STANLEY POV We finally found it. It took us an hour, but we finally located the rat's tunnel. "This fucker has been at this longer than nine months," Benji snarls, and Dan grunts as we maneuver down the narrow path in a single file line. "This area doesn't have cameras, so the software couldn't spot him. He has probably been here since killing Hazel Layne," I mumble, and Dan looks over his shoulder at me. I nod, and he looks forward. "We always knew it was someone who they wronged," Dan mumbles back, and we fall silent. Each one of us is straining our ears in hopes of hearing our mate, but so far, we haven't heard anything. After another hundred yards of twists and turns, we reach a door. Benji pushes it open cautiously, and when he does, the scent of blood tainted with silver slaps us in the face. Thick puddles of dried and drying blood are on the floor under a chair, and in the pools are clumps of long hair. "Fuck. He is a savage," I growl as Dan scents the hair. "I
STANLEY POV The normal scents of our packmates mixed with blood is making the hairs on my body stand. I don't smell anyone else blood besides David, but that doesn't mean she didn't use her buddy's chemical mixture. "Guys," Dan calls, and my eyes snap to him. He looks at me, and a shiver runs down my spine. "I can't walk in silence. I have to hear my pack. My wolf is going crazy," he explains, and I nod while studying the wild look in his eyes. "Alpha," Lewis yells, and Dan jerks toward his title. Lewis comes stumbling into the living room, looking drugged, and I move toward him quickly. I wrap my arm around his waist, and he throws his arm over my shoulders. He gives a thankful nod before looking at Dan. "Where is she," Dan growls, and Lewis shakes his head. "Gone. She drugged us. The dose didn't put me all the way under. It just made me really wobbly. She tried to convince David to leave with her, but he refused. He said he would never betray his family. She started
TABITHA POV "Are you sure," I ask as Stanley walks me toward the house while holding my arm. He is acting like I am eighty-three years old and can't walk on my own, but I secretly love it. I feel dainty and protected for the first time in my life. "Yes. Lewis was conscious when she killed David. He heard almost everything. Gary Farce was her uncle, and his daughter was her cousin. That's all we know right now. She is awake, so we should get the whole story. Try to see past the friend we all trust. She will try to use her tears. She tried that on her mate, and he received a knife to the chest. I don't know how much of her friendship was fake, but she fooled everyone. Samantha is an absolute mess. She still won't accept that she did it,' Stanley says, and I begin to feel nauseous just thinking about hurting my mate. "I can't believe she killed him," I whisper, and Stanley sighs before nodding. His eyebrows furrow and his beautiful lips begin to frown. The pain in his e
STANLEY POV "All of us thought Hazel was guilty. Should Lauren really be blamed? One wrong after living in the Layne pack isn't abnormal. The pack suffered severe abuse," I say, and the official turns toward me with a stern look in his wise eyes. "I am here to judge—fairly judge. Your pack cares for Lauren. You know her and love her, but I do not. I see a woman who helped another woman be murdered. I see a woman who could have confessed her crimes to save her pack members when her uncle came threatening her. Especially since she found out the woman she had murdered was innocent! I see a woman who chose to save herself over everyone else. Your mates were lucky you found them. If you hadn't...Lauren would have gotten away with it all. Hazell Layne deserves justice. She was marked as a criminal before the council obtained the copies of her diaries. I read her personal accounts of what happened to her while in captivity, and if you all refuse to bring one of her killers to justice, t
TABITHA POV The smell of silver is thick in the air, and it makes my heart sink as I quietly step into the room my mother is staying in. The officials left yesterday after spending twenty-four hours with her, and they told us she needed at least two more days in bed. "Doing okay, mom," I ask softly as I spot her looking at me. She nods and pats the bed beside her, and I move to sit down. Sadness and anger grip my very soul as I look at the purple bruising all over my mother's face. I wish I could resurrect Gary Farce and put him through all the pain he caused us. Mariah killed him too fast, in my opinion. "Where is Andrew," she whispers, and I grin. "He called a few minutes ago. He is heading this way with all his stuff. Daniel sent half the pack to go pick up our stuff too. Samantha has been raising hell about the work on the mega house, and the timeline has been moved up. They want everyone under the same roof for safety reasons, and I agreed. I gave the okay for them
STANLEY POV I decide to move toward Tabitha as my brother and Sam come into the kitchen looking worn out. I want to be close to her just in case they say something upsetting. The past week has been full of high emotions, and I'm unsure how Tabitha feels. She seems strong and almost unaffected, but at any time, that might change. "Evening. Has Andrew arrived yet," Daniel asks, and I shake my head? "No, but he should be getting here soon. The guys got back from Tabitha's a little while ago. Benji and Mariah are spending time with Trevor. Finley is still explaining things to mom. She was talking about coming down, but Finley explained that we should focus on bonding within our pack," I relay, and he nods before sighing. Samantha moves to a stool to sit down, and Daniel opens the fridge. Tabitha gives her cousin a small smile, and I wrap my arm over her shoulders when Sam fails to return the gesture. I know Sam is grieving the loss of her friend, but Tabitha's kindness should
TABITHA POV "Bye, mom," I whisper as I place a rose on her freshly covered grave. Grief, pain, and longing twist my heart as I try to keep myself from breaking down again. It's been four days, and I still haven't accepted that this is really happening. I keep thinking I'm going to wake up, and there she will be. Happy and healthy. Every morning when that doesn't happen, I cry until I pass back out.I didn't help with any of the funeral arrangements. I couldn't bring myself to even think about it. When anyone would come to ask me a question, I would break down. My mother was my best friend. My entire life, it's been me and her against the world. Now she's gone. I have no family besides Sam, Angelica, and Stanley. I barely know them, and now they are all I have. "Sweetheart, do you want to ride back with everyone? They are about to leave. If not, that's fine. I was just going to let them know they didn't need to wait. We can walk home if you want," Stanley says gently from b
STANLEY POV I place my elbows on the counter and bury my face in my hands. It's been two weeks, and Tabitha hasn't gotten better. She barely eats. She hardly drinks...and she never smiles. I don't know how much more she or I can take. Watching her waste away is like slow torture. She has lost at least fifty pounds, and her face looks sickly. Hurst has given her repeated IVs, but they aren't helping much. The only food I can get her to eat is soup. Soup with barely any protein. I rub my face as I hear and smell Finley come in behind me. "Hard day," Fin asks, and I sigh as my hands fall to the counter. "I'm losing it, Fin. I don't know what to do. I don't know how to help her through this. It's like a part of her died with her mom," I explain desperately, and Finley nods while moving to the other side of the kitchen bar. He sits down on one of the stools and looks over my face with a calm expression. "You are doing everything you can. You are taking care of her the best