Page 69 of An Unending Claim

“Tanner can handle it. Go on,” he instructed my father.

My father looked between Nathan and me a few times with narrowed eyes, but ultimately continued, though he watched us both closely. “From what I’ve gathered, the night Bane followed you here, he realized he needed a plan, and as he was so close to Castile territory, he went there to hide out.”

“And told him everything.”

He nodded. “Owen overheard the conversation. Xavier went ballistic when he realized you were alive. And there was no one else who would have helped you besides your uncle.”

I’d been staring at the floor, absorbing everything my dad was telling me, but when his voice went quiet on the last sentence, my head whipped up. I didn’t even have to ask before my dad shook his head.

I sighed with relief, but Nathan shattered that when he spoke up. “He did it himself.”

“The second Owen realized it was you that Bane was after, he knew Xavier would dig in his mind and find out what happened to you.”

My stomach rolled when I realized what they were telling me, and my panther whined, concerned over my emotional and physical response. I wasn’t sure why, after everything I’d learned, it was my uncle’s suicide that had me darting to the bathroom to throw up.

Beth appeared at my side and put a cool cloth on my forehead.

“I’m sorry, Peyton,” I heard my dad say from the doorway. “I should have thought, with the baby… damn. I feel like an asshole.”

“It’s not your fault,” I assured him as I hung my head and waited to see if the nausea would pass. “It’s just, he’s the only father figure I ever really had.” As soon as the words were out, I winced.Shit. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”

“You’re right, Peyton,” my father said softly. “If I’d known…”

I waved a hand and cut him off. “Later. Let’s get through all this other stuff first. Go ahead, I’ll be right out.”

He hesitated, but then I heard his footsteps as he walked away.

“Are you all right?” Beth asked.

Her voice and touch were so comforting, but they weren’t the ones I wanted. Tears welled in my eyes, but I took a deep breath and mentally reached for my panther, seeking her strength. She leaned into me and wrapped herself around my mind and heart.

“I’m fine.” I pushed to my feet and quickly brushed my teeth, then returned to the living room on steady legs. My girl and I had never needed anyone else, and now we had to be stronger than ever because we had our little cub to love and protect.

In the front room, I stayed by the door to the hallway and ignored everyone looking at me, including Jase, Mason, Sabrina, and Lincoln, who’d clearly arrived while I was in the bathroom.

“How are you?” Nathan asked, looking as though he might take a step toward me.

I forced a carefree smile. “My cub didn’t seem to care for whatever I ate earlier.”

Nathan’s eyes narrowed when I referred to the baby as my cub, but I turned my attention to my dad. “I’m sorry. Go on.” I ignored the concerned gazes of Nathan’s parents and enforcers as I made my way back to my chair.

“Before…” My dad paused and I waved my hand to let him know he should keep going. We didn’t have time for me to fall apart. “Owen called our connection on a secure phone I’d given him and told her what he knew so she would pass it along to me. Not only about you, but everything he’d discovered about Xavier’s other activities. He also heard your grandfather pushing Bane to come after you right away, rather than making a plan as Bane would usually do. Which, I’m assuming, is why that whole thing was such a mess. From what I’ve learned about Bane, he doesn’t work well under pressure. It’s probably why he’s been quiet for a while—he’s making a plan. But without Owen, I have no way of finding out what it is.”

“How does Geoff figure into all of this?” Ephraim asked. At the mention of the shifter I’d killed, nausea welled up again, but I pushed it back down. “I understand the thought process of killing him to create contention within our pack. But why did he specifically involve Peyton?” His expression was genuinely perplexed and I didn’t detect any bitterness in his voice. In the midst of all this chaos, I was relieved to know that Ephraim and I would eventually get past what had happened.

“Xavier isn’t as patient,” Nathan stated. “Our theory was that he hoped I would banish Peyton. I imagine he didn’t want to wait for Bane.”

My dad nodded. “That’s my conclusion as well.”

“I can’t see Bane hunting all the murdered shifters,” I muttered. “And if Xavier hasn’t changed, then he doesn’t do his own dirty work.”

“Owen suspected Buck.”

My whole body stiffened at the name, but I kept my expression neutral.

“The bastard who assaulted Peyton?” Nathan’s jaw had hardened, but otherwise, his expression and posture remained fixed and unreadable. His eyes were on me, though, and I fought the need to squirm.

However, I did break his stare and glance around at the other people in the room. No one looked surprised by the information, but I’d stopped hiding who I was. And, even if it hadn’t spread through the pack yet, I knew Nathan had filled in the enforcers and his parents.

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