“Why is it that Creed and Cole are at odds with their wolves.” Davina smiles broadly and that look sends shivers down my spine.
“Wolves are born to lead; therefore, they will always want to outrank their parents. Since coming to this island both my sons are unaware that their wolves can sense the shift in power here. Their wolves are trying to stake a claim at dominance over each other.”
“But why? Creed is the alpha not Cole.” Davina shakes her head.
“You don’t get it, Creed is alpha of the pack, yes. But here on this island I rule, so to break it down for you, my son’s wolves are trying to fight each other because they want the power I hold. If Creed had succeeded the other night and killed Cole, his wolf would have demanded him to challenge me for my role. It’s all a power game for males, and that is why they will never succeed without a woman.” I slouch back in my chair shocked silent.
“That isn’t everything though, is it?” I furrow my brow at Ro’s question.
“Very perceptive you are Cairo, no it isn’t. Creed is used to leading and his wolf not having the power of ruling over everyone is making him angry. I will not relinquish my leadership of my people, I want everyone to train together so their wolves can get used to the shift in power. Creed and Colton will have to work out their struggles themselves.”
“Okay, now what are you not telling us?” Shelley releases a long exhale and stiffens at Zeke’s question.
“I don’t know what you mean Zeke.” Z scoffs and rolls his eyes.
“Let me spell it out for you then, why are the council coming after us?”
“Because they want Jess, I assume of course.”
“Cut the shit Davina, what the hell did my dad tell our mom, and why the hell are the council really coming after us? It’s not because of my sister, if it was, they would have backed off the moment she accepted the role as alpha to both packs.” Davina cuts her gaze to Shelley and cocks a brow.
“Did you want me to tell them…or?” Shelley growls low in her throat.
“Shut up Davina.” A cruel smirk graces her face as she tuts Shelley.
“Tell them or I will, I will not risk my people because of you!”
“Fuck you, this is all your fault! They would have been safe if it wasn’t for your fucking son pulling Jess back into all of this shit!” Huh, what the hell are they talking about?
“He did what he thought was best in order to deter the council and Jacob from destroying his pack.”
“His bullshit led her here and brought Cairo back, he was fucking free Davina. I did everything to conceal them after Austin died and your son ruined everything, all my hard work…” Shelley snaps her mouth closed and turns shocked eyes to me and Ro, my mouth hangs open. I can see out of the corner of my eye how stiff Ro is, low growls begin to tumble out of me but stop when a dark chuckle escapes him.
“It’s you, isn’t it?” Shelley shakes her head; tears begin to cloud her brown eyes.
“I can explain––“
“You gutless swine.” His dark words leave me shaking.
“I did it to protect you.” My breaths are coming fast, for the first time in a long time Sheba stirs inside me and she’s begging for me to let her out.
“Oh, do tell us how you protected us. We are dying to know how ditching a baby with their aunt and letting a small child fend for themselves is protecting us,mother.” I spit the word mother at her like it burns my tongue. This whole freaking time Shelley was right under our noses, sitting here and staring at her I feel nothing but anger and disgust. “You know, you and Davina are a piece of work, you both fucked the same man and abandoned your kids for your own gain. Mothers of the year the pair of you.”
“I did all of this to protect you! I made sure Cairo was safe and that you and Katharine got away. I kept the council from finding both of you.” Ro slams his fist down on the table causing Shelley to jump and clamp her mouth shut.
“You did that for you, not us. You left us behind and let us believe that you were dead!”
“I did that to protect you both, Cairo there is so much you don’t know––.”
“Then explain it to us, because right now I have the right mind to get my son and mate and get the hell off this island. What the hell is it with wolves and lying, just tell the freaking truth for once goddammit!” Shelley releases a whoosh of air as she stares at me and nods.
“Please just hear me out first Jess. The night your father was killed he came to me and told me to have both you and your brother ready to run. He said he needed to meet with Jacob first and if he wasn’t back within the hour I was to take the both of you and run. I did as he asked but before the hour was up Dela and Phillip showed up with tag a longs, I sent Cairo to his room and put you in your crib, I thought if I was to die that night then I didn’t want my children to see it. Dela slipped me a note and told me if I went with the others, he would make sure that you and Ro got to your aunt and uncles safely. I did as he said and left, the council tried to get information from me for months, but I wouldn’t say a word. I thought I had lost everything, Dela got word to me that Cairo wasn’t in his room and that Kat had fled with you. I was also informed that there was a car wreck on the news and it was Kat’s car, years later I learned that she had staged the whole thing so the council would believe she had died. I had no idea that Cairo had gone in search for your father that night to get help.”
“Why join the council then?” Cairo asked the question that had been burning a hole in my mind.
“They didn’t give me a choice; it was either I join them, or stay their prisoner, so I thought to take them down it was better for me to be on the inside. I learned a lot by staying quiet and just watching as they worked. I was never allowed to attend their meetings nor did they keep me in the loop on the plans they discussed, but Dela was my saving grace. He was there for me when he didn’t have to be, he was the one who helped me track your where abouts. We watched over you both for years, as time went on, I began to gain the councils trust so I was given permission to attend pack meetings and go to packs to visit. Well, I was there Dela, and I would meet with members of the pack that hated the council and get information and try to build our own army.”
“What changed?” Her eyes begin to turn sad as she stares at me. “Credence Reeves changed everything. I did everything I could to get him to give up on the myth of the alpha destined to lead both packs. He is persistent I give him that, I knew he and Cairo were searching for you and I couldn’t let them find you. I would get word to Katharine, and she would pack you up and move, but luck ran out when Creed found you and gave Kat no choice but to bring you back to Rosewood.”