Why do you need to know if it was before or after?Nix question stopped us.We have to help him still; he has a pup, a mate.
Because I need to know if he betrayed Shelly. I need to know if he did this intentionally or if he was forced into it.
Would it change anything?I asked her.
Megan looked back at me.It would tell us if we can trust him.
Nix scoffed.A little late for that, isn’t it? We already showed him our cabin, our pup.
The words hit me in my gut, but Megan nodded.Exactly, we need to know if we have to move them.
“He lured me in. He was nice at first…too nice. But I thought he was friends with Amy's dad. I mean…” He looked at me with a pained expression and groaned. He doubled over and then shook.
“What’s wrong with you?” Megan walked as close to the bars as she could without touching.
Rick groaned and rolled over and we all watched the rune on his next burn bright. The skin around his neck bubbled, and blood poured from his lips. Then, like a switch, the light was gone, and Rock was left panting in a pool of his own blood.
“The rune, it was burning though the rest of the excess power. When I stop using it, it purges the rest of the magic from my system, so I can’t use it against Vince. Like a safety net.”
“It’s killing you.”
“I know…but it was the only thing I could do.”
“What are you talking about?”
Rick sighed. “Vince pulled me in. Got close to me. Told me his secrets, because he thought I was sold. But he didn’t know Amy’s dad was my friend. My benefactor. So when I refused to help him with her dad’s security. I woke up with the rune carved into me.”
“Then you are on his side.” Megan snarled.
But Rick just shook his head. “No…I still refused. But then Abby came home sick, and I knew I was toast. I had to play it smart. Her dad always told me to be smarter than anyone else in the room.” He shook. “I had to be, or else my little girl was dead.”
“So this was all an elaborate lie? How is Amy supposed to believe you? How is she supposed to know that you didn’t run to Vince with her secrets?”
Rick sighed. “I have no way of making her believe me. I can make a vow…I can tell her absolutely everything. Shelly already knows it all.” He leveled a look at me. “I’ve been training her to break into Vince’s system since her first day. She’s ready. She just has to find the back door I created, and then the entire system is hers.” He pushed up off the ground. “I’m really sorry you’re in here. Even sorrier you’re going to die. I promise I will tell her the truth as soon as she gets back.”
“You’re going to let me die here?” Megan let her words sound incredulous.
Rick walked to the bars. “I don’t want you to die. But I have no way of getting you out of here without being seen or found out. If I could save you and only lose my own life, I would do it. You don’t deserve to be here…”
“But?” Megan cut in.
“But I have a pup and a mate who would be executed if I went against Vince.” He grabbed the bar and I heard the sizzle of his skin against the silver. “I can’t risk them. I hope you and Amy will understand that.” He pulled back and turned away.
“Wait!” Megan called after him.
He turned. “The guard is coming back in a minute. Be quick.”
“Will you come back to speak with me?” She tried to get close. “I have so many questions.”
Rick looked back to the door. “I can try. But Vince doesn’t like random people coming in here.”
“Then why did you come in now?” Megan pushed.
“Because…” His shoulders sagged. “Because I felt like a monster and I felt like I needed to explain. If I could have let you go, I would have. But I can’t risk them.”
Megan sat back. “You came to ease your guilt?”
He shook his head. “Guilt has become my best friend. There is nothing I could do to ease the guilt at this point. I just felt like I needed to explain myself to you. If that makes any sense.”He raised his shoulder. “I listen to where the Goddess points me now. I stopped asking questions a while ago.”
