Page 146 of Tangled in Knots

“In motion to monumentally fucking up everything,” Cian says. “Scent matches don’t just happen every day.”

“Hush, son. You’re getting all worked up. Let’s table this for a moment and discuss your father, Adira. There will be more than enough time to discuss Pack Dresmond, and you know you’re going to help them, Cian. Don’t pretend otherwise. Now, on to other matters. Jeremiah wasn’t always a recluse, Adira,” Cecil says. “We were friendly, and he’d talk about his wife and daughter often. His sister, Cassia, was typically at his side when I would see him at functions.”

“I barely remember my mother,” I tell them. “She died when I was eight, I think my father said she fell down the stairs, but all I remember is the way he yelled at me that night. He told me to stay in my room and not come out.”

The memory unfolds in my mind, and I shiver as I think about it. It’s been buried for a long time.

“I think Dad was out that night, and I was playing on the floor in the living room. I had more of a free range of the house when I was younger, but after that night, Dad made me wary of his moods,” I say softly.

“Mom let me stay up late, and he came in with another woman. I can’t remember now who she was, but she had dark, almost black, hair. They all went upstairs and a short while later I heard my mother scream. I haven’t thought about that in a long time.”

“You don’t remember your aunt at all?” Cecil asks, interested.

Pulling apart my bread as I think, I shake my head. “My memory isn’t great from when I was a kid,” I say. “Things tend to feel almost out of reach in ways. Something else I remember is that when I turned sixteen and it was clear I would be an omega, he told me I needed to begin taking vitamin supplements, and exercise regularly for my health. When he was tortured and killed, he wasn’t there to give me the vitamins, which triggered my heat when I was in the presence of my scent match and Pack Dresmond.”

“Are you sure you need them alive?” Cian growls. “Jeremiah had you on fucking hormone suppressants?!”

“Yes, it’s the only thing that makes sense. I would ask my dad about why I hadn’t had a heat, and he told me good things come to those who wait. Dad would tell me nothing was wrong, and I was simply a late bloomer. He reminded me it was a good thing, since I didn’t have a pack,” I mutter. “Given how awful heats are, I suppose he was right in a way.”

“They can be wonderful too,” Cecil says gently. “Alphas have a very important role in taking care of their omega and easing them through their heat. It doesn’t have to be awful.”

“That reminds me that I need to get a suppressant for this month,” I sigh. “Right now, heats are nature’s way of forcing me to do things I don’t want to do. I don’t want to be vulnerable with people I don’t trust, and half the time I don’t even like them.”

“Yet, you're willing to help them?” Cian asks. “I don’t understand why.”

“It’s mutually beneficial,” I explain. “It’s been almost two months since the auction. My concern is that Rock won’t be happy to wait years for Pack Kelly to decide they’re tired of trying to knock me up?—”

“I beg your finest pardon!” Cecil roars. “What did those boys do?”

“They bought me as a favor to Pack Dresmond,” I reply, wincing. “They’re really good boys, I promise.”

Cian snickers as the food comes, shaking his head. “My father is getting ready to ride into battle for you, Adira. You may want to explain a little more,” he says.

Blowing out a breath, I explain things during our meal as we eat. The soup is delicious, a type of broth my stomach is extremely excited about. I keep the details as light as possible, while still being sure they’re both up to date.

“The Kelly brothers are involved while remaining aloof from our community,” Cecil says. “They’ll offer their home for a meeting when it’s feasible, attend events, but rarely stick their neck out for others. Pack Dresmond must have been very persuasive.”

“They have a soft spot for omegas,” Cian reminds his father. “I was at the amateur night fight for a small amount of time, Adira. I left after the first fight, but I saw how protective the Kelly brothers were toward you.”

“We’re friends now,” I admit. “They kept showing up and helped anchor me to the present when I thought I would simply float away.”

Cecil and Cian gaze at me for a moment that is almost uncomfortably long before glancing at each other.

“My father is right, I’ll help Pack Dresmond, but I’m going to give them hell for it,” Cian growls.

“I’m typically right,” Cecil smirks. “What did Caelin tell you about your father exactly? Jeremiah refused to speak to Cassia as far as I know after your mother died, so I don’t understand why he would transfer all of his money to her.”

“Caelin said the money was transferred into her name shortly before he died,” I answer. “We don’t know why Dad would have done that either. If they didn’t talk, could she have forced him to?”

Cecil nods slowly, his lips curling in disgust. “Jeremiah threw Cassia out of his life completely from my understanding, cutting her off financially as well. He wouldn’t tell me why, and I vaguely recall hearing that Cassia moved outside of Missouri to start over,” Cecil says. “This is simply conjecture, but what if Cassia began working with Rock?”

“For money? That’s the only reason I can imagine that she’d want to be in bed with that man,” I mutter. “So maybe his revenge plan is centered around Cassia. It still seems like a pretty big leap to use his sons to murder my father.”

“It’s possible,” Cian murmurs. “I’m going to have Caelin look into finding Cassia, figure out what she’s been doing since your mother died, Adira. I have a very bad feeling your mother didn’t simply fall down the stairs.”

“I’m getting the same feeling,” I mutter. “I hate that I can’t remember more. When Pack Dresmond kidnapped me, they’d say things about my father’s death that seemed odd. In their minds, they were taunting me, but it simply poked holes in their reasoning for taking me.”

“Go on,” Cian grunts, gesturing for me to continue.

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