“Was it Shane?” I asked Nadia. She nodded and pulled my face closer to her ear so she could whisper. “My mother was killed by another man. Now that I know supernaturals are real, I think he was a warlock.”
I gripped her arm and squeezed for her to continue.
“His name was Duke Idris. He made her go insane.”
Hawke’s head snapped towards me, his eyes burning with fury. The air crackled with tension as he clutched his mate tightly. Delilah, lost in her own distress, remained oblivious to the chaos. The scent of anger hung heavy in the air, mingling with the faint aroma of deception. The revelation hit us like a punch to the gut—Duke Idris had been in cahoots with Shane Cunningham for much longer than we had ever imagined.
Hurting our mates’ families we hadn’t even met.
Delilah wailed again, and Nadia couldn’t take her crying. She got off my lap and went closer to Delilah. She looked at Hawke warily, unsure if to approach. Hawke let go of Delilah and nudged her to look at Nadia. Nadia pulled Delilah into a hug, squeezed her, and whispered into her ear.
“Not your fault.” It was barely audible for human ears, but those of us with animals heard it loud enough.
Delilah sniffed, wiping away a tear with the palm of her hand. “I think it is. Gods, I think it is, but I really didn’t mean to, Nadia, I swear it.”
Nadia raised an eyebrow, shaking her head.
“I knew your parents. They told me their daughter’s name was Nadia. I never found out your name. If I had, I would have made you come with me no matter what.” Delilah swallowed. “I heard your parents talking in Russian on the other side of Shane’s office door. They were on a cellphone whispering rapidly, taking pictures when I walked in on them. I used to talk to your mother a lot. She was so nice to me. I think she understood my—issues.”
“They were in Shane’s office, and I asked if there was something wrong, and in that same moment, Shane walked up and asked why I was opening the door into the office, and he saw what I was looking at and found them both inside, with his desk drawers open, papers strewn everywhere.”
I pulled Nadia to my side. She was stiff and unmoving as she listened.
“Shane stayed calm and had me escorted back to my room. I never saw them again after that. Nadia, I am so sorry.” Delilah buried her face in her hands and began crying again.
Hawke tried to comfort her, but Nadia raced toward her and threw her arms around Delilah’s waist.
“Not your fault.” Nadia shook her head. “Not your fault.”
Warmth filled my chest at how selfless and caring my mate was, but my anger bubbled beneath the surface that I did not do more to the asshole that was within my grasp just two weeks ago. I should have done more, made him suffer more.
Now we had to take care of Duke Idris, who was now in control of the East Coast and quite possibly working his way back to the west.
I peeled Nadia off of Delilah, brought her back to me, and inhaled her scent. “I can’t have you touching other people for so long. It will wipe my scent off of you.”
Nadia giggled, rubbing her face on my chest.
Hawke grumbled, his hand caressing Delilah’s stomach.
“Like I said, these shifters are something, right? Just wait until you get your marking bite, and you are officially mates, then it really gets crazy?” Delilah sniffed, wiping away a tear.
I froze, the hair on my neck standing up.
Looking up at me, Nadia’s eyes widened, and the lenses of her glasses reflected the bright sunlight. “What?” she mouthed.
Chapter Fifteen
Nadia
Notonce,buttwice,I was hit in the gut.
Delilah was not at fault for my parents’ demise. Delilah was a prisoner in her own home, and she had every right to open a damn door to find out a curious noise. It was my parents’ fault for not being careful enough.
Right now, I was more stunned about Bear.He was my mate?
All this time, I thought I was just the human he was protecting. The chemistry we both shared I thought that was all it was—chemistry. I’ve never felt a sexual or spiritual connection with anyone, but ever since I woke up, I’ve felt something towards Bear I couldn’t deny.
My heart would race every time Bear was near, and a warmth would spread throughout my body whenever our eyes met. It was as if an invisible force was pulling us together, intertwining our souls I had never experienced.
