Is It Wrong To Love My StepBrother Alpha Mate?
Chapter 82: A Trip Down Memory Lane

Chapter 82: A Trip Down Memory Lane

"The what?" Victor asked as his gaze snapped to Helena.

There was a hint of betrayal in his eyes, but it wasn’t as much as the shock he carried.

Nothing about Helena ever gave away her magical heritage, as a matter of fact, the Grand Warlock’s lineage was known for being scentless.

In the case of Helena, who had been a product of a wolf and one of the Grand Warlock’s lineage, she carried the wolf scent.

"How did you know?" Helena asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Talks like these my dear are best done inside," Theodora said as she invited Helena to enter her home.

When Helena passed the threshold, Theodora looked at her grandson.

"Go find your Grandfather, he’s somewhere in the woods," she told the Alpha before shutting the door in his face.

Helena was too stunned to utter a single word as Theodora guided her through the house to a sitting area off the side of the entrance.

It was cozy, with photos of their family everywhere and what must have been Theodora’s knitting draped throughout the house.

Helena sat on a loveseat while Theodora took the couch directly across from her.

"I’m guessing you have questions," Theodora said as she waved her hand.

And just like that a piping hot pot of coffee and two mugs appeared.

"Your preferred drink, mine too," she said with a smile as she encouraged Helena to take a sip.

"I do have a ton of questions, but they all seem to be overridden by one," she said as Theodora poured Helena a cup and handed it to her.

"Ask," Theodora said with a nod.

"Have you known what I was from the start?" Helena asked.

"Yes," Theodora said with a sad smile. "I recognized you and your power the moment you stepped into Sunfire territory."

"My power? How did you even know what I was or who I was?" Helena asked, confused by how a witch she’d met a handful of times knew who she was.

"Like calls to like," Theodora said. "Kin calls to kin."

Helena’s jaw dropped at the meaning of her words.

She’d never met anyone from her father’s side aside from her grandfather.

She barely recalled the warlocks and witches that lived in Stonehill before her father’s death. He hadn’t let her interact too much with them and most were only passing.

Warlocks and witches found it uncomfortable living with wolf packs and some simply stayed if they were mated or if they were working for the packs.

"Your father had little love for the covens," Theodora said. "I was one of the few who witnessed his defiance. You see, the Grand Warlock is my brother."

Helena looked at Theodora as she tried to process how closely related she was to the witch before her.

"Most of the coven were against his friendship with the Blackwood Alpha, some going as far as even accusing them of being lovers," Theodora said with a sigh.

"Theodora I—"

"Dora, please call me Dora or Grandmama Dora," the witch said. "We are family."

"Grandmama Dora," Helena said as she tested the words on her lips. They seemed to fit making Helena smile.

"What is it, dear?" Dora said, smiling at Helena.

"The coven was against my father having a potentially male lover?" she asked, slightly uncomfortable at the thought of her father and mother loving the same person.

"No, by the Goddess no," Dora said shaking her head. "They were against his closeness to what the traditionalists in the covens would call a mutt."

Helena let out a growl, unhappy with how the coven treated her father and stepfather.

"Vincent, however, was the Grand Warlock’s son and his only heir, there wasn’t much that the traditionalists could do," Dora told her.

"How come Dad never introduced us?" Helena asked.

"We met when you were younger, as you grew older. However, your father began to worry about how powerful you were becoming. He’d reached out to ask for my help, but I couldn’t leave my new mate," Dora looked out the window, and Helena found Victor and the old Alpha, his grandfather, walking back.

"Why did the witches and warlocks vanish?" Helena asked.

"In your grandfather’s anger and grief, he drew all the witches and warlocks to him, trapping all of them in the ancient lands," Dora told Helena.

"But you stayed?" Helena asked.

"There are very few things that can resist a Grand Warlock’s call when in grief, one of those things is the mate bond, the other is the Grand Warlock’s blood itself," Dora explained. "It’s why you and I are still here."

"You said in my Grandfather’s anger and grief, does that mean he blames the coven for killing Dad?" Helena asked.

Dora closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

She shed a tear before wiping it away.

"Vincent would have made an amazing Grand Warlock, powerful and kind. He would bridge the gap between species and allow the coven to live peacefully out here," Dora said. "Most liked the idea. Hell even before your father’s death more than half of the coven was already living among the rest of the people."

Helena sat silently as she allowed the witch to grieve.

It was clear to Helena that Dora hadn’t been able to speak much about her nephew to a lot of people.

"There was no way a pack of rogue wolves could have gotten the upper hand on both the Blackmoon Alpha and the Grand Warlock’s heir without help," Dora sighed. "They killed the Blackmoon Luna and your father that night and your Grandfather and I were too late. We could still feel the magic crackling in the air when we got there. I could feel my brother’s heartbreak as he found your father dead on the ground."

Helena could feel the tears falling from her eyes as her grand-aunt spoke.

"We decided together that there was only one way to find the traitors," Dora said. "Lock them in the ancient lands, find them, and bring them to justice."

"That’s why all the warlocks and witches are gone?" Helena asked.

"Your Grandfather also feared they’d come after you next, he was desperate to protect you," Dora told Helena.

"So the recent attacks aren’t Grandpa trying to get to me?" Helena asked.

"What recent attacks?" Dora asked as she went pale.

"The packs, my packs have been experiencing attacks from both rogue and packed wolves," Helena told Dora. "We never see them coming, I thought they were being helped by witches and warlocks."

"And you thought your Grandfather was coming to get you because he needed and heir," Dora gasped. "Oh, Helena."

"What?" Helena asked, snapping at the old witch.

"The Grand Warlock doesn’t need his heir by his side, he never did," Dora told her. "He would be happy to see you living your life with the wolves rather than trapped in the ancient lands with him. Plus my brother wasn’t living in the ancient lands when your father passed."

"Where?" Helena asked.

"Our family has a home near the Blackmoon pack, that’s how your father and the Alpha met," Dora explained. "Your Grandfather lived there all his life and so did I."

"So he would never have taken me away," Helena said, practically whispering.

"No, he would have trained you in Blackmoon because that’s where you’re safest. With a mate that would wage war to see you safe," Dora said.

Helena looked up at her Grandaunt, her eyes red from crying at this point.

"How do I contact my Grandfather?" Helena asked. "I need to know who is behind the attacks, I need to protect my pack."

She watched as Dora hesitated. For a moment Helena thought the witch would deny her request, but eventually, she relented.

"I can sense your power, little one," she told Helena as she cupped her face. "I’ve always felt how powerful your magic flowed and now I can feel it restrained, your father’s handiwork most likely."

"So will you help me?" Helena pleaded.

Dora slowly nodded.

"I’ll help you reach my brother, but right now you must go home," she said with a smile. "You have guests and when you’re ready, call me over. I would like to see the next generation of the Grand Warlock’s line with my own eyes if you don’t mind."

"Guest?" Helena asked.

"Don’t worry, these are welcomed guests, you’ll be more than happy to see them," Dora assured her.

"How do you do that?" she asked the witch.

"With time, you can do it better than I ever could, now go," Dora said as she dismissed Helena.