be offended. She knew she was far from perfect, but she did pride herself on being well educated. Hearing Imara call her ignorant was a slap in the face.

Ignoring the outburst, Imara continued, "In werewolf history and culture, yes, my child, you are most ignorant."

Rebecca could see Imara's point but was loath to admit it out loud. Instead, she crossed her arms and huffed.

"What do your human history books say was the reason why we lost what your kind call the Werewolf Wars?" If Imara was offended by Rebecca's childish behavior, she didn't show it.

"Numbers. Humans outnumbered werewolves almost 5 to 1." Rebecca recited from nearly every history textbook she had ever read.

Imara gave a regal nod of her head. "This is true. You also learned that werewolves are stronger than humans. Faster than humans. Werewolves can live to be several hundred years old, if not older. Werewolves could be shot multiple times by the primitive weapons of the time and be perfectly fine. Is this correct?"