Chapter 65
Chapter Sixty-Five
~Rhen~
Thane storms off. I’m shocked that I didn't see it before.
It makes so much sense now. Of course she wouldn't tell us who she was running from: it’s us.
All she heard from the moment we met is how much we hate her, how much she would suffer when we found her.
All the secrets she kept are suddenly so clear.
Everything is falling into place. I am stunned, and Thane is murderous.
Climbing the stairs, I follow him upstairs.
It also explains Alpha Jake's bizarre reaction to her. Harlow was originally his. He bought her first.
"Thane," I call out behind him.
"She lied," is all he says before slamming the bedroom door in my face when I finally catch up to him.
"Thane, we can't just leave her to fend for herself! She’s our mate!" I yell at him through the door. I hear him growl before the door is ripped open, and I am face to face with a snarling Thane.
"Then choose—her or me. I hate liars, you know that. And this! This isn't just some small fib; she killed my mother!" he roars.
I know better than to defend her. It will only make him think I’m taking sides and make things that much worse for her, yet I can't help it. Not while feeling what she feels.
All I know is what she feels at this moment goes beyond any pain I have ever felt. Is it despair? Sadness? Dread? Maybe all of those things, but it has my heart sinking into my stomach.
"Don't, Rhen! You defend her, then you’ve already chosen," Thane says. We stand off for a second before he finally speaks.
"You know where the door is. You want her, then go get her.
But don't you dare come back here if you walk out that door," he snarls.
He turns on his heel and slams the door in my face, just as Raidon and Leon come up the stairs and step into the hall.
I glance back at them. Raidon says nothing while Leon looks between us both.
"You're kidding, right? He says he wants her gone, and that's it?" Leon asks.
I don’t know how to respond. There is no way I can decide between them. I love Thane, but I also love Harlow.
Harlow.
It is so strange to think of her by that name, yet it fits. It's who she is.
Leon curses before leaving us standing in the hall. When I hear him take his keys from the hallstand, I wander toward the stairwell to see him open the door to the garage.
"Fuck!" I curse, chasing after him. I expect Raidon to follow, but as I looked up, he remains on the stairs, an indecipherable expression on his face.
"Go. I can't be near her right now. Just go, Rhen," he says, turning his back on me and walking off.
Moments later, I hear his bedroom door shut, just as Leon starts up his car, making me snatch my jacket off the coat hook and rush out the door after him.
Climbing into the passenger side, Leon opens the garage door before reversing out, scraping the side of Thane's car as he goes.
I roll my eyes. As if we don't have enough problems.
Leon, unbothered by the damage he caused, spins the car around, racing toward the gates.
When we reach them, we find her trying to find a way out.
She turns, jumping to the side when the car lights reach her.
Leon hits the buzzer, and the gates swing open.
He slows down as we pull up to her and presses the button for the windows.
"Get in," I tell her. She glances at the back windows nervously, as if looking for Thane, before looking back up toward the house. "Get in the car, Harlow," I tell her.
"Why? Are you going to—" she doesn't finish, but we all know what she was going to say. Now that we know who she is, she doesn't trust us not to hurt her. She knows what Thane planned to do to her when we found her. Breed her, then kill her. Leon leans across me, peering out at her.
"We won't hurt you. And I won't let Thane hurt you," he tells her.
Harlow chews her lip, nervously glancing around as if calculating her chances of getting away if she runs.
Hesitantly, she steps toward the car and opens the back door before sliding into the seat.
Leon fiddles with the heater, turning it on, while I lean forward to take off my jacket and give it to her.
Her hands shake as she reaches for it, her eyes watching me as if I’m a snake that’s about to strike.
She pulls her arms inside it and clips her seatbelt.
Leon drives into the city. The car is silent as I try to wrap my brain around what happened tonight.
"Where are you taking me?" I hear her ask softly. Turning my head, I see her peering out the window, watching the city lights zoom by.
"Finding a hotel," Leon answers her. It doesn’t take long to find one.
"Wait here; I'll be back," he says, climbing out of the car and walking into reception. Harlow exhales, making me glance at her. She presses her head against the glass.
"Why did you do it?" I ask her.
"Do what? Lie? I thought that would be obvious," she says, and I see the way her eyes turn glassy with unshed tears. "You didn't want Harlow," she murmurs.
"No. I mean, why did you kill his mother? We would have looked after you. You didn't need to kill her," I tell her.
"I didn't kill her," she whispers.
"We saw you on the videotape."
"I don't know what you saw, but I didn’t do it," she tells me.
"She told her mates it was you," I snap at her. How could we believe anything she has to say when she’s been lying to us this whole time?
"I didn’t kill her. Why would I? I barely knew her. What reason could I possibly have to kill her? Yet none of you would even give me a chance to explain, so why bother? You have all made up your minds about me already."
I’m about to demand an answer from her when Leon returns, climbing into the car. He tosses me a key before pulling around to the back of the hotel, looking for our room.
Once he parks the car, I climb out, before opening her door.
"Get out," I tell her when she just stares up at me.
When she doesn't move, I grab her arm, pulling her from the car and pushing her toward Leon, who catches her, not realizing how hard I nudged her forward.
He growls at me, his fangs slipping from his gums and peeking out between his lips.
"If you're going to be a prick, why’d you come?" he snarls, leading her off toward the brown door with the key in his hand. He unlocks the door, flicking the lights on and stepping inside.
I need to check on Thane. Leon turns around when I don't follow and raises an eyebrow at me before sighing and tossing me his keys. I catch them and stare at them in my hand. I feel caught between my instincts. Two of my mates are hurting, and they both need me. Do I go back to my Alpha, or do I stay and keep my Omega safe? It’s an impossible decision.
The instinct to keep her safe wins, though. I can check on Thane later, unless he decides to mind-linked me before then. So, I walk to the hotel room, step inside, and close the door.