REBORN TO AVENGE: Blood ties

Chapter One

Taya's POV

"Moon goddess, help me." I whispered, my voice strained in between gasping for air. My mind was getting foggy from all the pain and my heart thumped and twitched uncontrollably. I bit my lip, holding back a scream that threatened to escape my throat as the throbbing pain in my chest persisted.

I held on to my chest and crawled slowly out of bed. I was drenched in my own sweat from trying to cover the distance between my bed and the window. Every step felt like a marathon.

"Nel...Jacob." I cried out, my voice desperate and pleading. "Please.."

Where was he when I needed him the most? He was out again, with the rest of his friends, partying, or attending to pack business like he claims.

I stumbled, my legs trembling as I made my way to the window. It was a full moon, a bittersweet reminder of the night I bonded with Nel. I leaned against the windowsill and sighed in relief, tears dripping down my eyes in torrents as I absorbed the moonlight. It was the only thing that could temporarily alleviate this curse from me.

Ever since my marriage to my mate and Alpha Jacob, this pain had been a companion. It started on the night after the consummation of my wedding with Jacob. It was abrupt, a sharp stabbing pain that tore through my very being.

Jacob had rushed in minutes after the pain had subsided, tears in his eyes, apologizing profusely. But he never explained what was happening to me, or why. All I knew was that his presence seemed to calm the pain, and the moonlight was my only solace when he was away.

As the minutes passed by, the pain slowly subsided leaving behind a deep sadness.

I had always been addressed a weak, and I had learned to cope with this feeling of inadequacy, but I held to the believe that when I met my partner, everything would be alright.

I would spend hours dreaming about how infatuated we would be and how many puppies we would have. I had always wondered what it would be like to actually meet my partner. However, the truth appeared to be different; my relationship with Jacob only seemed to be getting weaker every day.

I remembered our first night together like it was yesterday. It was filled with love and passion as he marked me, his teeth sinking into my skin. It was the one time he looked at me as though I was his. Now, he barely looked at me or simply treated me like a stranger.

With tears dropping down the corner of my eyes, I cried till I slept, alone in that darkness.

I woke up to the sound of Jacob footsteps, his presence was a contrast to the emptiness I experienced last night. I then arose from the bed, and walk to the dinning room where he was already sitting with a cup full of coffee in his hand.

He spared me a passive glance before returning to piercing a piece of bacon with a fork and bringing it to his lips.

"Good morning." I greeted, my voice hoarse from all the crying last night.

"Morning." He merely responded. I waited, expecting him to ask how I managed through the night or if I had slept well. But he kept on munching on his food, leaving me standing there awkwardly.

I walked off silently, to clean up. I came downstairs excited that he had returned, forgetting to do my morning routine.

When I returned downstairs, a breakfast table was set with a spread of pastries, eggs, and bacon.

He finished eating and simply waited for me to finish. The only sound I heard while eating was the sound of cutlery on plates, and I ate quietly, not sure of what to tell him.

After a long stretch of silence, Jacob finally cleared his throat, filling his glass cup with water. "I have another pack meeting to attend," he said, his voice formal. "The neighboring alphas are gathering to discuss trade agreements."

I sighed, feeling a familiar sense of disappointment. Another meeting, another day and night to be alone. I could not stop him from going, so instead I decided to make a request.

"Jacob," I interrupted, my voice barely above a whisper. "Can I ask something of you?"

He raised an eyebrow, his expression wary and surprised. "What is it?" He brought the glass to his lips.

I took a deep breath licking my lips nervously, my heart racing. "I would love to go out with you."

His eyes watered as he coughed furiously, choking on the water he was sipping. I stood trembling.. I nervously stood up and reached out to pat him on the back. His coughing reduced and he waved me off. I headed back to my seat and looked at him in concern and worry.

"Go out with me?" he asked, his voice incredulous.

I know I was not enough for him, but I wanted to try. I could help him at the pack meetings in other ways. I was still Luna of the pack.

"What's wrong?" I asked, my brow furrowed in concern. "Don't you want me to come over?"

Jacob's face turned red as he struggled to compose himself. He stumbled over his words.

"Nothing, nothing's wrong," he said, his voice still hoarse from coughing. "I just... didn't expect you to ask that, that's all." Jacob's eyes darted around the room, avoiding mine.

I felt ashamed, knowing very well why he didn't want me to come. I was just going to go there and embarrass him. What the hell was I thinking?

"Don't worry about what I said, it was just a stupid request-" I started to say.

"No, it isn't." He said almost too quickly, cutting short my words. Then his expression changed, and he nodded slowly. "Fine, you can come with me."

I felt a surge of joy and relief. "Really? Thank you so much Jacob!" I said, grabbing his hand. It was a chance to finally prove myself. I had been seen as a figure head and a useless Luna by the pack members. A good for nothing who hasn't even been able to birth an heir. I had to prove myself to them somehow.

Jacob smiled, a small, tight smile as he released his hand from my hold. "It's okay. I'll make the arrangements."

I beamed at him, feeling a sense of gratitude. "Thank you, I really appreciate it."

Jacob pushed back his chair and stood up. "I have to go, I have some pack business to attend to."

I nodded, still feeling happy about his agreement . "Okay, I will see you later."

As he walked away from the dinning table, I caught a view of him grinning to himself. It was a fleeting moment, but it gave me a sense of unease. What was he smiling about? I pushed the thought aside, not wanting to ruin the good mood I was in.

I suddenly felt nervous about facing the pack members after so long. After all these years of passing through pain, I had learnt to stay away from others and keep to myself. I didn't want to hear whispers or rumors about my sickness when I walked.

But I think it only made things worse. I had to go out there and show them that I could do something besides being a trophy wife.

CHAPTER TWO

Taya's POV

The coffee shop close to the house had become my regular hide out spot for me whenever I got tired of staying indoors. My tongue scalded from sipping from the cup of latte a little too quickly.

"I never get tired of having my latte here. It's the most perfect thing." I smiled wistfully and addressed the server who waited at my table. It was a middle aged woman. She owned the coffee shop and managed it all by herself.

"I know exactly how you like it, dear. Please enjoy." She responded with a polite and kind smile.

I found it refreshing to come here because it had no crowds and I had a private cozy cubicle to myself. I could avoid the fake smiles and underlying insults presented as respect.

Aside from these reasons, Maya, the coffee shop owner, treated me so warmly. She welcomed me with a smile whenever I came to the shop and always stayed a few minutes back to chat after giving me my serving. It was how I imagined that my mother would have treated me if she had stayed alive.

She would have loved me as much as my twin sister, Rita did when we were younger. Rita and I were beyond sisters, we were tied friends. Growing up, no one could separate us. But unlike most twins who complimented each other's strengths and weaknesses, I was weaknessand she was my strength.

I remembered the countless times she had defended me when we were younger. The pack children would often tease me, calling me weak and fragile. But she would step in, protecting me and telling them to leave me alone.

"You're not weak, Taya," she would say, angry that I allowed them to push me around. "You're just different."

I smiled as I look back at our early years together. Regret beginning to seep in as my mind return back to the present.

We were close but a lot as change about us as life led us to different direction.

Relaxing with my eyes closed, I took a sip of the latte feeling the warmth as it radiates through my although it was for a short time I experienced this. I had to return to my home.

As I walked through the front door, I sensed the atmosphere change. Although I was too weak to sense my wolf, I still had a strong sense of smell. My brows furrowed tightly as I thought about the scent. It smelt like my mate, Jacob, but it had something added in it, like the smell of flowers.

I was deep in contemplation, when I heard a voice from another room in the house.

"Taya?"

My chest beat,as I turned around . Rita was there at the living room smiling at me.

"Surprise!" She said, her eyes glinting excitedly and spread out her hands for a hug.

I blinked slowly, not believing my eyes. I felt that she could disappear and that she wasn't really here.

"Come on Taya, my arms hurt." She whined playfully.

Without any more convincing, I ran towards her and flung my arm around her holding her tightly.

"Oh my goodness, Soph! You're here!" I exclaimed, tears of joy welling up in my eyes.

Rita laughed and hugged me back. "Yes Taya, I'm here! I've missed you so much." She pulled away from the hug and asked, her eyes scanning the area. "Where's your mate?"

Just then, a familiar figure descended from the stairs, and approached us.

"Hello there, Rita." Jacob greeted her with a smile.

My sister's face lit up like a child given a gift on Christmas day as she dashed into his arms. The two were locked in a tight emotional hug and I watched in surprise from the side like an outsider.

When did the two get so close? When did they bond so quickly that I was not aware? I wondered.

When they finally broke apart, I could notice a faint flush rising to Jacob's cheek. He looked so...happy. I don't think I've ever seen him that way with me.

He seemed to remember that I had been standing there and greeted me, awkwardly patting my shoulder "Hello, Taya." Then he hurriedly walked away, leaving me standing there.

I could feel tears gathering in my eyes from how he had treated me compared to how he welcomed my sister. I glanced at her quickly to check if she'd seen what happened and was surprised to find her smiling at me.

I smiled back at her, understanding that she was encouraging me.

"Let's get you to your room." I whispered to her with a forced smile, feeling my dampened mood rise again. She nodded in agreement and held me by my hand. "When did you arrive? Have you been waiting long?"

"No I haven't. I just arrived a few minutes before you came back." She explained and gave me a once over before saying, "How are you and Jacob doing?"

I inhaled deeply, tears shimmering in my eyes at her concern and talked to her about virtually everything that had been going on with me. It was nice to finally get everything off my chest.

I didn't notice how long we'd been talking until one of the maids knocked on the door informing us that dinner was ready. She went down before me, and I went to use the bathroom before coming down.

As I descended from the fleet of stairs, my breath caught in my throat as I found Jacob and Rita seated at the table. They seemed to be engaged in a heated discussion about something. The moment they saw me, they stopped whatever they were talking about and smiled at me.

They seemed to be engaged in a serious conversation about something. When they spotted me, they stopped what they were talking about and smiled at me.

I was looking at them, trying to decipher what transpired. What were they talking about and why did they stop when they saw me coming? Everything was just strange.

"Hey Taya, what are you doing standing there? Join us." My sister invited me with excitement.

My mouth opened, but no words came out. I walked towards the table and dragged out a seat before sitting down.

I chewed on my lower lip as I stared at Jacob, wanting to ask about the pack meeting he had to attend. Why was he still here?

"Are you okay, Taya?" My sister asked, interrupting my thoughts.

I forced a small smile, "Yes I'm fine, Rita." And with that, I munched on a spoonful of food.

Chapter Three

Taya's POV

My hands trembled uncontrollably, fingers twitching with nervousness as I held on to the white stick. The unexpected result stared back at me. I

I blinked quickly, my eyes dropping tears of joy, trying to understand the unbelievable sight before me. The two red lines on test strip were enough to proof that I was pregnant.

A mix of emotions swirled inside of me. For the first time in a long while, I felt like the hopelessness that was my life was beginning to translate into hope .

Rita was going to be such an amazing aunt and Jacob...well, I wasn't sure what to think about Jacob.

I push those thoughts aside and let the excitement wash over me. 'I am going to be a mother!' I screamed internally, rubbing my stomach gently. A small smile spread across my face as I thought of the little life growing inside of me.

"Hello little one," I whispered, "Dad will be so happy to hear about you."

I dialed Jacob's number, my heart thumping in excitement. This could finally help mend our strained relationship and foster closeness between us again. It would be great news for the pack. I wasn't useless after all. I clean my tears with the back of my left hand.

The call went directly to voicemail. I tried again, thinking he may be busy but the same automated voice greeted me.

It would be better if I just waited for him to come home so I could share the news. I wanted him to be the first to know about this. I wanted to share the special moment with him.

I felt my anticipation and excitement waning as the hours ticked by and I had no sight of him. He probably had gone for one of his pack meetings.

Finally, I heard the door open he stepped into the room. I turned to look at him with smile on my face. I want to open to him the news about my pregnancy; I wanted to see his reaction when he learned that he would soon be a father, but I was discourage when I saw his reaction.

Jacob looked annoyed, and his eyes burned red as a result of his intense rage; I could only wonder what was going on with him.

"Nel?... What's the matter? You look.... angry." I spoke softly and slowly, taking care not to add fire to his already burning rage.

He strode past me without even offering a word to me and went straight to the kitchen and began to rummage through the fridge for something. I was concerned and worried by his anger so I followed him into the kitchen.

"Nel.. Jacob. What's the matter? You can talk to me, I'm your wife." I pressed on to get him talking.

Jacob finally pulled out a bottle of beer from the fridge and proceeded to guggle it down angrily. Just when I thought he was going to finish the whole bottle, he stopped to take a breath.

"Jacob you can...."

"Maybe I don't want to talk about it, all right?!" Jacob snapped abruptly. His sudden burst of anger and violent outburst caught me off guard and I took a step backwards.

"I'm only worried." I countered. "You seem so.... agitated."

"Yeah, it's because I'm agitated, all right?" He sneered. "I'm furious! Am angry... and I couldn't help but believe that you've been the cause of all my latest misfortunes!"

His words, like a harsh, double-edged sword, cut through my heart, leaving a lingering pain within. Jacob had always been distant and reserved but screaming at me was a first and low even for him. I couldn't recall what I had done wrong; I couldn't remember where I'd offended him since the very first day we met, but here he was, venting and heaping all his problems upon me.

"What are you talking about?" I asked as calmly as I could. "You can talk to me about whatever is bothering you and we can solve it together." I appealed to him.

Jacob only frowned even more than before, and With a look of disgust, he scanned me from head to toe and toe to head, then he grabbed another bottle of beer from the fridge, and he made his way to his study, where he entered and slammed the door loudly behind him.

My heart was pounding quite hard in my chest, and I was overwhelmed with emotions; I felt a hot tear trail down my cheeks as I stood there wondering what crime I had committed to make the moon goddess punish me this way.

I could almost hear the Goddess laughing right now at my distress and pain. Was this how I was supposed to keep living? Was I meant to be a weakling and a pushover for others? A weakling? These questions quickly ran through my mind as I stood there sadly, unable to think clearly.

"Hey.. is everything all right?" The voice cut through my thoughts abruptly and without warning. It was Rita and she was probably making her way downstairs.

I took a deep breath, and wiping my eyes with the back of my left hand before I turned to face her with a smile on my lips that look as though I was forced. "Hey. What's the occasion?" I asked her.

Rita was standing on the stairs, and she was dressed in a beautiful blue gown that reach her ankles with a purse In her hands; I couldn't help but admire how beautiful she looked.

"I'm only heading out to grab lunch with an old friend of mine," she replied. "Hey, are you okay? I thought I heard angry voices..."

I didn't let down my smile; I didn't want to admit to Rita right there that my life at the moment was a living hell; I couldn't bring myself to tell her about the pregnancy, too, not like this.

"It's okay, I'm okay," I replied quickly.

Rita hesitated for a while with her eyes boring into mine. I knew she could see right through my facade. I knew she could tell that I wasn't okay, but for some reason, she chose to humor me and refrained from pestering me with a lot of questions. She moved closer and gave me a comforting hug. "How about I return home later in the day and we talk about everything." She whispered.

I smiled. This was typical Rita, always being there for me. The tears threatened to fall again but I fought them back as I slowly replied. "Okay.. sure."

We pulled apart and Rita walked out of the house, leaving me alone with my broken heart. Jacob was still in his study and after our little exchange, I wasn't enthusiastic to meet him again. Whatever it was that he was going through, he had openly accused me of being responsible for it; this stung badly.

Perhaps he'd be ready to talk when he's calm; maybe all I had to do was to wait for the rage to subside, and then maybe I'd be able to get a thing or two from him, or so I thought. I turned and made my way to our room, where I intended to wait until his rage subsided.

Once I reached the room, I decided to take a little rest I immediately zoomed out the moment my head touched the pillow.

I woke up when I heard sound of the door opening downstairs. I could tell that I had overslept, and when I look at the clock,It confirmed I overslept. I heard footsteps down in the living room and quickly scrambled out of my bed and made my way out of the room; it was Rita trying to reach her room.

"You're back at last," I called after her just when she was about to disappear around the corner.

She paused for a second. "Yeah, I'm just gonna go freshen up now; I'll join you later for dinner, dear." She replied quickly and then moved off before I could talk again.

My stomach cried loud, and I realized that I was hungry, so I made my way to the kitchen and started searching the cabinet until I finally found bread and jam, which I brought back to the dinner table with me.

I settled down and was prepared to take a bite when I remembered about Jacob. I stooped up and made my way to his study, hoping against hope that he should be sober enough to talk and think clearly. I stopped in front of the door and drew a deep breath before proceeding.

I tried the door, but It was locked, probably from the inside; I couldn't tell. I wrapped at the door sharply and even called his name a few times, all to no avail, so I returned to the dining table even more worried than before. What could make Jacob shut himself off completely the way he did? I wondered silently, all appetite lost at the moment.

I quickly snatched up the phone and dialed his number but was disappointed when the call went to voicemail again so I slammed the phone down on the table and sighed heavily.

I couldn't help but feel so alone and isolated from almost everyone. Sure, this had been Going on for a while, but the loneliness was not something I could just get used to.

Rita had earlier assured me that she'd be down for dinner but I didn't understand what was keeping her so in a desperate attempt to shake off this loneliness, I decided to go up to her room, seize this opportunity to talk to her about all my problems and to share the goodness of the pregnancy with her. At the thought of the pregnancy, I unconsciously brushed my stomach with my hand, and a feeling of hope washed over me; perhaps Jacob's attitude will change once he learns that he will soon be a father.

I slowly began to make my way up the stairs and towards Rita's room with the flicker of a smile on my face despite the raging storm within and around me.

I got to her door and was about to knock when I heard a sound from within. It was a suppressed moan, a moan of ecstasy, of pleasure!

I pushed the door open, and my heart froze momentarily at the sight of Rita, my twin sister, wrapped intimately in bed in the arms of the man I called husband!!