“How did Frannie become Hyacinth?”Hamish asked.
Donnel glanced down at the real Hyacinth, the blatant love and protectiveness in his gaze unmistakable.“I struck a deal with Faegan to rescue her.”
“Rescueher?”Hamish asked.“She was his mate!”
“Not willingly.”Donnel glared at his brother.“Consider yourself lucky I gave you a heads-up to leave.I didn’t have to do that, you know.”He helped Hyacinth into a chair before pulling one up for himself close to her, positioning himself at an angle between her and the other shifters.
Ken stared at them.“What the hell happened?How did the two of them get switched around?”He finally found his legs again and stood, rounding the desk.“And do you know where Bryn or Callum are?”
Donnel flinched but said, “No.I don’t know where they are.I haven’t seen Bryn in decades.”He glared at them.“I planned to ask why the hell we’ve been brought here without any explanation, but I think I’m starting to see.”
“I won’t go back to him,” Hyacinth softly said, clutching Donnel’s arm.“Iwillkill myself before going back to that fucking bastard.”
“Now, don’t fash yerself,” Badger gently said.“Yer not goin’ anywhere right now, but especially not back to Faegan.In fact, we’re all huntin’ him.”
“Why?”Donnel asked.
“Because he upped his fuckery,” Hamish said.“He’s hurt a lot of innocent people.”
Donnel snorted.“Same shit, different day, is what you’re saying?The only thing that bastard’s good at is hurting innocent people.He excels, in fact.”
Ken couldn’t help staring at the man.This was his grand-uncle.
Anothergrand-uncle.
Not even two years ago, he thought he had no blood relatives.Now, here stood two of his mother’s three uncles.
He didn’t want to meet the last one, although he hoped Bryn was still alive.
His grandmother.
Ken heard the kitchen door open.A moment later Dewi appeared, coming to a stop in the office doorway.“Whoa.How long exactly was I asleep?”
Badger chuckled.“Carbry and Bob just returned wi’ ’em.Found ’em in Montana.”
“That’swhy you wanted two of my Primes and wouldn’t tell me jack squat.”She stepped into the room and closed the door behind her.Then she spotted Hamish, how he stared at Donnel, and she realized Ken was present, too.“Waaaait a minute?—”
“They’re Donnel and the real Hyacinth,” Ken numbly said.
“Holy crap!Hey, by the way,” she added, “I say swears don’t count for the swear jar when the baby’s not around.”She circled her finger at the couple.“Especially in cases of extreme shock and awe regarding revelations of long-missing relations.”
Badger rounded the desk and took the chair behind it, where Ken had previously sat.Ken closed his laptop and slid it to the side before stepping back.His mind…
Reeled.
This has been an eventful month.
Ken stared at Donnel again.“You didn’t answer my question,” Ken said.
“I told you I don’t know where they are,” Donnel said.
“How did Frannie end up thinking she was Hyacinth?”
Donnel’s jaw tensed.Duncan walked past Ken and put his hand on Donnel’s shoulder.The man’s posture immediately relaxed, but Ken knew what Duncan was doing.
He used his Prime on him.
“Time for the truth,” Duncan said.“Start from the beginning.”
