"He's running things so we could slip out to attend this meeting. He had to get rid of the other car you left by us."
"Tell him thanks."
He nodded. "I will."
Flynn got into the driver's side of the car. Harrison and Flynn shared a look.
"How are your friends?" Harrison asked. "The ones who got injured," he added. I had to wonder ifhewanted to know or if he was asking the question for Flynn.
"They're okay. James was a little roughed up. His worst injury was a broken rib."
"And the girl?"
"We weren't sure if she was going to recover but she has woken up," Crystal answered. "So far she seems to be okay." As she spoke, I saw Flynn's gaze settle on her. There was the briefest flash of something that looked like anger and sadness before it vanished.
It would be best for him to leave and for Bay to get back to her life before the Keepers had shown up. Flynn's eyes lifted and caught mine. It was hard not to show him my dislike for him.
It still didn't feel right that we were on the same side now. "We will talk again," he said to me before he shook my hand, his grip strong and firm.
"Stay strong," Harrison said before giving my mate an embrace.
We all stood shoulder to shoulder and watched quietly as the two Keepers left. It was only when the gate closed behind their car that the silence was broken.
"That was intense," Blake said, rolling his shoulders. Keri nodded beside him.
"I don't trust Flynn," Cade said, voicing what we were all feeling.
"None of us do. But we trust Harrison."
He was in charge so it gave me hope. Crystal stood beside me, lost in her own thoughts. I put an arm around her shoulder and she looked up at me.
She was the most important person in my life and if making an alliance with Keepers was the only way to keep her safe, I would do it.
Crystal
I felt sad watching my father leave. Again I would not have the time that I wanted with him to get to know him and to hear stories about my mother. It was bittersweet.
"I never thought I would see him again," Claire said softly beside me.
"Why did you tell me he was dead?" I asked, turning to her. Kyle looked between the two of us before he released me.
Cade and Blake were talking as they walked with their mates back inside the house. Kyle followed, giving Claire and me a chance to talk.
Her eyes softened as she took my hands into hers. Despite the fact that no blood tied us, she had been the person who had nurtured me through my life, being the person to listen and advise where she could.
I loved my adoptive parents but when I had been frightened by the new and unknown side effects of being half a Keeper, Claire had been the one I had trusted. No one else.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, and it was hard not to tear up.
"Why?" I asked, needing to understand it. All those years of thinking of my parents were dead. It seemed so cruel.
"Your father made me promise I wouldn't tell you," she revealed. It didn't make me feel any better. "He thought that if you believed he was still alive, you could endanger yourself by looking for him."
I would have.
"He said you had to believe that both of your parents were dead."
Logically I knew it was the right decision to withhold that from me but it didn't ease the feelings of loss and betrayal.
