Chapter One Hundred and Eighteen
Graham walked up the last set of stairs in the packhouse. The fourth floor was a lavish living space split between the beta and the alpha. He walked past the beta entry toward the alpha’s quarters. Henry stood vigil in front of the door smoking a cigarette. He gave Graham a nod and pushed the door open with his foot, Graham glanced out the large window at the end of the hall and saw a helicopter landing on the training field. He followed the sounds of drawers being opened and knocked on the alpha’s bedroom door.
“Come in!” Jensen shouted.
Graham opened the door and stepped inside with his hands in his pockets. He glanced around looking for Rebecca. Instead he found Jensen packing his bags.
“Helicopters are here,” Graham informed him.
“I heard,” Jensen said, dumping a med-kit in his bag.
“What are you doing?” Graham asked.
“Packing, what’s it look like? I figure we have four days. That’s the full moon. Whatever Dominic plans to do with her, I’m certain it will happen then. I’ll be ready in a few minutes. I’m just waiting for Rebecca to bring my contacts list.”
“We can’t both leave packlands. Dominic will be expecting it and probably have men in waiting to try to take the pack while we’re gone. I need Lucas and Theo which means you need to stay here to prepare.”
“Lucien is staying behind. Mark is introducing him to the higher ups right now,” Jensen said. He faced Graham. “She’s my daughter. I won’t leave her to the wolves… not again.”
Graham nodded, not really caring either way. He had one objective and she was on the other side of the country. Fuck the pack. His mom and sisters were heading to his cabin to stay until everything was safe. So long as his family was out of harm’s way, he wouldn’t care if the whole place burned. Jensen slung his backpack on just as Rebecca rushed into the room. Graham clenched his fists and narrowed his eyes. The reaction was nearly imperceptible… Nearly.
“What?” Jensen asked, eyeing Graham with curiosity.
Graham inhaled and sat down on the arm of the couch. “I’ve spoken with Leonora and Nancy,” Graham began.
Jensen looked at Rebecca who was placing files into the suitcase sitting on the bed. “Can we discuss this on the chopper?”
Graham’s eyes turned to Rebecca. “Fraid not,” Graham said. He stood and took a couple steps toward the couple. “Leonora gave me the names of those involved. A few I was expecting… two of them? They were a surprise.”
“Who?” Jensen asked. Rebecca seemed stiff and had yet to meet Graham’s gaze.
“Julia.”
Jensen shook his head. “Damn. That’s unfortunate. I’m assuming Muriel knows?” Graham nodded. “Who else?”
Graham’s eyes narrowed further as Rebecca clutched her jacket pocket. “Stuart.”
Jensen barked a laugh. “Stuart? Really? Come on, Grey. Even you must see through…”
“Only four people knew where the wards were located, Jensen. You, me, Chloe and Stuart… I didn’t tell them. You didn’t tell them…”
“They have Chloe as a prisoner,” Rebecca interjected.
Rebecca wrung her hands as she finally faced the two men. Jensen’s brows furrowed deeply as he observed his mate. He shoved the sleeves of his shirt up, showing off his inked skin. It was a tactic Graham had become accustomed to. He was expecting a fight.
Graham smirked. “They do. But Chloe I trust. Stuart, well…”
“Of course you don’t trust my son. Haven’t you done enough to him? You humiliated him. It took him weeks to recover. If I hadn’t sent him money to…”
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Jensen took in a sharp breath and Rebecca’s entire face plumed red. “You’ve spoken to your son?” Jensen asked.
“Our son, Jensen. Stuart is our son!”
Graham growled. He eliminated the space between himself and the luna. He gripped her by the throat and shoved her against the wall.
“Grey! What the fuck? Let her go!” Jensen commanded.
Graham deflected the command with a mere shift of his shoulders. “How long have you been talking with your son?” Graham asked. Rebecca coughed and kicked her legs. “What did you tell him?”
“Let her go, now!” Jensen tried again.
Graham glared at his alpha. “Back off!”
Jensen gasped as his eyes blackened and shrunk. He took several steps back, unable to shake his beta’s command. “What the fuck?!”
Graham focused back on the luna whose face was turning a dangerous shade of purple. “I want to know how you’ve spoken with him. Letters?” Graham asked. Rebecca shook her head. “Email?” Another shake. “Phone.” Rebecca nodded. “How long? Since the beginning?” Rebecca nodded. Graham felt a hand on his shoulder. He glanced back and found Jensen with an earnest expression.
“Let her go,” he said. It wasn’t a command, nor a plea, but merely a desperate attempt to break through his walls.
Graham loosened his hold and Rebecca fell to the ground. Jensen went to touch her but Graham held a hand out to stop him. He squatted down and watched with disinterest as Rebecca rubbed her raw throat. Bruises were already forming but with her luna blood, they’d be gone before the imprints of his fingers appeared.
“What did you talk to him about?”
“He’s my son,” she croaked. “We talked about everything.”
“Planning the party?” Graham asked. She nodded. “Catherine’s ability to shift and her heat?” Another nod. “When did you speak with him last?”
Rebecca looked past Graham toward her mate. He noticed Jensen nod to her through the reflection of her eyes. They were shimmering, tears threatened to spill. “Yesterday. He called a few hours before she was taken. He wanted… He wanted to know if you were in packlands.”
“And you told him,” Jensen breathed in disbelief.
Graham sighed and pushed himself up. He turned to Jensen. “She has a burner phone somewhere. Find it. I’ll meet you in the helicopter.”
Graham left the packhouse and headed toward the training field. A dozen men were waiting for him. He motioned for everyone to board. He walked toward the lead helicopter. The helicopters would transport the Blackmoore men to the Sterling airport where a plane waited to take them toward MoonStone. He ducked his head as he walked under the spinning blades. He strapped himself in and nodded at Lucas who sat across from him. His eyes moved to the next
man over.
He understood why Muriel was there. An alpha didn’t turn down the help of an oracle, especially in a circumstance like this one. He should be grateful to have the man along… instead he felt like the old man was hiding something and would keep it under his hat until the very last moment. Graham put on his headset and sat back. His knee bounced nervously as he waited for Jensen.
“You should sleep,” Muriel said through the headset. Graham sighed and looked up at the ceiling. “Dreams are useful in times like these,” he continued, a secret meaning hidden beneath his voice that grated on Graham’s already frayed nerves.
Graham looked to the door when the chopper shook slightly. Jensen pulled himself up and flung a phone into Graham’s lap. Jensen strapped himself into the seat beside Graham with quick, agitated movements. Graham picked up the phone and started to go through it. There were hundreds of texts, perfect for what he planned to do with it. He slipped the phone in his pocket and nodded to Jensen.
“Get this fucking chopper off the ground,” Jensen ordered through the headset.
Less than a minute later, Graham grabbed the handle above his head as the helicopters lifted into the air. I’m coming, Baby, he spoke to the void.
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