The Pack

Chapter 16: Macintosh

CHAPTER 16

MACINTOSH

AILA POV

There's a knock on the door and it has me jerking up from my spot on the shower floor. I start to shiver as I reach out and shut off the now cold water. I'm stepping out when the door opens and Dallas slides into the room, closing the door behind him. I clutch the towel to my chest as his eyes look me up and down.  

"Aila?" I feel tears threaten again as I speak in a choked whisper. 

"Am I not your little one anymore? Did the blood sliding down my face disgust you?" His arms are around me before I can blink. I look up and meet his eyes to see pride and sorrow. 

"I was 14 when my father died. My Uncle betrayed us to rogues because he wanted to be Alpha. I killed him. Shot him until the bullets were gone from the gun. Yesterday I found out that the man that looks like your Dad isn't your Dad. It's my Uncle." I see the truth in his eyes and from the stiffness in his shoulders his anger.  

"How?" Dallas laughs bitterly as he looks down at me. 

"How isn't the question you should ask little one. Do I disgust you is the question you should ask." I shake my head. 

"That isn't a question because you already know the answer." He smiles and leans down to kiss the top of me head. 

"Exactly little one. Now get dressed. Someone wants to see you." I look at him and want to ask how someone can look like Daddy but not be Daddy but I can see he's hurting and I need to ease him up to it so I nod and get dressed.

....................

When I open the bathroom door I see my mates talking with someone that has their back to me. As I step closer they whirl around. I have time to see a bright green eyes before he drops to his knees in front of me and lowers his head so it's almost to the floor. 

"Thank you for saving Juliet. Thank..." Shocked at the man's completely submissive pose I drop to my knees in front of him. He looks up in surprise and I see Juliet in his upturned nose and pitch black hair. They even have the same delicate body builds. If it wasn't for his bed head haircut and guy clothes they would be identical. I take a deep breath as he continues to stare at me. 

"You must be Romeo, Juliet's twin brother?" His eyes are wary as he nods slowly. Leaning back on my heels I eye Romeo up and down, taking note of the hunched in features and slumped shoulders. 

"Your were-lions aren't you?" He flinches and nods as I reach forward and ruffle his hair. He freezes as I continue to rub his head as I speak. 

"It's not your fault that lion males are submissive. And it's not your fault or Juliet's that she isn't a dominant. Hell I'm dominant and submissive imagine how confusing that is." Slowly I stop rubbing his head and rise to my feet, holding out a hand. He takes it and I pull him to his feet as I speak. 

"Let's go find you mom and see those new siblings of yours then we'll talk some more okay?" Romeo nods and leads us out of the room.

..................................

We enter a sunroom to the sounds of laughter. Juliet's hair shines in the light as she looks up from one of the babies that are clutching at Alpha's fur as he licks it. Her eyes drop as Lea looks up and grins at me. 

"Aila, I've been looking for you. I need a favor." I eye her curiously as she continues. "My mates and I have discussed it and we want you to give the cubs their first names." My eyes widen in surprise as I recall how sacred baby names are to shifters. Usually the Goddess is the one who blesses them in the naming ceremony.