Page 85 of Challenged Mate
“Alpha mate Kendra always said your mother was the most powerful Mother Goddess in the history of the covens. She had tons of suitors from all different covens. She made a vow of celibacy until she turned twenty-five just to keep the men from fighting and creating conflict between covens.”
Twenty-five.
According to my father, that’s how old she was when I was born.
“The Mother Goddess ran away shortly before her twenty-fifth birthday. Now that I think about it, I bet it was to avoid a forced marriage alliance with the Graystone leader.” Poppy leaned forward and grabbed the book from my lap.
As she flipped through the pages, I asked, “How could anyone force the Mother Goddess to do anything if she’s so powerful?”
Poppy shrugged. “Beats me. The Graystone sorcerers are brutes. I’m sure they had a way. Otherwise, why would she run?”
Why indeed…
“Anyway,” Poppy continued, frowning when she reached the end of the book without finding whatever she looked for. She gave it back to me. “No one knew it at the time, but your mom sought sanctuary from the Summit Pack.”
“And then she died.” I stared down at my hands. My fingers looked pale against the leather-bound book.
Poppy’s voice quieted. “Kendra said your mother died of a broken heart, but I think it was to free herself from the Graystone Coven, once and for all.”
Slowly, oh so slowly, my gaze lifted. My heart hammered in my chest. “What do you mean?”
Poppy frowned. Uncertainty flickered in her gaze. “After you were born, your mom went back to the Graystone Coven and mated the leader. Alpha mate Kendra never explained why…”
She went back to the Graystone Coven.
She left dad.
She leftme.
Unaware of the bomb she just detonated, Poppy continued, “Your mom died not long after returning to the coven. Every sorcerer and sorceress in our pack felt the moment it happened. Her death threw magic into chaos—leaving it unbalanced ever since.”
I gripped the book to keep my hands from trembling. I’d thought my mom died on Summit lands, happily married to my father.
But that was a lie.
Another lie fed to me from the man I’d spent my entire life looking up to—trying to be like. What excuse would my father have for the latest deception? Did he even have one?
Across the aisle, Poppy looked like she ate a sour lemon. Her lips puckered. “I shouldn’t have said anything. My mom says I need to think before I speak. I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to apologize for.” My father, on the other hand, had explaining to do. Again.
“There you are! Is your phone on silent? I’ve been calling you for an hour.”
Both Poppy and I looked at the end of the aisle. Kayla stood there. I hadn’t even heard the bell above the door ring.
She wore dark sweatpants and a tight tank top. Her forehead glistened with sweat. She wiped it with the back of her hand and walked towards us, eyeing the books scattered on the floor.
“What are you doing?”
“Poppy was sharing information about covens,” I told her, gesturing to the knowledgeable girl.
“That’s nice.” Kayla offered Poppy a kind smile, then her attention returned to me. “I’ve been searching for you everywhere.”
I climbed to my feet. The book in my lap fell to the floor. “Why? Has something happened?” Asher’s face flashed in my mind, followed by gut-twisting fear. I just saw him last night. He couldn’t be hurt.
Kayla swiftly erased my fear. “No. It’s nothing like that.”
“Then what is it?”
