Beyond the Pack’s Law: My stepsister or nobody else

Hayley’s POV

Her warm smile did nothing to relax the squeeze around my heart as Clara led me into her cozy cottage. I could hardly believe it was happening, and her words hung in the air, yet to be fully processed. Aiden and I locked eyes, each of us silently digesting our perpetual events.

With excitement and dread, Clara led us to the living room. “Please feel free to sit,” she motioned towards the plush couch.

Aiden nodded, but Clara looked towards me before sitting.

“Hayley, why not assist me in the kitchen? Would you like to have dinner with me? We can chat more about everything.

I looked over at Aiden, who flashed me his signature calming grin. “Go ahead,” he said softly. “Ah, I am just going to step out and take in some fresh air.”Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

I followed Aiden’s heels to the door. “You must be lucky to have an Alpha for a mate,” she pondered, and her voice held admiration. “Hayley, I’m so proud of you.”

Her words had me brimming over with warmth, and she took my hand, guiding us to the kitchen. The place was small and cosy but had a homey flair, which made me feel comfortable almost instantly.

‘Well then, spill all there is to know about Aiden,’ Clara said with a glint of interest in her eyes while passing me a knife and vegetables. I am interested in learning about the young, hot alpha.

So I sighed and smiled back as I started on my mountain of vegetable chopping. “Aiden is incredible. He is strong, he is brave, and he always puts others before himself. We’ve been through so much, and he’s always kept me grounded.”

Clara nodded, her face a little doubtful. “Yeah, he truly does seem to care for you. That kind of connection is few and far between.”

As the two of us cooked together, Clara’s questioning got more personal. “How did you two meet?”

I hesitated, remembering the day Aiden and I met. We were thrown together by a rogue attack on our pack. Aiden was in front of me like a shield to protect from the weapon bloody thing. And it was like, from there, we just started bonding.”

I had to cook up this story to avoid more probing.

Clara smiled, and her eyes softened. It must be Fate that you two met.

I nodded my head, and the strength of all our travels here struck me at once. “Yes, it does.”

No one spoke as we worked, chop-chop-chopping vegetables, and the kettle hissed on to boil. At last, Clara leaned forward and spoke with a voice of solemnity.

Her blue eyes locked onto mine, and she continued, “Hayley, there is something you need to know about Rachel.

At the sound of Rachel’s name, my heart stopped.

“Rachel? Who is she?”

Clara inhaled deeply, her face darkening. Rachel is a member of the cult, and they are connected to your birth parents. A dangerous lot, and they made promises that are… interesting to say the least.

Her words sent shivers down my spine. “A secret cult? What kind of vows?”

Clara shook her head. Their vows may be permanent and done through some dark rituals. Rachel has been in this cult for years.

Her admission cast a pall over me. “Why exactly did you wait all this time to tell me that?”

Clara sighed tragically, her eyes brimming with remorse. “I had to protect you, Hayley. I figured it might be best to hang back until you wanted some truth.”

My mind twisted in a thousand dark directions as I danced between life and death, cleaving my fingers to the knife. “How is this cult related to my parents?”

There was a moment of awkwardness when Clara gazed at the floor. “Your parents were part of the cult. All those promises happened before you were even born, and their impact was wide-ranging-or so they thought.”

It was heartbreaking to think of how my parents were connected with something so vile. “What kind of consequences?”

Clara raised her head, on the verge of tears. “The rituals they performed at their vow ceremonies bound them to the cult in ways that shaped their lives and yours. You see it now. Rachel knows something about your parents that could turn everything you think is true inside out.”

Her words are heavy; they crush me, and I found it hard to breathe. Why on earth will my folks do such a thing?

Clara put a hand on my arm. Hayley, I wish I knew all the answers. However, I do know Rachel is the key to your past.

I gasped, my head filling with queries. “How do we find her?”

Clara’s expression firmed into resolve.

‘This is something we’ll figure out together. Well, not yet, because we have dinner to make. Let us talk about what to do next over lunch.”

I nodded and took another deep breath as we cooked our stir-fry. The smell of stew brewing filled the kitchen, but I was not at peace in my thoughts. Something that way, as if a knife had been pulled on Rachel and the cult, throwing everything into dark shadows.

As we prepared the table, I heard Clara’s words in my mind. “Keep in mind, Hayley. Whatever it is you find out next will cause everything else to make more sense.”

As soon as we were wrapping up, Aiden came back in. He looked fresh, and we could all see the worry in his eyes. “Everything okay?” His eyes darted back and forth between Clara, who was guarding my entrance as usual.

I have to wear a fake, encouraging smile. “Just a lot to take in.”

Clara put a hand on Aiden’s shoulder. “Thank you for protecting Hayley. We’ll have time to talk, but for now, let’s enjoy this meal.”

When I returned, we gathered at a table where Clara dished out bowls of the most delicious-smelling stew. The food was lovely, but I just had difficulty getting my taste buds to communicate. After what I had seen in Rachel Land, my mind was dominated by it and the idea of a cult.

Clara started divulging more about the cult and its link to my parents as we slipped back into our meals. “The cult is called the Order of the Crescent Moon. They work in the shadows, conducting their rituals under a veil of secrecy.”

Aiden’s brow furrowed. “What kind of rituals?”

Clara sighed. “From my understanding, their cult practice involves blood oaths that bind members forever. No one leaves the order, so they say.”

A shiver ran down my spine. Why the hell would my parents join such a group?

Clara’s eyes softened, her empathy clear. “They might have a good reason, Hayley. But I think they thought it as doing what was best for you.”

I slammed my fists on the desk as anger rose within me. Wait, so what is best for me was to do join a cult?

Clara leaned over the table and grabbed my hand. “You know… Some decisions are made with the best intentions as long-term goals, unbeknownst to us. Hayley, your parents did really love you. Never doubt that.”

I weep at this, nodding. Man, I just wish I could wrap my mind around why they turned out that way.

Clara looked more serious. “This is why it’s so important that we find Rachel. Your parents have secrets, and she will share them with you that no other person can.”

Aiden held onto my other hand, anchoring me. “We’ll find her, Hayley. I promise.”

With the steadying strength of Aiden beside me, I inhaled deeply. “Thank you, both of you. I would be so lost without you.”

Clara beamed at the warmth in his eyes. “You’re not alone, Hayley. We’re in this together.”

When we were done with our food, what lay on my shoulders felt so much heavier. I did not know what the future would hold, but one thing was absolutely clear: I had to find out more about Rachel and her cult.

Dinner over, Clara led us to our rooms. The room was small but well-kept, with linen that looked very inviting and a single window facing out into the forest. Aiden and I got comfortable, still feeling weighed down by the information of the day.

Aiden and I lay in bed, his arm wrapped around me so that my back was pressed against the front of him. “We’ll make it through this, Hayley. Together.”

I curled up in his arms, listening to him. “I know. It’s difficult not to feel in the weeds, though.

Aiden kissed my forehead softly. “One step at a time. We will find Rachel, and we can get the answers you need.”

I closed my eyes and nodded, allowing his warmth to calm my disturbed mind. “Thank you, Aiden. For everything.”

I lay down and went to bed. I was unnerved by the thought that this journey was not yet complete for us. There were more questions, and the answers felt like they would come just outside my grasp.

Clara woke us up early the next morning. “We have got to find Rachel, and the hunt has started,” she said urgently.

Aiden and I hurriedly got dressed; our resolve having been strengthened. Clara passed me a dog-eared notebook as we were packing up.

“Your mother wrote this. It may help you get an idea of what the cult is all about and their reasons.”

The trembling hands that accepted the notebook could feel some connection with my parents, even through these faded pages. “Thank you, Clara.”

A firm nod of her head. “We’ll find Rachel, Hayley. And we’ll uncover the truth.”

When we were about to take off, Clara said she needed me aside. “Oh, and Hayley-there’s one more thing. The cult has eyes everywhere. Be careful who you trust.”

It made me feel chilled, but I nodded in understanding of the weight of what we were undertaking. “I will.”

And so, we left, and I went wandering into the woods with my little spiral-bound notebook. The future was before me, and, despite how terrifying it may be, I would save Rachel too. probably the most inquisitive weeks of my life were just around the corner.

My parents, the cult, and what was to come with life flooded my thoughts as we walked. I knew whatever we found would change everything, but I was ready to meet it head-on.

I would have Rachel’s secrets, I silently vowed as my determination grew with each step. “No matter what it takes.”

The sun was almost setting, and the forest had darkened around us, like it knew or could feel all the secrets that surrounded those woods. I did, however, know the three of us could take on anything as long as Aiden and Clara lived.

So, we ventured on yet further, deeper into the folds of yonder hedge.

Answers lay somewhere beyond what we could imagine.

And it was time to get them, no matter what it took.