Finding revenge for her parents was going to have to wait until she got the pack situated and out of danger. It meant she was going to have to rebuild, reform, and play the politician she was nowhere near being. She knew the one person who could help her with that was avoiding her. She was going to have to suck it up and mend bridges with grandmother.
She climbed out of the shower and began to get dressed when she caught her reflection in the mirror. A bruise of sorts pulled her eyes towards its location; the spot between her neck and shoulders, the very spot Gabriel nipped her in her dream. It almost winked at her and disappeared, leaving a silver tattoo in its place. This one was nothing like the intricate design that appeared on her hand moments after she signed in her blood loyalty to the Authority. This one was simply a round swirl. A round swirl that collapsed in on itself and refused to wipe off. She scrubbed the spot which only made the skin around the silver tattoo red.
'Gabriel what did you do to my neck!' She screamed at him telepathically. This telepathic communication was far easier than the phone; when the person you’re directing it at actually answers you. 'GABRIEL!!!'
'Becca?' The concern in his voice was overpowering. So was the sleepiness she heard underneath and for just a second she felt guilty for waking him up. 'Becca what’s wrong? Do you need me? Where are you?' The questions came with no breath in between. She could almost close her eyes and see him scrambling to get dressed so he could come help her.
'What. Did. You. Do. To. My. Neck?'
Silence.
'Are you there?' Irritation bubbled up inside her. It was a stupid question; she knew he was still there. He couldn’t hang up on a telepathic phone call. 'My neck, Gabriel, why is there a swirly, silver circle on my neck?' She continued to try and wipe it off. When that didn't work she tried to cover it with makeup, but silver was a lot harder to hide than dark colors.
'Why do you think I had anything to do with a silver mark on your neck?' He asked but she heard something in his voice, a hint of something that wasn't quite right with the words he was thinking.
'Because it is in the exact place you bit my neck last night in the dream.' And she was suddenly thankful she wasn’t saying these words out loud because they sounded insane. ‘Don’t you lie to me!’
'The dream, you had that dream, the one with Lucky, you and I?' He asked, shock flavoring his words. 'You can't blame someone for what they do in their dreams, Becca.'
'I can when it becomes a real when I wake up.' She snapped, staring longingly at the off the shoulder off-white shirt she’d planned to wear today. She wasn’t going to be able to wear it now. With complete resolve she ripped off the shirt and opted for a high neck black shirt and purple scarf. It was more Savvy's style but would have to do until she could get the mark removed.
'You can't remove the mark.' His voice was tinted with sadness. 'I’m sorry, Becca, but it takes two to agree to the mating mark. I never would’ve done that in a dream had I known it was real. But you were participating in that dream as much as I was.'
'So was Lucky!!!! So, what, am I mated to you both?'
He chuckled, 'Nephilim don't leave mating marks. At least I don’t think they do.'
'You think this is funny?' She screamed into her mind.
'Sharing my mate with another guy, even if it’s my best friend, isn’t funny in the least.' His voice was cold, serious, and sad. The tone caused her to shiver. 'Nothing is permanent yet. You just accepted my advances toward mating. The mark is there to warn off all other wolves; not nephilim.' Rebecca cringed at the bitterness in his tone. 'We have bigger problems; we have a dream weaver getting involved in our business. They’re the only ones with the power to manipulate a dream and make it real. I’ll look into it.' He said with finality.
'No, I have a feeling I know who it was. I’ll take care of it.'
Silence.
'Gabriel did you hear me? You have bigger issues to look into, like discovering who attacked our pack. We won’t be safe until we find them and eliminate the threat.'
Still silence. She could feel his fuming, it matched her own.
'Gabriel?'
'You may be my alpha, but I’m still a dominant wolf. I don't like my emotions being toyed with. I’m a predator, Becca, as much as a human. What your dream weaver friend did was a violation of privacy and interference in something I hold sacred. To ask me to leave it alone is to ask me to be untrue to myself.'
'Asking you to trust your potential mate to handle it while you address more threatening dangers isn’t asking you to be untrue to yourself. I’m an alpha, and I’m asking you to trust me to handle this.'
He roared in her mind. She knew this was difficult for him, she could feel it. She knew he was struggling with his own personal demons, but she could also feel him giving in. What surprised her was that she referred to herself as a potential mate; apparently she was giving in a little, too. 'Fine.' He finally growled. 'See you Thursday.' It was like he hung up on her; only a telepathic disconnect is far more jarring than someone hanging up the phone.
"Goodbye to you, too."
"Goodbye to who?" Savvy entered the bathroom rubbing the sleep from her eyes, yawning, and startling Rebecca.
"Good morning, sis." Rebecca kissed Savvy on the cheek; which got her a glare with narrowed eyes from Savvy before Rebecca headed out the door. It was time for grandmother and her to have a talk.
As she made it down the stairs, she realized grandmother was of the same mindset when she found her grandma sitting at the table waiting for her. It was the first time Rebecca has seen her since Saturday. Grandmother patted the seat next to her; an invitation for Becca to sit. Rebecca did, after she looked around the kitchen to make sure Hunter was nowhere to be found. Grandmother slid a peppermint tea across the table, the smell so strong it made Rebecca think of Gabriel. Rebecca pushed the wolf’s snarky smile out of her mind and blew twice on the hot liquid before taking a sip.
For a moment things felt normal. It was like it was before she made the decision to become a wolf and throw away a heritage she had no idea she had. Rebecca would get up early for a run, and have a tea with grandmother while the house was quiet. It was their time, and she missed it. But this was not like those times. Rebecca saw the hurt still in her grandmother’s eyes. Rebecca was sad that she turned her back on the family; even though she had no idea what she did.
"I’m sorry, grandma." Rebecca told her as she poured some honey and milk into the tea.
Grandmother nodded and put her cup down. "I know." She handed Rebecca a necklace, similar to the one that Savvy wore, only different in slight ways. "I need to know you are protected. I’ve already made one for Hunter and for Savvy. Yours was a little more difficult, but here it is."
Rebecca looked at it. It was made up of multiple stones encased in a gold locket. When she opened the locket it had a picture of Hunter and Savvy. It was hard to speak around the lump forming in her throat. When Rebecca did find her voice it sounded raspy and unlike her own. "It’s only missing one person." Rebecca tried to manage a smile, only her lips shook as she fought back emotions.
"I’m part of the locket. I made it. So you have a complete representation of your family." Grandmother said, as though she read her thoughts. "Natalia tells me you created an air block the other day." She said it like she was talking about washing the dishes or doing the laundry, not like she was talking about manipulating one of the four elements.
Rebecca decided she would have to talk to Natalia about confidentiality.
"Don't be mad at her. She came to me because she was worried about you. Werewolves should not be able to control the elements. That’s a power reserved for witches."
"And warlocks like my father?"
Grandmother nodded, a smile curving her lips. "And warlocks like your father. We’re entering uncharted waters, and hiding information from each other is dangerous."
"So why don't you tell me why you hid the fact that we’re witches from us?" Rebecca didn't mean to ask it so coldly, but it was irritating that she couldn't see how they were more alike than different.
"Fair enough. Your mother and father spellbound all three of you; restricted you from accessing your powers. I’ve been trying to unbind you since you arrived. Until I did, I saw no point in telling you about your powers." Grandmother took another sip of her tea. "But now, I see that was a mistake. You’re tied to the supernatural world as tightly as any of us. I just wish I’d made this realization before you became what you are now." Grandmother placed her hand in Rebecca’s. Rebecca could see the emotional battle she was facing internally. “When you are responsible for other people you sometimes make mistakes. The best you can hope for is doing what you think is right and hope it works out.”
Rebecca smiled warmly, understanding in her eyes. "I don't mind what I am now grandma. It was my choice, my consequences to face - my decision. But I think it’s time to tell Savvy and Hunter. They need to know. And I’ll help anyway I can."
She looked at Rebecca, eyes sad, full of remorse. "You have your own challenges to face." That knowing spark twinkling in her eyes for the briefest of moments.
"Which is something I want to talk to you about." Rebecca slipped the necklace around her neck and waited for her grandmother to look at her.
"I have to remain neutral. I can help you like any other supernatural, but my commitment to the coven is to remain neutral.” She added. “I’ll be watched very carefully now to make sure I stick to that promise."
"And I would never ask you to break that promise. I just need help understanding my new place in this world."
"I’ll happily offer advice whenever asked, but you must make those decisions on your own." She warned.
Rebecca nodded. "I’m meeting with the rogue wolves tomorrow. Gabriel has warned me that some of them think they were treated unfairly. Tomas made arrangements with them, to… strengthen his numbers."
Grandmother nodded. "I expected as much. Tomas was never one to be trusted."
"I’m thinking about accepting them all in the fold and letting them earn their place or expulsion." Rebecca told her. "Wiping the slate clean and giving everyone a fresh start."
"That’s a dangerous plan." Grandmother continued using her warning voice, but offered little advice.
"Yes, but I hope they’ll realize, it’s a fair plan." Rebecca drank the last of the tea. "What I’m really concerned about is the lack of evidence from the investigation. The danger that Tomas and the pack faced is still out there and I’m not entirely sure it was the vampires that were involved."
"The vampires and werewolves have been at war for many centuries. It’s a safe bet they are involved somehow." Grandmother began washing the cups in the sink while Rebecca dried.
Becca pressed her lips together and frowned. "I met with Celestia and she paints a very different picture. She wants a truce."
Grandmother dropped the cup and they both watched as it shattered into pieces at their feet. Grandmother grabbed Rebecca’s hand and forced her to look at her. "Celestia is a very dangerous vampire; she blames our family for her problems. You need to be very careful around her."
"Dangerous I get. But why does she blame our family? Is it because her crown was taken after our parents' deaths?"
"Celestia's issue with our family goes farther back than that. She has been on the wrong side of many Matthew witches."
Rebecca nodded letting grandmother know she understood. She wanted to know more about her mother's family past with Celestia but she was running out of time. She would have to talk to her more about this later. "There’s an old saying, keep your friends close and your enemies closer." Becca told her as she went to get the broom and dust pan.
Grandmother shook her head, snapped her fingers, and whispered some words. Rebecca dropped the broom and dust pan as she watched the cup piece itself back together in front of her very eyes. “That was amazing.” Rebecca’s eyes got large like saucers.
"I’ll see if there are any rumors on the vampire front to help you make this decision. I’d like you to be there this weekend when I tell Hunter and Savvy. Once I tell them about their heritage you’ll no longer be bound to keep your secret from them."
Her words sent relief to every inch of Rebecca’s body. The idea of being able to talk to her siblings and grandmother about what’s going on in her life was a gift from the heavens. "Why not tonight?" She asked anxious to make this dream a reality. She already felt better being able to talk to grandmother and wanted that great feeling of freedom to continue with the rest of her family.
Grandma pressed her lips together and shook her head. "Let them have this dance, after Saturday their lives will be completely changed. They’ll no longer be normal teenagers with normal problems."
Rebecca nodded. It made sense. She put the broom away. “Grandma, I also found something about mother I would like to ask you about.”
Grandmother Catherine tilted her head and offered a smile. “What is that, dear?”
“I found an excommunication order signed by Francesco to remove mother from the Phoenix coven. It was dated a week before her death. Do you know anything about this?”
Grandmother’s hand shook as she placed another dish in the dish drainer. “That’s news to me. Where did you find this?”