Page 45 of In Plain Sight

“Okay, give me just a minute,” Peyton said. We watched as she tossed the wet ingredients into the mixer with the dry ones and turned it on. As soon as it was done, she pulled the beaters up and checked the consistency. Satisfied, she abandoned the cake and I followed her out into the main kitchen to retrieve the subs, cold salads, and chips that Clara had ordered.

I turned to pass some of it off to Bran, but he wasn’t there.

“Bran?” I hollered.

He came out of the back kitchen and smiled. “Sorry. Did you need me?”

“Yeah. Can you carry these out to my truck?”

“Sure thing, sweetheart.”

He took the trays Peyton handed off to him and walked out. She assured me the cake would be ready in one hour, so I told her I’d see her then, set a timer on my phone so I wouldn’t forget and followed Bran out.

Bran

Chapter 17

My heart was racing. That had been close. Seeing that cake batter sitting there and knowing it was for Kelsey, I had to act. My Alpha had given me several vials of poison. It was specially formulated, all natural, no detectable smell or taste. The vials were small and hidden inside my boot for travel—and for moments just like that.

The second Peyton and Ruby left the room, I pulled them out and dumped three into the batter, stirring quickly so it wouldn’t be evident. They were designed to put in a teacup; one drink and it would be lights out for good. I didn’t know how many vials it would take in a cake or how baking it would affect the composition of the poison, but I had to try.

The fire in my blood had temporarily subsided because of my actions and I felt good again, right up to the moment Ruby called for me, then reality came crashing back.

I walked into the kitchen and took the trays Ruby handed me out to her truck. My body felt heavy with the burden of guilt that set in. I had spent enough time around Kyle Westin to understand why my brother, Nicholai, had not only made a temporary alliance with the man, but also how it had changed his opinions on seeking revenge for our parents’ deaths.

Kyle wasn’t a bad guy. He had only reacted to protect his mate when my father had attacked his territory and threatened the one person who meant everything to him. I had thought Lily was Thomas’s weakness, but hearing the stories he shared with Cole and Kyle while we’d worked on the floors, I was beginning to understand that while yes, in some ways, a mate was the ultimate vulnerability, she was also a man’s biggest strength.

I already knew I would do anything in my power to keep Ruby safe and if someone came into our home, my territory, and threatened my woman, death would be a welcome end for that person. He’d even be begging for it.

My father had to have known that. Perhaps he was too arrogant and believed Kyle too young and untrained to take him. I would never understand for certain, but I couldn’t find it in myself to hold a grudge against Kyle for protecting his mate.

The hatred that I had carried for the last few years towards the Westin family had diminished. Nicholai had tried to explain as much to me on his return from Westin Pack after the temporary alliance to fight against the big cats. Many had argued against him going in the first place, but he had assured everyone that it would change nothing, only a temporary peace for the betterment of all wolf shifters as they battled an even bigger enemy.

But he had returned changed. He confided in me that he could no longer in good conscience seek the revenge for our father that everyone wanted. He had tried to explain it to me at the time, and I didn’t get it, until now.

There had been a lot of pushback from the Pack and it had opened up an opportunity for my Alpha to step in and divide us. I knew now I had been wrong to follow him. I didn’t want to believe it, but Nicholai had been right. If I ever got the chance to tell him that and apologize, I would.

I only had myself to blame for the position I was in, but the longer I managed to keep Kelsey alive, the more time I had with Ruby, and selfishly that was what I wanted. I needed to go back into that kitchen and destroy the cake I’d contaminated.

Just thinking about that caused a sharp pain to slice through my hand where I’d cut myself for the blood oath. I nearly dropped the platters I was carrying and fought not to buckle at my knees. Ruby ran over and opened the door to the truck, and I set them on the front seat.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

My heart was still beating fast. “Fine,” I lied. “Just twisted my ankle on the gravel. It’s nothing.”

I wasn’t sure what hurt me more: lying to Ruby or the scorching pain of the oath.

I made up an excuse not to go back to Clara’s with her, kissed her goodbye and headed back into the diner with Wyatt.

“You could have ditched me,” he joked.

“I know, but that’s a lot of estrogen over at that house.”

He laughed and nodded in understanding. I knew it would cause too much pain to try and fix the wrong I’d made, so I headed back to the ranch with Wyatt and tried to deny to myself what I’d done.

Mr. Draper stopped me and asked if we could reschedule for the next day, and that meant I was free of work. I needed something to do, so I helped Wyatt and Conlin as they shoveled hay to distribute to the animals. The physical exertion was just what I needed. By mid-afternoon, my aching muscles felt good and I was proud of at least something I’d done that day.

Austin ran into the barn where we were working. He stopped short and looked at me with little color left in his face. It had happened, Kelsey was dead. I knew those would be the next words from his mouth, but I was wrong.

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