Riley shrugged. “My therapist says making friends is a good thing.”
“Verity seems like a nice person,” I nodded. “A really smart person.”
“Well, yeah. It makes sense that Grace would be from a family of fucking geniuses, or did you not meet her five-year-old sister who wants to solve an unsolvable equation?” Riley gathered up the pizza boxes.
“I should go find Grace.” I stood. The anger had stopped; now she just felt sad.
“If you were kicked out of the ward, maybe I’d have more luck?” Evan threw away his empty pasta dish.
Brennan stood. “I’ll go. If anyone wants to head back to the hotel, that’s fine. We don’t all have to be here. Also, they might not let everyone stay. I don’t know what the rules are.”
Riley’s head tilted. “I like actual beds. But let’s see how Grace is, first.”
That sounded like a good idea.
Evan pulled me back down with him. “Stay with me, Wes.”
How could I deny that? “Of course, I’ll stay.”
Maybe Brennan would have better luck.
Chapter Three
Grace
“Are you sure she’s actually dead? You know that helping a fugitive is a criminal offense?” The officer from the Office of Designation Management scowled at me.
“My brother said that she was dead. There was no reason to not believe him.” I scowled back. I was cold, tired, and hungry. My heart ached for Spencer. I wanted Wes and Evan.
Instead, I was alone, in a hospital room, hooked up to monitors, being questioned by someone from the Office ofDesignation Management. I’d already talked to the police and what was probably this world’s FBI. The agent from the Bureau of Investigation was still with us.
“Look, Grace,” she snapped. “We need to find Rosalind. Why don’t you just stop covering for her?”
“Covering for her?” What? The audacity. Anger exploded inside me. “I told you, she’sdead,okay,” I shrieked. “I was told that she was dead. No, I didn’t go and make sure. Why? Don’t you know what she did to me?”
I turned so she could see the scars lacing my back. “She had them beat me until I forgot my soulmate. I’dnevercover for her. She’s the literal reason I’m a gamma. She knew the professor was my biological father and that my being an omega was likely. No, I was never tested. Probably because it was obvious that I’d be an omega. I was making nests in the laundry when I was three. Three! You know who smells like laundry? My soulmate, who I started dreaming of when I was ten. A mate I’d really like right now. Not to mention I have another mate who might still be in surgery.”
Or dead. No. I think I’d know if he was dead.
I wanted my mates. Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm myself.3.14159265359
“What did Rosalind steal?” I looked up at the agent through blurry, tear-filled eyes.
She sighed. “You don’t need to know that.”
“Fine.” I turned to the officer. “How did Thora die? Why did Thora die?”
“Being a sigma is illegal. It didn’t hurt her. I promise,” the officer assured.
“That doesn’t make me feel better. I never even got to know her.” Yeah, I absolutely was going to help Spencer figure out how to make Elaris’ project to protect the illegal designations a reality.
“Now, can you just tell us the information I need?” the officer pressed.
“So, Thora was brought into the police because they thought she was her twin, or because they wanted to question her because of her twin and her brother. She gave me to Adriana, who turned me over to the baby shelter, who then gave me to Thora’s mom.” Who I supposed was my grandmother?
I frowned. “Thora’s released, then picked up again, and somehow it’s thought she was a sigma. You murdered Thora–and Thora’s dad and brother. At some point, Rosalind sneaks in, reaches out to Adriana Thorne, takes a payoff, makes me a fake record, and we disappear. Thora’s mom explains my disappearance by saying that she can’t take care of me, and I was put into care. Do I have the timeline right? Because I’m confused. Until a couple of days ago I thought Rosalind was my mom, not Thora, and I didn’t know who the professor was.” I might as well get all the information they’d tell me.
Especially if it could help me figure out how we got to my world.
