South Mountain Pack Ch. 14

"I don't hate you, I think we just got off to a bad start and if you're agreeable I'd like to start over," he said with a sigh. "And to make up for the disaster I made of your first date, I'd like to take you to Fred's for ice cream. I remember that was one of the things you wanted to do."

"You remembered that?" Erin asked with a smile.

"Well, yeah. I remember everything about you, everything you say I listen to," he said with a shrug. "You like carrots, hate brussel sprouts; love 'NCIS' but hate 'CSI'; like classic rock, hate banjo music; there's more but you get the idea. Now, would you like to go to Fred's with me and get some ice cream?"

"Yes, I'd like that," she said with a big smile and his eyes focused on her grey eyes that were still shimmering from her earlier tears.

He whispered in her ear so the others wouldn't hear and said, "I'm so sorry I made you cry. I promise it'll never happen again, I hate myself for doing that to you." He breathed deeply of her strawberry shortcake scent and felt a calmness wash over him and his wolf stopped pacing and sat at attention. He sat back and shook his head to clear his thoughts and stood up, reaching out to Erin. She smiled shyly at him before placing her hand in his and they walked into the kitchen.

"You ready?" Anthony asked with a smile. Everyone nodded and moments later they were in the two vehicles and headed to Fred's.

"Okay Dante, we've waited long enough. The youngsters are in the family room watching a movie; the others are at Fred's. It's time to let us know what the hell is going on," said Carlo as he leaned back on the sofa in Todd's office.

"Hold on a sec, let me put the monitors on so we can see what's going on in the family room," said Todd as he glanced at Frank who nodded. Holly got up and got wine for the women and whiskey for the men.

"I contacted my Archivist Nick, earlier in the week to confirm my suspicions and to search for additional information and he finally called me back today. While we were talking I informed him of the discovery of the French prophecy and he is going to search the Vatican Archives to see if there is any more information there. I am also going to contact my cousin to see if there is an English prophecy, and we will contact our other allies to see if there are any other nationalities that have similar prophecies," Dante said as he looked at Carlo who nodded his head in agreement. "Now, onto the original reason I contacted Nick."

Dante stared at Todd and his father and took a deep drink of his whiskey before asking calmly, "Have you ever seen the movie 'Braveheart'?"

Todd nodded, "Of course, it's one of our favorite movies, but what does that have to do with us?"

"History has a way of combining myths and legends into fact and that is where your family comes in," Dante said before taking another drink. "At the Battle of Stirling Bridge, those elements come into play because what is not known in the present day is some of the Highland Clans were Werewolf Packs. William Wallace and Andrew de Moray were the Alphas of two of those Clans or Packs and I believe you are the last true descendants of Andrew de Moray, The Guardian of Scotland."

Silence surrounded them as everyone stared at Dante who calmly got up and got more whiskey. Todd cleared his throat and said, "What does that mean and what makes you think we're his descendants? As far as I knew, we were Irish."

"Your eyes...liquid sterling silver eyes," Dante said as he stared into Todd's eyes before looking down and swirling the amber colored whiskey in his glass. "After the battle according to legend, Luna came down and as a reward for his faithful service she healed Andrew of his mortal wounds and it changed his eye color to sterling silver signifying the eternal color of the moon showing he had been blessed by the Moon Goddess herself."

Dante took another long drink of whiskey and let the silence surround them before he continued. "According to legend when his wolf took over, his eyes remained the purest of silver and did not turn amber...just like yours, your fathers and the girls. I had a suspicion but was not sure until the night of your status level assessment and when you changed into your wolf your eyes remained silver. There are members of the Clan who have light blue eyes with streaks of silver but their eyes change to amber when they shift. Only his true descendants would have eyes of pure sterling silver and remain that color when they shift."

The only sound heard was the clinking of ice cubes as Dante swirled the whiskey in his glass. "If I am right, this places your family in serious danger. The true line has been missing for seven hundred years and there are those who will do anything to keep you from claiming your birthright. A birthright that made his descendants go into hiding to keep them safe from their enemies and those of Scotland." Dante drained his glass and got up to get another refill, bringing the bottle back with him this time.

"I think somebody has discovered your true identity and that is why they are interested in your daughters," Dante said staring at Todd. "By mating with one of them they can take over the Pack as the rightful Ruler of the Land...and everything it entails, including power, wealth and most importantly influence over the other Packs of Scotland and thus of all Europe."

Before anybody could respond, Paulo screamed to his Alpha, Dad and Uncle, "I CRACKED THE CODE. I CRACKED THE FUCKING CODE; I'M IN CHARLES' HARD-DRIVE."