บท 24: Chapter 24: What You Missed

Ravyn POV

An hour later, with breakfast sitting like a lump in her stomach, Ravyn stood in the Great Hall, to the right of Dane and Lilia, who wore their crowns, and Kyon and Azandra to the left of Dane and Lilia. Someone had given them gold circlets to wear. Jiro and Garnet also had chosen to wear their crowns, collars, and armlets. The antler crowns on Dirge and Thessi and Cyran's and Naomi's circlets added to the royal spectacle. Wearing circlets as well, Anneliese and Patch stood with Ravyn, Thessi's brother Prince Narbeth also wore a crown–he wanted to show Daxius that he'd made a terrible mistake, angering not only the shifters but the wood elves.

Tulaska, the Crimsontail Shadows Wise Woman Roslynn, Ransome, Titania, and other members of the family all gathered. The pups were upstairs with various Crestas, Sinsworths, and members of the wood elf royal family.

As for Jude, he stood right beside her, a crown on his head as well. Ravyn trembled and adjusted the gold tiara Dane and Jiro insisted she wear. "Is it on straight?"

"It looks just fine," Jiro assured her.

Garnet teased him to lighten the mood. "Oh, now you approve of crowns?"

"Anything for Ravyn," Jiro retorted.

Patch's ears perked up. "He's right outside."

"You're not the only one with wolf hearing, you know," Azandra ribbed him.

Ravyn thought she could hear Daxius' footsteps, too. Slow, plodding.

The doors opened and two of Dane's enforcers stepped inside. "We have the prisoner, Alpha," one of the enforcers said.

"Bring him in," Dane ordered, puffing out his chest.

Brought in under guard, Daxius blinked, astounded at the display of Alpha might and shifter royalty before him. He still looked pale, his face drawn, although he appeared more well-rested than before. Good. He'd need it. The enforcers marched him to a safe distance from Dane and Lilia, but his eyes shifted to Ravyn, and a pleading look came over him.

Dane gestured to Ravyn to stay quiet for the moment, then spoke in his most commanding Alpha Voice.

"Daxius Houdini, do you know who I am?"

"Yes, Alpha Dane," Daxius said. "But I want to–"

Dane's wolf eyes burned. "SILENCE. When I want you to speak, I'll tell you."

Daxius shut up and stood silently, his wary eyes on Dane and Lilia. They widened, seeing his daughter for the first time in decades. Lilia's gaze was stony.

"You've invaded our territory and attacked a member of this family, Pack Mother Ravyn Rolfe, and an ally, Alpha Jude Faolan of the Silverpaw Pack. Further, in Wildefell, you attacked them again and attempted to kidnap Ravyn. You also fought members of this family, and targeted Alpha Jiro Cresta and Luna Garnet Cresta of the Crimsontail Shadows Pack. That's not even counting your original offense over two decades ago–namely, abandoning your wife and child in the most dishonorable way imaginable. That's a crime against this royal family, and it can't go unpunished. Ravyn and Luna Lilia, my mate–"

Daxius made a tiny sound and Dane ignored it.

"They've both suffered broken heart syndrome, which can be especially fatal to witches. The harm you've thoughtlessly caused them has lasted decades. But where you tossed them aside, we cherish and treasure them, and we intend to get justice. Melisande Bracknell's actions aside, I have it on good authority that the Wildefell Witch Circle doesn't want trouble with the Shifter Federation, so don't count on any help from them."

Dane flexed his muscles, showing his sharp teeth, and his brothers, Azandra, Garnet, Naomi, Tulaska, and the others all mirrored him. Anneliese growled. Patch and Dirge, although innocent-looking, put on their meanest snarls. Daxius' eyes widened in terror, but he stood like a statue.

Dane continued. "Your life is mine. I'd be within my rights as Alpha to kill you, or imprison you, for what you've done to my mate and my mother-in-law, and my dear friend Jude. But the original harm was to Ravyn, and I think she should decide your fate."

This was it.

Ravyn stepped forward with Jude walking beside her. She came close to Daxius, but not too close, or she might start hitting him. Deep breath. Calm.

"Daxius," she began. "On a cold drizzly autumn night over twenty years ago, I burned the hearty barley and vegetable stew I'd made. I burned it waiting for you to come home. Lilia insisted we wait to eat. An hour went by, and the stew got cold. I warmed it up and coaxed Lilia to eat some of it. I had to eat it myself to encourage her, even though my stomach was tied up in knots. We cleaned the apartment, we sang songs, we read, and finally I sent our daughter to bed. I told her that your work must have taken longer than you thought and that when she woke up you'd be home for breakfast."

Daxius stammered. "Barley and vegetable stew is my favorite."

Ravyn ignored him. "You didn't come home the next morning, or the next, or all the mornings after that. At first we worried and we had every witch and wizard searching for you. Days turned into weeks, then months, and a year later, I began to think you weren't coming home. I consulted all the guides and magic oracles and my crystals. Nothing. I fell ill, and for the first time, I couldn't take care of our daughter. My heart felt like it was going to split me in two. I wanted it to. The only thing stopping me from giving up were Lilia's plea to get better, and the awful realization that she was getting sick from the same ailment. I sent for the healers that night and reopened the shop the next day. And every day since then, I've tried to live for my daughter, and for my family's legacy, and for my friends and my work. But for years Lilia and I waited by the window, our lives frozen in time from that terrible night onward …"

Daxius' face turned ashen. The room was completely silent, everyone hanging on Ravyn's every word. She felt Jude's presence strengthening her.

"But even though we were frozen, you missed everything, Daxius. You missed Lilia becoming a gifted witch. You missed birthdays and holidays and festivals. The simple joys of cooking and eating together. Those things didn't stop when you left. But your betrayal left a mark. I made my daughter afraid to love. Afraid to give her heart. Until one day when, through the interference of my son-in-law Cyran, who was controlled by the Dark Goddess–"

Daxius recognized Cyran's name, and he stared at the ex-Alpha, who glared at him, daring him to say a word.

His turquoise eyes sharper than Jiro's, Daxius turned back to Ravyn. "Do I get to say anything at all?"

"Oh yes. I'm nearly done," Ravyn told him with dignity.

He spread his hands and gave her a confident look. "Then continue."

She held up her hand to silence the growls from her family.

"Through Cyran's dark schemes, Dane burst into our lives and won our daughter's heart–and mine. I didn't stand in her way, and I'm so very grateful I didn't let fear and bitterness rule me. If I had, I wouldn't have my wonderful sons, Dane, Kyon, Jiro, Patch, Dirge, and Cyran. Or my remarkable daughters, Azandra, Garnet, Anneliese who was already a daughter, Thessalia, and Naomi." Each family member beamed at the mention of his or her name. "And I got even more family–Azandra's parents, Wise Women Tulaska and Roslynn, Graydon and Edna Chalice, Prince Narbeth, and the entire Sinsworth, Cresta, and Tenebruso families. AND at least two wolf packs claim Lilia and me. Maybe the Silverpaws too."

Daxius burst out, "You, part of wolf packs?"

She paraded in front of her family as she spoke, then stopped and faced Daxius with her head up. "You missed all of this, Daxius. The struggles as we battled the Dark Goddess and his twisted servant, Absalom Sinsworth–Hades Ombra. The joys as each Cresta brother found his mate. The courage these brave warriors and healers have shown. My son Jiro becoming the best Crimsontail Shadows Alpha in decades and the two packs becoming friends after centuries of bloodshed. You also missed the feasts, the family dinners, the quests by the two youngest Crestas, Patch and Dirge, as they came of age.

"And you missed the birth of OUR GRANDCHILDREN."

Daxius made a louder sound, almost a cry. Ravyn saw the realization sink in and a shadow fall over his face.

Jude growled in satisfaction. Ravyn thought of mentioning her new love, but figured she'd already hit Daxius with everything she had.

"That's right, Daxius." She couldn't help a smug smile. "Dane and Lilia have three, and that's just for starters. When those precious pups appeared, I celebrated with all the people I love the most. you know who wasn't there? You. You know who wasn't here to help feed them and cuddle them and get them to sleep when their parents were exhausted? You. And there are so many pups. Dirge and Thessalia–Thessi–are expecting children now."

She paused, catching her breath. She'd be hoarse later and probably need tea with honey. But she had to push past her limits. Daxius needed to understand the damage he'd done.

"Whoever you ran off with, I hope she was worth cheating yourself out of all this. Lilia and I built this life with this family despite the pain and heartache. And you know what else? I'm no longer waiting at that window for you. I rejected love for so long I forgot what it was like. But those feelings aren't dead inside me."

She felt Jude's possessive hand on her shoulder.

Daxius' eyes grew round, and he stared at them both, disturbed.

Ravyn moved closer to Jude, leaning against him. "I'm going to live fully. You've decided to come back into our lives because it pleases you. You expected us to just be waiting in the shop for you, ready to welcome you home and grateful that you finally remembered we exist. But we've moved on. I'll never stop loving you."

Lilia spoke up, putting her arms around Ravyn. "Nor will I, Father. But I don't like you at all. I can't reminisce about my childhood with you without a dark shadow over all of it."

Daxius staggered back as if Lilia had punched him.

Lilia wasn't finished. "I don't want to see you hurt, although I'll tell you that my mate and our family have other ideas."

Every wolf in the family let Daxius see their wolf eyes. Anneliese, Thessi, and Narbeth stood proudly, ready to work their magic if Daxius provoked them.

Ravyn had fantasized about Daxius returning to them, throwing himself at her feet and begging her forgiveness. She'd also invented explanations for his absence. A battle. A curse. Kidnapped by pirates. She'd also had revenge fantasies about him that she didn't even want to think about.

Ravyn took a deep breath. "I also don't wish you any harm, Daxius, not anymore. But you did break shifter laws, and you have to answer for that. However, you can save yourself by giving your daughter and me something you've owed us for over twenty years. An explanation. WHY did you abandon us? Was it over a woman? Just where have you been? Why did you come back, after all this time?"