Fighting For Hope (The Hybrid and The Wolf - Book 3)

Chapter 11 - Brotherhood of the Damned

I had joined Jackson, Hayley and Aiden in the Bayou. We were out by Jackson's trailer and I watched as Aiden put all the moonlight rings into a bowl.

"Well, that's the last of them! Everyone out here is officially ring-free."

"And better off," I said.

"Easy for you to say, you're a hybrid," Aiden replied, looking at me. "I'm back to turning every single full moon and if the wolves who are loyal to Finn come back here, they're gonna rip right through us."

Hayley, Jackson and I exchanged a look.

"So, I gotta ask, when's this wedding?"

"Ten days," Jackson answered. "After that, Nina's power is your power. The full moon won't control you anymore. Spread the word - any wolf who wants in needs to be here to bear witness to the wedding."

"Yeah, I can do that. What are you guys gonna do?"

"We're going to meet an Elder!" Jackson smiled.

Both Hayley and I looked at my brother in confusion.

"We need an old school Crescent wolf to conduct the Blood Gift ritual and the wedding," he explained. "Then there are the trials."

"Trials?" I asked, nervously.

"Don't worry. We say a few oaths, do some trust falls, smoke a little blue calamus root out of a peace pipe. Piece of cake!"

"Well, good luck with that," Aiden said before leaving.

I turned to face Jackson. "Any idea where we can find an Elder?"

"Well, that depends," he said. "You got any interest in meeting your grandma?"

I found myself smiling. My grandmother is an Elder?

~*~*~ 

Hayley, Jackson and I were walking through the woods and it seemed like we'd been walking for an eternity.

"Are we hiking to Baton Rouge?" I sighed, dramatically.

Jackson chuckled. "Just a little bit further. You nervous?"

"About meeting the grandmother I never knew I had? Nah! Why don't you ask your fiancée?"

Jackson looked at Hayley.

"I'm not nervous," she said. "Although I should be, she is your grandmother."

"Huh, she usually likes the girls I bring home," Jackson said, making me smile.

"Oh, really?" Hayley said, feigning offense. "Hmm, exactly how many girls have you brought to meet her?"

Jackson laughed. "No, I've never brought anyone to meet her. So, you gotta make a good impression since she's got no one crazy to compare you with."

"I am great with old people and babies," Hayley replied. "It's just the in-between that I suck at."

"Cute as all this is, y'all are late!"

Hayley and I turned our heads to see a woman walking towards us with a basket of herbs in her hands.

"Grandma Mary!" He gave her a hug and kissed her cheek before introducing us. "This is Hayley and Nina."

Mary looked at me with a melancholy smile. "You look just like your mother."

I smiled back, awkwardly before lowering my gaze.

"Mary, it's so nice to meet you--" Hayley began.

Mary raised her hand to stop her. "You can turn off your old-people charm now. The three of you are late, we need to get started."

"Right," Hayley cleared her throat as we followed her. "So, yes, we have pre-marital rituals to attend to. Which are what, exactly?"

"Fasting, purification, the Rite of Divulgement, to name a few."

"The Rite of what?" Hayley asked.

"Oh, it's simple. You speak the truth, he speaks the truth. Secrets are cleansed, everybody's happy."

"What do you mean, secrets are cleansed?" I asked, worried. 

I looked at Hayley and Jackson, Hayley looked uneasy about this ritual as well.

"The two Alphas smoke the root of the blue calamus flower," Mary explained. "It links their hearts and minds together, the ceremony won't take if there are lies separating them. This way, there are none. It's the most important ritual apart from the wedding ceremony itself. It's also apart of the Sang de Cadeau ritual." 

Now I was starting to panic. If Hayley or I smoke that herb, we'll be forced to reveal my darkest secret.

"Hope none of you have too many skeletons in your closet," Mary chuckled as she patted Hayley's arm and walked towards the cabin.

Jackson followed her but Hayley and I didn't, Hayley's worried gaze was focused on me.

"I'm not doing that," I said, making Mary and Jackson stop to look at me in confusion. I turned to look at my brother as I shook my head. "I'm sorry, I can't."

I turned on my heel and ran off.

I can't reveal my secret, I can't betray my daughter.

~*~*~

"Nina!" I heard Hayley yell as she followed me.

"Nina?" Jackson was with her. "Nina, wait!"

"I can't do it, Jack," I said as I turned to face him.

"You're not the only one who has stuff they'd rather not talk about."

"Some of my secrets aren't mine to tell," I looked at Hayley. "You know that."

Jackson looked between us in confusion. "Maybe a little honesty is a good thing."

"Jack, I live with the Original family," I told him. "In that family, sometimes honesty . . . can get you killed."

My brother looked at me, stunned for a moment before he continued. "We all have things we hope will never see the light of day. You and Hayley probably won't like what I have to say anymore than what you're holding back."

"I wish that were true," I started to walk away again.

"Come back with me!" Jackson pleaded. "We'll take it one step at a time and if anything makes you uncomfortable, you tell me and we stop."

I looked away, hesitant before looking at Hayley.

"And when it comes time to open up, I'll go first because I don't run and I don't scare easy. Nina, you're my family."

I looked at Jackson when he said that.

"You're my sister and I love you. Your secrets are my secrets, your demons my demons and you'll never have to fight them alone. I promise you that. Please."

I closed my eyes, torn before looking at his extended hand. I slowly placed my hand in his before looking back up at him.

~*~*~

Jackson and Hayley had taken me back to Mary's cabin where we would conduct the Blood Gift ritual and the wedding trials. I had decided to go through with this, Jackson had won me over with his speech about family.

Family, something I've been searching for my entire life and now, I finally have it.

Mary stood by the door, waiting for us. I looked at Hayley and Jackson, who nodded in encouragement and the three of us walked inside.

I was doing this for one reason and one reason only: to make New Orleans a safe place for Hope's return.

I will do anything for my daughter. Anything.