Chapter 2 #2
He flinched. “I didn’t think … I’ll leave, of course.”
“You can’t leave,” Olivia whispered.
His wolf, too, howled in protest.
“I’m sorry, Olivia, I have to. I’ve broken the rules.” Besides, she barely knew him. They’d spent one night together. She had no idea who he was and all the things he’d done. All the people he hurt.
Olivia looked to Sloane. “Please.”
“Eli, we can work this out,” Sloane said. “You don’t have to go.”
“You know I have to. And why.”
Sloane was the one person in the world that would understand most of all.
When they were growing up, he’d tried his best to shelter her from the worst of it, but when Ronan got his claws in you, there was no way to escape.
He was glad she was able to get out, though her methods had been rather extreme.
Sloane had come to him with evidence that Ronan had ordered the killing of her parents.
He had begged her not to do anything stupid.
Trouble is, the more you told her not to do something, the more she wanted to do it.
Sure enough, she had tried to kill Ronan, but she failed and went on the run.
He recalled how furious Ronan and Garret had been, how everyone had been punished and grilled for letting her get close enough to almost murder the Alpha.
Even while his own father’s fist slammed into his face over and over, Eli had never been more happy she got out of that life.
In fact, it was Sloane that inspired him to pull his own disappearing act.
Of course, he still didn’t know why or how she came to New York in the first place, but from the way Jacob stood over her protectively, he could guess.
“It’s better this way. For everyone. Ronan and Garret won’t stop until they drag me back to Boston. If you’ve found your place here and people to protect you from them, then good.” He nodded at Jacob. “Take care of her, please. Don’t let Boston get their hands on her again. She deserves better.”
“No, no. There’s no reason to run.” Sloane shook her head. “Eli, it’s all over. Ronan and Garret are done.”
Ice cold shock sluiced over him. “Done? Are they dead?” Had Sloane finally taken her revenge?
“They’re in a temporary holding facility in Arizona. Ronan’s about to be transferred to the Lycan Siberian Prison and Garret’s waiting for his day in court,” Jacob explained. “And it’s all thanks to Sloane.”
“You helped too,” she reminded him. “We found real evidence, Eli. Not just that Ronan ordered the murder of my parents, but all the other Lycans he had killed. Now he’s going to prison. Eli, you’re free. We’re free.”
Free.
It seemed impossible, but why would Sloane lie?
“That’s why we’re celebrating,” Sloane nodded at her right ankle, which Eli only now realized had some kind of tracking device on it. “Jacob and I were put under house arrest because we raided Ronan’s office. But the evidence we found was enough for the Lycan High Council to rule against Ronan.”
“We don’t have to go back?”
“No, never,” she assured him as she stepped closer. Her hand landed on his arm, her voice breaking as she whispered, “They’re never going to hurt us again.”
Sloane’s words echoed in his ears, sending a buzzing sound through his head. “They’re really going away.”
“Yes.” Her eyes shone with unshed tears. “No more running and hiding.”
Jacob cleared his throat. “That still doesn’t change the fact that you lied to us.”
“Jacob, please.” Releasing his arm, she turned to the three senior partners. “Isn’t there anything you can do? Eli is like a brother to me.”
Killian crossed his arms over his chest. “Jacob’s right. He could have told us the truth from the beginning.”
“And risk being found by Ronan and Garret?” she shot back.
“You worked for them,” Quinn added. “Can you honestly say you’ve never done anything illegal or hurt anyone?”
Eli shook his head. “No, I can’t. But I never killed anyone, human or Lycan.”
“Ronan sent Garret to do his dirtiest deeds,” Sloane spat out.
“Like when he had my parents murdered. Less messy, and Garret was the only one he truly trusted that wouldn’t turn on him.
” Her tone turned to pleading. “You have no idea what it was like, being part of that clan and having no choice but to follow Ronan’s bidding.
At least Ronan only had me steal things.
The things he made Eli do, what they did to him when he was just a kid—”
“Enough.” A pain stabbed at him in the chest as memories he tried to keep hidden threatened to resurface. “Sloane, stop—”
“They have to know,” Sloane said. “He was a pawn, like everyone else under Ronan’s control. Like me. He was only fifteen. It started when Garrett took him in after his mom died and—”
“I said enough!” Eli roared.
They can’t find out. Not one can ever know.
Not about his mother, and definitely not about the vials he kept in his pocket. He had told them everything, except one last secret. The last thing he promised his mother.
Never let anyone know, little bird. Promise me.
“Don’t shout at my mate!” Jacob shouted. As he raised a hand, a ball of fire began to form in his hand.
“Whoa!” Quinn jumped in between them. “Jacob, stop.”
“But he—”
The older Martin held up a hand. “We’re already in enough trouble with the human authorities. The last thing we need is the FDNY to come poking around in here.”
“Jacob,” Sloane soothed, placing a hand on his chest. “It’s okay. Calm down. Mr. Martin—Quinn, surely the Lycan Council will be lenient on the clan members who were forced to do Ronan’s bidding, like me?”
“I’m sure they will be.” The fire dispersed from his hand as he lowered his arm. “But it’s not just that. As Uncle Killian said, Eli lied, and we vouched for him to the Alpha. Lucas Anderson may not be as forgiving. At the very least, he might banish Eli from New York.”
“No!” Olivia cried. “Dad, you have to talk to the Alpha. He can’t banish Eli.”
“I’m sorry, Livy, there’s nothing I—” He stopped short, his eyebrows drawing together. “Wait, why don’t you want him to leave? And how exactly do you know him?”
Olivia’s pretty face paled. “We met a while back.”
Her father’s tone turned dark. “And?”
“And …” She faced Eli, her violet gaze crashing into his. “I’m pregnant. Eli’s the father. And my True Mate.”