A Secret Alpha Mate
Chapter 104

(Jackson)

I was surprised that her finger print worked, before I could wrapy my mind around it Lucas grabbed the door and opened it in a swift movement, not wanting to miss the chance.

Isla nuzzled into me and I held her close, "Do you want to see what's in it?" I murmured into her hair, she didn't say anything, I think she nodded a little but I wasn't going to push it.

I sit back in a chair with her in my lap and let Lucas and Cam empty the safe.

Lucas pulls out a thick envelope with Isla's name on it, he quietly hands it to me. Lucas and Cam sift through the papers.

"There's a deed here to a construction company." Cam says quietly, "Wait, to three companies."

Lucas looks over his shoulder, "How were these running all these years?"

"They could own the company but not have an active role in it, we have a few like that." I explain, "We will have to look into these. It looks like Benjamin had a cash injection when he took over, I assumed he sold off the companies that belonged to the actual Alpha since no other money was coming in, if we're reading his account correctly."

"Idiot." Lucas mutters,

"Anything else important?"

"Birth certificates, the pack's lineage, which I think we already filled in the gaps." Cam nods his head towards Isla, "And the details to their personal bank account." He hands me a paper, "Maybe there is some money to this pack after all, Isla should be able to access it as their child, now that we have some sort of identification."

"Great, at least we don't have to cover everything for them. I don't want to be too hopeful, but I feel like they would have kept some money separately. That's what we do, just in case." I turn to Isla, "Do you want to open the envelope? I can do it if you want." She nods a bit still hiding under her hair.

I reposition her and rip it open, there's two letters, and a statement to a trust fund in her name. I explain that to Isla and she sits up a bit and takes the letters in her hands, hesitating to open them.

"It's okay, you can do this alone if you want to." Hoping she wouldn't want that, I already felt immensely better with her in my arms, more like myself.

She shakes her head and takes a deep breath and opens them, too slowly.

She leans back into me as she opens the letters. One from each of her parents. I knew this was going to be hard but I hoped that it would help her a bit. (Isla)

I didn't care about the money my parents left me, the copious amount of money I had in my name, more money than I thought I would see in a lifetime.

If I was more in touch I would have noted that I could give that towards construction of the omega village, to rebuild the pack. Maybe the fact that that was in the back of my mind was a good thing, I needed to focus on this and the onslaught of emotions that I wasn't prepared for. I was never going to be fully ready for this, to read something it looked like my parents wrote to me. Might as well get it out of the way now, I couldn't possibly go deeper into grief. My Dear, Sweet Isla,

Your father and I's world begins and ends with you.

You are our light. I can't begin to describe how much I love you.

Its hard for me to write this, I'm actually crying now, you might see the dried tears on the paper.

I wanted to leave a note for you just in case. In case something happened before you knew the depth of my feelings, of our feelings.

I know that isn't something that is likely to happen, so if everything is okay, you'll read this on your eighteenth birthday.

I just want you to know how special you are. How much you've changed my life. I thought the mate bond was strong until I saw your face for the first time. I hope you know, I hope we've showed you how loved you are.

You are everything that we could have hoped for any more.

I love you, I love you, I love you.

Your Mama bear.

A photo fell out that Jackson handed me after I let the letter fall from my hand. I looked at it, the three of us looking perfectly and completely happy. My dad with dark hair and green eyes, my eyes, holding me between him and my mother. She had dark auburn hair, my hair, just like I remembered.

Light blue eyes filled with happiness looked back at me. I focused on their faces and traced their figures with my finger across the photo before holding it close to my chest.

I had to wipe the tears to start reading the next one, from my father.

My Baby Girl,

You are such a treasure. Please don't tell your mom I said this, she would never let me live it down, but you are daddy's little princess.

Even though I know you're strong, stronger than most boys I've ever met, than most people. I know you're going to do well, no matter where you end up, what you decide to do. To be.

You have such a beautiful spark in your eyes, I hope you never lose. Such a zest for life that I've never seen before.

I hope you're old enough to know what zest means, Ideally, you'll be reading this on your eighteenth birthday.

Never forget how special you are, never forget how loved you are, not just by us. Everyone that meets you is drawn to you. I am lucky to be able to call myself your dad.

I love you. Forever.

Daddy

I was aware that Jackson lifted me up after the second letter fell from my hands, I buried my head in his chest, trying to hid the stream of silent tears that wouldn't stop.

The pain was mixed now, it wasn't just grief it was a longing, sadness. I wanted to be able to see them, to hear their voices.

Anger started around the edges of my sadness. Anger at Alpha Benjamin, no he was no Alpha, he never was. Benjamin took my family for some psychotic sense of power. I hated him more than I thought possible, it overwhelmed me. "Benjamin." I whispered, and Jackson froze. I was suddenly aware of my surroundings for the first time in I didn't know how long.

"We will find him." He whispers, walking towards my childhood room, I shake my head.

"I want to go back to our room." I had questions now, for Abigail. What she remembered of my parents, what she remembered about Benjamin. Jackson seemed to relax as he carried me to the room we were staying in.

I sit up in bed determined to not lose this moment of clarity that I haven't felt since I remembered my parents, was that this morning or yesterday? I felt like it was days.

"Are you okay if I start you a bath?" Jackson asks I nod and he disappears to the bathroom. I wondered when I would feel happy again, it seemed like such a foreign feeling.

"It's ready, love." Jackson comes in the room and helps me stand. The bath felt great, mildly calming.

"Will you join me?" My voice sounds foreign. Jackson doesn't say a thing and undresses and slips in behind me. I nuzzle into his chest and he puts his arms around me, breathing in his calming scent.

I felt okay, and that was enough for now.

Jackson helped me dry off and wrapped me in a robe. Abigail was sitting on the bed when we got out, a tray of food in her lap. She motioned for me to sit next to her.

"Are you okay for a little if I go back to Lucas and Cam, we need to figure out the companies that were left to you, and what your role might be with them.

"Okay." Jackson places a quick kiss on my forehead and gives Abigial a look and walks out the door.

"I'm glad to see you're up." Abigial says, "I want you to try to eat something, you'll feel a little better." She promises. My stomach clenched but I wasn't hungry at all, the thought of food made me feel sick. I took a few bites of a sandwich and then realized how hungry I actually was. I scarfed it down and drank the large glass of water that she haded me immediately after.

"Thanks." I try a small smile at her. She gives me a sympathetic look but doesn't say anything, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Oh, Isla. You've been through so much, I'm so sorry."

"Sorry?" I eye her

"Sorry I couldn't have protected you from this."

"No," I stop her, putting my hand on hers, "There was no way you could have known, no one could remember."

She looks down at her hands, "I just, I wish I could have done more for you-"

"You've done everything for me, stop that." I cut her off.

"I barely remember Benjamin from before, I can't believe that rat took over as Alpha. He never seemed like an Alpha." She shakes her head, "So power hungry, so controlling. It makes sense now, he had to take his power and felt that he had to always enforce it. True Alpha's don't need to put down their pack members, they don't need to demand respect." She looks away shaking with anger.

"Wha-what do you remember of my parents?" I can't look into her eyes, but I can feel her stare on me, not sure how to proceed.

"They were fantastic." She says after a moment, "Loved by all pack members, fair, they treated us all like family. Luna Lily knew the names of every omega, and remembered details of their families. She would sit in the mornings and have coffee in the kitchen, chatting away." I steal a quick glance at Abigial and her eyes are misty, far away, remembering.

"Alpha Anthony, was tough of course, a true Alpha, confident and at ease in his role. But, of course, no one was scared of him." She smiles at me, "He was strong, someone to look up to. He put his pack members above all else."

She takes both of my hands into hers, "And you, you were the sweetest thing ever. So outgoing, so sweet. We didn't see as much of you, of course, but sometimes you would come down and make cupcakes or cookies with your mother. You tried to help as much as possible but ended up eating the batter." She gives me a big smile, "We were all enamored with you, of course."

Surprisingly, this wasn't making me feel worse. Hearing about my parents, made me feel better. I could feel the affection in Abigail's voice. For the first time, I realized that I wasn't the only person grieving them, I'm sure the pack members, especially the older ones and ones close to my parents were having a hard time.

I felt a little pang of guilt, thinking of just myself.

"How are the other pack members?" I ask apprehensively,

"I haven't really seen many around, I came straight up here. Jackson told me that Lucas was arranging some food all day in the ballroom and that some members were gathering there."

I should go down, I don't know if I could face it. One look of pity from someone would be enough to send me spiraling, maybe tomorrow. Maybe.

"He also said that they are elated that you are still alive and even happier to have the rightful heir of Silver Moon back leading the pack." That made me feel better, knowing that the pack was ready to welcome me, or welcome me back with open arms. "Are you going to be okay?" She asks me, suddenly serious.

"I don't know." I shake my head, "I think eventually. If you would have asked me a few hours ago I would have said no." I take a deep breath, "I've never had to face anything like this, I knew I lost my parents because thats what I was told, I couldn't remember them so I wasn't sure exactly what I was missing."

"I can't imagine what you're going through." She pulls me into a hug, "We are all here for you, Isla. Every single one of us to help in any way that we can." I leaned into her hug, I was more grateful than ever for my family. The ones that I chose, the ones that chose me.