I’d been around my dad long enough to learn that good manipulators seemed sincere.
Gladly. Donovan took my hand and stepped beside me as Roxy moved to his side.
“No, please don’t go.” Winter had figured out we were leaving. “There’s so much I’d like to know about you.”
My hesitation said it all. The fact that I wanted to stay told me that I believed her. “I’m sorry. I can’t.” The longer I stayed, the worse I’d hurt.
Winter pivoted to her mate. “Titan, do something. She can’t leave.”
“Honey, they aren’t our pack members.” Titan sighed and touched her shoulder. “I can’t make them do anything unless we force them.”
His suggestion didn’t sit well with me. We’d better hurry.
Neither one had spoken, but I heard people heading our way. We weren’t getting away without a fight. It figured. I should’ve expected it from someone like her.
The faint scent of brimstone hit my nose, and I almost cried in relief. Egan would be here soon, and he might give them pause. He could light their homes on fire within seconds if needed.
“You don’t want to do this.” I steadied myself, needing to appear strong even if I was a quivering mess inside. “We have reinforcements coming.”
Winter sniffed the air. “What is that?”
“A dragon.” Titan lowered his head. “They have aligned with a dragon shifter.”
“I’d recommend telling your pack to back off.” If she wanted to pretend to be a good mother, this wasn’t the way. “Forcing me to stay is no better than what you’re accusing my father of.”
She inhaled sharply right as Egan stepped through the tree line and came into view.
As soon as he took in our rigid stances, he rushed over. “What’s going on?”
“Apparently, Sadie’s mom is back from the dead.” Roxy bared her teeth at Winter. “And she’s decided to force Sadie to stay here.”
Egan stuck his huge chest out, reminding me of a brick wall. “That’s not happening.”
“You’re right.” Winter gazed at the ground, appearing regretful. “I can’t make her stay here, no matter how much I want to.”
“Good.” I spun on my heel and marched to the woods, ready to get back to the vampires. My pack and Egan followed behind me, blocking me from Winter’s view.
“Sadie?” Winter’s voice cracked. “Please, I just want to tell you everything.”
“I think you’ve said enough.” I needed time to process what she’d said before I considered hearing more. Maybe if she hadn’t told me Tyler wasn’t my father, things would have been different. Probably not, but that didn’t matter.
“But—”
“Leave her alone,” Titan said gently. “She needs space, and I think you do too before you do something you’ll regret.”
The sound of the wolves heading in our direction stopped. Titan must have called them off, thankfully. I had a feeling it had more to do with Egan showing up than anything else.
“She’s alive …” Winter whispered, and a slight sob reached my ears.
Roxy used our pack bond to link. Do you think she’s telling the truth? She didn’t reek of a lie, and her heart rate didn’t increase.
It doesn’t matter, Donovan growled. If Sadie doesn’t want to stay, then we’re getting out of here.
Hey, you can’t just waltz in here and trump me, Roxy admonished. I’ve been her best friend since kindergarten.
And I’m her mate, Donovan said naturally. I will always trump you.
The two of them were making me feel loved, which I was pretty sure was the point, but my heart sped up at the way Donovan had called himself my mate like he’d accepted our bond. Maybe with him firmly by my side, I could find some peace and happiness before Dad found me and killed me.
Winter’s words replayed in my mind. “He’s not your father.” That was impossible. And if not him or Titan, then who? That was what she wanted me to come back for, but I refused.
Aw, hell no, Roxy challenged. You weren’t there the day she pissed her pants at school and I covered for her while she changed.
Axel snickered and stepped between her and me.
Are you serious? I couldn’t believe that bitch. You’re giving up childhood secrets about me?
Oh, please. Roxy grinned. You forgot all about the other stuff for a second. I deserve a medal.
Her logic astonished me at times. This is how you justify it?
You’ll get me back. She winked at me. I’m sure.
Damn straight, I will. Honestly, I probably wouldn’t. She’d had my back that day, even at the expense of the other wolves tormenting her more than usual. Most shifters gave her the same amount of respect as my Dad did to her family: none. The little bit she had was when I was around because they didn’t want to piss off the alpha’s daughter. They believed I had influence over my dad.
That was how charming he came off … until he wasn’t and people wound up a bloody mess or dead with a bullet between their eyes.
“So … why would that woman lie about being your mother?” Egan asked when we were a safe distance away.
“I’m not sure she did.” I hated to admit it out loud, but it was true. “She didn’t smell of a lie, but maybe the fae met with them beforehand to see if they could trick me into telling her something.”
“I doubt that.” Egan scratched the back of his neck. “Fae don’t like to work with anyone outside their race. And let’s be real; most never leave the fae realm.”
Axel scanned the area for threats. “Why is that?”
Egan dropped his hands by his sides. “Because the longer they’re here in our dimension, the more their power weakens. Their magic is tied directly to their realm.”
The only real threat that hung over my father was the fae. They were the strongest, even more so than the dragons. But everyone knew that once a fae stayed here too long, they could be beaten. Dad didn’t worry about the dragons since there were so few of them. He had numbers on his side, including some outside the wolf shifter race. He’d been building up favors and attacking the smaller packs, nests, and whatever else that wouldn’t cause an issue.
He was a real dictator, and no one but a few realized the depth of his influence and hate.
Donovan squeezed my hand gently. “So, a different dimension. That sounds like a movie.”
“Yeah, it does, but it’s real.” I knew enough information about the fae to be dangerous, but that was it. Egan seemed to have more knowledge about them. “Most fae can teleport, and the few who can’t use portals around the world.”
“If they’re so strong, you’d think they’d find a way over here.” Donovan pursed his lips. “Like find a way to bind them to our land or crossbreed with the supernaturals here.”
“Fae prefer their world.” A smile spread across Egan’s face. “There’s no pollution. The sky is a beautiful blue-green. The climate is perfect within the middle region, and there’s a sense of peace that will never be found here.”
Those details were super intricate. “It’s like you’ve been there.”
When Egan didn’t respond, Roxy jerked her head toward him. “Shut up. There’s no way.”
“A long time ago, my kind came from Fae.” He shrugged. “When a dragon turns of age, they can go on a pilgrimage to see where we were born. But I’ve only heard stories since I’ve never been to the Fae realm.”
“And they allow you in there?” That surprised me. Fae didn’t like people on their land.
“Because we came from there, they allow our kind one visit in our lifetime.” Egan seemed whimsical. “But to answer your question, fae are strictly forbidden to date outside their race. They’re elitists in the truest sense, not because they hate other races but because they don’t want to become tied to this heathen Earth.”
“Heathen Earth?” That sounded like it had come from him and not fae.
“I don’t completely disagree with them.” Egan lifted a brow, not even trying to lie.
“Hey, I hear you.” Roxy pointed at him. “Earth sucks ass most of the time.”