Chapter 2

The DIscovery

I stare at my self in the mirror, looking at the dress I am wearing. I have been in my Parent's house for the past week, after I took a break from work to travel to New York.

"Are you okay?" Jane asks, and I smile at her, grateful for her presence.

"I am fine, just a bit on edge." I say, lying, trying to understand how my entire life got ruined in a matter of days.

"Hey, look on the bright side," Jane says, standing before me.

"Your actual parents - The Merchettis are quite rich, you could make all your dreams come true, travel, and just enjoy, I mean, how bad can it be?" She says, and I laugh.

"I am just wondering, shouldn't Scarlette be here, since we were switched at birth?" I voice my worry.

"Maybe she just needs few weeks to understand everything. You could be great friends."

I stare at her, bite my lips and nod.

"Take care of yourself, tell me everything that happens at work, and maybe go on a date, dumb his ass." I say, and she smiles sadly, the kisses my cheek.

"Hals." Mom says, walking to us. I watch Jane give us some privacy.

"Are you okay?" Dad says, and I nod, lying.

"I will be fine, and will be home before you even know it." I say, and they nod.

"We are very sorry Hayley, for everything. You are always our baby girl." Mom says, and I hug her.

_____

I watch the convoy waiting for me, and wonder if I can run away, because what the hell, five cars, for me?

"Damn, babe." Jane says, and I stare at her.

"Calm down, and walk like a Queen." She says, taking in my frightened expression.

"Miss Hayley." I hear, and see a man in black staring at me.

"We are ready to go." He says, and I nod, watching similarly dressed men take my bags into the car.

I say my Goodbyes, and walk down, staring at my Family, before entering the car, knowing I am going to a place that is far from home, somewhere that is supposedly my home.

For the next seven hours, I am in a car, then a private jet, then back in a car, and everything leads me here, to this Mansion, in New York.

"Follow me, Miss Hayley." The man says, he has been at my side all through, making sure I am fed and comfortable.

I follow him into the big mansion, marvelling at its beautiful aesthetics, this is a far cry from my studio apartment, or my Parent's home.

"Here." He says, and we stop walking, we are in a living room.

"River, thank you very much, you should take tommorow off, rest." I hear, and I turn to see a man, two women walking towards us, I do notice the absence of smiles on the womens face.

"Thank you Alpha." The man, whose name I have found out to be River says to the man, and I frown in confusion, Alp what?

"Goodbye Miss Hayley." He says, and walks away, making my eyes widen, he is leaving me with them, I resist the urge to reach out.

"Hayley," The man walks to me.

"Take a seat." He says, and I take one opposite them.

"What kind of name is Hayley?" The young woman sneers, and I realize she is Scarlette.

"A poor person's name, no doubt, my love." The woman says, and I raise my eyebrows.

"Quiet." The man says, and they fall silent.

"Pardon them. I am Alpha Lucien James Merchetti."

There's that word again - Alpha

"Hi, I am Hayley. Sorry, but what does Alpha means?" I ask.

There's silence and the women burst into laughters.

"Get out." The Alpha says, and they get up, walk out, but not before giving me the stink eye.

"Call me Viola and River." He adds as they walk away.

"Hayley, River will take you to your room, so you can freshen up, I would like you to meet me here in twenty minutes, can you?"

I smile and nod my head.

______

Twenty minutes later, I am sitting before him and a older woman.

"Hi, Hayley, I am Viola." She says, and I nod.

"Hi."

"How did you like your room?" She asks, and I smile, remembering the large room, with a full closet, and books.

"I like it quite much, thank you, Alpha. Can I call you that?" I ask

"Of course, that is what we need to discuss with you." He says with a smile and similar blue eyes.

"Hayley, what do you know aboute Werewolves?" Viola says, and I frown at her.

"Werewolves?" I say, and she nods.

"Uhm, they are humans who change into Wolves at a particular period of time, they can change by will, some, I guess. I don't know much about them."

"What if I told you they are real?" Da -- Alpha says, and I sit upright.

"What?"

"This might seem like a lot, but Werewolves are real, and you are one." Viola says, and I laugh.

"Werewolves change when they turn eight, I'm twenty-eight."

"Yes, and it is called repression. Your environment contributed to that, you weren't in your home, which is in a Pack, here, among other Wolves." Viola says.

I say nothing, biting my lips, my mind tilting off the axis "So I am one?"

"Yes."

"A wolf, everyone here is a Wolf?"

"Yes, Hayley."

Fuck.

"Can I take a breather, we could continue tomorow or in a few weeks." I say, and he laughs.

"Alright, we will continue tommorow, but you should know this, now that you are home, your wolf within will call, and you will find your mate, it is ten years of action all being pushed into a day or two."

"Mate?" I frown.

"A Mate is one's soulmate, made for and from you." Dad says and I nod.

"So, what you are saying is, coupled with everything, I am going to have to marry a strange man, that was made from me. iIs the whole Mate thing always correct, never wrong?" I ask, and notice the look they send each other, a very weird one, filled with longing?

"Sometimes it is, but that is rare. The young women you saw are my daughter and wife." He says, and I bite my lips, she is not is daughter, I am his daughter, but I say nothing.

______

"Babee." I groan as Jane pick my cal, feeling a bit relieved at her beautiful face.

I am currently walking away from the mansion pretending to be oblivious, and not see the group of men walking behind me.

"How is everythin there, tell me everything." She smiles and I wonder if I should tell her, I do not understand half of everything, so I decide against it, and chose my words carefully.

"I met him, Lucien Merchetti." I say, and she nods.

"How is he?"

"He is good, treading carefully like he doesn't want to break me, and I appreciate it, because I am overwhelmed. I took a walk to clear my head and there are currently five men walking behind me, protecting, I guess."

"Wow." She exhale, and I nod my head.

"How are you, how is work and James?" I ask, diverting the attention away from how chaotic my life has gotten.

"I broke up with James, for good this time." She says, and I gasp.

"I am so proud of you. Now, you are flying solo, I am so sorry I'm not there with you, but I will be home soon." I assure and she nods, before hanging up.

I walk down the street, staring at the coffee shops, and amazing bookshops. San Francisco is beautiful, but there's just something about New York.

"Oh, hi." I hear, and look behind me to see a petite woman, I glance at the men behind me, but there do nothing, an indication that she is not a threat.

"Hi, I am Hayley." I say, looking at her fiery red hair and bright green eyes.

"Hi, I am Bree. Love your dress, made me come to you." She gushes and I smile, looking at the brown dress I have on.

"Thank you Bree. I am new to Town, and need to try out the best resturant, can you recommend?"

She gives me a knowing smile "I know you are Alpha's long lost daughter, everyone knows, so you don't need to lie."

For some reason, her words rub against me the wrong way. "I didn't lie, I am new to Town, am I not?" I say, an edge of annoyance in my voice.

"Actually, Bree, I'll find my way back to the house, thank you." I say, and turn to walk away, remembering her words about everyone knowing and feeling self concious, the stares I have been getting, the whispers, the truth was slowly dawning in, but I was in denial.

"I am sorry, I shouldn't have said that. If it ever feels to much, you are always welcomed." She says, gestures to a Cafe which has her name on it.

I say nothing, then walk back home, feeling the stares, points, and anger on almost everyone's face.

______

"Look what the cat drag in." Scarlette says as I walk back in, to see everyone sitted at the Dining table.

"Right on time, Katherina, join us." Alpha smiles at me and I frown, wondering how he knows my middle name.

I look round the table, taking everyone in, noting some people I do not recognize, probably here to see the Alpha's long lost daughter, I can feel the ridicule on my tongue.

"Sit, child, before you waste away." Melissa, his wife, and the woman who gave birth to me, tsks.

I sit, and swallow the wave of nasaeu that floods me, what the hell? I glance at the food, and serve myself Pasta, with nothing, because that is all I can stomach.

"This is your Mate, Katherina." The Alpha says, and I drop my spoon, making it clatter.

"Classy." Scarlette snickers, but I don't look at her.

"I do not know much about Mate and the whole Werewolves stuff -- "

"Stuff?" Melissa spits the word, but I continue.

"But, I know that you just don't do that, you don't say, oh, hey, Emily, this is your mate."

"Yes, we understand, but since everything is different for you, we decided you should be given a good mate, start your Family, and fully emerse yourself here, we are sure along the lines your Wolf will come out." Viola says, and I frown.

"What they are saying, sister, is you are fucked and a burden, why not get you off my hands, even if its with my sloopy seconds." Scarlette smiles sweetly, but I see the poison in the words.

I stare at Viola, then the Alpha, and the man they want me to marry, a blonde man who looks to be in his mid thirties, and wandering hands.

"I am Stephan, and it will be my utmost pleasure to marry you." He says, and I roll my eyes, as another wave of naseau rushes into me.

"That makes one of us."

"I know this might all be strange, but you should take some time to understand everything." Viola says, and I get up.

"Who are you, his sister?" I ask, in confusion, but notice the way she shifts uncomfortably in her seat, and the redness in Melissa's cheek, ha, secrets.

"I am his best friend." She says, faltering between word.

"Shouldn't his wife be his best friend, Is that not the point of the divine mate bond. Anyway, I am not staying, so no point for a mate." I say, and Scarlette smiles sweetly, but my gaze flows between the Alpha, Melissa and Viola, what are they hiding?