Chapter 8 Boxes

Sam stopped by with a grin. “I hope you don’t mind, but my sister sent these to you. She said she was in your shoes once and knows how hard it can be.”

He handed me several boxes, each one scrawled with bold letters: Never give up! The words alone made my chest ache in the best way.

One box was marked Clothes. I opened it first—and OMG. These weren’t the old, worn-down hand-me-downs I was used to getting from my sister. These still had tags on them. Brand-new. And they were exactly my style: black-and-gray emo shirts, matching dark leggings, sleek leather ankle boots, and not one but two new backpacks, both black. Perfect for food shopping runs on my bike.

I looked up at Sam, my throat tight but a smile tugging at my lips. “Please tell her thanks.”

He nodded, warm and genuine. “I will.” Then he left me to go through the rest on my own.

Rudy had already claimed the clothes box, curled up like it was his new throne. He yawned once, then promptly fell asleep, his tiny paw hooked over the edge of a folded shirt. I laughed, shaking my head.

The rest of the boxes held exactly what I needed to make this place mine: silverware, pots and pans, dishes, bath towels soft enough to melt into, and rows of soaps, shampoos, and conditioners that smelled like fresh fruit and wildflowers. My kitchen cabinets finally looked like they belonged to someone who lived here, not a squatter in her own life.

Jag purred at the back of my mind, smug and satisfied. *Now this feels like home, Alora. Ours.*

Sam’s sister even packed me a coffee pot with two cups. I set it on the counter like it was a crown jewel, filled it, and pressed auto so that when my alarm went off, fresh coffee would be waiting for me before work.

I pulled out the take-out leftovers, slipped them into the microwave, and leaned against the counter while the hum filled the kitchen. The condo was quiet, warm, and for the first time in my life, mine.

Until I heard a knock on my door, it was Alpha, “Ok, just so you know what’s happening, your Grandfather has filed a missing person report on you,” he said as he watched my happiness slowly drown in despair. I sat down on the sofa, pulling my throw blanket over me. I wanted to scream and cry at the same time. That's when Alpha Ryker pulled me into his arms. “It’s gonna be ok, love. I got you!” He held me tight. It was the first time he had done this; my tears flowed like streams down my face as I clung to him, sobbing. “Why does he hate me so much?” 

“He hates himself more than he hates anyone else. He treated your mother the same way.” He held me even tighter. “His wife was an albino too, he loved her more than life.” he paused to wipe tears from my shocked face. As he continued, “He can't love any female that looks like her. It feels too much like betrayal.” 

“At least that's what he told the counsel when he was brought up on abandonment charges with your mother. She came to live with us at the Mansion, that's how I met her. She was only 9 years old, and he treated her like a dog that he could just throw out of the house. My mom took her in, and she became my best friend until we were older,” he smiled. “I developed a huge crush on her. And we dated. She was not my fated mate, but she was my chosen mate. Then I got drafted. Went overseas for 4 years. When I returned, she was mated with your dad, and you were 3 years old already.”

“Your mom left some things at the house while I was deployed. I could not bring myself to open the letters; it hurt too much.”  he handed me a sm box  with a red ribbon around it, marked “My Only Love”

I was so confused. “And grandpa?” I asked. Still staring at the box.

“Oh yeah, don’t worry about him, I told him myself that you were staying at the mansion with me, to continue your training, he has no Idea that you're in college now. So you're good, I told you, I got you!”

He visited for a while longer, playing with Rudy. Then we said our goodbyes, but the box was calling to me; 

I slowly untied the ribbon with shaking fingers. Inside were stacks of letters, every one of them addressed to Alpha. Some were marked with hearts, others with sad faces, pages spilling with words I couldn’t yet bring myself to read.

At the very bottom, tucked into a sealed manila envelope, was one marked DNA Lab—addressed to my mother.

My pulse roared in my ears as I tore it open. My eyes scanned the words, my breath catching halfway through the page.

The room tilted. My knees buckled, and I dropped onto the sofa, clutching the letter with shaking hands. Everything I thought I knew about who I was… shattered in an instant.

The paper slipped from my shaking fingers, landing on the floor. Rudy pawed at it curiously, as if it were just another scrap of paper. But I knew better. This wasn’t just paper.

It was the truth.

And it was going to change everything.

*Oh Damn* Jag whispered.