Reclaiming Quinn - Parker Williams Page 0,53
and Quinn found himself in a forest staring down at the bodies of hundreds of wolves, the snow drenched with their blood.
“When I originally created the wolves, I made only the animals. They were meant to bring a balance to the ecosystem. Unfortunately the humans didn’t see them that way. They hunted them and slaughtered all, regardless of age. I understood my plan was going to fail, so I went back to the drawing board, so to speak. I thought if I melded the two into one form, then the strength of the wolf would balance with the desires of the humans. And it worked.”
The image melted away, and Quinn found himself in another time, another place. The buildings were beautiful, each made of rough-hewn wood, with intricately designed windows that made the whole place a welcoming sight.
“This is Belton Grove, the first haven for our kind. It was where all my work came to fruition.”
The people here smiled at each other; they greeted everyone, no matter who they were. It reminded Quinn of Lydon.
“Yes, Lydon does seem a lot like Belton Grove, doesn’t it?”
A door opened and a big barrel-chested man stepped out. When Quinn gazed upon him, he gasped. “Gareth?”
Mother chuckled. “No, but he is an ancestor of the Blackthorn family. He was the first Alpha. It saddened me when he sacrificed himself to keep the wolves from violence. He did his best to keep the wolves on the path I’d set for them, but they grew fractious, angry. It was here I made my most grievous error. I thought I had time to correct my mistakes. What I didn’t foresee was the wolves splintering into factions, each hungry for power. No matter how hard the Omegas tried, they could not contain the rage that grew inside the Alphas. All except Hiram Blackthorn. He went out, doing his best to spread the word, and he was cut down for his efforts. What I didn’t know was that Hiram had a family who he sent off into virtual exile. The son, Saladon, founded what is now Lydon. He followed his father’s ways, gathering wolves and doing his best to make a utopia.”
“But Lydon is blessed by you.”
Mother sighed. “I wish it were so. Had I known of Lydon, I would have given them everything I could, but by then I was a husk of myself because most wolves no longer believed. In pain, I withdrew from the mortal world and, as you said, licked my wounds. What I didn’t know was that as time passed, there was one place on Earth where my wolves continued to prosper. Not through my blessings, but through their hard work and determination.”
Quinn shifted closer. “So what happened?”
“I was sure there were no wolves worth saving, until I felt a spark. It was brilliant, and it caught my attention in a way nothing else had in hundreds of years. I went to it and found Sean, hiding under a bridge. Though it should have been impossible, Sean was an Omega. He should have been able to heal the people, but he lacked an Alpha to complete him. Ryker never could have been the one for Sean. He had to go out into the world and find someone who would be strong enough to be his mate.”
“Gareth.”
Mother nodded. “When Gareth found Sean, I knew hope for the first time. I watched him, saw what he’d made of Lydon, and my heart rejoiced to find Gareth Blackthorn, the descendant of the Alpha who loved me even through the trying times. But though I believed with all my heart he was perfect for Sean, that was a decision your brother had to make on his own. He’d been hurt too many times to give his trust to anyone, so when Gareth began to earn it, I knew it was possible that one day I might be strong enough to save you as well.”
Her words soothed an ache in Quinn. “So you didn’t forget about me?”
“Never, Quinn. I wanted so much to be there, to rescue you. I’m grateful you were strong enough to hold out until you could be found again.”
The pain bubbled back to the surface. “But I’m not a wolf anymore.”
Mother bundled Quinn into her arms. “Trust me, my child, you are still a wolf. He’s there, hurt and scared, but he is there. Deke will help you find him.”
A deep sigh rolled out of Quinn. “Deke is my mate.”
“He is. He’s your perfect counterpart.