Chapter Seventeen
My father and Chris broke off and started to have a deep conversation in the room’s corner, while the rest of us waited. I looked at Ronnie to find him already watching me.
“You okay?” He settled next to me in my father’s seat that he had just vacated. “You look sad…what happened?”
Thoth turned. “What happened with Rick and everyone last night? Were you able to save his pup?”
I sat back so I could see both men and nodded. “It was hard. But I was able to save everyone.”
Ronnie furrowed his brow. “Everyone? I thought only the kid was sick.”
I shook my head. “It was a lot more complicated. But I managed.”
Toya’s father leaned in. “Toya said you almost died.”
My father’s head snapped around. “What did you just say?” I looked up, and he turned to Chris.
“We can talk about everything once this is all handled. But I will help.” My father stuck out his hand, but he was already back to staring at me.
Once they shook, he turned back and Ronnie got up out of my father’s chair, letting my father reclaim his seat.
But Ronnie didn’t go far. He ended up standing behind my chair.
My father leaned closer. “What did Roderick just say?”
I groaned, but Thoth’s low rumble stopped it. “Please, just explain.” His words were low, but the voice changer hurt my ears.
I shook my head and sighed. “Last night when I brought everyone to the cabin I was already tired.”
“Why?” Ronnie leaned over the chair. “Are you sick?”
I shook my head. “I was just tired.”
Thoth scoffed. “She was attacked by Brandon. He had broken a few ribs, her cheek and her eye socket. She had internal bleeding that was still bleeding when she hobbled out of the hospital to go back to the pack house.”
I turned to Thoth. “How-”
“How did I know?” I couldn’t see his eyes, but I was picturing him glaring at me. “I’ve followed your every move since I found out you were locked up.” He shook his head. “You allowed him to attack you.”
I nodded. “Yes, I did. And I would do it again.” I shot back, and Thoth growled loudly.
I felt a smirk hit my lips. “You can be mad all you want. It is my body and my choice.” I turned my back on Thoth and focused on my dad.
“I needed an excuse to leave the pack, and Brandon’s attack was perfect.
” I shot a glare at Thoth, who, like the big bad wolf he was, was growling again.
“Lady bug.” Ronnie’s voice was soft. I looked up and met his troubled gaze. “You could have died.”
I shook my head. “It was the right move at the time.” I turned back to my father, who had kept quiet. “I used the attack to get a transfer approved by the King. But I also used it as a diversion.”
“For what?” My dad leaned in.
“When I went back hurt…I said I was tying things up before I left, but in reality I was downloading Vince’s mainframe.” I looked over my shoulder at Thoth and smirked. “I have Rick running through it all. That’s how I found the emails between Garith and Vince.”
“You did it?” My dad tilted his head.
I nodded as I pulled out a flash drive. “Yeah, I downloaded it while I was arguing with Vince to let me go. I brought you a copy.”
He jumped up and pulled me into his arms. “You are amazing.” He kissed my cheeks and spun me in a circle. “I knew you could do it.” He dropped me back down to my feet and I felt someone take the flash drive from my hand.
“I’ll take this.” Thoth slipped the USB into his pocket as I turned around to look at him.
I shrugged. “Hopefully, you find everything we need.” He nodded once and sat back down.
My dad sighed. “But you allowed him to hurt you.” He swiped a finger over my face.
I smiled. “It doesn’t matter. It was worth the risk. And it’s not like I was in any real danger.” Thoth snapped his head around. My dad’s brow furrowed. “I allowed him to attack me and then told my wolves to not heal me.”
“You said it was to get the transfer.” My dad raised his eyebrow. “But you could have gotten out without being hurt.”
I snorted. “Fat chance.” I snorted. “Brandon is a wimp.” I earned a few chuckles.
“But hurt or not, it’s not like I am important.
” My dad’s mouth dropped open. I just smiled.
“I know you love me, but I am replaceable. You can have another kid with mom, and it’s not like I have a mate or anything to worry about. If I die, I die.”
Thoth stood and let out a growl that shook the walls. There was a shrill screech from his mask and everyone screamed, covering their ears. Thoth ripped the mask from his head with a scream. Blood trickled out of his ears as he panted next to me.
As the mask covering Thoth’s face was ripped off, and my breath was stolen from my lungs. The pain in my ears faded as I stared at the sight of his face.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me!” The room was completely silent except for the crackling from the mask and the yell that fell from his lips.
I stared at him for a second longer before my anger exploded. “You fucking bastards.” I whirled on my father. I felt my eyes shift, and my fangs dropped so fast my lip started to bleed. I pointed in his face. “You fucking knew it was Rowan, didn’t you?”
My father paled. His eyes danced between me and Rowan. “Amy…”
I turned to Ronnie. “Did you know?” Ronnie looked around the room, but refused to meet my eyes.
I laughed, but it was full of pain. “Of course you did. You are his best friend.” I turned back to my dad.
“Any other secrets that you want to fess up to while we are here, father?” He winced at the name.
A new thought twisted my stomach, and I pulled my phone from my pocket. My dad tried to reach for me but I held up a hand as I hit the screen. The phone rang as I glared at my father. “Hey baby.” My mother’s voice rang out from my phone. “Everything okay? How’s your dad?”
“Did you know?” My voice was flat as I stared at my dad.
“Baby?” My mom’s voice turned worried. “What’s wrong?”
I ignored her question and just asked again. “Did you know?”
My dad winced again. Rowan stepped closer to me. “Amy, can we just talk?” His words hit me like a punch.
“What is going on?” My mom’s voice started to get agitated. “Someone explain. Now!” Her commanding voice made a few of the men around the room reel back.
My dad shut his eyes. “Ainsley…”
“Gavin Maclean, you need to explain to me what is going on.” Her voice took on a little edge, but I cut in before my dad could say anything.
“Did you know Thoth was Rowan?” My voice was still flat, but I had a tiny little spark of hope in my chest. Please, Goddess, please tell me not everyone in my life kept this from me.
I heard a quick breath on the other side of the call and I knew.
I knew everyone had kept the truth from me.
I laughed then. The tears sprang to my eyes in a flash and I had to just shake my head.
“Fuck me, I guess eh?” I closed my eyes and I felt a tear tremble on the edge, which just pissed me off even more.
Because I refuse to cry in front of these men.
I forced my eyes to open. “Thank you for showing me exactly where I stand.” I hung up the phone as my mom sputtered and slipped it into my pocket as I turned.
“Amy, wait.” My dad tried to grab my arm but I slammed my aura out, not holding anything back. Everyone in the room dropped to the ground.
“Don’t fucking touch me.” I growled out.
I turned to look back at my father, who was barely staying upright.
But it was Rowan that surprised me. He was sweating to stay up, my power pounding against his own, causing his knees to tremble a little.
That gave me a little bit of satisfaction.
“You had no right.” I allowed him to see all of my hurt.
“He might be your king…but I am your daughter. You don’t get to play me like a fucking puppet and think I will just be okay with it. ” He winced at my words.
“It wasn’t like that.”
I laughed, “That’s all you got?” He stared up at me but I was already leaving.
I was backing away from him. “I did everything you wanted me to do. I followed your plan for my career, my life, everything I gave up to be the dutiful daughter.” I growled as a tear slipped out.
But my aura slammed out so hard that the other men in the room had to press their face into the carpet.
Only Rowan and my father got to see my tears.
“I put my pain on the back burner to follow you. But this?” I waved my hand.
“This is fucking bullshit.” I glared at him for another second before I turned and stalked from the room.
I raced down the stairs and slammed out the front door, shifting instantly into Nix, allowing her to take over.
She made a beeline for the trees and ran out of there.
She wove through the trees, diving under a fallen log as I heard the distant slam of a door.
But I stopped caring. I curled up against a tree in my mind and just focused on breathing.
Nix ran for a few minutes longer before she called back. “Someone is following our scent.”
I turned to Megan. “Shut it off.”
Megan stared at me for a second before she nodded.
She ran to the clearing, and I heard the telltale sound of a vacuum.
I shut my eyes as I banged my head off the tree, whispering to myself.
“So fucking stupid.” I felt the tears burn behind my eyes again and I pushed up from the ground and whirled to face the tree.
I punched it over and over, screaming my anger. “So fucking stupid.”
Megan made her way back over to me as I pummeled the tree. “Amy?”
I just kept hitting the tree. But the tree never splintered, never broke, and that pissed me off even more. “FUCK YOU.” I punched harder, waiting for the blood, the pain, but nothing came.
“It won’t.” Megan called out.
I whirled. “WHAT?”
“The pain…it won’t happen.” Megan nodded to the tree. “That tree isn’t real, Amy.”