Red spots my vision.
Adela doesn’t go inside though. She takes a shaky breath before tilting her chin up in defiance, her hand protectively on her belly. “I deserve to know what’s going on.”
“You know me, Addie.” I raise my hands in a placating gesture. “You know what I stand for. And you know they’ve been keepin’ somethin’ from you. You…you can come with us.” The words are out before I can think better of it.
The click of a gun has me turning my attention back towards Vander. It’s pointed straight at me. “You won’t hurt her. You can’t take her from me.”
Hurt her? Why would he think I wouldhurther?
Sam curses, moving his aim between Vander and Xavier. “Put down the gun,now!”
“Vander, no!” Adela shrieks, running down the porch steps. “No, this is my friend! The one I was telling you about! She protected me and the baby. She would never hurt me.”
“Fuck, Adela,” Vander curses, hastily putting the gun away and rushing to meet her before she can get too close. “How can I keep you safe if you run into danger?”
I look at Vander in confusion. This…this doesn’t match what we assumed. There’s only tenderness and love in his eyes when he looks at my best friend, and I’m having a hard time connecting what she told Hayden to what I’m seeing in front of me.
Xavier sighs like we’re all being dramatic. “Adela. Go back inside. Vander. Come here.”
I watch as Vander stiffens slightly before he presses a kiss to the top of Adela’s head and whispers something in her ear. She nods, shooting me a tearful look before he gently pushes her to go back inside.
He returns to his father, and suddenly it all makes sense. Vander loves her, but he’ll never choose her over his father. Either that or…Xavier is holding Adela’s safety over Vander’s head.
“Lower your gun, boy.” Xavier orders Sam.
Sam snorts. “Not a chance,Prometheus.”
Xavier only shrugs, showing no surprise at the fact we know his alias. “If it makes you feel better, keep it out. It won’t do anything, though.”
“I’m pretty sure it’ll put a bullet through your eyes if I aim right.”
Xavier clicks his tongue. “Ah, but you wouldn’t do that, would you? Not when I’ve been searching for the five of you for so long. I’ve been lookingsolong, in fact, that I was able to stop by your dad’s place and introduce myself.”
My blood chills, and Sam pales. “You’re lying.”
“Lovely man, Samuel Wright, for an alpha. He was so worried about you too. Couldn’t understand for the life of him why his precious, perfect son would run off with a patient. He was so thankful when I told him we were hoping to settle the matter internally rather than go to the police.”
“Fuck you,” Sam spits.
“The men I’ve stationed nearby know to engage in the kill order if they don’t hear from me by midnight. So I would beverycareful if I were you.”
Vander’s mouth gapes open, shock and confusion written across his features. “Dad?—”
“Shut up, son.” Xavier snaps.
“What do you want from us?” My voice is shaky, and I hate it. Terror turns in my stomach at the idea that Sam could lose his dad because of me.
“You seem to have something that belongs to me. A scientist by the name of Walter Brooks. I want him back in one piece andalive.” His expression is hard now, giving way to his true emotions. He may have been acting unbothered a minute ago, but now it’s clear just how angry he is.
I wonder if he knows we killed Richard Pierce.
“We do not have the scientist,” Kole snips. “He would not fit in our pockets, would he?”
“That may be, but you know where he is and how to get him for me.”
“What about Whitmore?” Sam asks, his jaw tight. “Surely he knows just as much as Brooks.”
“Whitmore is underground at the moment, something he will pay dearly for when I can find him,” Xavier grits out. “HimandSenatorKinsley. As it is, I have a timeline to keep, and a room of useless servers at Thornfield becausesomeonewiped them out. I need Brooks back. But…I’m willing to make you a deal.”
