ATTIC SECRETS

After wheeling Thane to his room, River entered her room and locked the door, to avoid any disturbance. She did not have the luxury of time while in her father’s pack to explore the treasures from the attic. Now was the time to do that.

Since her arrangement with Thane was that they would not bother each other, she seized the opportunity to dig into the books, journals and satchels from the attic. She had been careful to bring everything with her when she left Nightshade pack. She settled on the floor of her room, satchels and their contents scattered around her as she began to dig into attic secrets.

River's eyes widened as she read her mother Catherine's journal, smuggled out of the attic. The journal revealed secrets, warnings, and ancient pack secrets, weaving a complex tapestry of truth and deception.

One entry, dated March 15th, caught River's attention. Her mother wrote about witnessing Raymond, River's father and the pack's alpha, standing strong against a rogue threat. However, Catherine's tone hinted at a deeper concern, a sense of foreboding that River couldn't quite grasp.

"April 20th," the journal entry continued. River's eyes locked onto the words, her breath catching in her throat.

"Raymond's leadership has brought prosperity to our pack," her mother wrote. "But I sense a darkness growing within him. His obsession with power will consume him, and our pack will suffer."

"May 1st," another entry read, the date scribbled with a sense of urgency. River's eyes scanned the page, her heart racing with every word.

"Cecilia's influence over Raymond grows stronger," her mother wrote, the script tinged with concern. "She manipulates him, fueling his ambition. I fear for our pack's future."

River's thoughts reeled as she grasped the full weight of her mother's words. Cecilia, her stepmother, had been secretly pulling the strings, manipulating Raymond's desire for power. The realization sent a shiver down River's spine.

Her mother had seen the danger lurking within the pack, had witnessed the insidious grasp of Cecilia's influence. Why had she not spoken out? Why had she not stopped Cecilia before it was too late?

River's mind flooded with memories of Cecilia's subtle machinations, her calculated smiles, and whispered counsel. The pieces fell into place, forming a sinister picture of deceit and manipulation.

With growing unease, River turned the page, eager to uncover more secrets, more truths. Her mother's journal had become a ticking time bomb, threatening to upend everything River thought she knew about her pack and her family.

"June 15th," the journal entry stated, the date marked with a tender scribble. River's eyes welled up as she read the words, her heart overflowing with emotion.

"River's birth has brought me joy, my beautiful bundle of joy in this dark alley of marriage. Raymond mated with me because of the alliance with Father’s pack, but his heart belongs to another. He refused to mark me as his. Now, I have a kin, my River. But, I fear for her future," her mother wrote, the script trembling with vulnerability. "Raymond's darkness will affect her destiny. I must ensure she is prepared."

River continued reading and discovered a more ominous entry dated July 10th. Catherine suspected Raymond's infidelity with Cecilia, River's stepmother. The words leapt off the page, painting a vivid picture of a pack torn apart by deceit and betrayal.

"July 10th," the journal entry began on a new page, the date scribbled with a mix of anxiety and sorrow. River's eyes scanned the page, her breath catching in her throat.

"I can no longer ignore the whispers," her mother wrote, the script trembling with concern. "Raymond's absence from our bed, his late-night meetings with Cecilia... The pack's whispers speak of an affair."

River's heart sank, her mind reeling with the implications. Her mother suspected Raymond's infidelity with Cecilia? The thought sent a shiver down her spine.

"My heart refuses to believe it," Catherine continued, "but the signs are clear. The way Raymond looks at Cecilia, the way she smiles at him... It is a betrayal I never thought possible."

River's eyes stung with tears as she imagined her mother's pain and confusion. She had always known Raymond and Catherine's relationship was strained, but an affair? The revelation cast a dark shadow over her family's history. So, Father was already with Stepmother before Mother died!

The journal page seemed to whisper secrets, as River's fingers kept tracing the indentations left by her mother's pen. She felt a deep connection to Catherine's emotions, her own heart aching with empathy. As River turned the page, a faint tear stain caught her eye. Her mother's tears, shed for a love betrayed. The journal had become a window into River's own past, a past shrouded in secrets and deception.

"August 15th," the journal entry read, the date etched in sorrow. River's eyes scanned the page, tears pricking at the corners.

"Confronting Raymond yielded nothing but denial and anger," her mother wrote, the script shaking with emotion. "I know he never loved me, but was forced to mate with me to secure the alliance for his pack..."

River's heart ached as she imagined her mother's anguish. Forced into a loveless mating, Catherine had still dared to hope for love.

"...but I have grown to love him," the journal continued. "Cecilia's grip on him tightens, poisoning his mind. I fear for our pack's future, for our family's unity."

Tears rolled down River's cheeks as her mother's pain and betrayal leapt off the pages. She felt Catherine's desperation, her longing for a love that had never been truly hers.

The journal's words painted a vivid picture: Raymond's cold indifference, Cecilia's manipulative grasp, and Catherine's shattered heart. River's own memories of her family's dynamics began to shift, reframing her understanding of the past. No wonder she was unloved, her own mother was never loved.

"October 1st," another entry stated, the date etched in despair.

"I have made a terrible mistake," her mother wrote, the script trembling with regret. "Trusting Raymond was my downfall. He has chosen Cecilia over our family, over our pack."

River's heart ached, her mother's words painting a dire picture. Raymond's betrayal cut deep, his choice of Cecilia over his own family a devastating blow.

"I fear for River's future," Catherine continued, the words dripping with worry.

Tears pricked at River's eyes as she felt her mother's fear, her desperation to protect her. The journal became a time capsule, a message from the past warning River of the dangers lurking in her own life.

Another entry revealed Catherine's growing desperation.

"November fifteenth," the entry began, "I have been plagued by illness for weeks," her mother wrote, the script shaky and uneven. "Fever, weakness, and pain wrack my body. I suspect foul play. Someone is poisoning me."

River's eyes widened, her heart racing with horror. Poison? She felt her mother's fear, her desperation.

"Tears stream down my face as I write this," Catherine continued. "I know I am running out of time. Raymond's indifference, Cecilia's smugness... it is all too clear. They want me gone."

River's breath caught. Her father and stepmother, capable of such evil? The thought sent a chill down her spine.

"I have hidden this journal, hoping you will find it," Catherine wrote, her words a plea from beyond the grave. "River, my love, be cautious. Trust no one. Your fate is tied to ours, and the pack's future hangs in the balance."

River's vision blurred as tears welled up. She felt her mother's love, her urgency, and her warning. The journal became a lifeline, a connection to the truth. With shaking hands, River turned the page, her resolve hardened. She would uncover the truth, expose the culprit, and claim justice for her mother.

"November twentieth," another entry read, the date scribbled with growing desperation.

"I have hidden my suspicions from Raymond, but I fear Cecilia's involvement," Catherine wrote, her handwriting growing shaky, her words urgent. "She always lurked in the shadows, waiting for her chance. My pup, River, is innocent. I must protect her."

River's heart ached, feeling her mother's fear and determination. Catherine's words painted a vivid picture: Cecilia's sinister presence, Raymond's obliviousness, and River's vulnerability.

"I have made arrangements for River's safety," Catherine continued, her script barely legible. "Her wolfless-ness will ensure her protection. But I fear it may not be enough. Cecilia's grasp is tightening..."

The journal page trembled in River's hands as she read the final sentence:

"When you are of age, perform the rituals to unlock your wolf. It will protect and guide you."

Rituals to unlock her wolf? River wondered astonished. Did it mean that her wolfless-ness was not a curse, but a form of protection? Perform the rituals. River’s heart leaped for joy! With trembling fingers, River turned the page, her eyes scanning the journal for more clues.

"Akira's guidance has given me hope. River will be safe, hidden from those who seek to harm her." River was close to Elder Akira in her father’s pack. She was the one who thought River everything about their world.

Tears streamed down River's face as she felt the depth of her mother's love and concern. Catherine's words wrapped around River's heart, holding her close. She had never known her mother felt this way, that she had worried about River's future with such intensity. She cried for her unloved mother, who was forcefully mated for the sake of an alliance, just as she had been mated to Thane Thunderhoof.

The journal page blurred as River's tears fell, but she clung to every word, every sentiment. Her mother's fear for her future, her desire to protect her, it all resonated deeply. She wiped her tears and read on.

"To my dearest River, if you are reading this, know that you are strong and worthy. Trust your instincts, and seek the truth. The pack's salvation lies within you."

River's heart swelled, her mother's words igniting a fire within her. Tears of joy and resolve streamed down her face as she felt Catherine's love and faith envelop her. She read the words again and again, soaking in the hope engrafted in them.

With every word, River's doubts dissipated, replaced by an unshakeable conviction. She was strong, worthy, and destined for a greater purpose. The pack's salvation lay within her, waiting to be unleashed.

River's fingers lingered on the page, absorbing her mother's message. She felt a surge of courage, a sense of destiny calling. The journal, once a simple book, had become a sacred trust, a testament to her mother's unwavering belief in her.

One entry, dated several months before River's birth, caught her attention:

"Astra descendo, tenebrae ascendunt. Luminari's shadow grows, threatening our line. River, my star, must be protected."

The code shifted, becoming more complex:

43 19 11 5 18 15 22 5 18 11

River discovered a section on numerological ciphers in an old book. The numbers in Catherine's diary seemed to match a pattern. With trembling hands, River substituted each number with its corresponding letter, using an ancient alphabet.

The message revealed itself:

"Danger Within, Seek Moonlit Truth"

River's heart skipped a beat. What danger lurked within the pack, and what moonlit truth awaited her?