FIRST OFF... MY PRAYERS GO OUT TO THE NEPALI'S.

A/N: not edited.

The Present and Hearts Are Dropping Like Flies (Victoria POV)

Ten years ago, I had left everyone outside as they beat on Kaden, running to soothe Lana, feeling her pain, knowing what Kaden was doing to his mate was wrong, that my sister didn't deserve this. I had to go to her, when it came to this situation, Lana didn't come to any of us, we all just tended to be on the outside watching in, waiting for the moment where she would seek us out.

"How are you?" I asked and the minute the words are out, I just rolled my eyes, how did I think she was? "Sorry, you don't-"

"You don't have to do this for me," she said dryly, standing leaving me in my spot, before I blinked and went after her. Stepping outside on the porch, I took her hand, "I'm your sister, your twin, you think I don't know how much he's hurt you, even Jace is on your side Lana."

Her hand in mine, little did I know that our life would never be the same again; that the reason she never came to me was because I was just too close to the situation. "She isn't as perfect as you all think she is... this... me leaving is all her doing. She rejected me, for Jace. When I was thirteen years old, before she and Jace went off to school I shifted, and she knew all along that I was her mate but she told me she was in love with my brother. I begged her. Pleaded with her but all she could do was tell me how much she loved my brother..." Kaden shouted his eyes on Jace and the words, they didn't make sense to me, I dropped Lana's hand, my eyes going to Jace, what Kaden was saying couldn't have been real, he was only saying what would make him look like the injured party.

"She went away with you, stayed with you Jace..." Kaden continued, his shoulders deflating as he spoke, our family, my siblings, his all coming out to stand on that porch as he set the truth down at our feet.

'You're my first,' Jace had whispered to me, brought me comfort, each other's first time, the words echoed but drowned out by Kadens now.

"She broke me into a million pieces by the pond in England and left me out there and returned home, to your bed Jace." I couldn't believe it, but Jace... Lana... neither of them said a thing to defend themselves, to set the record straight.

"Lana knew for a year that I was her mate! A YEAR! But she loved you and rejected me. She cried, begged me to let her go so she could be with you, because she loved you and you loved her..."

'I met a guy here in England,' Lana told me when she first moved, the first time we would be separated, 'We have so many things in common, he isn't my true mate though, but - I love him,' she cried four months later, and I knew her, I knew that she didn't just fall in love blindly.

'When am I going to meet this guy?' I had asked her.

"You think of her like a daughter I know, but she broke me mom. She broke me so she could be with Jace... She told me that when we got to this age that we would get back together, that our children would play together and we would all be one happy family..." the sadness in his voice at that moment, what he had gone through, Lana staying away from the pack for years after she moved back. Me never meeting that guy that she loved, that she was willing to give up on her mate for...

"You may think of her like a daughter but you are my mother, not hers. I can't be with her mom, because I know her. You all think she's perfect... she called me nothing. She crushed me and went to go make love to my brother..."

"Whoever I'm looking for to me I know, with 100 percent certainty will be 10 times the woman that Lana is... I won't have to worry that she secretly still loves my brother. She mostly stayed away from here... she knew I was here mom, dad... she knew I was here but never came back because it hurt her to see the man she loved with his new mate. She couldn't even return for me! She was so hurt that you accepted your mate that she stayed away from me, so she wouldn't have to see you and your mate Jace!" Kaden shouted, his whole self shook as he laid into us back then, baring all what he held inside.

"W-why?" I had asked, me. In such a state I didn't know - it was the minute my heart broke. I was furious with Kaden, why had he just told us all this. Why did he have to - and even now, I hate myself for those three seconds where I blamed Kaden when Lana and Jace were the bad guys in my heartbreak.

"Why what? Why wouldn't I tell you guys this? That my mate wanted my brother so much that she rejected me and stayed away from me because she couldn't bear to see you move on Jace?" even in my foggy mind, I remember Kaden, his laugh so mechanical and his arms waving around hysterically. I had thought, "This is what happens when mates aren't together." I had never saw it happen, the crazy that comes when mates fight the bond, but even in my haze I thought, that was what it looked like.

"If she's hurt right now... don't look at me... blame yourself Jace. Mom, blame him... you too dad," back and forth, he shook his head, and then slowly, he took a step back, and then another. "You lectured us over and over about not falling in love with someone because one or both of us would end up hurt...My mate just happened to fall for my brother and I was the one that ended up hurt," broken, bloodied and beaten, Kaden entered the car, racing away, and he hadn't looked back.

The dust from the car settled and no one spoken, everyone glancing between Lana, Jace and I, somehow I was in the middle and all at once, memories of the phone calls that Lana had with me, the man in her bed, the one she called Rome. The one that even after she moved back to the U.S. he followed her to her school, I hadn't met him yet, she hadn't taken a picture and it was like this 'Rome,' was a ghost. Yet vividly, moments where I called and they were in the middle of some very intimate acts, and Lana picked up, breathless, teasing me for interrupting, each one came back.

I had asked Jace if he met this Rome because he was at the same school with Lana, surely he knew, I had just wanted to make sure Lana wouldn't get hurt. I felt my stomach turning, jumping off the stairs, over to a bush I emptied my stomach, and when my mate tried to come to me, the look of hatred in my eyes, stopped him cold.

Lana and he gave me space, Lana moved out of the main house, because anytime I saw them together, even so much as just eating silently, I was violently ill. Jace and Lana had managed to make a fool out of me, but then Jace and I spoke.

We worked back to a new level in our relationship we weathered the storm.

Could we weather this new one? I wanted a family; I wanted a large family, with as many siblings as I had, twins running on both side of our family's I knew we would be bound to get them. I had my mate, and then, he came to me. After Kaden left, after we had fixed our shattered bond, after I realized that my mate chose me, after everyone told me the same thing, after I finally realized I was no longer angry with Lana. I pitied her.

'I care about Lana, but you're my mate... we have no secrets anymore, but I can't start a family with you, until I fix things with her and Kaden. It's not about - Kaden is my brother, Vicki. I can't get the happy ending while he's miserable, he isn't the bad guy in any of this, he's the victim.' I understood that, I saw what he meant, like myself, Jace and Lana's plan, had hurt two people. Kaden and I.

So we land and inside I can see, I can tell that things will work out somehow, because it's an island - our pack will recuperate. "I feel like Kaden is close," Lana had whispered to me, which caught me off guard, she never felt him being close to her, she only felt him being intimate with other women. My heart swelled to its largest size when he came down those stairs.

Our pack was attacked and Kaden stepped in. He might not have cared enough to stop sleeping with different women, but he cared enough about Lana to provide us shelter here. Again my heart grew, things would work out, Lana had changed... she stopped sleeping around; she concentrated on her work, on helping the pack and on being a good sister. Lana went back to school, getting another doctorate, overall, it was hard but she's pushed on.

We all grew from where we were, and I knew that while I was not working on making my family with Jace larger - I knew that his reasons came from a good place - he wanted things fixed for Lana because he hadn't rejected his mate. He wanted to fix things for Kaden, his brother that he had no intention of hurting but he had. Here, in the moment, as Lia cried on her sons shoulder, I couldn't help the hope I felt, I wanted to be a mother so badly, but as Lana's twin, as her Luna, I knew her. Her choices when she was younger, was just that, bad choices she made, and now, now was when the true healing would begin.

Make things right, I have to make things right, my mate chanted as he gazed at his brother. I think I should talk to him first Jace, I understand where he is right now I knew I did. Just twenty nine hours ago, Kaden was with some random woman, Lana was feeling the pain, I knew he wouldn't just go running into Lana's arms but I could talk to him.

He might not take it well, I mean... don't expect for him to jus take her back - Jace warned me so when we drifted out, when I spoke to him, when my tears got the better of me and fell, when jealous crawled on my skin when Jenny was throwing up because she's probably pregnant, she never got sick, but when she was pregnant with Haven. She couldn't keep anything down.

I nodded and pushed on when he stood and told everyone - to Lana's face - that he wanted nothing to do with her. But the truth was, if they wanted to have children, Lana and Kaden, like Jace and I, unless we gave up our wolves, could only do that with each other.

There was much risk... Lana could give up her wolf, but turning back and surviving wasn't exactly guaranteed. Keeping hold on that, I had hope that things could be fixed. Walking into Kaden home, seeing Etta, I lost a bit of my hope, before I knew that Lana was Kaden's mate, everyone thought that Etta and Kaden were mates. Lana hadn't come back yet, and Etta and Kaden were as thick as thieves. Seeing her here, my heart skipped, my chest and stomach felt uneasy.

Who is she? I hear Lana ask.

She wouldn't know, Etta had left never to be seen again when she was fifteen, we all thought they were mates when Kaden was younger, I hear Jace reply.

Don't worry Lana, Jace told her but when I inhaled, I knew. Lana should worry. Jace should worry and I, my hope was dwindling away.

I'm not paying attention, my mind is trying to fight off the growing uneasiness and then like a blow I hear the word 'married.' And while Lia - Kaden and Jaces - mother can't seem to say the words, I wanted to scream them, until a little girl, maybe ten years old runs down the stairs, her skin glittering brown, her wild black locks free and I inhale so deeply, my chest burns with two much oxygen.

Not listening to the words, my stomach sinks, and I feel instantly feverish, when I place Etta's features on the little girl, but Kaden's eyes and then, another one - identical to the first comes down, she's shy.

Beautiful, but shy.

Kaden says more words and then he goes to the stairs, and behind him, more children come down. A little girl, a boy one that looks like him, looks like the teen him. A girl. She looks like Lia, like Etta, but like Lia.

A baby in her arms.

But as I see the smile on Kaden, the proud smile, his words come back to me, 'I'm wealthy...' I leave the room, stumbling out because he didn't mean money. He meant family. He didn't need Lana, he - Kaden had lived his life while we - Jace, Lana, and I, hell all of us - had our life on repeat, the same chapter of the same book.

Kaden on the other hand, he had finished the book when he drove away that day, he finished it. And then started a new one. The one I have craved since I found Jace.

I gasp outside of the door to Kaden home, I don't go straight to Lana, because - because well I don't know what to think now. I don't know - but the sinking feeling remains. Seeing him this happy - seeing Kaden with his family - doesn't quell my disappointment.

I don't figure it out right away, I don't even go to follow Lana, instead when I hear the sound of heals on tile approaching the door I duck away and hide. The heat doing nothing for my racing heart, for the sickness that prickles on my skin but its war inside my body, hot outside, cold inside.

My mind whirls and I can't stop the revolving door of thoughts that continues coming - that how it feels. Each time I push the nagging hint away; it goes and boomerangs back to me.

After five tries, the pieces fall into place and it's a stark awakening call for me, because as I sit and fall to pieces, I realize that yes I had moved on. Yes, I had forgiven Jace and Lana for their lies, but there was a small piece of myself that wondered if Jace was being truthful to himself, to me even.

I know some would say that it didn't matter because Jace chose me, because I was what he wanted. However it was possible, very much so that Jace wanted and loved Lana still. It was rare, but it's how sometimes if one has lost their mate, they can find love with another. Jace and Lana... they were together for two years, and while I told myself it was in the past, seeing Kaden happy didn't feel like a victory to me. It felt like the answer to my question, to the part of myself that held a tiny bit of doubt.

Was Jace putting his life on hold for his brother? Or was he putting it on hold because of Lana? It breaks when I think of those two possible options. Because had Lana and Kaden gotten together, I would never know the truth of Jace's feelings. Now?

Now there would be an answer. I block everything for a while, and in the end, I tell myself that I'm being ridiculous. Jace chose me years ago, Lana was the one that held up to her part of the plan, Jace hadn't. Still not ready to face the devastation that Lana was experiencing I doubled around the corner of the house, breaking out near the side, the words I hear stopping me cold.

"I was going to leave Victoria... I was ready to reject her. Lana she told me that I couldn't do it, that it would cause too much hurt, she plead with me to stay and I did. I had no idea that you were her mate or that she rejected you, or anything else after that. Until finally the truth came out, and you two seemed to be playing with each other, her hurting you, you hurting her, bringing different women around, her dating other guys... I can't move on Kaden, I can't create a family with Victoria at the expense of Lana."

"But you can at the expense of Victoria?" sucking my bottom lip between my teeth I couldn't, a wave of humiliation once again blanketed over me. I shake my head, he lied again?

"Victoria and I wouldn't be together if it wasn't for Lana-"

"Stop... stop talking," Kaden growls at Jace and I want to turn away, I want to leave before I'm caught and before I have time to face Jace once again. I didn't want an audience like we had last time when Kaden left.

"You are putting your life on hold because you wanted Lana and I to get back together because we are mates, because then things would be right."

"Jace, I feel less than nothing for Lana. I don't wish her bad, and I don't wish her good. I don't think of her, I've thought more of Cain's daughter more than I thought of Lana. I have a beautiful wife and mate, I have my children. It's not that I - I stayed with Etta because she had my children and I'm secretly hoping Lana thinks I'll come back to her..." the wit strong in his tone, like he was talking about seeing a flying saucer or aliens.

All the pep talks and advice we all gave Lana, the hope we gave her seems all so pointless now... The way Kaden caresses Etta's name, the love he places on his lips so freely... it's a man I've never witnessed in him. Lana might have changed, but Kaden Kaden had as well.

"She can only have children with you Kaden," Jace whispered out, "That didn't matter to her when we were younger, and it certainly don't matter to me now." Unless she gave up her wolf I thought, while Kaden reminded Jace his children were in the next room.

"I know you don't care but she can only have children with you, I had put my life on hold for those ten years after you left because I thought, it was only a matter of time before you'd come back but time and time again, when you're intimate with who I now know has been your wife for years, I couldn't be happy when she's suffering, it's the - was the right thing in my eyes. How can I move onto my life, getting my happy ending when the plan her and I set out with is the reason she isn't having hers?" a piece of my heart fractures.

"Her whole life can't be this Kaden... nothing good happening - and I'm not trying to get your pity or anything but I'm just-"

"Sounding really fucking ridiculous?" my wolf whines and for the sake of not getting caught I back away, going inside the house next to Kaden.

"I mean she's black Jenny! When have you ever known Kaden to stoop that low?" Lana cried, her body shaking with the sobs, while Jenny turned to me helplessly. "He - he has children - how - how?"

"Why would he want to breed those - those mutts?" I blinked. "Well - you just - crying about this won't help you Lana, I mean really..." Jenny replied.

Silently I take a seat on the couch, "How am I going to compete?" her words make me raise a brow. I mean she left the house too soon, the love Kaden has for those children she calls mutts... well she can't compete. Not long after I enter the house, Jace follows, going straight to Lana and Jenny, "I'm so sorry," he tells her and I can't look at them in their embrace. I can't stand and leave - or do anything - so I remain silent, blocking my thoughts from Jace.

"What - what am I going to do?" she asks him.

"I'm sorry, but - I - there is nothing you can do Lana, I mean one wrong step and he's giving our whole pack the boot... you have to just move on," I know his voice, the tightness that signals a lie; and another piece of myself falls apart and to get my head straight I check out until I see Lia charging for Lana.

.

.

.

Lia Romano POV

I don't know how, but as my hand makes contact with Lana's face, my hand throbs and smarts, "How dare you?" I grit out at this grown woman.

"I - I don't feel - feel good," Lana chokes out, one hand lifted to her face the other her stomach.

Running to the bin, Lana stands over it, first throwing up in earnest but eventually it's just dry heaving. I don't run to her rescue, I don't hold her hair or tell her it's okay, I don't care.

"Those children are blood."

She goes to her knees crying and nodding, "I - I - he - I thought - I hoped - there's no chance - this is real - I - I can't fix this..." utterly defeated.

"How could - he - he - he has - has children, how?" she cries looking at Marcus and Elias. In the excitement of seeing my grandbabies that small fact hadn't truly crossed my mind. I mean of course it did, but holding Smith in my arms, I hadn't bothered to ask how.

I turned to Marcus, my heart heavy now that I thought it all through, "you rejected him..." I whispered, the words wouldn't be enough for Lana. I know that, but right now it's the truth, the only one I've got really.

"Etta is his second chance mate..." both Marcus and I whisper together. Sawyer and Tristan were conceived when Kaden still had his original wolf. Which meant that Etta - those two years - was his mate like we all thought.

The silence in the room was dry, "So he got another mate because I rejected him?" she asked her eyes blank, her shoulders stiff.

"Yes," Marcus whispered.

"But I won't - I won't get another mate." Her eyes closed, it's a statement not a question.

"No, you won't, we've never heard of that actually happening for the person that does the rejecting." Her breathing labored, still holding her stomach Lana slips from the room, without another word. My eyes first land on Victoria, the helplessness on her face as she watches her mate, watch her sister leave. Unaware of his mates' eyes on him, Jace - his face gives away something - lowers his mask.

Between the two, Victoria is the one to notice and catch my gaze, ducking her head she stands, leaving the room. I don't think, Marcus, I don't think things are going to be so calm around here...I warn my mate, but with the lifted brow I get back in return, he lets me know he's thinking the same thing.

We had always wondered how Lana and Jace got on so well, I mean we didn't see it, what their relationship really was, but they got on so well. All the things he had loved about Lana, we were sure he would be finding in his true mate, when we lived back in England.

We thought they were just friends, but when he met Victoria, she was the exact opposite of Lana, and of Jace. They were always trying to change little things about one another, almost like their puzzle pieces didn't fit, but that changed eventually.

Now though, in hindsight, I could recollect moments where I hadn't realized that Jace was trying to change something about Victoria, to make her resemble Lana.

And at this very moment, I couldn't help but wonder; whom did Jace want to go to right now? His mate or her sister?

______________

© 2015 new_season All Rights Reserved