Chapter 28

Rock Creek, Nebraska

June 1872

Night Wolf sat cross-legged on the neatly made hotel bed, his gaze fixed intently on Lara. She looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of excitement and affection, her heart overflowing with emotions she couldn't quite put into words. Her little brother had transformed into a strong, confident warrior, a husband, and soon-to-be father. Yet, amidst the changes, she could still discern traces of the boy she had known in his eyes.

"My aunt, our aunt," She corrected herself and smiled softly. "Laralie told me she and our mother took you to your father's family." Lara's smile wavered slightly, and she softly nipped her lower lip as she recounted the events that had unfolded the day, she found their mother dead. She had been young at the time and most of what she knew came after the fact as she had grown up, hearing rumors.

Night Wolf remained stoic as Lara recounted the tragic tale of their mother. He listened in silence as she described the rumors circulating in town, suggesting a squabble between tribes resulted in the fires that ravaged the small Luiseño village. Lara's narrative continued, detailing the fatal confrontation between their aunt and father, which ended in their aunt Laralie's death.

"Lara, there's something you should know."

As the weight of the situation sank in, Night Wolf's demeanor turned solemn. He grasped the extent of the decisions made, recognizing the impossible choices Lara might soon have to confront. Contemplating deeply, he wasn't sure he should reveal the piece of information he held or if she would be better off knowing or remaining unaware.

"The fires had been burning for hours." He tried to explain it as true yet kind to her as he could. He wasn't certain how much of the truth she knew. "I had found a hiding place in the woods near the cove where we use to play in the tides. Laralie found me hiding there."

"I don't understand." Lara's brows creased with confusion. "Why didn't she bring you home?"

"Steel Eyes," he shook his head realizing she wouldn't recognize that name. "Your father, he was the one that set the fires."

Lara's gaze fell upon her hands, a heavy sigh escaping her lips. Throughout her upbringing, whispers had circled about her father's suspected involvement in the devastating fires. His animosity towards her brother was no secret; her father made no attempts to hide his hatred.

Unbeknownst to her at the time, her father had orchestrated repeated attempts to erase her brother from existence almost from the moment of his birth. It became clear to her now why her mother had taken David to his father's, keeping it a guarded secret. It wouldn't have been difficult for anyone to figure out, and despite his flaws, her father was not stupid.

"He killed my father, my grandparents, my family." His voice grew soft and trembled slightly.

He observed the emotions flicker across her face as she absorbed the truth. Night Wolf had provided her with enough information, yet he concealed the darker truths within him, secrets he vowed to carry to his grave. Lara did not need to confront the full extent of her father's atrocities. The horrors that had unfolded before his young eyes when he witnessed his own father's life snuffed out. The raging fires that destroyed the entire village, all to hide the wicked truth. Her father had slaughtered his father and entire family in cold blood.

"What happened after you left?" she asked, her voice soft with anticipation.

"I hid in the loft of the barn for a few days before Laralie took me to the train station at night. She introduced me to a man and promised me he would keep me safe." Night wolf saw the concern crease her forehead as he continued. "Elias was a kind man, he treated me as a son. We traveled to Colorado, then further east to Kansas. He taught me to read and write. That was when I sent you the letter. I wasn't aware of how much danger I was putting you in. I am sorry Lara,"

"No," She grasped his hands tightly. "I thought you had died that day. When I got your letter, I was overjoyed."

"Perhaps it would have been better —"

"Don't, please don't say that." She chastised him. "I spent the last six years of my life searching for you." Lara's eyes searched Night Wolf's face, her expression a mix of vulnerability and determination as she confronted him. "I wouldn't take it back. Not now that I found you."

Night Wolf's gaze softened when he saw the sobs wrack her body, "I am sorry, Lara." He pulled Lara into a tight embrace, his arms offering solace and strength in equal measure.

"What happened to Elias?" Lara asked hesitantly, afraid of what the answer was.

"He was an old man, it was his time." He reassured her. "The war had ended, and I knew your father had resumed hunting me when his calvary rode into the town I was living in. I started hoping trains, wherever they were heading. Made it to a town called Sweetwater, in Wyoming." With each word, the weight of his experiences echoed in the quiet of the room. "I met a man there, the brother of a Kiowa war chief. I was tiered, starving and he took pity on me. He was taking me to his brother's village to heal, and for shelter." Night Wolf continued, the memories vivid in his mind. "We were ambushed by your father and many soldiers."

"No—"

"After Red Bear got his brother away from the soldiers," Night Wolf continued, his voice carrying the echoes of a past fraught with danger, "he took me in to live with his family."

"Buck," Her voice cracked, a whisper so faint it was barely audible.

"He was the man who helped me." Night Wolf nodded then rose from the bed. "I must go now. Lara."

"I wish I had time to explain but its urgent that I leave tomorrow and return home." She had to ask, though in her heart she already knew the answer. "Please come home with me?"

"This is my home now Lara."

"I understand." She felt her chin quiver. "Will I ever see you again?" Tears welled up anew in her eyes. She blinked, trying to stem their flow, yet her efforts only seemed to hasten their descent down her cheeks.

"It isn't safe for me to be part of your life as long as your father draws breath." He reminded her soberly.

Lara wanted to dispute his statement, but she knew he was right. He had indeed been more present in her brother's life than in hers. Ironically her father had been more a specter in her past.

"Perhaps someday we can be a family again." He offered the glimmer of hope, both understanding the truth they couldn't change.

"Just in case," She smiled though the tears continued to fall. "I'll have tickets for you both."

"I will meet you tomorrow, before you leave."

He embraced her tightly, aware that his response wasn't the one she had hoped for. Guilt washed over him as he realized the sacrifices, she had made to bring him home. However, his loyalty lay with his new life, his wife, and their child, and he couldn't ignore those responsibilities.

Lara sat alone in the dimly lit hotel room. Her mind suddenly still with full understanding, the pieces of the puzzle finally falling into alignment. It wasn't about her; it was about her father. The realization struck her like a bolt of lightning, revealing the tangled web of lies that had ensnared her.

As the truth dawned on her, a wave of conflicting emotions crashed over her. Anger, betrayal, and a profound sense of loss surged within her. She fought desperately to hold back the tears, clenching her fists in a futile attempt to stem the tide of emotion. But despite her efforts, the tears came quickly, flowing down her cheeks.

She would worry herself about that tomorrow, but with Joaquin's life hanging in the balance, there was no room for error. She knew the risks involved, but her loyalty outweighed her fear.