Chapter Fourteen
Quinn
If Quinn didn’tbelieve Kyllian was her fated mate before, she certainly did after spending hours in the car with him, talking and singing.She knew she sounded horrible, but Kyllian encouraged her to enjoy herself, so she did.She’d always loved music.It and books were the two bright spots in her self-imposed reclusiveness.She always wanted to go to concerts, but she had to make do with watching highlights of them on the internet.She would have loved to attend book signings and meet her favorite authors.Instead, she interacted with them via social media.She didn’t think she was ready to put herself out there with thousands or even hundreds of people just yet, but she would get there.
With Kyllian by her side, Quinn saw a bright future where she no longer hid from the world.First, she had to get through the next few hours of confronting her past.The one that caused her so many years of missing out on everything the world around her had to offer.If what he said was true, she had a large family waiting on her back in New York.Other mates who had trauma of their own to overcome.A ready-made clan who would welcome her with open arms.The one she was most excited about was Rory.Quinn didn’t remember her mother or the feel of an older woman’s open arms.
Not even when she ran off and became part of the Ozark pack for a few months had any of the females offered a mother’s love and affection.When Stewart welcomed her into the pack, Karen had been standoffish.She hadn’t been cruel, but it was apparent by the way she often scowled at Quinn she wasn’t happy with the situation.Had it been because she knew Blake already had a mate?Had she loved Bethany like a daughter and found what her mate and son plotted to be reprehensible?Quinn never met Bethany.She often wondered how the female handled her mate seducing someone solely for a dire offspring.How had she treated Nikita?Raising someone else’s child couldn’t be easy, especially under the circumstances.
The important thing was making sure Nikita was safe.Someone told her where the RC pack was, and Quinn didn’t believe whoever it was that sent the teen there had her best intentions at heart.Who would send a child off on their own into unknown shifter territory?Maybe Quinn would get answers to all her questions.Maybe she wouldn’t.If it weren’t for Kyllian, she would be worried about stepping foot onto Ozark pack land.Blake had threatened her life after all.
The GPS voice instructed Kyllian to take the next exit.That was Quinn’s cue to pay attention.She’d only woken a few minutes earlier when Kyllian shook her gently.As she’d done with the RC pack, Quinn had used satellite maps to locate the Ozark community.She never intended to return, but she still wanted to know exactly where her daughter was being raised.Quinn had been tempted many times over the years to fly south and try to get a glimpse of her child, but she’d been too scared.During their drive, Kyllian asked that Quinn let Kyllian go after Nikita alone, but she nixed that idea.Nikita was her daughter.Her responsibility now.She appreciated him wanting to protect her, but this was something she needed to do.To face her past.And her fears.
The area looked the same as it had eighteen years ago, and Quinn took a deep breath, attempting to quell her nerves.She doubted if Blake still lived in the smaller house where she stayed with him.It wasn’t large enough for a family of five, so she directed Kyllian to the house Stewart and Karen had called home.If Blake wasn’t there, Karen might be, and she could tell them where her son was.Kyllian pulled into the driveway.When he shut the engine off, he held out his hand and Quinn took it.“You ready for this?”
“If you weren’t with me, I’d say no, but I know you won’t let anything happen to me.”
Kyllian raised her hand and kissed it.“No, I won’t.”He removed the keys from the ignition and got out of the car.Quinn opened her door and pushed to her feet.The front door opened, and Blake stepped outside.
“Can I help— Quinn,” he seethed.“You shouldn’t have come back.”Blake partially shifted, and Kyllian stepped in front of her.Blake tilted his head back and howled.
“Shit.”Kyllian pushed Quinn behind him.“Where’s Nikita?”he asked.Quinn recognized the power in his voice.
Blake stomped down the steps.“She’s not here.You’ll never get your hands on my daughter.”
“You will tell me where she is,” Kyllian said with more force.
Shaking his head as though he could resist, Blake repeated, “She’s not here.”
“Blake, what’s going on?Who are these people?”a woman asked from the porch.
“Get back in the house, Bethany.”
“I’m Quinn Shepherd, Nikita’s mother.”Quinn stepped up beside Kyllian and crossed her arms over her chest, scowling at the female.Bethany’s eyes widened.
“You!”Karen walked out of the house and stopped beside Bethany.Before Quinn could blink, Karen shifted into her Wolf, her clothes ripping, and sprang from the porch.Quinn’s Wolf took over and met the smaller animal in the air.It was no contest.Quinn took Karen to the ground hard.
Blake howled again, and Kyllian yelled Quinn’s name.Quinn had no desire to hurt the female, so she used her larger frame to keep Karen where she was.Karen thrashed and growled, but she was no match for Quinn’s size or strength.Quinn growled, and Karen whined, baring her neck in submission.Quinn took a step back and returned to her skin.“I’m not here to hurt anyone.I just want Nikita.”
Shouts and growls came from several pack members as they raced to answer their Alpha’s call, some on two feet, most in their fur.
“Stop,” Kyllian commanded.“Don’t come any closer.”
The pack froze where they were, and Blake’s eyes narrowed.“Who are you?”
“Quinn’s mate.Like she said, we don’t want to hurt anyone.We came for Nikita.”
Blake gritted his teeth.“She ran away.I sent my betas to find her.”
Quinn’s claws came out, digging into her palms.“Who told Nikita about the River Canyon Pack?”
“That little bitch, Tarryn.”
“No,” Kyllian argued.“She only told her they were in New Mexico.Who told her exactly where they were and that Quinn was there?”
Blake’s face turned red.Looking around, his eyes fell on his mate.“Bethany, did you betray me?”
Bethany gasped.“What?No.I love Nikita like she’s my own.”