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Eli nodded and stood a moment later, walking into the kitchen. I could hear a package crinkling, and I had to fight not to roll my eyes, well-aware that he was going to get me food even though I’d just said I didn’t need any.
I turned back to Remus and Nic. “Have you learned anything else about Bella’s family?”
“No,” Remus sighed, shaking his head.
“And the Crescent Moon Pack?”
“Well…” Remus leaned back in his chair. “I’ll give you the abridged version of that. You missed the history lesson my mother gave us all earlier.”
Eli returned as Remus quickly went over the lore surrounding how all packs were formed. I’d never heard anything of it before, but neither had Eli nor Luna, so I didn’t feeltoobad about not knowing. I picked up one of the crackers Eli had brought me, breaking off a tiny shard to put in my mouth. “So you really think Bella is from one of the founding packs?” I asked, looking between the three men.
Remus shrugged. “As far as we can tell. It would explain why we’re having so much trouble getting in touch with someone, especially if they don’t want to be found.”
Nic nodded, looking grim. “We’ll keep Bella as long as we must,” he said before I could even ask. “There’s no way she’s going back to that place. If we can’t find her pack or any extended family, well…we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”
I hoped for Bella’s sake that was not a bridge we’d have to even approach. Having been raised without my family or my pack, it wasn’t a fate I wished on anyone. The cracker I swallowed tasted like ash, and I paused for a moment, wishing, or maybe praying, to whatever was listening out there in the universe that it was simply a matter of the Crescent Moon Pack being secretive. That someone out there would come for Bella.
Nic cleared his throat, shaking me from my thoughts. “Do you mind if I ask you a bit more about the facility? We’ve had little luck locating it, and I think its location is rather essential, especially given howhighyour subject number was.”
I could feel Eli tense up next to me, but I didn’t know what to say to make him feel better. I paused for a moment before nodding. As much as I didn’t want to continue recalling details, the idea of leaving the remaining shifters under Dr. Brenner’s tender “care” made my skin crawl. “Go ahead.”
“Is there anything you could tell us about the facility itself?” Remus asked. “Like…I don’t know, what it was made of? If you saw the outside walls when you escaped? That sort of thing. You said you thought it was a single-floor building, right?”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “At least as far as I could tell. No one ever brought me up or down stairs. The cells were all really stark. Imagine an insane asylum like they show you in the movies, but no padded walls.” I wrinkled my nose. “All white. No furniture. A prison toilet. Except these were made for shifters, so there was a silver chain in the center of the floor, and they hooked it to a silver collar.”
I paused, racking my memory. “There was a large window in the front of the room so they could look in on you. They were able to make it like…I don’t know, a mirror or something? So they could look in, but the faces looked fuzzy to you, or they could leave it like a regular window. I could see cells across from mine, and they all looked relatively the same. The entire hallway seemed to be lined with them. There were maybe eight on my end? And there were…I don’t know, other rooms. They had chairs like you’d see in a dentist’s office, but with leather straps so you couldn’t hit anyone.” I gave Remus a wry smile, not able to look at Eli. I could practically feel the tension radiating off him. “Those were the only two places I could see, though. There were other closed doors in the hallway, but the guards never answered me when I asked.”
“Were you able to talk to anyone else?” Nic asked.
I made a face. “Sort of. Dr. Brenner, the one I’m pretty sure was in charge, liked to hear himself speak. He’d answer me sometimes, but he never said much of value, if you know what I mean.” I sighed, rubbing my face. Just the memory of that man still gave me the creeps. “He told me I wasdefectivebecause of my heart, but he could stilllearn things from me.”
Eli growled beside me, and I felt gratified by the response, even if I felt a bit guilty. I knew what happened wasn’t my fault, but still. I didn’t like that I was the one causing him distress right now.
“The only one who did talk to me was Cyn, but…” I trailed off, my anger turning to something else entirely. My stomach did a somersault and my throat tightened. I had to take a sip of the water Eli had brought me. “They killed her. She already looked so weak when they put us in a room together. I don’t think they ever meant to keep her alive.”
“Demi is dead, too,” Eli said, resting a hand on my knee.
“What?” My head snapped around as I stared at him, my eyes wide in shock. “What do you mean? What happened?”
He sighed and shrugged. “Someone called Remus the morning after you disappeared.”
Remus nodded, his expression dour. “Her body was found near the city limits. Someone had killed her and dumped the body. We’re still trying to figure out who, exactly, though I’d be willing to put money on these Raven Brothers.”
I blinked, almost unable to believe what I was hearing. “Are you sure it was her, though? I spoke to her that evening. She said she was out celebrating with one of her friends.”
Remus gave a weary nod and Eli squeezed my knee. “We’re sure,” Remus replied, his expression somber. “Her parents identified the body.”
I blinked again, trying to fight off the burning sensation in my eyes. “Shit…” I whispered, staring down at the cup in my hands. “Shit.” First Ryan, and now Demi…I’d had a few close calls on cases before, but no one had everdied. It wasn’t as if I’d taken their lives myself, but…if I hadn’t been involved, they might still be alive.
“It’s not your fault,” Eli said quietly, squeezing my knee again.
“I know,” I whispered, but it still felt a little better to hear someone else say it. I cleared my throat. “I should…I guess I should tell her parents about Cynthia, too.”
Remus grumbled and shook his head. “I’ll handle it, Iris,” he said firmly, his jaw set. “They’re all members of my pack. I will tell them about Cynthia. You don’t have to worry about it right now.”
“I…” I wanted to argue. Sure, they were Silverstreak wolves, and Remus was the Silverstreak alpha, but it was still my case. I was the one who was supposed to bring Cyn home.
I had to stop myself.No, I was the one who was supposed to find out what happened to Cyn; I wasn’t even sure that she was still alive when I took on this case. I sure hoped she was, but…I never promised that.
