Page 68 of These Dangerous Fates

“Sam told me.” She looks at Sterling for a moment before taking another sip of coffee. “He said Noah Martin wasn’t ordered to kill me. He was the one who ordered it.”

Sterling sits up straight in his chair, his icy blue eyes pinned on Ellis. “What do you mean?”

“Sam found a document in Noah’s desk,” she answers. “I don’t know what kind, but basically, it said I was Noah’s child. Along with my sister.”

Silence meets her statement as we all let it settle. Holy. Shit. That would explain why Ellis and her sister weren’t mages.

“Does Thomas know?” Cade asks.

Ellis shrugs. “I have no idea. It would make sense if he does. I mean, what kind of father would treat their daughter the way he’s treated me?”

She sounds so bitter, and I absolutely hate it. It’s not just Sam who has hurt her. Thomas Kennedy needs to pay as well.

“Why would Noah want to kill Ellis, and her mom and sister?” Cade asks Sterling.

“Ellis and her sister would be a threat to his rule.” Sterling says, looking at Ellis intently. “They could challenge him and take his position as alpha. Not to mention my mom could use that knowledge of his affair to get a divorce, which would give me the opportunity to step in without the threat of him hurting her or my brother.”

“Ellis could be a threat even if she has no magic?” Cade asks, brows furrowed.

“It’s not common, but it has happened in turbulent times. And, currently, the pack is struggling under his rule.” Sterling sighs, a heavy weight settling on his shoulders. “He’s not a good leader. Many of the older pack members see how corrupt he is and what he’s doing to the pack. They don’t agree, but there isn't much they can do. He’s too powerful for any of them to challenge.” Sterling rubs his jaw as he thinks. “Ellis would be able to challenge him, and he knows that. Despite her not having magic, there is always a chance she would win. Any threat to his rule, he eliminates.” He gives us a bitter smile.

Sterling was a threat to his rule, and Noah made sure he wouldn’t be a problem by kicking him out of the pack.

“So he decided to kill us,” Ellis says quietly.

Sterling’s eyes dim as he stares at her. I know him being a part of that night will haunt him for the rest of his life. As will his choice to not tell her.

“Are we sure we trust this?” I ask. “Sam could have said it to throw you off, Ellis.”

“I thought about that, but it makes sense.” She looks at me, hope lighting her eyes. “Everyone always said my sister and I look nothing like our dad. I don’t have any magic, neither did she. Maybe he lied about Noah being my dad, but I feel pretty confident saying Thomas Kennedy is not.”

“Sterling, how much danger is she in if Noah is her dad?” I ask. “I can’t imagine he forgot about her. Why hasn’t he come for her since that night?”

“I convinced him she wouldn’t be a problem. I told him I would keep my eye on her, and if I ever thought she was a threat, I’d deal with it.” He looks at Ellis apologetically. “I never would have actually done anything, but this way I could keep my eye on you and make sure he kept his word.”

“Do you think he will attempt to remove her from the picture again?” Cade asks.

“If he ever finds out we’re mates, he will do whatever he can to remove us both from the picture.” Sterling’s words are quiet, but sure.

Something doesn’t add up for me. I’m about to question why Noah would let it go and why he would trust Sterling’s word, but Ellis distracts me.

She sucks in a sharp breath. “Why?”

“Many of the older pack members remember when my dad was alpha,” Sterling says. “The pack flourished under him. He was a natural born leader, and he was taking us places. I take after my dad in a lot of ways. If I were to return, and with a mate? The added strength I would gain from that bond would make me unstoppable, Ellis. We could take back control of the pack and have the support of many of the members. Obviously, Noah will want to stop that from happening.”

Ellis’s emotions assault me. I turn to look at her, and the panic is evident in her wide eyes. She has a death grip on the edge of the tray on her lap, and if she had any magical strength, I’m sure she’d break it in her grasp.

“Breathe, Ellis,” I murmur in her ear.

Her chest expands as she takes a deep breath and shakes her head. “Okay,” she says slowly. “So we just don’t tell anyone.”

“That would probably be for the best. For now.” Sterling says.

I can tell she gets caught up on the ‘for now,’ so I quickly ask another question. “Is there anything else you learned?”

She blinks a couple of times before answering. “Um, while I was there, Sam kept getting calls or notifications about something happening at a warehouse. He would get super pissed about it. I have no clue what the warehouse is, but it seemed important.” She shrugs one shoulder and bites her bottom lip. “I just thought maybe someone should know about it.”

I glance over Ellis’s head to Cade. “Do you know anything about a warehouse?”

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