A thorn in her path

Aria’s POV

Eyes met, and the utensils stopped moving. I could see from their actions that I shouldn't have brought up the topic at that moment. 

“What does that have to do with you, Aria? It isnt like you are eve their biological sister.”

Lana scoffed, picking up a fork. For the first time, none of my brothers stepped in for me. They all looked down so that they didn't even care to shush Lana u. 

“You can do better than this, Aria. And thanks to you, our appetite is now ruined.”

“I wasn't talking to you, Lana. And your opinion isn't needed. Can you wait until your name is called in a conversation before you open that trash of a mouth?”

“What!” 

She fumed. 

“Are you nuts? Don't you ever send an insult my way again unless you want to see the bad side of me!”

What bad side of hers hadnt i seen? 

“Do not insult me either,”

I snapped and took my attention away from her. Thanks to me, the vibrant mood in the dining area had been tampered with. If I knew, I wouldn't have brought up the topic. I could have waited until I was alone with Kael or any of my brothers. 

“I am so sorry, guys.”

I apologized, feeling so bad. But was that even a big deal? She was my mother too, and even though I didn't grow up with her, I love her just as much as they love her. Moreover, I was entitled to know what she was like.

“It’s okay.”

They all picked up their forks at the same time and continued eating like nothing had happened. Although I was eager to know, I had to let them be and drop the topic since that wasn't the only thing I wanted to discuss with them.

“There is something in my head that I want to do, brothers and I need your support on it.”

“What is that, sissy?”

Rafe asked between mouthfuls of cheese. 

“While I was in the office earlier on, I had a brief talk with my personal assistant, Alice, and I found out that her mum had been in the hospital for six months and was discharged yesterday.”

“Oh, wow!” 

Damien nodded his head. 

“I didn't know there was a cure to that sickness until she told me about her mum.”

“Are you trying to say there is no cure for many sicknesses back in the silverclaw pack?”

“There is not.”

“Whoa! What kind of a leader is Gregory?”

“The kind that pushed his pack members into the forest when they fell sick.”

“Are you for real?” 

They all exclaimed in shock except Kael and Lana. 

“He is a jerk.”

“And an idiot!”

“He doesn't deserve to be the leader of that pack.”

“What do you say we attack that pack and dethrone Gregory? I have been thinking about it since we found out our sister was tortured there.”

Rafe suggested, fuming in rage. I didn't blame them, and it would have been satisfying to do that, but I’d rather stick with the plan in my head than attack innocent people. A lot of them would be killed because there was no way we would be able to dethrone Gregory without first going to war.

“I second this. What do you say, Kael?”

The other brothers chorused.

“Aria is the leader, ask for her opinion.”

Thank goodness I was the only one who could make the final decisions in the pack. If it wasn't me, I was sure Kael would give the other as Gregory was the only Alpha whom he hated. 

“And whatever she says, you must work with it.”

Lana puffed and rolled her eyes at Kael. 

“So much for an Alpha leader.”

She mumbled. I ignored her, inhaled deeply, and put on a smile. 

“Guys, i dont want to cause the death of innocent people. I want us to stick with the plan I have. I will create an organization, targeting only those suffering from the disease. Across all the packs in this world, I know we are the only pack that has developed a cure for it, and we can use that to…”

“You just want to be famous.”

Lana smirked, interrupting me. 

“And she is going to trend for something good, Lana.”

Elias shut her. 

“Unlike you who trend in the wrong way.”

Damien added. 

“And how is that related to what we are saying? Just keep shut!”

She snapped at him. I wondered what she did that went viral. 

“Do not be rude to him. If not for Damien who stood by you and saved you from communal shame, you would have still been in the prison in that pack.”

Whoa!

“She was caught with drugs.”

Kael whispered to me, smiling. 

Wow! My eyes snapped wide in shock. Why didn't I see that news? I would have used it against her when she was maltreating me in the Silverclaw pack.

“That is why i dont like her.”

He glared at Lana.

“Well, now she knows. Congratulations to her.”

She clapped her hands angrily.

“Forget about her and let’s continue with our discussion.” 

“So what kind of organization is that?”

“It will target specific people suffering from cancer.”

The dining area went silent again, but this time, their faces weren’t down, they were staring at me as if I had said something terrible. 

“Why are you so mean?”

Rafe drew his chair back, got up, and picked up his phone.

“You can do better than this, Aria.” 

Elias snapped, getting you too. 

Damien didn't say a word, but I saw a flicker of tears in his eyes. The three of them left, throwing me into confusion. What did I do? What did I say? All I wanted was to create an organization to help people. The only thing I needed from them was support as my brothers. I already have the funds to start it. 

“Stop doing this, Aria.”

Kael sighed deeply, got up, and left too. 

As soon as they were all out of sight, Lana burst into laughter. 

“I knew a day like this would come.” 

She laughed, pulling the plate of meatballs to herself. 

“This isnt funny, Lana.”

I was so worried about what I did even though I didn't know the specific thing I did. I only mentioned the sickness but they all went bananas.

“You don't know this, but their mother died from cancer.”

Snap!’

“Thank you for reminding them of their dead mum, Aria.”

Lana hissed, getting up from the chair.

“Start counting your days because those maniac brothers would chop off your head.”

Because I mentioned the sickness? That was so lame. Lana just wanted to scare me but I refused to be scared. 

“She was my mum too.”

“She wasn't, you are not the real daughter and I must do whatever I could to let them know about it!”

Omg! How was I going to explain to them that I didn't know anything about our mum?

“We should go talk to them.”

Liza suggested. But who? They all looked scary before they left. What if they do what Lana said? I wasnt ready to die young.

“What about Kael? He is the eldest and he seems to like you more.”

That was the truth. But I was more scared of him than the rest. Kael doesn't talk much, but even his expression was enough to throw one into turmoil.

After so much deliberation, I decided to go talk to Kael hoping he would understand. 

“I am so sorry, Kael, i didnt know mu…”

I paused, knowing I would provoke him more by mentioning Mum. 

“I knew nothing about that until Lana told me now.”

“Lana?”

He scoffed, releasing his face. 

“As if she cares.”

He stood up from the bed, exhaling deeply.

“I promise never to bring anything about her again.”

It was so hard to do, but for peace, I had to make that promise. Just like them, I missed our mum and I wanted to know a few things about her. I didn't even know her tomb or see any of her photos. The room that was said to belong to them was locked and no one was allowed access to it. Only Kael and the rest of the brothers were allowed in there. 

“Please do.”

I nodded, sighing in relief. 

“So i will like to proceed with the organization.”

“Are you for real?”

He gasped in shock, his eyes widening in shock. 

“We lost our mum to that sickness because we couldn't find a cure for her. The least you could do is to stop talking about it, Aria. What do you want? To see us slip into depression?”

Hell no! May the goddess forbid that. Depression is the last thing I would pray for an enemy. 

“Do not misunderstand this, Kael. Since you only found the cure after she died, why don't we save more lives by doing charity work? We don't want to lose more people, right?”

“Our pack members are already getting it for free, leave me alone! And don't you ever bring this up!”