Page 10 of Beast: Part Two

I knew this story. It’s why I was trying to keep the information from Albany as long as possible.

“Turns out,” she says to me. “He killed the wrong person, and my mother is still alive.” Now that’s news.

“How does this relate to you getting my brother before Corbyn?” Maksim asks, bringing us back to the original topic.

“Well, while I was recruiting my first class, I got a call from that judge. He told me he had a location for a recruit. Someone I needed to get to fast. He told me about Gabriel Taylor. The only reason I think this Corbyn guy didn’t find Beast is because he didn’t know of Colleen’s mental issues. After she got pregnant is when she came off her meds. She went completely off her rockers and ended up moving off the grid with Gabriel. Corbyn wouldn’t have known where to find her.”

“Who is this judge?” Maksim asks. “How did he know about Gabriel?”

“His name is Robert Shelton, and he is who I need to talk to in order to figure out how we got this excommunication order.”

Maksim shakes his head. “Well, I’ll be damned. All this time, the answer was under his nose.”

“What are you talking about?” I ask.

He grins. “Robert Shelton’s real name is Robert Anderson Corbyn. He changed his name when his mother remarried, breaking ties with the Corbyn men. He’s your uncle, Beastie.”

“Did you know that?” Lucien asks Priest.

We all turn to a shocked looking Priest.

“No. He never told me how he knew you. He just told me that you needed me.”

Maksim stands to his feet. “We need to get to Robert. If Corbyn finds out that he has ties to you, he will kill him. And if we’re going to get your names cleared, we’re going to need him.”

Priest pulls out his phone, I’m assuming to call Robert. However, the white door to Doc’s operating room opens. I immediately push away from the wall to face Doc. The room grows silent. I hold my breath as I wait for the short man with bushy eyebrows to speak.

Doc removes his gloves and sighs. “She’s a very lucky woman. Had that bullet traveled a little further down she would’ve been gone.”

“Thank goodness,” Albany gasps, placing her hand on her chest.

Someone pats my shoulder, but I don’t turn to look and see who. My heart is racing in my chest and my head fills with white noise. She’s alive. My Summer is alive.

“We’re going to keep her here for a few days,” Doc goes on to say. “She’s going to need some blood, so if anyone has A or O type blood, we could really use a donation.”

“I’m A+,” Zel volunteers. “I can donate.”

“Me too,” Albany adds.

“As can I,” Priest says.

I look down at my hands feeling inadequate. Not even my blood is useful to her.

“If everything goes smoothly, she should be back on her feet in a week or two.”

“Thank you, Doc. We appreciate this,” Priest walks over and shakes Doc’s hand.

“Can I see her?” I ask.

Doc looks to Priest, who subtly nods his head.

“Right this way,” Doc steps back, allowing me access to the door.

Before I can take a step forward, Priest steps in front of me. His eyes narrow as he searches my face.

“The moment you step in that room, shit’s going to get real again. Quiet your head,” he warns.

I dip my chin and walk around him. I needed to see her. Pushing the door open, I enter another stark white room. This one looks like what I imagine an operating room would resemble. Two bright lights shine over her body on the table. Large machines surround the bed. Discarded on the floor are bloody cloths.

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