“Answer the question, Kinsley.Why did you all plot to take my daughter?”
Kinsley wrapped her arms around her waist and paced the living area of the suite.She muttered to herself about stupid betas and bad ideas.She stopped in front of the sofa and plopped down, rubbing her temple.When Kinsley raised her head, there was resignation in her eyes.“Mercy hates you.And Blake.Before you came along, Stewart promised Mercy’s parents she and Blake would be mates.We all grew up together in the pack.Hung out and went to school together.Everyone knew Blake would become Alpha one day, and Mercy had her sights on being the Alpha mate.For Mercy, the sun rose and set with Blake.Her parents assured her it would happen, but then Bethany and her family moved to the area, and Blake fell in love.Said Bethany was his fated mate.”
Kinsley rose and went to the table where bottled water sat alongside an ice bucket.She unscrewed the lid and swallowed half the bottle down.Instead of returning to the sofa, she sat at the dining table and set the bottle down, picking at the label.“It caused dissension in the pack.Mercy went from riding the high of thinking she’d be Blake’s mate to disrupting everyone’s lives.Mercy’s family was well loved, but Stewart gave Blake anything he wanted.When Blake told Stewart Bethany was it for him, Stewart went to Mercy’s parents and basically paid them off if they promised to keep Mercy in line.Blake and Bethany completed the bond after high school with plans to take over the pack one day, but you came along.”
Quinn walked over and sat down across from the other female.“That’s something I never understood.If Bethany was his fated mate, why did Blake seduce me?Now having a destined mate myself, I could never be with anyone else.”
“Stewart demanded it.When he found out you were a dire wolf, he ordered Bethany to stay away while Blake convinced you the two of you were mates so there would be a dire wolf in their family.Up until you arrived, dire wolves were a thing of the past.We didn’t know they still existed.I honestly don’t know what Stewart thought having one in the family would do.Anyway, he told Blake if he didn’t follow orders, he would never become Alpha.I don’t know all the details, and I don’t know how Mercy found out either.But not only had Bethany come along and taken Blake from her, she saw you as the enemy as well.She followed you when you went after Nikita.She followed you back to your apartment, then she kept tabs on your every move.”
“But why?With me in New York, I was no threat to her.”
“No, but you had something she didn’t – Blake’s child.She became obsessed.”
“I take it the two of you are close if you know all this.”
Kinsley smiled, but it was sad.“No.To Mercy, I was another female she felt she was in competition with.She and Jeremy were always close, and when we mated, I took up most of his time, and she resented me for it.Anyway, none of us respected Stewart when he demanded Blake seduce you, and when you took Stewart down, we were hopeful you’d stay and become Alpha.When it was apparent you weren’t coming back, Blake took on the role.”
“And no one challenged him?If they didn’t like what he and his father did, why would everyone sit back and let things remain as they were?”
Kinsley tapped her nails on the glass-top.“Nobody wanted the responsibility.Quite a few families left to start their own pack somewhere else while ours was in flux.Blake waited almost three months to ensure you weren’t coming back.He was an alpha, but you?You’re an alpha dire wolf.He wouldn’t stand a chance against you.”
Kyllian crossed the room and stood behind Quinn, placing his hands on her shoulders.“So what was the plan?Why does Mercy want Nikita so badly?”Kinsley downed the rest of the water.As a stall tactic, it was effective.“Kinsley,” Kyllian put a little force behind the name.
She blew a strand of hair off her face and clasped her hands together.“Revenge.”
When Quinn’s body tightened, Kyllian rubbed his thumbs across her nape.
Kinsley explained, “Mercy thought by sending Nikita to the River Canyon pack, Quinn would storm the pack and be taken out, then Mercy could swoop in and play both hero and mother to the girl.Their parents were among those who left the Ozark pack and started somewhere new.She was planning on taking Nikita there after this was all over.”
“But how did Mercy know where the RC pack was located?I only ever told Stewart and Karen,” Quinn said.
“Mercy befriended Karen when her parents left.When I say she’s been plotting this a while, I mean years.She sympathized with Karen over you killing Stewart.Convinced her Nikita was going to turn on the pack.Turn on her father.Karen had lost a mate, and she wasn’t willing to lose her son as well, so she went along with Mercy’s plan.”
“How do you know all this, and why did you go along with it?”Kyllian asked.
“Mercy might not like me, but she trusts Jeremy.He loves his sister, but he didn’t agree with her, so he and I decided we would do whatever it took to keep Nikita from harm.She’s really a great kid.Super smart.”
“Was it really Scott who told the River Canyon pack where I was, or was that all Mercy lying again?”
“That was Scott doing Mercy’s bidding.He’s tried for years to get her attention.When you turned to Blake, Scott was upset, same as Mercy.They bonded over their mutual heartbreak.But where Scott got over it and moved on, she didn’t.She used Scott’s affection against him.Strung him along all these years.The idiot couldn’t see she was playing him.”Kinsley’s phone beeped, and she looked at it, then at Kyllian.
“Read the message aloud.”
Kinsley fumbled with the device.Her eyes widened, and she cleared her throat.Turning the phone around, she showed them the screen.
Jer:It’s over.I won’t go to jail for Mercy.I’ll meet you there in twenty minutes.
“What does that mean?Where’s Nikita?”Quinn slammed her palm down on the table.
Kyllian’s phone rang, and he pulled it out of his back pocket.Another unknown number.Please, Zeus, let her be okay.“Hello?”
“Hey, Dad.I’m at the New Tulsa mall in the security office.I ran into a little trouble.I’m okay, but can you come get me?”
Kyllian squeezed Quinn’s shoulder.“Hey, Trouble.Your mom and I will be there soon.You sit tight.”
“I will,” she choked out.“Thanks.”The line went dead, and Quinn shoved out of her seat.
“Let’s go.”She headed for the door, but Kyllian told her to hang on a second.