Chapter Eighteen
Jonah sat beside his mate, holding her close.
Enzo sat on Bre’s other side while Rory followed Murphy to the corner of the room where they had a toddler bed set up for Tah and Abby’s daughter, Regan.
Jonah wasn’t sure where their toddler was now, not that Regan would care.
The little girl was the heart of the pride and had every one of her honorary uncles wrapped around her finger.
Jonah had a feeling Cilia would be just the same.
Once they had her settled, Rory joined them on the sofa. When everyone had a drink and was comfortable, Murphy kicked off things.
“Until recently, we didn’t put together that the man who raised us wasn’t our birth father. It explained a lot about how things played out, though. Why he was so eager to place the blame on me and how quickly he sent us away,” Murphy said.
“You were supposed to die,” Enzo told them. “The man you called father had every intention of killing you and Finn with you.”
“How do you know that?” Finn asked, and Enzo shared a look with Rory.
“It was Niall who saved you,” Rory said.
“It was Niall who broke my leg,” Finn snarled.
“And saved your life,” Enzo added. “He had his own agenda. We didn’t find out everything until later, but he got both of you safely out of the country.”
“Explain,” Murphy demanded.
“He’s the one who pressed Da, Brian, to take me outside the facility where they were keeping me.
I remember them arguing. Brian was against it.
Niall pressed.” Bre leaned closer to Jonah, and he fought the need to pick her up and settle her on his lap so she was completely surrounded by him.
Protected. It wasn’t the people in the room who threatened her, though.
It was the memories growing in her gaze.
“Niall hated his father. He referred to Brian and Alby as evil personified. He did what he had to to get Murphy and Finn out of Ireland.” Enzo linked fingers with his mate before continuing.
“He couldn’t stop what happened to Bre, but he tried to create opportunities for her to be taken when she was out of the labs. Alby figured it out. Niall killed him.”
“I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around Niall being a good guy in all this,” Finn admitted while Murphy grunted in agreement.
“I didn’t say he was good,” Enzo offered with a glance at Rory. “I said he wanted her taken. Not rescued.”
“Niall was the reason I was almost grabbed. The reason Cillian was killed and my sister captured. Why Cilia was born in a lab and slated to die there if Enzo hadn’t been able to get her out in time.
” Rage washed over Rory’s face. “He was single-minded in his need to rescue Bre. Anyone else was a sacrifice he was willing to make.”
“I’m sorry,” Bre whispered, but Rory shook his head.
“No. You have nothing to be sorry for,” he told her.
“Why was he obsessed with Bre?” Jonah asked. It didn’t sit well with him. His gut told him it was more than brotherly affection.
Enzo and Rory shared another look.
“Truth,” Jonah commanded. “She deserves no less.”
When Bre shuddered beside him he didn’t control his urge to hold her. He scooped her onto his lap and wrapped her in his arms, tugging her until her back rested against his chest.
“All we have is supposition,” Enzo started, but Rory shook his head.
“Bullshit. The man was in love with your mother, and when he lost her, Bre became her surrogate,” Rory said.
Growls filled the air, including one from Jonah.
“She was a child,” he snapped.
“One who already looked like her mother. Like I said he was no good guy,” Rory said. “Everything he did was for his own purpose.”
Another shudder went through Bre, and Jonah cupped her chin and lifted her face to his. “I’m here. I’m with you. You belong with me. I belong with you. Nothing touches the truth of that.”
She nodded and pressed her lips to his. “I love you.”
“I love you,” he whispered back, not giving a damn that everyone in the room heard. He wanted them to hear. Wanted the world to hear.
“Bottom line is, they’re all dead now,” Enzo said into the quiet. “Niall killed Alby and Brian.”
“I killed Niall,” Rory added. “When I found out he was behind Mags’ capture, Cillian’s death, the order to kill Cilia, and the one who put in the orders to what experiments should be run on Bre.
His goal was to rid you of your animal side, so you’d better fit into his life and he wouldn’t have to hide you.
He was more than prepared to hide you, though. ”
“Fuck,” Murphy grumbled as Laura entered with little Sean in her arms. Finn immediately got to his feet, crossing to pull his mate close and drop a kiss on her lips before easing the baby from her arms.
“You okay?” Though she whispered, they all heard it.
“Learning a lot about my family. I’ll fill you in on what you’ve missed later,” Finn told her as he led her back to where he’d been sitting. He motioned her to take his place while he stood and rocked Sean.
“I didn’t…” Bre’s voice trickled off as she shook her head. “I had no idea.”
“You never would have known what he’d planned if he’d succeeded,” Rory said.
“How did you know to bring her here?” Abby asked, reminding Jonah she was in the room. She sat on her mate’s lap, perfectly content to be there. Tah had one hand laced with hers over her stomach where their second child grew.
“How did you get involved with the faction of hunters who held her in this country?” Tony added as he walked in to join them.
Jonah was surprised to see the young boy with him.
River had been part of the group rescued when they’d found Murphy.
The boy had been raised in the labs thinking one man was his father.
Jonah didn’t know him well, but he knew enough to understand the kid was dealing with some big revelations since arriving at the pride.
“River!” Abby bounded out of Tah’s lap. “How are you?”
“Found him stomping his way from the med center,” Tony said and grinned when River gave him a sour look. “Thought he might be hungry.”
“Of course.” Abby headed toward River, and Jonah saw the boy soften when she put her arm around his scrawny shoulders.
He’d gained weight since his rescue, but still leaned toward the skinny side of boyhood where he was more gangly limbs than muscle.
“Let’s go see what we have.” She patted her stomach. “I swear I’m always hungry, too.”
River finally smiled, and when Abby nodded, he put his hand on her stomach. The kid’s eyes grew big. “He’s moving.”
“Always,” she agreed then led him out of the room.
Tony blew out a breath. “He’s not handling things well. You need to do something about that.” The words were aimed at Tah, who merely shook his head.
“He has to work through it on his own. Just as Gideon does,” Tah said.
“Eventually, Vic will have enough of both of them and take care of it herself,” Tony warned, but a smile twitched his lips.
“I suspect that’s exactly what will happen,” Tah agreed.
“He was brought here,” Enzo said. “I wondered what happened once he was rescued.”
“You know River?” Tah asked.
“I know a lot of shifters,” Enzo said. “I’ve made a point of it since I first learned you all existed.
Even more so when I met the love of my life and became his mate.
” He and Rory shared a warm look. “You asked how I got in with the hunters here. It wasn’t hard.
There was chaos. Man named Blane was tearing everything down.
Killing shifters. Closing down facilities.
He moved only those that had specific meaning to him.
It’s why it took me so long to find Bre.
I was able to slip in, say I was from another group, and no one questioned.
It was easier than I anticipated to slip out some shifters here and there.
Not all of them. I couldn’t save all of them. ”
“You did what you could,” Rory said, brushing his knuckles along his mate’s cheek.
“Did you know Murphy was with River?” Tony asked.
Enzo glanced at Murphy and shook his head.
“No. You were there? I almost blew my cover when I came across River. I have a soft spot for children. I wanted to get him out immediately but had to wait. It killed me not knowing if he’d survived.
They said a shifter was drugged and pretty much killed the whole room. ”
“Only the hunters,” Murphy said with a snarl.
“My mate was malnourished and barely hanging on when we found him. Thanks to you?” Oakley asked.
Enzo nodded. “I didn’t know he was there. I was following leads to Brenna. I’m sorry, Murphy. I swear I wouldn’t have left you there.”
Murphy shrugged. “My mate rescued me. It was meant to be.”
“Wait. What are River and Gideon not adjusting to?” Finn wanted to know.
“Gideon is River’s father. Blane had River created from samples they took when Gideon was captured.
Then he gave the boy to another as a form of control,” Tah said.
“The professor suspected and ran the necessary blood tests. He didn’t say anything until he knew for sure.
Gideon’s taking it as hard as River is.”
“He’s not happy to have a son?” Bre asked.
“He’s not happy he didn’t know and therefore didn’t try to rescue River. He’s also torn up about Thomas, who he was very close to. Knowing he was a father figure to River, the same as he was often a father figure to Gideon… It’s a lot of emotion,” Tah said.
“And River’s just hurt and confused. His whole life has been torn apart.
He was just finding is footing, and something else got thrown at him,” Tony offered.
“They’ll be fine. They just have to find their way.
Fuck, I need a happy ending. I’m so tired of hearing and witnessing the pain and suffering each and every one of you have faced. It’s enough already.”
“You got some of that yourself,” Tah said before Jonah could. Tony waved it off, though.
“All you have to do is look in this room to find hope,” Bre said as she hugged Jonah.
“So much love and support. Mated couples. New life.” She nodded toward Sean in Finn’s arms then toward Cilia who was out for the count.
“They try so hard to tear us down, tear us apart. Yet, love finds a way. With the help of good people.” She leaned forward and squeezed Enzo’s hand.
“We feel the losses, but we celebrate the wins. We celebrate.” She turned back to Jonah. “Marry me. Now. Today.”
“Yes,” he agreed instantly. “Anything you want. Anywhere you want.”
“Here. If that’s okay?” Bre asked, glancing at Tah.
“I think a celebration sounds perfect,” Tah agreed.
“I think you becoming Bre Conti sounds perfect,” Jonah told his mate, leaning in to give her a slow, deep kiss. “You’re mine.”
“You’re mine,” she said, staking her own claim. Nothing had ever felt so right in Jonah’s life.