Chapter 20:

Sherman, Ruby, Sophia, and Sydney finally managed to make their way into the den. Sherman had to help guide Sophia to a seat on the couch. He, Ruby, and Sydney could easily tell her surprise and confusion and even more so when she almost fainted luckily Sherman was there to catch her, however, not one of them could blame her. Taking his place next to Sophia on the couch, Ruby and Sydney managed to take their seats across from them by placing themselves in the chairs, all the while Sydney sat directly across from Sophia.

No one knew where to begin. Ruby glanced at Sherman, while Sherman looked at Sydney, Sydney met Sherman's glance, then took a quick look at Sophia who managed to peel her eyes from the floor abruptly then to make eye contact with her then back at the floor, but not without letting everyone see the tears begin to form in her eyes.

With her head in her hands, all the three of them could hear the sniffles under her breath, as they knew Sophia was breaking down, but Sophia being stubborn did not want them to see it. Sherman slowly moved closer to Sophia and began rubbing her back, not in a sexual way, but the soft comfort way as one would do in anyone's time of need. Still with her head in her hands and her elbows resting on her knees, Sherman knelt down whispering to Sophia, "Sophia…I know this is a lot…But I hope you give us the chance to explain."

After a long moment of tears falling from her face, Sophia slowly looked up and met the eyes of her sister. Sophia couldn't help but realize how beautiful she was and how much she reminded of her mother.

Sydney could tell even through Sophia's red, puffy eyes, that Sophia was examining her. Sydney wanted to be the first one to say something she wanted to tell her, however, she knew that is was best if the story came from someone that Sophia knew, someone Sophia could trust…however, even Sydney knew after today trust was going to be something Sophia was going to question in everyone.

Wiping the tears from her face, and moving her eye contact away from Sydney, looking down at her hands, which were placed on her lap, under her, breathe she stated, "I'm listening."

Pulling his hand away from Sophia, Sherman rested his elbows on his knees, "Sophia I knew you had a sister."

Sophia immediately glared at Sherman as if she was giving him a death threat, "what!"

"So did I", Ruby slowly whispered.

After Sophia heard Ruby, tears began to form in Sophia's eyes again, Sydney not wanting to see her sister hurt like this spoke up softly, "Sophia…" Sophia raised her head and glanced at her sister, "there is so much you need to know."

Wiping some falling tears from her cheeks, "apparently…I just wish someone would tell me what the hell is going on…I mean why didn't my dad say anything to me?"

This time Sydney looked down now she was fighting back tears, Ruby and Sherman looked at Sydney and then back at Sophia, Sherman knew he was going to have to be the one to explain this backwards situation to her.

"Sophia…hell, I'll just start from the beginning."

Sophia leaned back on the couch and propped her feet on Sherman's coffee table, trying to relax and listen, "that'll be good."

"Okay…when your dad was young he was in the running to be the next alpha."

Sophia gave him, a non-chalant expression, "yeah…I remember hearing about that."

"Well, him being a candidate for alpha, not many people put up much of a fight when he wanted to go to Seattle to Police Academy. Most thought he was a shoe in for being the packs future alpha, many thought he would go to school, return, and lead the pack. Even though everyone thought your father would become alpha, there is two things no one expected. One that he wanted nothing to do with being alpha…"

Sophia gave a slight nod, "okay…and two"

"No one expected your dad to fall in love with a human."

Sophia glanced over at Sydney who met Sophia's glance, at that moment each couldn't help but give one another a slight grin, then turn their attentions back to Sherman who continued with what he was telling, "anyway, they fell in love…I mean it was love at first sight", this time Sherman gave a light grin, "about six months into their relationship Marie got pregnant…" Sherman looking at her, "with Sydney. When your father found out that Marie was pregnant, he knew he had to tell her about being a skin walker. At first she had trouble with it…a lot of trouble with it. She even thought about terminating her pregnancy…but she realized how much she loved your father, and how much she loved the child she was carrying and decided to keep it."

Sophia couldn't help but get confused, "but my parents did not marry until shortly before I was born…"

"I am getting to that", Sherman stated has he slightly sighed. "Your father knew that he was one of few to be chosen as next in line as alpha, so when he brought a pregnant human, back to Wolf Lake chaos ensured. A skin walker having a baby with a human, it was never heard of, and most importantly with the number one candidate for the alpha leader. The elders stated that his union with Marie could never take place because if it did he would have to give up his position as alpha; furthermore, the safety of Marie and his unborn child was unpredictable, so your parents held out on marriage. Also both thought they were still very young, even though they were having a child. There two worlds colliding, so much at such a young age..."

Sherman could tell a hurt look came over Sophia, a hurt look for her father, "now you have to know Sophia, at his time, your father was young, he was like any other skin walker. He was raised to be loyal to his pack and its survival. Anyway…on the day Sydney was born, she was born, premature, but she was strong…or at least that is what they thought. On the night she was born, your parents were told that there were severe complications with her, and that some of her organs had not fully developed, and that she had passed away in the night. On that night Willard and Matt became good friends…because Willard was they're celebrating the birth of his twin daughters Ruby and Amanda, while Matt was mourning the loss of his own, they helped each other out."

Sophia looked at Sydney and then at Ruby who both had small tears in their eyes, then looked back at Sherman, "continue."

"Well, both your dad and Marie took her, "supposed death" pretty hard. Both tried to cope with their loss, but with the mounting pressure to make Matt the future alpha, well, Marie would finally give in and end up moving back to Seattle. Your dad stayed behind in Wolf Lake, both thought their relationship was over, however, when your father returned to Seattle a couple years laterto finish his training, he ran into Marie again. Both realized they were not over. They would eventually reconcile, and marry and later have you. By this time, the alpha position had gone to Willard Cates who was now married to Vivian and who had an apparent heir to the alpha throne, Luke. So your father promised that he would never live as a skin walker ever again, he felt his life was nearly destroyed with him being a skin walker, his and Marie's and was the cause of Sydney's death. He promised Marie, even more after you was born that him being a skin walker would not effect their lives. So he gave up that life."

Sophia rubbed her eyes, "Sherman that was a really fascinating history lesson, however, it does not explain how you knew about Sydney and her being the black wolf."

"Well, when you was nine years old, a human family that lived in Wolf Lake before returned with their 15 year old daughter in tow. When they arrived at my house, they stated they returned so I could help their daughter prepare and go through the "change". I was shocked, for not that they knew about us skin walkers, I was familiar with this family and they were well aware of skin walkers, but because when they showed me a picture of their adoptive daughter, I myself nearly fainted. When I saw that picture I saw, Marie. At first, I thought I was seeing things, but when they told me their daughter's name, and it was Sydney…I knew it was Matt and Marie's daughter. I asked them if they changed their daughter's name and they stated no, they said that her biological parents, named her and they gave them a gift by letting them have their child, so they said they would pay her biological parents back by keeping her first name that was given to her, it was the least that they could do for them giving them their miracle, for the fact they could not have children."

Sherman looked at Sophia and Sydney who continued to look back at each other, "I knew then and there that Sydney's adoptive parents had no idea who she was and where she came from…but I did…I also knew that Matt and Marie had no idea that she was alive."

With harshness in her voice Sophia spoke up, "then why didn't you tell them? I mean why didn't you say anything to anyone? What…"

Ruby could see that Sophia was loosing her temper she knew she had every right to be angry, but she also knew Sherman had his reasons, "Sophia…"

Ruby's calm tone put Sophia at ease and she realized that she had ripped into Sherman, "I'm sorry…"

Sherman understanding Sophia's situation, and was very forgiving, "its okay", and gave her a light grin.

Sophia could feel his forgiveness and pain he has had to deal with over this situation and understood where he was coming from, "go ahead."

"But I wanted to be sure, so once Sydney flipped I took a blood sample and then I compared it to your blood work from your flu vaccination check up…and it was a match it proved that you two were indeed siblings. Once I found out the truth, I confronted Sydney's parents first with who Sydney's real parents were. They knew they were skin walkers but did not know who, then I told them the truth about her pelt color, and that it was a myth up until now."

Sherman could tell by Sophia's look on her face that she was undertanding a little better of the situation,"but what scared me was the fact so much was going on within the pact, the death of one of the alpha's own hit the pack, furthermore, it was revealed that Ruby was a white wolf. It was not unheard of but when a generation has a white wolf it is significant...and now we had not only a white wolf, but a black one. One that should not exist. So you see Sophia I could tell no one about her, only thing it would do would be to cause morechaos, also, I did not think it was my place to tell anyone who Sydney really was."

Sydney realized this was her cue to take over, "once I found out who and what I was I was going to tell everyone, however, I did not get the chance to for…"

Sophia immediately knew why she didn't after her voice trailed off, "mom was in the car accident."

Fighting back the tears, and under her breath, "yeah."

"Once I saw you and him at the funeral I saw how much pain both of you was going through I didn't want to add anymore grief to your lives, so my parents thought it was best if we went back to Seattle and never let anyone else know and we did."

With a confused look and looking at her, "well then Ruby…how is it that you knew Sydney?"

"Well for that short period of time that she was here, Sherman and her parents kept her in somewhat hiding, and she was home schooled, so Sherman introduced us and we hung out when we could and so we just kept in touch over the years ever since."

Sherman, Ruby, and Sophia could see that Sophia was on information overload and was exhausted and thought they have given enough for one afternoon, "Sophia this is a lot to take in for one day…what do you say we call it one."

After Sophia stood from her seat, all followed her suit and rose from their own, "okay."

Sydney, broke the awkward pause, "we can discuss some more tomorrow…"

"I can't me and my dad are…" Sophia instantly realized what she said and how much it hurt Sydney to hear those words, "I'm sorry…"

Sydney knew that Sophia meant no harm and gave her a light grin, "its okay."

Sophia tried to make up for her mishap, "listen I'll try to stop over tomorrow night if that's okay with you?"

Sydney gave her smile, "yeah…I'd like that."

"Sophia, I know what I am going to say you are not going to like, but for the time being until we know how to approach this, I think its best that no one knows not only is Sydney alive…but that no one can know she is in Wolf Lake".

Sydney understood that everyone in the room was just trying to look out for everyone involved and did not want to hurt anyone, "I won't say anything to my dad", Sophia could tell from Sherman's reaction he was looking for someone else's name, "or Luke."

Sherman gave her slight grin and nod in acceptance

"Well then, I better get going I told Luke, I would meet him", giving Sherman and Ruby last looks, she finally managed to make her way to Sydney, "well, I'll see you later."

Sydney accepted her grin and nod of "goodbye" and exchanged her own, and stated, "later." Sophia was out the door.

"Thanks."

Sherman realized Sydney was talking to him, and turned his focus from the front door to her, "for what?"

"For not telling her everything."

Sherman knew that was not his place and gave her a grin of acceptance, "I'll let you take that rocky road."

Both exchanged grins, and Sherman stated, "Well I am hungry, would you ladies like anything?"

Sydney spoke up first, "no thanks", gesturing with her hand.

"No that's okay, I have to get going anyway I'll see you later Sherman."

"Alright take care Ruby", and Sherman was gone and into the kitchen after waving goodbye.

Walking Ruby to the door Sydney had to thank her friend, "thanks for helping me out."

"Don't mention it. Besides there is so much that you still have to deal with, that Sophia or anyone else is aware of."

Sydney looked down, "I know."

"Listen, I know Sherman didn't want you to have no contact with anyone right away, but are you sure you shouldn't look up…"

Bringing her hand up in mid-air to stop her sentence, "I have already thought about that and trust me no good can come from it…I assure you."

Giving her a light grin, "well you are going to have to deal with it sooner or later…I'll see ya."

"Bye Ruby". Shutting the door behind Ruby, only thing Sydney could think about was how much was still yet to come.

I hope I answered some questions about who Sydney was and where she came from, however, I still have some other things so don't be alarmed…please be patient and I will try to up date as soon as possible.