A Wolf's Miracle

Chapter 12

H a r l a n

Harlan was standing next to the seating area that led to the rooms Selene had selected for each of them. He had been staying there ever since the renovations took place. The room across from his had been empty for a while now, but that was the case for a lot of the rooms in the mansion. 

Harlan had no idea why she had given that room to Diana. He was bristling over it when Selene came out of that room. 

"You," she said, basically storming over.

"Me," he said in response, trying to act like he normally would, which only made her angrier.

"Listen to me you fucking bastard--"

"Ah-Ah "Damien walked in and grabbed his mate before she ripped Harlan apart. Her fangs had already elongated. "What about we let him explain? Hmm?" he wrapped his arms around her waist and placed his head on her shoulder as he said this.

"Not fair" was all she said, being dazed by merely being so close to him.

"Get a room," Harlan said, about to walk away.

It took her less than a second to slip away from her mate's grip and grab Harlan by the back of his neck, her long nails ripping the skin  "I want to kill you" she announced, bringing his head down.

"Ow!" Harlan said as he looked at Damien expectantly but he just crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall.

"You mess with the bull..." he said with a coy smile. He even looked slightly turned on.

"Why did you do it?" she threw him against the couch "Why did you disobey direct orders? Why do you enjoy hurting her?"

"I don't enjoy--"

"She has been through so much! She was raped, attacked, and left for dead, you saw the state she was in. None of it was her fault!" her eyes started welling up. Of course, Harlan knew that. It was another reason being around her felt strange. He'd failed in finding the bastard that did that to her, that thought was bothering him more than he let on. He hunted for him every chance he could, but the tracks disappeared by the water.

 "She just lost her life because of it, so I guess I hoped you could at least show a little bit of sympathy." She rolled her eyes "I see you are simply not capable of that." That stung.

"Ouch," Damien hissed.

"She deserved to know the truth" was all Harlan said as he got up.

"I was going to tell her!" Selene countered

"When? You hate confrontation, it was better to rip the bandage off once and for all. It would have destroyed her anyway" At least that was what he hoped, he did admit the way he said it wasn't the best.

"Sel," Damien started "What is done is done, we can't change it. What matters is that Harlan feels bad. Right?" he looked at his little brother who in turn gave a short nod. "See?" Always saving his ass, ever since they were kids.

This seemed to calm Selene down a little bit. "Fine, just don't do it again, and stay away from her for god's sake."

He wished he could. At that moment he said he would. But he knew it wouldn't last. There was something about that woman that drove him nuts, something that made him want to provoke her, to make her feel something toward him, anything. He had never felt that way before and it terrified him.

"Now that we've talked this out," Damien started "The gammas are on their way back, we are having a meeting to discuss what happened. If you can get Diana to come that'd be great," he said to Selene.

"She's not ready for that yet" Harlan understood Selene, understood that she was worried for her mental health, but she had to stop babying her.

"She's stronger than you think" Harlan added "At least tell her, let her decide, give her back her choices." It was what they had done with Selene when they found her. Selene understood it then.

"I will tell her." She had made up her mind, you could see her decisiveness written all over her face.  "When do they get here?"

"They are checking up on our allies, it will take them a while," Damien sighed "They are reminding them why we are their leaders while also strengthening bonds. We need them cooperative and happy."

Harlan knew that was an understatement. Ever since Damien had taken the position of alpha from their tyrannous father, things had been unstable, to say the least. Packs were questioning whether they should independence themselves from the rest and the new alphas were having trouble earning the respect of their packs. It was a whole mess.

 Selene took a deep breath "I don't understand how the rebels can be so apprehensive, things are way better than they were when Everest was in charge." The mention of his father had Harlan wincing.

"Yes, but when he was in charge they benefitted from that. Our father wouldn't have remained in control for so long if he didn't have some wolfs backing him up" Harlan clarified. "These are a bunch of old, power-hungry bastards."

"They want to organize a coup but don't have the balls to face me" Damien's voice was filled with irritation. "So they kill and hurt innocents instead, they are just like him."

"He was the worst of them, I assure you that" Harlan had the scars to prove it.

"But we are better than any of them, and we are stronger," Selene said with a sweet smile that still managed to melt Harlan's heart. "The heroes always win in the end, remember?"

Her child-like hopefulness and innocence were enough to bring anyone to their knees. Harlan was too bad for her, he'd always known that. Damien, while still fucked up, was good for her. The fact that she was his mate confirmed that for him. He still hadn't recovered from that blow.

"They do," Damien said with the most sincere smile toward her, and he knew he had to remove himself from the situation because seeing them like this still hurt.

Harlan was done fighting his brother for her, he was done pining over her. Once was enough. - It was before their mating bond snapped into place but it still counted as a fight - But that didn't mean he would suddenly stop loving her, things like that required time.

"I'm going to bed" he announced, walking over to his room and closing the door.

____

Every time he went to sleep he had the same wish. That just for a night, he wouldn't be tormented by the same nightmares he'd had most of his life. It was like his father couldn't leave him alone even after his death.

Everest Altain was the most powerful alpha that ever existed. That was, of course, until Damien was born. Everest punished Damien for being too strong, and hurt Harlan for being too weak. He knew alphas aren't made, they are born, but he still pushed his son to become one.

Harlan hated the fact that even though he almost killed them in the process, he made both of them what they are today, completely unstoppable. But he relished in the thought that he created his own destruction. 

Damien's good nature prevented him from being corrupted by his father. Instead, he put on a show and pretended to be someone he was not. He helped people in secret, searched for alternatives, and gave them the tools to defend themselves. He was a sheep dressed in wolf's clothing.

But Harlan was the opposite. He enjoyed watching people suffer, enjoyed seeing their pain. He would do everything he was told, hoping that someday it would be enough for his father to finally love him, hoping someday he would be enough. He was a monster, and even though he had changed, he was still like him, he was still a monster.

And every time he closed his eyes he could see it, the things he'd done to others, and the things that were done to him. But what was eating him alive was, he had no idea which was worse.