Frowning, David looked at his mate, “Because I found out everything the High Priestess told me was a lie. All they wanted was to use me for their own purposes.”
“And what did they have in mind for you?” Zane was curious, now.
“My mother was cleaning the High Priestess’s rooms when Michael was there. Everyone thought my mother had lost her hearing as the years went on. She hadn’t, of course, but she kept pretending she couldn’t hear anything they said to her, so everyone was used to writing out their instructions and orders. My mother is a very smart lady. Anyway, Michael and the High Priestess continued to talk about whether I was ready to do a job and the High Priestess assured him she had my total loyalty…all she had to do was to tell me the Four Gods wanted me to do it. They were laughing over how naive I was.
“In the end, Michael ordered her to make sure I knew how to bop into and out of a location. See, they wanted to use me to steal valuable things, like money, jewels and even top secret stuff. That night, my mother told me everything she heard. I was stunned. How stupid I had been to believe I was picked to save the world. If they had their way, I might even cause the end of it. I cried as my entire purpose in life came crashing down around me.”
“Why did you believe your mother when you’d been brainwashed to give your loyalty to the High Priestess?” Zane asked.
“I don’t know, really. Over the years we grew very close and she told me about so many wonderful things that were in store for me. And on the days which were very dark, I needed to believe something good would happen to me to make up for all my suffering trying to be worthy of the Four Gods.”
“So you made plans to run away together?”
“Yes. It took about a week before my mother had everything in place because the main problem was how to unlock the iron collar and cuffs on me. She was finally able to find where the keys were, so one night she brought them and tried them to make sure they were the right ones. Once that problem was solved, the next was the money we needed to eat and find shelter. I remembered there was an offering box in the Church of the Four Gods and I knew that would be enough because everyone was always dropping money into it. Finally, we decided to leave Friday night because everyone at the convent went to a special service at the church. I didn’t know this but my mother did.
“Once I was chained up for the night, my mother joined the rest of the convent as they walked to the church. Inside, she sat in the back, near the door and when the service started, she snuck out and went back to free me. We ran from that place; I headed to the church to wait for the service to be over while my mother disappeared into the woods.
“Everything went according to plan; I stole the money later that night and then faded into the darkness. I finally reached our meeting place but, as you know, my mother wasn’t there. Eventually I made my way to Scotland where I ran out of money. Morgan found me and took me inside. He saved me when I was freezing to death.”
Zane was astounded at David’s recital of how he escaped his hell and proud his mate had survived in a world he knew nothing about after living in a prison all those years. “Babe, you are the strongest man I know. I doubt I could have survived half of what you did.”
“But I didn’t really escape, did I,” sighed David. “Somehow they captured my mother and found out who she was, and now I have to do what the High Priestess tells me to do or they’ll kill her.”
“What do they want you to do?”
“What I said before. Steal stuff.”
“Have you done any of that yet?” Zane asked, quickly following up with, “No judgment here, babe, I’m just trying to understand what their plan is.”
“No-o-oo, I haven’t yet. The men who were supposed to give me my instructions have disappeared and I think that’s why those men are after me.”
“Who was supposed to give you the information?”
“Feris and Hook…the same men who took Slate.”
“How did you know about that?” asked Zane.
“I was there when Feris came into the pub, dressed as a cop. He told me if I said anything to anyone about him, he’d have my mother killed so I didn’t. I thought they’d tell me what I was supposed to do last week but when I didn’t hear anything, I tried calling him but he never answered. When I saw Slate at the pub with you, I panicked, because no one ever escapes from them and I wondered how he got away. Michael made sure I understood what they would do to me if I ever crossed them.”
“Oh shit!” exclaimed Zane. “Feris and Hook were killed when Slate was rescued. What will the High Priestess do now?”
“I’m not sure. I know Michael was one of the wolves who attacked us at Brian’s cottage.”
“Good to know. His life will be short.”
“Oh, no! You can’t hurt him or my mother will be killed. The High Priestess made it very clear if I tried to do anything other than what I’m told to do, my mother will pay the price. Please Zane, promise you won’t do anything.”
“Babe, take it easy. I promise I won’t put your mother in jeopardy, but I do intend to rescue her. In the morning, I think it is time to go back to the hotel and tell my brothers everything so they can come up with a plan to save your mother.”
“I’ve been trying to figure out a way but so far, I just don’t know how to do it!”
Taking his mate into his arms, Zane caressed David’s back, soothing him. “Hush, babe, we’ll figure it out. Cody’s mate Dylon is the best at making rescue plans and I know he’ll know what to do so we can save your mother. How about we get some sleep and tackle Operation Freedom in the morning?”
David nodded, hoping that maybe, just maybe, there’d be an end to his nightmare.
Chapter 26
Zane rubbed his cheek against David’s soft hair, inhaling his scent. His mind wandered to the life his mate had lived—the suffering, the pain, the evil—he survived it all and came out on the other side, now entrusted to Zane’s care. Humbled—that was how he felt—that he’d been chosen to protect and love such an extraordinary shifter, he closed his eyes and thanked the Fates, vowing to be worthy of such a gift.
