Chapter Forty-Four #2
“It isn’t mine.” Brandon scoffed. “Why are you lying?” He stood.
Morgan and Shannon turned their heads to look at Brandon and so did my mom. Nix’s words were soft as they answered my question. They didn’t hear the command. They think that Brandon is just lying because he wants to keep us.
Shannon sobbed as she clutched at her stomach. “I’m not lying. I’m late.” She reached out for Brandon. “Tell her the truth Brandon, we are in love.”
But he shook his head and stepped over to me. “I would never do that to you. I know what your dad did to your mom. Sure, I was too close with Shannon. I’ll give you that, but that stops today. I swear I didn’t get her pregnant.” His words were filled with sincerity. I could almost believe him.
“She isn’t even pregnant.” Vince walked over to Shannon and crouched down, giving him a hand up.
“What?” Morgan and Shannon got to their feet once Vince got rid of his aura. Morgan looked at Shannon. “She said she thought she was.” He looked at me. I could see the hatred barely contained there. “Are you lying because of Amy?”
Vince shook his head. “Get your head out of your ass and use your nose. She is getting her period later today or tomorrow.” Vince let his face soften.
“I don’t know who you thought got you pregnant, but you aren’t.
Have you even had your first heat yet?” He pulled her closer to Morgan.
“You have to meet your mate, or use herbs to force a heat to be able to get pregnant Shan. Have either of those things happened?”
Shan looked down at the ground and shook her head. “No. But I’m late.”
“Stress can do that.” My mom snapped out. “Stupid girl.” She vibrated with her anger. “You ruined a relationship because you are too stupid to realize basic werewolf biology.” She turned back to me in disgust. “Baby? Are you okay?” I started to cry.
“I don’t know what to believe.” I shook. “But this has turned into a meeting about this weird love triangle when it is supposed to be about you and Morgan.” Brandon tried to reach for me, but I pulled away. “Can we get back to you and Morgan, please?”
My mom wiped at my face and pulled me to the chair, pushing me down. “Of course we can.” She turned a glare to Vince. “So you were saying you don’t know about Morgan’s betrayal?”
Vince looked a little dazed at the topic switch, but he moved around the desk, pulling Brandon along with him. “Um, yes.” He shook his head, confused. “Without direct proof, then the divorce won’t happen.”
My mother laughed and tossed her phone on the desk. “Then proceed with the divorce, you lying piece of shit.” She snarled, catching Vince off guard.
“I don’t know who you think you are talking to.” He slowly stood back up.
“Look at the fucking photo.” My mother shot back, causing everyone to freeze again.
Did she just say photo? I wiped at a stray tear and leaned into the phone, expecting to see the photo of Morgan and his secretary.
But this time I jumped back, slapping my hand over my mouth, trying miserably to cover my gasp.
Brandon and Shannon scrambled to look at the picture on the screen and they too stepped back from the picture with a pale face. Vince was frozen over the phone, pale and sweating. Morgan silently looked over the desk to the phone, and crumpled to the ground.
“No.” His whisper was ragged and barely audible.
Vince slowly looked up, and the look in his eyes would have scared me if I were another wolf. Nix and Megan were howling in laughter. Oh, my fucking Goddess. This makes so much Gods damn sense. I can’t breathe. Nix rolled on the ground.
All this bullshit to cover up that? Megan chortled. They act like it’s a sin, lie the Goddess would turn on them, but she loves everyone.
Nix nodded. It isn’t love Meg, it’s greed.
It’s about power. Vince wants to fuck everyone over.
She howled again in laughter. Literally.
I winced as the photo flashed in my mind again.
Morgan was on all fours with a dog mask and a crisscross of leather on his chest as his secretary rode his back and Vince was on his knees behind him. They were obviously enjoying it all.
“What in God’s name is that?” Brandon was the first to speak, and Vince turned quick as lightning, hitting his face again. He fell against the window, shattering the glass and nearly stumbling out of the building.
“Shut the fuck up.”
The room remained silent for a second, before Vince grabbed the phone and slammed it into the desk, shattering it. But my mom just smirked. “Oh, don’t worry Vince. I have backups.” She crossed her arms. “Now…about my divorce.” The smirk on her face was amazing.
But I had to play both sides. “Mom. You can’t let that photo get out. It’s obviously fake. Morgan might do that, but Alpha Vince would never do that.” I pleaded with my mom, but she just patted my hand.
“Don’t worry, baby. Whether the photo is real or not, isn’t your concern.” My mom turned back to Vince. “Is it?”
Vince looked at me and I could see the relief.
He thought I was stupid enough to believe it was real.
He still had some standing with me. Brandon stood back up, wincing from the pain.
“She’s right. I don’t know what Morgan does in his spare time, but my father would never do something like that.
” Brandon crossed over to me and tried to grab my hand.
“I will stand up for your dad, because he is my Alpha and that photo is made to make Morgan and him look bad. But don’t think that makes me forgive you for what you did to me.”
Brandon dropped to his knees and opened his mouth, but my mom jumped in.
“My daughter is right. The picture undermines your status. It also makes it seem like you two are in a very disturbing relationship with your wife and mate. If you were both single, then it is a harmless photo of fun. But right now…if this got around…” My mother let her threat hang in the air.
“Ainsley, you wouldn’t.” Morgan walked over to her, and she growled, fangs descending with a snap.
“Oh, sweetheart.” She grabbed his face and leaned in. “To get away from you. Absolutely.” Then she pushed him away, causing him to stumble.
Vince looked at her for a moment. “So, this is what it comes down to? Lying to get out of your marriage?” My mother laughed as she pulled a stack of pictures from her pocket.
“That photo may or may not be fake Vince, but these are real.” She tossed them on to his desk.
A collage of Morgan with his secretary spread across the table.
Dinners, obvious dates, sexual scenarios cascaded across the tabletop.
“I showed the first photo because I found it funny, real or not, seeing Morgan being fucked like that healed a tiny part of my shattered soul. But this.” She pointed at the table.
“This was the reason I broke. I won’t fucking make apologies for the way I get out of this fucking sham of a marriage. ”
Vince sighed. “Morgan?” He turned to look at his Beta. “Do you have any way to defend yourself?”
Morgan looked down at the pictures and then back at Vince.
“All I can say is that obviously the first was faked. What is to say these aren’t fakes, too?
I would never cheat on my wife. I love her.
” He looked at my mom. “I love you and I forgive you for making up all these lies to get what you want, but I refuse to just let you go without fighting for our marriage.” He opened his mouth to say something else. But I interrupted.
“I need to tell you something, Alpha.”
He turned to me. “What is it Amy?” He was tired, his maneuvering and lies were catching up to everyone and he was scrambling to keep the pieces together.
“I’m sorry, I know you are doing your best, but I just have to tell you I made a promise to my mom last night. I also told Shannon, Brandon and Morgan this as well. So I figured I should tell you before you make your final decision.”
He nodded and rubbed his eyes. “Sure. What is it?”
I let my face settle into dead lines. “If you deny my mother’s divorce. Then I will demand my right to a Cath Báis.”
Vince dropped his hand and turned his head to meet my gaze. I saw him flinch at what he saw there. But he shook himself and I made a little warmth enter my eyes. So Vince will second guess himself and what he saw when he looked at me. “What did you say?”
I tried to look defeated. “I said I would ask for a Cath Báis. My father taught me to uphold everyone to the same standards that I hold myself to when it came to the Goddess. He made a promise to my mother and the Goddess. One that Shannon told him to make herself. That if he was, in fact, cheating on her or lying that he would grant her a divorce. But now he is backpedaling.” I shook my head.
“I have to hold him to the same standard I would myself, or any in my own pack. So he either divorces, and she’s free.
” I swallowed. “Or he dies, and she is free…”