Chapter One Hundred and Seventeen
Graham walked into the interrogation room where Nancy waited. Lucas was leaned back against the wall with his arms folded. He gave Graham a nod. Theo was in the chair across from Nancy. He looked over his shoulder and stood so Graham could take the seat. Graham spun the seat around and sat with his arms crossed over the back of the chair.
“When did it start?” he asked, getting straight to the point.
Nancy was shaking. The handcuffs around her wrists clicked against the metal table. “He kn-knew before you’d e-even brought her to B-Blackmoore,” Nancy started. “Th-There was a n-note on my d-door…”
“Enough of the stuttering, Doc,” Graham mumbled. “I’d rather end your life now than listen to that shit. If you want me to consider keeping you…” Graham held up the piece of paper in front of him. “Dalton, James, and Nora alive, you’ll put your big girl pants on and tell me everything.”
Nancy took in a few shaky breaths and nodded. “The note said I would be needed for a ‘greater purpose.’ All I had to do was feed blood to Graham MacTavish’s new mate.”
“How did you get the blood?” Lucas asked.
“I met with a man in Sterling who had a supply,” Nancy answered.
“Matt,” Theo guessed.
She nodded. “I wasn’t sure how I was going to do it but when she was first hurt and I realized Jensen wouldn’t let you mark her…”
“You broke your oath and harmed her rather than help her,” Graham growled.
“I’ve never done anything like that before,” Nancy said.
Lucas started a slow clap. “Let’s hear it for the saint, ladies and gentlemen.”
“Where is he keeping her? I know he wouldn’t be stupid enough to go back to MoonStone,” Graham stated.
Nancy shook her head and looked at her fingers. “I was never told anything like that. I just didn’t want my family to get hurt.”
“And what makes you think choosing him over your pack would ensure that?” Graham asked, curious.
“We’ve all noticed the power dynamic shifting, Beta Graham. Many people don’t feel safe with Alpha Jensen anymore, and some of them are even more nervous with you.”
Graham leaned forward and smiled in a way he knew would make her shiver. “They should be. Especially if anything happens to my mate.” Graham shoved up from the table. “Make sure she tells us everything then find her a nice suite under the house,” Graham ordered as he left the room.
The door slammed behind him and he fell back against the wall. He closed his eyes and called out to his mate through the mindlink. The call went unanswered yet again. He knew Dominic was taking her somewhere. Was she on a plane? Had Curtis portalled her somewhere across the country? Across the continent? Graham felt someone come to stand in front of him. He opened his eyes and immediately narrowed them at Muriel.-
“I had an appointment with Catherine. She never showed.”
“I’m sure missing your magical class is truly weighing on her conscience right now,” Graham whispered between clenched teeth. Muriel smirked and folded his hands behind his back. “You knew, didn’t you? You knew this was going to happen.”
Muriel shrugged. “I knew you would fail in protecting her. I knew Dominic would succeed in taking her from you.”
“I bet you’re satisfied. You’ve finally gotten your revenge.”
Muriel scoffed. “Don’t flatter yourself. I don’t put innocents into harm’s way.”
Graham glared. “I don’t need this right now.”
“Right, of course, you have mates to find, sisters to kill, families to tear apart and…”
“I didn’t kill Julia,” Graham growled. Muriel stared at him, unblinking. “I didn’t kill your daughter. She wanted to escape you and I helped her.”
Muriel stepped forward. With each step his scowl deepened. “Did you think I didn’t know that?”
“What?” Graham asked, dumbstruck.
Muriel huffed and shook his head. “You truly are stupid. There’s a reason I kept her hidden away. There is a reason why I wanted her dead and led you straight to her.”
“Then why the anger? Why the nickname?”
“You’ve killed one oracle but the others, including your mate, their blood will also be on your hands. My daughter is a fucking monster that you set free. Her vendetta is thanks to you. I hope you can live with that,” Muriel hissed. He turned and started walking down the hall.
“Do you know how it ends?” Graham asked.
Muriel stopped in his tracks. He turned just enough to face Graham. “No. My story doesn’t carry that far.”
Before Graham could ask what he meant, the door behind him opened and the tang of copper invaded his nose. Lucas sauntered out, wiping his bloodied hands with an old rag. Lucas looked down the hall and back at Graham’s unreadable expression.
“You ready for Leonora?” Lucas asked.
Graham didn’t respond. Instead he simply turned to the door next to Nancy’s and shoved it open. He sat down in front of his sister who kept her head down, her hair covering her face.
Graham took a deep breath and pushed his emotions to the recesses of his mind. “Leonora,” he spoke through the lump in his throat. Leonora didn’t move or give any indication she’d heard him. “It was you who told Dominic that Catherine was set to arrive in Blackmoore,” Graham surmised. “It was you in the woods speaking to the rogues when Catherine was attacked. It was you who threatened Nancy, who roped in Arabella. You were the one who knew where my personal ward was. You knocked Juno unconscious and let that fucker into my home to steal away my mate. You were his little puppet the entire time.”
Leonora didn’t move. She didn’t shake. It was as if she was resolved to her fate.
“Leonora, I need you to tell me what he had on you.” Leonora’s head tilted up just slightly. “I need you to tell me Dominic threatened Benji and the triplets. Tell me he threatened mom or Nat or Heather… everyone. Tell me he used the bond against you.” Graham’s emotions breached the flood gate holding them back. A hot tear rolled down his cheek as he looked at the girl who’d helped raise him. Who held him while he sobbed over his dad’s corpse laying flat in a casket. “I am begging you… lie.”
Leonora scoffed. “You’re just going to kill me anyway.”
Graham sat back. “I promised mom I wouldn’t.”
“How sweet. Mommy’s favorite boy. Forever the doting baby,” Leonora mocked.
“You really think I got treated better than you? We all rallied around you when that prick rejected you. Mom has always supported you. We all have always supported you. Jesus Leonora you have children by another man!”
“It must be so easy for you,” Leonora hissed. “All day long we hear about how mom is so happy for her baby. ‘He’s smiling again.’ ‘He’s so lucky to have found someone to love.’ ‘All my babies have their fated mate except, oh poor Leonora,”” Leonora recited with a roll of her eyes. “You drove my fated mate away. You don’t deserve to cherish yours.”
“So that’s what made you turn on your family, your pack? Jealousy?”
“I didn’t turn on my pack! Everyone sees her as the weakness she is, even Jensen! She came in smelling like another male and you were so awe-struck, you didn’t even notice. Then you fail to protect her not once, not twice, but over and over again. Did you ever stop to think maybe she was doing all of this on purpose? Maybe she was working with Dominic this whole time! After all, every player in this game has something against the great Grey MacTavish,” Leonora rambled.
Graham sat back and rapped his knuckles against the table. “Who are all the players who have something against me?”
2/3
Chapter One Hundred and seventeen
Leonora’s eyes widened but she rolled them to try to distract from her obvious slip up. “How am I supposed to know?”
“You know they have a vendetta against me but don’t know who they are?” Graham asked, dubious.
Leonora smiled. She leaned forward over the table. “That’s the thing, Graham. I don’t need to. You walk around here thinking everyone worships you? All you’re really known for is being soft. You let people go. You let Dominic go. You let Julia go. You let Stuart go. You probably even let Arabella go. I bet you’ll even let me go before the day is done. You’re weak. You will never be able to make the hard decisions like Jensen did when he abandoned your mate. You’ll make a shitty Alpha, if Dominic doesn’t put a silver bullet between your eyes before that happens.”
Graham sat and listened intently. He watched without expression as she sat back in her chair with a smug smile. “Lucas… You know I made a promise to my mom,” Graham said.
“Good thing I steered clear of her then,” Lucas responded. Leonora glared up at Lucas. “That’s right, Nora. You hurt my girl. Busting her head open with a toilet? I hope you’re ready to write her an apology letter. Though maybe I should make it a transcribed email as I’ll make certain you won’t have use of your fingers by the time I’m through.”
Leonora chuckled. “Do your worst. The wards are broken. Curtis will be here to get me out any minute.”
Graham laughed followed by Lucas. Graham leaned forward. “I hate to break it to you, Big Sister. Curtis and Dominic are long gone. I have intel that tells me a private plane took off from Sterling airport minutes after Catherine was taken. Chloe was seen being loaded onto the plane. Your saviors are probably on the west coast as we speak.”
Graham stood up. Her carefully constructed expression to hide her doubt was beautiful.
“He’ll come for me. You’ll see,” Leonora said, her voice wavering slightly.
Graham scoffed. “Sure thing. Set up a video camera in her cell, Luke, so we don’t miss it.”
“Where are you going?” Lucas asked, cracking his knuckles as he prepared to take revenge for Juno.
“I need to talk to Jensen. Tell him that Stuart and Julia are involved.” Graham looked back at his sister who’s facade had cracked. She stared at him, wondering how he’d gotten that from what she said. “Thank you for the information, Sister. Remember to focus on the pain. Maybe you’ll black out before he gets to your middle finger.”
With that, Graham walked out of the interrogation room and slammed the door shut on his sister.
Surrendering to Destiny
