Chapter 4: The Ghost From the Past

Mirael’s POV:

“I am your real father Mirael. And I have come to take you home.”

The tall man with silver streaks in his hair stood among the chaos. His words hit me harder than any blow tonight. I stayed on my knees in the dirt still clutching the bloody letter. Pain throbbed through my middle where I had lost the child.

Riven turned slowly. His blade dripped with rogue blood. “What kind of sick game is this? Her father died years ago.”

The man smiled coldly. “The man who raised her died. I did not. Her mother hid her from me to protect her from your family Blackthorn. Looks like that plan failed tonight.”

I tried to stand. My legs gave out again. “Stop! All of you stop! I just lost my baby. I can’t handle more lies right now.”

The rogue leader moved closer to the silver-haired man. “Elias. We need to get her out. She’s still bleeding badly.”

Elias my supposed father looked at me with something like pity. “Mirael your mother told me everything before she passed. The arranged marriage. The way they treated you. The power in your blood that they feared.”

Riven laughed but it sounded forced. “Power? She could not even shift properly most days. Take your lies and leave my territory.”

Liora pushed through the warriors. “Kill them Riven. Kill all of them. She’s trying to destroy us from inside.”

I glared at her. “You wanted me gone. You helped push him to reject me tonight. Now you act like the pack is in danger because of me?”

Liora stepped closer. “You are the danger. Weak. Barren. Now bringing rogues and ghosts to our door.”

Elias growled low. “Watch your tongue girl. Mirael carries the Shadow Walker line. Stronger than anything in this pack.”

Riven grabbed my arm again and yanked me up. I cried out as pain flared. “She is not going anywhere. Not with you. Not with them.”

I pulled against him. “Let go Riven. You said I was a mistake. You said I was nothing. Why fight for me now?”

He did not answer. Instead he shoved me toward his betas. “Hold her. Don’t let her move.” The betas gripped my arms. One of them whispered “I’m sorry Luna. This is madness.”

I laughed bitterly. “Don’t call me Luna. He made sure that title died tonight in front of everyone.”

Elias took a step forward. “Mirael, your mother and I were mates before the Blackthorns interfered. They killed my pack. Forced her into hiding. Forced her to marry a Lockwood to cover the bloodline.”

Riven snarled. “More stories. Mirael tell them you want nothing to do with this.”

I looked at Riven. Tears mixed with the blood and dirt on my face. “Want? I wanted a husband who saw me. I wanted a pack that did not mock me daily. I wanted the baby I lost tonight because of your rejection.”

The rogue leader nodded. “See Blackthorn? She has suffered enough under you.”

Liora pointed at me. “She’s playing victim. She always does. Remember how she cried after every argument? Pathetic.”

“Enough Liora.” Riven’s voice was low. He turned to Elias. “Prove it. Prove you are who you say.”

Elias pulled out a second item. A small carved wolf pendant. He tossed it at Riven’s feet. “Her mother gave me this the night she told me she was pregnant with Mirael. Before your family hunted us.”

I stared at the pendant. It looked familiar from old stories my mother told. “How do I know this is real?”

Elias met my eyes. “Because your wolf knows. She is waking up Mirael. Even after the loss tonight. Feel it.”

My wolf stirred stronger than before. She pushed memories forward. My mother crying at night. Warnings about the Blackthorns. A man with silver in his hair holding me as a baby.

Riven crushed the pendant under his boot. “Lies. All of it. Mirael you will not leave with them.”

I sagged in the betas’ grip. “You rejected me Riven. Publicly. Cruelly. Now you want to keep me like a prisoner?”

Elias raised his hand. More rogues moved in. “We can take her by force if needed. But I would rather she chooses.”

Liora laughed. “Choose? She has no choices left. Look at her bleeding. Weak and unwanted.” I lifted my head. “Unwanted by him yes. But maybe not by everyone.”

The pain made spots dance in my vision. I felt another small trickle of blood. The healer called out from where warriors held her. “Alpha she needs treatment. She could die if this continues.”

Riven ignored her. He stepped closer to me. “Give me the letter Mirael. Then we finish this.” I held the letter tighter. “No. It’s mine. The only thing I have left from my mother.”

Elias spoke softly. “Mirael come with me. I can show you who you really are. The power that scared the Blackthorns enough to arrange this miserable marriage.”

Riven raised his blade toward Elias. “Take another step and I end you.” The rogue leader growled. “Try it Alpha. We came prepared.”

Warriors from both sides tensed again. I stood between them shaking. “I just wanted to be loved Riven. That is all. Instead I got five years of cold shoulders and public shame.”

Liora sneered. “Love? He loved Vesper. Not you. Never you.”

Elias extended his hand once more. “Mirael. Your real family waits. We can heal what they broke.”

I took one shaky step toward him. Riven grabbed me back hard. “You will not leave.”

The pain peaked. I cried out and fell to my knees again. The letter dropped from my hand. Elias lunged for it. Riven moved faster.

Suddenly a new howl split the night. A massive group of wolves burst from the trees behind Elias. Not rogues. Not our pack.

Elias turned. His face went pale. “No. Not them. Not tonight.”

Riven laughed harshly. “Looks like more ghosts from your past Lockwood.”

The new wolves shifted. Their leader stepped forward. A woman with cold eyes. She looked straight at me. “Mirael Lockwood. I am Vesper Kane. And I am not dead. I have come to take back what is mine. Starting with my mate.”

Riven dropped his blade. “Vesper?”

I stared at the woman who had haunted my marriage for five years. Alive. Standing there like she owned everything.

She smiled at Riven then looked at me with pure hatred. “You kept my place warm Mirael. Time to get out.”