Twisting Her Fate
Chapter 88

Lance smiles as he pulls up to his half brother's pack. Kathryn was the only child of the previous alpha of the pack, so once Adrian found her and mated with her, he became the alpha.

That is another reason that Adrian waited so long to mate with Kathryn. He wanted to show Kathryn that it wasn't the title, the position or pack he would gain, Adrian wanted her to know that he loved her, not all the benefits she had bought to him. It is funny to Lance that he picked on Adrian all his life for being an illegitimate son when he is coming to pick up his own now. Lance chuckles to himself inside the car as he turns off the engine.

Kathryn steps out of the alpha house, looking at Lance, who looks well rested and has a smug smile plastered on his annoyingly handsome face. Kathryn is a wreck, she hasn't slept for the entire night, her eyes are red and swollen from crying. Ryan and Adrian didn't return for the whole night.

She just stared at the empty door waiting for them to return, crying more tears than she thought possible, all of it came back to her, the regret after that night, replaceing out she was pregnant, Lance's denial, rushing the sweet man into a relationship, being worried that he would replace out the whole way through. Worried that Ryan would look like Lance, thankfully, both Adrian and Lance had taken a lot of their fathers features, so Ryan, looking like Lance, was just him looking like Adrian.

For years she had been worried that Adrian would replace out, but after that she chose to forget about the whole thing, put it all behind her. Adrian was Ryan's father and she just managed to convince herself of the fact, never expecting it to all fall apart at this late stage. "Where is he?"

Kathryn scoffs, straightening her back and trying to push out the fatigue that is threatening to cripple her.

"There is no hi Kathryn, you are looking well Kathryn. Sorry for ruining your life Kathryn"

"Do you deserve my greeting? You are looking like crap Kathryn, and you did it to yourself. It only took a couple of words and you were on all fours begging for it"

"You are scum"

"That may be, I don't really care, just give me Ryan so I can be on my way, this pathetic pack doesn't even deserve my presence at all"

Kathryn looks out at the trees, she actually wishes she knew where they were, not because she wants to hand Ryan over, just because she is worried about them. She is worried that Adrian won't be able to forgive her for this. Yes, she made a massive mistake early on, but Adrian is everything she could ever want in a mate, she just didn't know it back then. Back then, Lance's dominant, near-aggressive attitude was so exciting, but now she knows what it is like to be treated like a queen, to have all her needs met. Lance's attitude was good for a night, never for a lifetime.

Two shirtless men walk side by side from the pack house, they ran for the whole night and just stopped via the pack house to grab some shorts when Adrian felt Lance cross the border.

Adrian has always been made to feel less than. But he is just as handsome and strong as his half brother, it is just his gentle and caring personality that makes him appear weaker. He places a hand on Ryan's shoulder.

"I don't care whose blood you have in your system, you have been my son for over nineteen years, I loved you when you were in your mothers belly, I loved you when you took your first breath, I cut your unbilicle cord, I fed you your first meal, I bathed you, I read to you at night, I was the one that comforted you when you had nightmares, I am the one that you came to with any question. You have always been my son. It isn't about to change now"

Adrian chokes back a sob. He wanted yesterday to just be an awful nightmare, but he knows that it is all true, but it is true nothing will effect the love he has for Ryan. Nothing will make him feel that Ryan is not his own son. Even though roaring emotions are surging through him, Adrian's voice stays clear, he wants Ryan to understand his next words completely.

"I want you to stay safe. There is nothing I can do to keep you within this pack. The laws are stupid and, technically, you belong inside the half moon pack, but I want you to know, if you ever feel your life threatened, run straight back here. I will do whatever I need to do to keep you safe, even if that means going head to head with Lance. Be wary of Gabriel, he is as bad as his father. I can only assume that Lance is taking you back to replace Gabriel after the mess he made at the Alpha and Luna ball. Gabriel will not welcome you with open arms, he may be even worse than his father. Look what he did to his own mate. Look past fake kindness as he may be just waiting to stab you in the back as soon as you turn"

Ryan wraps his arm around Adrian's shoulders and embraces him slightly. He understands what this means. His father has always been strong in every aspect, but Lance gets to him, that is what makes the betrayal so much worse.

"I will dad"

"I hope he doesn't turn you against me, but even if he does, just know that I love you very much and you are always welcome here. Try and keep in touch. I will worry about you"

Ryan looks at his father with a complicated expression. He is worried about Adrian, yet Adrian is worried about him. Adrian has been hurt so badly, he and his father have always been close, like bestfriends, so Adrian suddenly learning of his mate's betrayal and his best friend moving out on the same day. It is a massive blow to the man.

"Dad, are you going to be alright?"

Adrian's lips pull into a thin line, the tears well in his eyes, but he refuses to let them fall.

"I will be fine"

"What are you going to do about mum?"

Adrian looks at Ryan with a hopeful expression. He wants someone else to guide him. He has no idea how to proceed from here, they have shared so many years together, but the thought of her now makes him nauseous. He doesn't know if he can ever look at her the same again. How is a relationship meant to last through something like that?

"What did you want me to do?"

"I want you to do whatever you think, you are in the right here. She kept such a big lie from us for so long, I will never forgive her. I won't judge you if you did. She is your mate, but if you want to cast her out, then I won't beg for her. I will support your decision all the way"

"Do you think I can cast her out? It is her family's pack"

"It is your pack, you are the alpha, she is not capable of leading at all"

Ryan has rarely seen his mother do anything. Adrian makes her life beyond comfortable, taking care of absolutely everything. Ryan continues. "Think of it this way, she lied to the alpha, she wasted countless resources on training a future alpha that should never have been, she...." Adrian stops Ryan, pulling him into a bone-crushing embrace.

"Don't you ever think that, nothing with you was a waste. I don't regret a single thing, I don't care if you have Lance's blood, I know you have my heart, you are similar to me in so many ways. It is a good thing and something I am very proud of, but I am worried that you will be gobbled up and spat out at half-moon just as I was and I don't want that for you"

"I will be fine dad"

Ryan embraces his father. Such a caring man does not deserve all this, he is not sure he would be the same if he found out the same truth, but somehow Adrian doesn't hold it against him, which fills him with relief and just makes him despise his mother more. "Thank you for accepting me, thank you for looking after me all these years"

Adrian pulls back, keeping his hands firmly on Ryan's shoulders, looking into his eyes.

"It has been a pleasure to raise you Ryan. Just know that none of this is your fault, you never have to be like him, always keep true to yourself. You are making this sound like a goodbye, I hope it isn't"

"It isn't dad" Adrian sighs.

"Lets get this over with"

Ryan frowns as he looks toward the alpha house. He has no interest in seeing his mother or his so-called father. He has no interest in leaving his pack, family and everything he has ever known. Ryan steps forward anyway, delaying things doesn't make them any better. Adrian only feels anger as they approach, seeing the smug look on Lance's face just makes him want to punch all his teeth out. Seeing the regretful look on his mate's face doesn't invoke pity, it just brings on a new wave of nausea.

Lance looks at Ryan, paying no attention to the man that he has repeatedly f*cked over. Ryan is clean, sober, his body is sculpted and he is strong. Lance nods in approval at the boy that he hasn't even kept tabs on all these years, he has no clue about his son's life at all. "Ahhh Ryan my son, come here"

Ryan just glares at Lance in distaste. He has grown up believing this man is his uncle, he hasn't crossed paths with the man at all and now he is suddenly Ryan's father and Lance expects Ryan to happily run to his side. It takes a lot more to be a father than donating some s***m.

Lance doesn't seem worried by the response at all.

"We will send for your things later. Let's go"

Adrian nods at Ryan, telling him that it is fine. Kathryn tries to approach Adrian.

"Honey..."

Adrian avoids her hand.

"Don't touch me, you disgust me so much"

"Adrian..."

Adrian looks at Lance.

"Take your wh*re with you"

Kathryn opens her mouth to say something but Adrian just backs away, nodding to Ryan before turning around. Kathryn looks at Lance. Lance just laughs.

"Ohh little brother, you don't want her now?"

"F*ck off Lance"

"You won't regret it?"

"Just f*ck off, what is wrong with you? Haven't you done enough?"

Lance looks at Ryan.

"What about you? Don't you love your mummy?"

"I think my father said it all. Just shut up"

Lance steps forward quickly.

"You know Adrian, me getting back at you also cost me dearly"

Adrian stops walking, not turning back to look at the man.

"Getting back at me for what? Being born?"

"Exactly"

Lance extends his claws and tears out the heart of Kathryn. Adrian falls to the ground clutching his chest.

"It cost us both a mate. Now we are even"

Ryan was not expecting that at all. He knocks into Lance as he rushes to his fathers side.

"Are you okay dad?"

Adrian screams in anguish. He wasn't expecting that at all, he didn't want that, he wasn't sure what he wanted, he didn't want to be with Kathryn, but he didn't want her dead.

Adrian can only nod weakly. The bond was fractured heavily yesterday. If it wasn't, he would be unbearable right now.

"Come on Ryan, the day is getting away from us. I have a lot to show you"

Adrian grips Ryan's hand.

"Go, I will be fine. Remember to always be you. Don't bend to accommodate the half-moon pack, make the half-moon pack bend to your will. You are better than they will ever be. Don't you ever forget that"

Ryan grits his teeth as he watches his father curled in pain. How can he just leave at this time?

"I will dad, are you sure you are fine?"

"I will be"

Ryan squeezes Adrian's shoulder before walking toward Lance. He doesn't look at his mother. He wouldn't forgive her, but she shouldn't have died. It wasn't necessary at all, his already tainted view of Lance is blackened further, so stained that is would be impossible to ever clear.

Ryan sits in the passenger side of the car, staring out the windscreen in silence as Lance starts the car once more and starts driving forward.

Adrian hears the car leaving, darkness takes him over as he sinks to the ground. Only one thought on his mind, he must survive for his sons, for Ryan.

Lance holds the steering wheel, one hand still covered in Kathryn's blood, ignoring the fact of what he did. Acting like it is going to be so easy to form that bond.

"Are you excited to go to the half moon pack?"

"Why on earth would I be excited? It isn't my home and I am stuck there with people that I will never consider family"

Lance decides to ignore Ryan's comment, just glossing over it.

"How did you like seeing your mum die for her sins?"

Ryan glares at Lance the level of disgust he feels for the man poisons his soul. He used to wonder if his father exaggerated about Lance, but it seems that Adrian wasn't brutal enough in his assessment.

"You are vile, how can you even say that? How could you even do that?"

"It is good, with her gone you have no more ties to the pack"

"If you think that, you are more stupid than I thought"

"Are you going to accept what Adrian said about me and hate me as he does?"

Ryan snorts and looks at Lance. He shows no fear at all, he is younger than Gabriel, but shows more strength and mental resilience. Lance is happy with his decision, Ryan will be a fine replacement for Gabriel. "I am more than capable of making my own decisions and seeing how putrid of a person you are all by myself"

"Ryan, I am your father"

"Shut it, old man, you will never be my father, you weren't even my uncle. So save your bullsh*t for someone who is willing to listen."