The Wolf and the Natural ✔️

~•47•~

"Mom first." Arlis was very adamant that we went and saw Iris first. I couldn't blame him, that was his mom after all. We decided to surprise people. We figured that would be best. Because if we told everyone that Arlis was back, there would be no time for Arlis to individually hug his family and have a moment with them. "And dad." He added.

I didn't know how to tell him that I didn't know where they were. So I strayed the subject as we walked, wanting to get to a certain point. "What makes you Alpha Alpha. You say you're one of the most powerful Supernaturals—"

"Third" He corrected. "Third most powerful." His voice wasn't as strong as it once was, it didn't hold the same unwavering confidence.

"How are you stronger than necromancers and witches and... you're just a werewolf." That wasn't ever a sentence I thought I'd be saying.

Maybe... just maybe... I could get him to bring it up. I could get him to admit it before I asked him.

But I wasn't just trying to accomplish my second agenda. I did genuinely wonder what made him special. To me, it was just him in general. His laugh, his smile, his tears. Everything about him was beyond perfect. But what made him special to Konrad? To the rest of the supernaturals?

He bit his lip. "There's a lot that goes into account. It's no so much that I can do things better than others, it's that I can do things that others can't." He explained. "Lotus can't kill me—"

"Why not?" I asked. I felt stupid for asking. But I could lead him to this subject, I was sure of it.

"Because my ancestor killed the first Salem. It was a blessing and a cu—" He closed his eyes as he looked at me. "You know." There it is.

I nodded my head. "Oh yeah. Why didn't you tell me? You were supposed to kill me?" I shook my head at him. "Arlis you lied to me. A lot."

He shook his head, narrowing his eyes at me. "That was the only time. I swear." He looked so trustworthy. And my heart hurt to say this, I felt like I had been hit by a truck.

"Liar." I stated. Once, it was almost a joke. But this time, it was one of his personality traits.

He stopped and grabbed my hand as I tried to walk away. He looked into my eyes and kissed my knuckles. "What do you think I lied to you about?"

I huffed out a breath, holding back tears. "Vix is dead? And you didn't tell me."

"I— she... you don't..."

"Did you know." I confirmed.

He groaned. "I didn't lie to you." He brought me to his chest as I cried. Vix was my best friend. And I left her alone, not caring. I didn't think about her as much as I should have.

"I just didn't know how to tell you." He admitted, his head down.

I should've been mad. I wanted to be mad. He kept my best friend's death from me? On so many levels that wasn't okay.

But he just got back. And if I looked at it from his point of view, it made sense. We were and still are going through a lot. I wouldn't of known how, or wanted, to tell him that Chleo was dead had he not remembered.

I can't ask others to do something I would've struggled with or just not done either.

I put my fingers on his chin and made him look at me. "Arlis, I understand. I'm glad you're back." I kissed him, wanting to pull him to my chest and never leave.

"But that's it." He shot me a promising look.

"And you sending Alpha Rylee's members to attack a human party?" I asked.