Episode 44: Growing Pains

Genre: Horror
Characters: Kaya, Rafe, Charlie, Connor, Sophie, Braedan
Word Count: 4,545
Rating: R
Type: Series
Summary: Charlie speaks to Kaya and Rafe about their situation and recalls events that led to Kaya's mother's death and her subsequent memory loss. Rafe on the other hand continues looking for information concerning what is happening to him and anything he can do to stop it.
Warnings: Language, suggestive material, violence, adult content, adult situations, nudity

“Do you remember me?” Kaya asked dropping onto the sofa nearest the fireplace. Her gaze fanned the room and she took in the numerous pictures Charlie surrounded himself with, all family she assumed.

“I do. You were five years old and a biter,” he smirked. “Maybe I deserved it; I had just ransacked your home. But man, I had the imprint of your little teeth in my hand for a whole week! And you weren’t even a wolf at the time! I imagine that bite has gotten worse!” He stepped around the desk and leaned against it as he watched Rafe examine the photographs and journals lining the tables and shelves in the office before joining her on the couch. “Do you remember me?”

“Kind of. I had my memories wiped and only recently got them back. Though I’m wary about trusting what I see I remember what happened the night my mom died. I remember Rafe, erm Caleb, talking to me. I remember you picking me up and trying to distract me as Rafe…Caleb killed her. And I remember hiding near the horses where Caleb found me. He told me everything was ok and my mother was only sleeping.” She sighed and dropped her gaze away when Rafe turned to look at her. “But again I don’t know how accurate that is.”

“Well unfortunately it is what happened that night. The pack got there and we were on a mission to find you. We’d sent a scout in advance to let us know whether or not you were on the premises.”

“Angie.”

Charlie nodded and continued his story. “She wasn’t one of us. Just some stray we picked up when we got to Willow Reed and had her do some spy work for us. We didn’t want anyone in your home smelling us approach so we couldn’t use one of our own.”

“After her, Dad stopped taking in strays. He couldn’t trust anyone else because of how it led to Mom’s death. I know that now. I never understood why he turned his back on all of the homeless wolves before but now it makes sense. So you’re the one I saw in my room that night? You ripped her throat out in front of me!”

“Yeah well I actually thought you were sleeping. By the time I’d moved her body and got to your bed you were gone. You were a pretty wily kid. Even gave old Caleb the slip and NO one gets passed him!” He watched Rafe saunter towards the bookshelf and pull out a book marked in Latin text. Rafe then moved over the desk and began filing through the papers and folders he had neatly stacked on the corners. “Does he know what he’s looking for?”

Kaya shrugged and glanced at Rafe. “He wants to know everything he can about who and what this place is but I don’t know. Anything concerning him I’m sure he wants to see. You seem ok with letting him rifle though.”

“Yeah well it’s his home he can do whatever he wants; I have no desire to stop him.”

“Hmm well I think he’s trying to keep busy. He gets that way sometimes,” she sighed and twiddled her thumbs for a second. “So how did you know where I was?”

“Your father. He found where Cal…Rafe and I were holed up and came to ‘have words’. He begged Caleb to leave you alone; let you free and break the bond that you two were to share. He said he saw what Caleb was going to become and he refused to let that happen to his little girl.”

“What was it that he saw?”

Charlie glanced at Rafe and met his gaze. With a sigh he turned back towards her and shrugged. “Hell if I know. He never went into explicit details only said ‘you’re a monster and I won’t let that become her’.”

“Have you ever seen Caleb’s other side?”

“Other side? You mean his wolf?”

“No there’s something else…”

“Ky!” Rafe growled and glanced in her direction. He’d only just met his supposed little brother last night he wasn’t ready to give away any piece of himself to this stranger simply because of who he claimed to be. He wanted to learn everything they knew before he exposed himself to them; if he even intended to ever come clean.

She bit her lip and Charlie’s gaze darted from her to Rafe and back again. “I guess not. Whatever you’re referring to I’m sure it’s happening because you’ve mated. I can only imagine what your father was so bent about but I do know Caleb needed you for a reason. He made it his sole mission in life to track you down and mate you regardless of how crazy I told him that was. For a while we travelled everywhere searching for you high and low. I never knew where exactly we were going most times but he said he felt you and that’s how he was tracking you. He finally pinpointed a location when he had some vision of you. He awoke early one night and pulled me from my bed shouting this nonsense; rambling. He said you had ‘the bluest eyes and the kindest soul’. It took another year to finally track you to Willow Reed.”

“When we got there we knew we were close. Your dad only confirmed our suspicions and the crazy thing is even though we knew you were there, we had no idea where. But his fear brought him to our front door along with your scent; he led us right to you. So we found Angie, had her make up some story about an ex-Alpha of hers trying to kill her. Your father took her in and she immediately started relaying information about you to us. Your daily routines, your visitors, your habits, your favorite book and even the brown teddy bear you slept with every night.”

Kaya shifted visibly in her seat and Charlie sensed her unease over the topic. He slid away slightly hoping to calm her nerves to a degree and offered her a drink. “I know this is all very shocking and even scary we can stop if you want.”

“No. I’ve been denied this knowledge my whole life. I want to know everything. Please, continue.”

“Ok well stop me whenever you want Little Sis, I don’t want to disturb you. I know the role I played in everything that happened to you and even though I hate how much trouble I caused you, I won’t apologize for it. I know I could never say how sorry I really am about the pain it caused you. But even with that fact if my Big Bro asked me to do it again, I would.”

“You two were really close?”

“The closest; we were beyond blood and beyond best friends. For the longest time we only had each other and because of that we watched each other’s back.”

Kaya nodded her understanding and Charlie slid back beside her. “You know Charlie my name never changed.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re not a music fan are you?”

“Ah, Night Shift. I’ve heard the name a few dozen times or so concerning music releases but I never imagined one of us would be out in the public eye like that. So all this time my brother’s mate has been under my nose?”

“Your brother too. Rafe is also in the band.”

He grinned to himself and shook his head and she motioned for him to continue. “You know it’s funny, even as a child you were cunning.”

“I had a pack of ravenous animals coming after me. My Mom told me to hide and so I did.”

“Yeah I know. You tossed off articles of your clothing to throw us off your scent. You got both Caleb and myself with that.” Kaya brushed her hair behind her ear and smiled to herself. “Ok so even after all of that, Angie left out one very important detail; she never said you were a kid. Imagine Caleb’s shock when we got to the manor and found this beautiful, doe-eyed babe that was to become the Luna of this pack of savages!” he chuckled and shook his head solemnly.

“It didn’t matter at that point. Your mother was already near death along with half of the men that occupied your home. Even if we’d turned back, waited for you to grow up, Caleb’s plans would have been shot to hell. You would have learned to hate or even fear him and most likely break the bond you were to share. He wasn’t going to let that happen. So in the middle of all the chaos he realized what he needed to do; take you, end the lives of anyone that could come looking for you and raise you to know only the man that was your mate and teach you to love him.”

Rafe had stopped rummaging and was listening intently to Charlie’s story. Hearing the man that he was made him shudder in fear and in sadness. He had wrecked the life of the woman he loved and for what? What was his ultimate goal for all this? He dropped the book he clutched in his hand to the desk and started towards Kaya. Her nerves were wracked and he faintly felt her pulse rise; she was angry? Scared? Hurt? He couldn’t make out the emotion clearly but he needed to comfort her, that one thing was certain.

She noticed Rafe out of the corner of her eye and pulled a picture from the table as he stopped just at the front of the table. “The girl in the picture, who is she?”

“Our sister Clarissa,” Charlie smiled brilliantly at the photo of the three of them.

“Hmm another ‘c’ name,” Kaya giggled glancing over at Rafe. The look in his eyes seemed to want to smile yet his face remained stoic and emotionless.

“Yes our father was quite fond of them. It would perhaps explain his infatuation with our mother, Chandria. He was very protective of her. He raised Caleb and me to look after her and Clarissa with our lives as well.”

“Understandable, you were the men in your family. I’d like to think had I a brother he would have done the same. Though I do have Connor and he serves in that position for me,” she smiled inwardly thinking about her redheaded best friend. “So where is she now?”

Charlie inhaled sharply through his nose and stole the picture from Kaya’s hand. He walked slowly towards the desk in the far right corner and placed the photo back in its place before turning his attention out the window towards a small flower garden. “There,” he pointed to a row of bright red rose bushes lining the back end of the lot.

Kaya moved closer to the window for a better view. “Charlie I…”

“She died of the plague. It hit her as a child and tried as he might, father could not find a cure to save her.” 

“I’m sorry to interrupt but Charlie, everyone’s ready,” a petite brunette smiled politely as she entered the office behind three swift knocks. She closed the oak door behind her and moved towards the bookcase lining the left side of the walls as she continued. “I’ve also laid out the banquet for our uh guests,” she bowed in Rafe’s direction, lowered her eyes and kept them on the floor until Charlie acknowledged her.

“Thank you Sophie, we’ll greet everyone soon. You can come closer I want you to meet them.” He took her hand and guided her towards Rafe and Kaya. Stepping behind her he placed his hands around her waist and made his proud announcement, “This is my mate, Sophie. Sophie this is my big brother Cal…Rafe and his mate Kaya.”

“It’s really an honor to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you Rafe so has everyone you’re gonna meet tonight. You’re a real hero in these parts so please forgive the stares but everyone will be completely star struck about you Alpha.”

“I’m not an Alpha you don’t have to bow to me.”

“Yes we do Brother and yes you are. I’m no Alpha but I’ve kept all of your affairs in order in your absence.”

“Charlie organized search parties every weekend to look for you. Several of the older wolves here were convinced you were…well dead; but not Charlie,” she smiled towards him and he pinched her sides. “He refused to give up on you and look! Here you are after all these years.”

“And I’m still not so sure about that. Besides the dogtags what makes you think that I’m Caleb?”

“Come on Man, I know you feel it. You have to; the connection between us is too dynamic not to. Besides you don’t think I’d know my own brother? After a few handful of centuries together you come to learn the person that goes through the shit with you especially when they’re blood.”

Kaya glanced up at him and he nodded slightly not wanting to admit it to himself and perhaps a bit fearful. “Yeah I guess I feel something but I can’t be sure what it is. I’m not 100% comfortable around here. Last time Ky and I came near we were attacked.”

“Well I mean you were trespassing Bro,” Charlie smiled. “You can’t blame these guys for protecting what’s theirs. They wouldn’t have hurt you though. Everyone knows we don’t hurt our own until we have reason to. And with the hunt for you it should have never have gone as far as it did. Emeril, the other wolf chasing you that night, has already been punished. And I guess we both know what happened to Donny. We had a hell of a time digging him out of that canyon by the way.” He looked towards Kaya and smiled apologetically and she nodded in return. Noticing the smooth skin of her bare neck he became curious and took a seat next to Sophie. “So how come you two haven’t bonded yet?”

“Uh it’s kind of a long story.”

“No it’s not; her father’s an asshole.” Rafe snorted and Kaya turned towards him with a look that could have put him six feet under. He chewed his bottom lip and gave a watery laugh before shrugging and moving towards the bar.

“Well I guess it’s not then. As you know Rafe killed my mother and became a member of my pack and as Alpha, my father forbid our union when he realized who he was. Wish I could be as dismissive about it as some.” She lowered her head and Charlie quietly slinked away from the growingly awkward conversation.

“Sooo uh there’s a change of clothes for the both of you up in your sleeping quarters. Sophie and I will attend to the pack and we’ll be expecting your attendance shortly. If you need anything just yell.” He took his mate’s hand and quickly exited the room leaving Rafe and Kaya shrouded in the uncomfortable silence that had formed. 

“I’m gonna go get ready,” she sighed hopping up and hurrying towards the door.

“Kaya…”

“Don’t. My father may be an asshole but I can understand his hatred of you. I mean you murdered the woman he loves and as wolves, an eternal creature, that kind of thing is hard to forgive and forget. Imagine what you’d do if it were me that was killed and your daughter wanted to mate the man that did it. While I can’t agree with the refusal of our bond I know he is doing what he feels is best and it’s not just because he hates you. I can say that about him; even if I’ve felt alone and hurt and scared one thing I could always trust in was the fact that my father kept me safe and did it all out of love.” Without looking back at him she rushed from the room and towards the stairs shutting the door behind her with a loud bang. 

Rafe stepped into the dark bedroom and heard the shower on. He moved towards the door, shrugging out of his shirt and pants and slipped into the spray behind her. “I’m sorry ok? I’m just angry and in honesty I know it’s no one’s fault but my own. I was just hoping we could be completely together.” He stole the sponge from her hands and slid it over her shoulders, drained the warm water over them and watched it cascade down her back. Rafe leaned forward and tenderly kissed her neck. Hearing her gentle moans he continued kissing his way over the slender column and across her collarbone pausing briefly as he stole a peek of the rounded orbs on her chest and the healing wound above her rib cage. “We shouldn’t; you’re not fully healed.”

“Yeah, sure.” She sighed pulling away as he nipped her bottom lip one last time. Retrieving her sponge from his clutches she began soaping herself again. “You know in speaking with Charlie earlier I came to a realization; you knew everything he was saying already. You have your memories of that night and what you as Caleb did to me. When he was recalling the chain of events you never flinched. Your pulse never rose; you didn’t seem shocked or anxious. When were you going to tell me?”

“I wasn’t.” Kaya turned to look at him and the emotionless expression that he held scared her. “I’ve had flashes of everything including Charlie when I started shifting randomly after Luther’s torture. I’ve seen the man I was; felt his emotions even walked in his footsteps. I had no intentions of ever telling you because that man scares me. The night you witnessed that change, my heart broke when you backed away from me in fear. At that moment I knew the man from my flashes was really me and all of the pain and heartache he’d caused was real. That’s why I came here; I wanted to seek out Charlie and learn about Caleb.”

“And last night? Charlie said he told you something and it was up to you to fill me in on the blanks.”

“Yeah, he did.”

“Well what was it?” she asked licking her tongue across her lips as she waited for him to speak. The silence felt unending and he found it hard to make eye contact with her for the longest time.

“After he positively identified me as his brother, he shared stories; things I told him I wanted to achieve once I mated and became Alpha. One of them involved a ritual that ensured the power base of my pack would be endless and even enhance every one of us into more than just mere wolves. But in order to successfully complete it, after we’d bonded, I’d have to dine on your still beating heart. The night I shifted in front of you, I think that was why I wanted to rip you apart.” 

“‘You’re a monster and I won’t let that become her’,” Kaya repeated Charlie’s earlier words. Words her father had spoken to the brothers when he begged them to leave town. “So Charlie does know what you are; seen it.”

“He knows but he’s never seen it. Like he said it only started after the mating.”

“And my father knows; he knows you’re ultimate goal was to use me? Kill me? So you could what? Be all powerful? And you weren’t going to tell me!” Tears welled up in her eyes and she pulled away from his outstretched hand. “You’re right Rafe; I can’t trust you after all.” Kaya jumped out of the tub and left him standing in the water that was quickly beginning to cool.

She quickly tossed her clothes back on and rushed down the stairs towards the front door. Her gut wrenched in pain and fear and she had to get away. Every muscle and nerve in her body was betraying what her mind was saying. And as much as she desired the touch and closeness Rafe provided she couldn’t trust him at this point. All she needed was a place to be free; somewhere she felt safe. “Kaya?” Charlie exited the banquet hall as she reached the front door. 

“Are you o…?” he stopped in the middle of the question and took in her appearance. She was still dripping wet from her shower and her cheeks were streaked with dried tears as more pooled at the bottoms of her eyes preparing to fall. “He told you.”

She nodded her head and backed towards the door as Rafe appeared at the top of the stairs. “I have to go. I can’t stay here I can’t be around someone who wants me dead and…”

“Kaya I’d never!” Rafe was at the bottom of the stairs in a flash and quickly moving towards her. A towel was wrapped around his waist and more members of the pack began filling the hall hearing the three out in the foyer.

“Get back to the banquet hall, our Alpha will be in shortly,” Charlie ordered causing the wolves to hastily exit the area.

“Baby I don’t know what good harming you would have been for Caleb but I promise you in a hundred years…”

“‘Or more you could never hurt me’. Yeah,” she nodded. “Caleb spoke those same words to me the night he killed my mother. You are becoming him again and if that’s true I have to assume everything else is as well.”

“Please Kaya; you said it yourself, we’re stronger together than we are apart. I can’t get through whatever is happening to me without you. Please I need you.”

“Would you feel more comfortable if you had someone here that you could trust? You mentioned a friend of yours…”

“Connor!” Rafe joined in. “If Connor came and stayed with us just until I fully understand who and what this is would you stay?”

“Rafe you’re older than Connor and me! You could easily get by him if you wanted to get to me. How is that any kind of guarantee for my safety?”

“Because you’ve already promised me that if I started to turn you would get away from me as quickly as possible. Connor would just be insurance to make sure you got out. Please?”

Charlie stood watching the two go back and forth before interjecting again. “And I would of course keep my Luna safe even if it was from my own brother.” He glanced towards the banquet doors and nodded. “We have all been waiting on this for over two centuries now; some of us longer. Everyone here is ready and willing to do what is necessary to protect the both of you. It’s our sole purpose in this pack Kaya.”

“Charlie earlier you told me you’d kill my family for your brother. Do you really think that makes me feel all warm and tingly inside?”

“Kaya you’re my family now. You’ve mated my brother and very soon you’ll be bonded by blood with me as well. I’d kill for you; anyone that ever tried to hurt you or get in the way of your happiness, I’d murder without question. It’s who we are.” Stroking a soaked strand of hair from her face he pulled her gaze up to meet his. “Whether you want to admit it to yourself or not you know that is the nature of our beast. We are killers, we are predators, we are monsters but we also have a sense of humanity as well. Stay; stick by my brother’s side and I promise you you will never have to live another day in fear.”

“And the ritual?”

“There’s nothing as grotesque and crazy as it sounds Kaya,” Charlie laughed. “Caleb was always one for theatrics. After you’re bonded he has to remain attached to the site longer and while it does drain you quite a bit, you will not die from it and you won’t have your heart ripped out of your chest and eaten! Think about it, an Alpha is only strongest with his true mate at his side to rule. Would it make sense to murder half of your strength? He would never be able to recover from that and never again regain that power.”

“Excuse me Luna; I did not mean to eavesdrop but the name you just said, Connor? Is it true he is a friend of yours?”

“Yes, my best friend in fact, why?”

“This is Braedan, he’s one of our scouts and usually leads the patrols towards the east end of the territory,” Charlie explained as Kaya moved closer towards the man. “The sector you entered from.”

“What about Connor, Braedan?”

“He’s here. We found him sneaking into the territory and…”

“And what? What did you do to him?”

“Please Luna understand we were only acting out of our normalcy. Anyone caught entering Shadowvale meets with the same aggression. Had we known he was actually seeking you we wouldn’t have subjected him to the same treatment.”

“What the hell are you talking about? Where is he?” she demanded with growing impatience.

“The stables.” Charlie led Kaya and Rafe quickly towards the back end of the lot towards the stables. The smell of manure and hay instantly stuck within her nostrils and she breathed deeply as she thought about her own horses. Nearing the end of the corrals within the large space, blood stained the air and hung thick.

“CONNOR!” she yelled recognizing his scent and rushed forward. Kaya stopped as she took in the sight of his body chained to the back wall of the enclosure. There were large gashes carved into his chest and he appeared unconscious as he hung lifelessly dripping blood into the hay beneath him. 

“Get him down!” Charlie ordered Braedan who immediately moved to unlock the chains. “Alex get medic out here now!” Another wolf hurried towards the pack house to grab the doctor and Kaya moved to Connor’s side.

“He’s warmer than usual, fever? How is that possible?”

“It’s our venom. Don’t worry Sis, the Doc should be able to get the burn out quickly,” Charlie assured her.

“Connor I’m so sorry! Why did you follow me out here?” She rocked him in her arms and listened to his shallow breathing. “I know you must be used to trespassers and obviously deal with them in a certain way but something’s gotta change. I was attacked twice and now my friend is hanging on barely because you shoot first and ask questions later! If anything happens to him…”

“I take sole responsibility for this act, Luna and I offer my humble apologies. Had I known…”

“You had to have known something! When did he tell you his name? During the torture or beforehand like I announced to Erik who I was? Being able to sense a threat is a common trait within us! Did he seem like he was here to demolish your way of life?” Braedan lowered his eyes and nodded negatively as Kaya berated him. “Just hang on Connor, help is on the way.”

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**Author's note: Sometimes stand-ins can be helpful. In this case Braedan Cornelius, a spawned paparazzi served well as a savage. He might even make it as a return character!**

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