Before Forest reaches me, though, I can feel someone else loosening my ties. Alora is still weakened, but I take up a scent, a familiar one. So familiar. Before the ties are even loosened properly, I jump up, stumbling to my feet and turning around to see the man behind me.
“No way,” I whisper. “No way!”
I look right into the eyes of my cousin. Rory’s face is weathered. I don’t know how he spent the last years, but he has aged a bit; there are lines of worry and stress now marring his face. He is sporting a beard and has bulked up tremendously.
“Rosea,” he says.
“Is it really you?!”
“It’s me, Rosea,” he pauses. “Though I have heard you don’t like that name anymore.”
“It’s fine when you say it,” I exclaim, finally pulling myself out of my trance and wrapping my arms around him. Rory hugs me tight. “You are alive!”
“I am alive,” he says. “I am so sorry, I couldn’t protect you. Jordan wanted to kill me. Well, he almost did. Made a run for it and had to lie low. I always planned on getting you out of there, though. I am so sorry I wasn’t stronger, Rosea, so sorry.”
“Don’t apologize,” I mutter. “I am just glad you are alive.”
My only remaining family. Rory did not die! He probably did what he had to do to survive, just like I did, and amstilldoing.
“Griffin dug me up,” he explains. “I had heard rumors about Jordan’s ex-luna being mated to a new alpha, and well… the rest is history.”
“But where have you been all this time?”
“Pretty much stayed a rogue,” he says. “I had no backup. I did not expect Jordan to try to get rid of me so soon. I thought I had more time, but I underestimated him. I guess he saw me snooping around. I barely survived, then had to reorganize and try to find a way to get back at him and free you. But you were faster. You and Alpha Forest.”
“And Griffin found you?”
“Yes, he and one of your elders basically traced my last steps. I think they knew I wouldn’t be far if I were still alive. Over the years, I have made some acquaintances. Shady guys, sure, but they were helpful. They told me about Griffin asking questionsabout me everywhere. I guess it was a ploy to lure me out. It succeeded. I decided I just had to take the risk.”
“I am so glad that you did!”
“I am just so sorry, Rosea, that I wasn’t able to save you. He sounds miserable when he says it, guilt written all over his face.
“I know you did what you could,” I say quietly, wiping the tears from my face. “It’s not your fault, Rory. I should have believed you, but I was so stupid.”
“You were in love,” he says sadly. “He was your mate, Rosea. You wanted to believe him. You did nothing wrong.”
I disagree, but I also know that there is no use in arguing with him about it now.
“I thought you would maybe be safe for a while,” he tells me. “I had friends in the pack who told me they would protect you at all costs in case something happened to me. Marie, for example.”
I nod. “She was a great help.”
“Unlike…" Rory finally lets go of me, stepping past me.
I feel at a loss until I can feel Forest’s strong arms around me, pulling me into a warm hug.
“…someone else,” Rory finishes, his voice icy.
I follow his gaze, realizing it’s pinned on Clemmens, who is kneeling on the ground, eyes wide in utter shock. His stare snaps from Rory to Forest and me, back to Rory, and then back to us again. “How?” he whispers.
“What do you mean?” Forest sneers. “How we found Rory? You just heard the story. As for how we found Rose…” Forest still has his arms wrapped around me tightly, but now moves his hand into my bag, taking out a device and tossing it right at Clemmens. “We are not stupid,” he snarls.
“Do you really think I would have walked around without a backup plan in case something happened?” I ask quietly. “Forest is right. We are not stupid.”
I am not sure if he truly registers what Forest is saying; his eyes are pinned on Rory. “Rory,” he says. “You are alive. I thought you were… You are alive.” He gets up on his feet. Griffin looks like he wants to step in, but one glance at Rory and he takes a step back again, crossing his arms in front of his body.
“Rory.” Clemmens steps closer, his expression still one of disbelief. He reaches out his hand as if he wants to touch Rory. Rory has none of it, though. With one swift movement, he has slapped Clemmens so hard it sends him flying. I freeze, the wheels in my head turning. If he had punched him, it would be one thing, but he flat-handedly slapped him.
