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“My grandfather knew Erwan was a white dragon. He overheard them talking about it. Cladhaire and Baoth, I mean. And that they were using black magic on him to reverse it.” She rolled her eyes. “As if they could ever undo that.”
“Did he mention my mom?” Jermon asked.
She nodded. “Several times so far, and with nothing but admiration and respect. He knew she was protecting Erwan.”
Jermon let that all sink in. They had suspected as much, but now they had confirmation. Despite everything, that had to be hurtful for Erwan. “How are you feeling about this?” he asked him softly.
Erwan sighed, rubbing his eyes with a tired gesture. “Like I’m stuck in a never-ending nightmare. I just want this to end. I want them to die. Is that horrible of me?”
“No.” Nadiv’s answer came fast and firm. “I want the same thing. If I didn’t know it would violate my honor, I would end their lives myself, but I can’t ‘cause that would make me just as evil as them.”
Emma kissed him. “Perfect answer, baby.”
“Let us know if you discover anything else,” Jermon said to her.
“I will. One thing he hinted at but didn’t mention in more detail is that he suspected Cladhaire and Baoth of using blackmail against the Fitzgeralds and the O’Connors to get them to go along with the Great Shame. But like I said, he only mentioned it once and said he would try to find out the truth, so hopefully, he did and wrote that down somewhere else.”
Another piece of the puzzle. When would it ever end? Erwan wasn’t wrong about this feeling like an endless nightmare. But the bigger question was: where the hell was Rhene?
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Everyone in the pack was worried. It had been forty-eight hours since Erwan and his brothers had felt the connection with Rhene disappear, and by now, they were beside themselves. They all were, including Oliver, who did the same thing everyone else did: sought the others’ company. He had this deep need to be together with the others, so they once again hung out in the meeting barn, though without the Hayes pack this time.
He wasn’t surprised to find Adar by his side, but Delton had also chosen to sit at their table. Had he done it because of Adar? Probably, but Oliver didn’t mind at all. Delton belonged with Adar and him, so all he had to do was help things along a little, and everything would work out.
“Did you hear at least eight new omegas will be joining us?” Delton asked Oliver.
“I did. I’m so excited for them. They get to experience freedom too. I expect you’ll be busy.”
Delton nodded slowly. “Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Though not all of them will take me up on my offer.”
Oliver winced. Was that a dig at him? Adar’s relaxed posture had changed into something far more alert. “I know I never?—”
Delton held up a hand. “I’m sorry, Oliver. You owe me no explanation, let alone an apology. That was uncalled for.”
Oliver relaxed again. “Thank you.”
“I mean it. I’ll admit it’s hard not to take it personally, especially because I want to help you so badly, but the choice is and should be yours. It’s unfair and unethical to put pressure on you.”
“Would it help if I explained why?”
“Most likely it would, yes, but don’t feel like you owe me anything.”
See? That was why he liked Delton so much. He was gentle and respectful and owned up to his mistakes. Oliver took a deep breath. “In the beginning, it was the prospect of talking. Using my voice terrified me.”
“I can only imagine.”
“Plus, I didn’t know you. Everyone said you were kind, including the other omegas, but I wasn’t sure if I should believe them.”
“Delton would never hurt you, angel,” Adar said, and the simplicity of that statement brought warmth to Oliver’s heart.
“I know that now, but I didn’t before.”
Delton leaned forward. “Forgive me for saying so, but something tells me we haven’t hit the main reason yet.”
Oliver swallowed. “No.” How could he put into words what he felt inside, this fear that was so overwhelming that if he thought about it for too long, he couldn’t breathe?
Delton put his hand on top of Oliver’s. “It’s okay.”
