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“We know who Phoebe’s biological father is,” Topher says, and all eyes dart to me. I look down at Ben’s hair instead of meeting the intrigued gazes, especially since I know the moment he drops the news those intrigued looks will turn to anger, and even hatred, instead.
I’ve tried to banish the words of Iris and her feelings over Ryan, and I suppose I should be grateful she listened to my mates and didn’t run to tattle to her parents about Phoebe’s lineage, but it’s hard. Her words were hurtful and very narrow-minded, and I’m dreading having to see her again.
“Who?” George demands, and I spy under my eyelashes to see how angry he seems. Julie’s face has paled, and she sits down so demurely in between her two mates. Charles places his hand on her knee, much like my mates would do for me.
“You’re going to like the answer even less than we did,” Ben says far too cheerfully. “Ryan Grey.”
“You are kidding,” Edward says, and I’m surprised to see his jaw has dropped. “Surely, not?”
“I’d say smell her, but Seb’s not going to let you get your nose that close to her,” Topher says with a smirk. He sits back in the chair, and I know the nonchalance he’s displaying is false based on the tension I can feel inside of myself. George, on the other hand, can’t control himself and rises to his feet, snarling under his breath as his forehead pulses angrily.
“How long have you known?”
“The questions are not yours to ask, Dad,” Topher says, going as far to tut at the man. “Instead, we’re going to talk about how there’s been a wolf that is not one of ours on pack lands for at least the last eight weeks. How there’s been numerous reports of pack members smelling and seeing rogues. The scent of them that hasn’t once been shared with the best tracker this pack has.”
“Just a regular old bloodhound,” Ben mutters, and I squeeze his shoulder to silence him. Based on the flash of amusement he feels, I don’t think it worked.
“Wait, what?” Edward asks, his head snapping over to look at his brother, but George doesn’t look away from Topher to meet his gaze. Edward looks back to his son, furrowing his bushy brows. “How do you know that, Christopher?”
“I’ve had it confirmed from multiple sources, Father. From Kyle’s words, that I gained via breaking a command from George, to the encounter we ourselves had.”
“You had an encounter, and you didn’t say something?” George hisses, stepping forward. “You’ve found one of these fuckers?”
Alex clenches his jaw, leaning forward. “There was a doctor working at Maia’s doctor’s office. A Dr Rory Thomas, who belonged to the Grey pack, and was very interested in my daughter,” Alex says. His tone is devoid of emotion, and there’s a bubbling anger building inside him. “He terrified my mate, and you all had to go on your little journey as it went down, and we couldn’t confront you.”
“Confront us over the rogue?” Edward asks. He’s tense and giving his older brother a very dirty look.
“Oh, no,” Ben says cheerfully. “It gets worse than that, Dad.”
George’s eyes widen, and he drops back down to his seat.
“Dr Thomas fed us a very big... theory regarding the death of the Grey pack’s alpha heir,” Alex continues.
“Ryan Grey is dead?” Edward asks before realisation hits. “Fuck. Ryan Grey is dead.”
“He is, Father,” Topher says, shaking his head at the surprised expression on his parent’s faces.
Are they that good of actors? Or are they genuinely surprised by this news?
“I don’t understand,” Charles says, turning to look at George. “This is your domain. Are you telling me you’ve had not a single report that there’s a wolf here that shouldn’t be? Because you’ve not once mentioned it to us, and yet, the boys here seem to think you knew all along.”
“No, they thought we knew all along,” Edward corrects, as Topher and Alex nod. “So, George, what have you been keeping from us?”
George frowns and looks over at me with some very strong emotions before turning to his brothers. “I think this is a discussion the three of us should have in private so that we can get up to speed.”
“No, it is most definitely not something you should have in private,” Topher says, shaking his head as he swings his leg up over his knee. He’s acting so blasé, as if this isn’t an issue at all. “The time for the secrets and lies is over, Dad. You knew that there was a rogue here, you’ve had numerous reports of scents and sightings from worried pack members, and you had one of our family under a vow to keep your secrets for you.”
Alex shrugs, cuddling me in closer to his side. “I’m not going to be part of a coverup, Dad. We’re not going to run the pack that way.”
“I did not know for sure,” George snarls, jumping to his feet. Topher’s up on his own just as fast, and it’s very clear to me which one is more of an intimidating presence.
Their wolves are strong, and I can feel an uncomfortable pressure in my chest as I drop my head to hide from the feelings that George is stirring inside of me. The bond with Topher, Alex, and Ben does little to help soothe the effects away, but my body can’t resist the instinctual need to protect ourselves.
They’re both extremely powerful men, that much is easily felt, and every instinct in me is causing me to hide away, to make myself small, to let them—George—know I’m not a threat.
It hurts, even just to sit here. It’s like ants are racing across my skin, as if my body is being dragged to the floor by a weight or some form of quicksand. I can’t control myself or fight back.
I’m a weak human in a room with terrifying werewolves.
