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Maxim briefly explains where we’ve both been and what’s happened to Diana before treading into a few careful questions about his father. And the advisory council. And finally, Cam.
If Dara thinks any of the questions are strange, she doesn’t let on. Her tone remains helpful, upbeat, and concerned, until Maxim asks about Hermione. Dara hesitates and her volume drops until I have to strain to hear the faint drone of her words. Instantly, I know she’s delivering bad news and that it has something to do with me.
Maxim’s eyes jerk to mine, widening slightly before he regains control and looks away.
But it’s too late.
I already know something has gone terribly wrong.
I can barely force myself to wait until he ends the call with Dara before I blurt out, “What happened? Is Hermione hurt? Did my sister do it? Just tell me, fast. Like ripping off a Bandaid.”
“Hermione is fine,” Maxim assures me before amending, “She isn’t hurt. But Dara says she’s been acting strangely. More distant than usual. And that she said something last night at the pack meeting about considering other options if I don’t return and hard choices have to be made.”
“Other options like Bane and Kelley?” I ask, my stomach cramping, making me wish I’d stopped with one piece of pretzel bread.
Maxim shakes his head. “No. Kelley. Just Kelley. As queen.”
My eyes widen and my breath rushes out, but I’m not really surprised. Maybe this was always her plan or maybe she shifted course after I ran away. Either way, deep down I always knew my sister would rather be on the throne than working behind the scenes.
“But as far as I could tell,” Maxim continues, “no one there seems to realize that Bane is dead. They’re still thinking they’ll have to fight him to put Kelley in charge. And Dara said most people seemed pretty shocked by Hermione’s suggestion, even if it was couched in worst case scenario thinking.”
I curse. “Which means Cam could be responsible. He might have been loyal to Kelley, all along. Unless you think Hermione would turn on you of her own free will.”
He shakes his head. “I don’t think so. Not to support a stranger. But if Cam made her forget all the good things I’ve done and remember only the bad…” He sighs. “Then, yes, I could see her supporting someone like who Kelley appears to be well-intentioned on the surface.”
“Which means all the bad stuff is still in motion.” I pace away from the couch, dragging fingers through my still damp hair. “I have to talk to Kelley. At least try to make peace before this goes any further.”
“I agree, but…” He trails off, the wariness in his eyes making it clear whatever he’s thinking isn’t something I want to hear.
“Just tell me,” I say. “We’re a team now, right? That means we’re honest with each other, even when it’s hard.”
Maxim pulls in a breath, holding it for a beat before he nods. “All right. What about your mother and father? Are we sure Kelley hasn’t already gotten to them, too? She seems to have quite a network and is way ahead of us when it comes to strategy.”
I shake my head, earning a challenging look from Maxim. “No. No way,” I insist. “She hasn’t spoken to them in years and has no idea where they went when they ran. When we were talking at the camp, she hinted that she’d like to reach out to them, but I didn’t tell her anything. My gut kept insisting something was off with her, even before I found you.”
I pace faster, back and forth across the thick carpet as my mental wheels turn. “And Mom and Dad wouldn’t side with her. They know better. Kelley talks a great game, but we’re her family. We see through her in ways other people don’t. My parents would be able to tell that she’s gone off the deep end.”
I press my lips together, brow furrowing as I add, “Though honestly, I can hardly blame her, Maxim. Bane was so awful to her. Just relentlessly, psychotically abusive. She’s probably so traumatized she’s not thinking straight. If I can just get her on the phone or even better a video call, where she can see my face, I might be able to get through to her. Especially if I explain our plans to check your power as Alpha and that it was all your idea. She’ll see that you’re not like your brother and that there’s no reason for me to become a dark queen who feeds on your life force.”
“All right,” Maxim says. “First order of business after we shut down Cam and restore lost memories, we get you on the phone with Kelley.”
“You don’t sound hopeful,” I say.
“I’m not, but it’s worth trying. If there’s any path out of this that doesn’t involve all-out war and bloodshed, I want to find it.”
I nod. “Me, too. I don’t want our people to die. Or their people. They’re not all bad. A lot of them have just been manipulated and deceived by a very talented liar.”
“Two very talented liars,” he corrects.
“But now there’s only one of them left and Kelley isn’t crazy or a monster. There’s a chance we can reach her, Maxim. I believe that.”
And I do.
But an hour later, as Maxim and I leave the hotel dressed in our fancy clothes and order a car service to take us to a pre-arranged location to pick up my parents, who have just touched down at a private airfield outside the city, I can’t help feeling like I’ve missed something.
My gut insists I’m overlooking a vital piece of information, a piece of the puzzle that could doom our efforts before we even get started.
But no matter how I rack my brain, I can’t put my finger on it.
It isn’t until my parents emerge from the back of a limo behind a Bubba’s BBQ not far from the highway and rush to embrace me, happy tears in their eyes, that the light dawns.
My mother has kept her pack gift a secret from almost everyone—including my father.
My sweet dad has no idea his wife of forty years has been lying to him for nearly half a century. I’m either on the verge of dealing a serious blow to my parents’ marriage or watching my mother deny that she has the power to help save the world.
Either way, this reunion just got a hell of a lot more complicated.
