Rachel POV"We have to get the Alpha Council involved right now," Art stated with a grim tone I'd never heard him use before.He stood up from Patrick's body with his hands out towards Tyler making me realize it was Tyler who still held the gun.Tyler had been the one to pull the trigger then, the one to kill Patrick, the one to commit murder here in our home."Here," Tyler murmured, offering the gun to Art who took it between his thumb and forefinger before placing it onto the footlocker at the end of our bed, "It was an accident. I didn't mean for it to go off.""I was here," Art said, "I saw the whole thing. I'm your witness. Patrick Flores pulled a weapon. We had to suspect he intended lethal force. There was nothing to do except react accordingly.""I didn't intend to shoot him, but I'm not sorry either. I'd do it again," Tyler said, looking right at me and I realized he wanted something from me.Something I could give him."I know," I said, telling my mate I forgave him as easil
Tyler POVWright HouseDays had passed since the investigation into Patrick Flores's death had closed. The final Alpha Council conclusions stated he was killed by warrant of self-defense or defense of another; no fault was assigned to anyone.I was both a murderer and an innocent man at once. I felt no guilt for saving my mate using any means necessary yet my father's casual pride in my actions left me with the bitter taste of shame in my mouth all the same. Why was it he could only be proud of me for the things I regretted?Everyone had their hands full keeping Rachel occupied. Her mind moved a thousand miles per hour from one idea to another as she exhausted every lead I could dredge up regarding her mother.Elena Campbell might be out there in the world, but finding her wasn't proving to be easy.Jack and Bella were arguing over what to order for dinner at the moment.They'd moved into a spare bedroom at Wright House as had Lindy w
Art POVRoyal birthright meant I had a distinctly selfish view on how things should be and be done. It was ingrained in me from birth to believe I knew what was best; being appointed to the Alpha Council as an inspector had only solidified my belief in my own self-importance and judgements.Tyler Wright thought I could wave my hand and make things happen because I worked for the Alpha Council.I knew he'd think I was capable of even more if he knew my heritage which was why I wasn't sharing my connection to the old Alpha King with him. The man would just have to understand I was doing my best and it would have to be enough."I want you to be there when we present Lindy for him," I said, letting my hands dangle between my spread thighs as I watched Justice pacing before me."Why?" she asked.It was a good question. Justice was a talented witch, but I was more than capable of handling Richard Campbell without her assistance."I don't wa
Lindy POVNo one asked me if I wanted to betray the man who'd raised me as his own.Richard Campbell was The Enemy in this new world I'd been inducted into. He was some evil monster who had stolen away a pack's beloved Luna, two children's mother, and the hope of an Alpha House for the future.No one thought about the fact he'd also been my whole world as I grew to adulthood.Every major milestone in my life had been met with my father at my side. He'd been there for my first words, first steps, and first of everything else.I had never had cause to wonder if my father loved me because his pride in me was apparent every time I walked into a room.But.I'd always known I was an object to him."Are you okay?" Rachel asked, rubbing her hand up and down my arm as I shivered beside her on the sofa.We had been forced to lower the temperature in the house due to Rachel's hormones causing hot flashes.Wolves already ran
Rachel POVI thought Lindy was dead when Art appeared before me holding her limp body in his arms.Blood dripped from her hair onto the marble floor and she was completely silent as he lay her on the loveseat beside my sofa."Is she dead?" I asked, the words bursting out of me as if I were breathing fire, "What happened? Why is there so much blood?"Art shook his head at me, leaving the room to stalk towards the kitchen. He was clearly on a mission; I stared at Lindy long enough to make sure her chest was rising and falling with the movement of breath.She was alive!"Lindy?" I asked, leaning over the edge of the sofa to try to touch her leg where it was extended in my direction, "Lindy, can you hear me? Is she injured, Art?"Art carried a wet cloth in his hand and a mixing bowl filled with water. He didn't answer me, instead sliding his hand under Lindy's neck to support her head before dropping it into the bowl of water."Wha
Rachel POV"What do you mean you don't want to meet them?" I asked, feeling ridiculous even repeating the words aloud, "Lindy, we're talking about your family. Your real, blood family."Lindy shook her head 'no' over and over. Her wet hair slapped against her cheeks and I noticed she was crying now, too. Her gaze was slightly vacant, as if she couldn't understand what she was saying or what was being said to her or both."You---"Art cut me off, saying, "Lindy, do you need something to drink? Some water? We don't have to talk about those people right now. Can I get you anything?""Water," Lindy mumbled.Adam offered, "I'll go get it. Plenty of ice. I've been---well, I haven't been where she's at right now, but I understand enough."The big Beta left the room while the rest of us simply stared at Lindy as if we expected her to do a trick of some kind.I couldn't say I had ever seen anyone look so lost before. Lindy looked the wa
Rachel POV"Why aren't we going to get my mother, now?" I asked, wiping the sweat from my brow with a towel growing steadily warmer with every touch to my skin.Art had brought Richard Campbell's computer along with the files from behind the picture frame. We had an exact location on the asylum my mother was being held at, but we had no access to her. I was still trying to understand why.I prompted, "What is the plan, Art? We can't just let them keep my mother in that hellhole."I knew the place Mom was in had to be terrible. They couldn't be a reputable institution and keep a woman with no illness hostage for two decades. I didn't even want to visit the place much less imagine how my mother could have survived there for twenty years."Are you okay?" Art asked, his expression concerned as he studied me hard enough to make me wipe myself with my cold towel again, "You don't look okay.""I feel hot," I said, "I don't know? It seems to be gett
Tyler POVRachel had finally drifted off into a fitful sleep. They'd had to pump her full of icy IV fluids to drop her temperature enough to allow her any peace. Every drop of sweat from her forehead felt as if it were being wrung from the marrow of my bones.I literally ached with the need to protect her, care for her, heal her.But there was nothing I could do."You'll drive yourself insane if you keep pacing out here worrying over what you can't change. We need to get to Elena," Windsor said.I could hear the finality in his tone; I knew he wanted to push me to do something for him. I just didn't know what more I could do for the Alpha Council. What help could I be in tracking this 'Peter' down?I'd never crossed paths with the man to the best of my knowledge."How can I help?" I asked, knowing Art Windsor well enough to realize he would tell me what he needed if I only asked.Art placed his hands into his pockets, walking o