Page 19 of Rhett
Bonnie’s fists clenched and unclenched. “Yes, but that was no surprise to Nathan, Jackie, or me,” Bonnie disclosed. “Hunters have powerful connections. And their access to a vast amount of intel is what makes them so dangerous. Marcy had my son killed…” Her voice cracked on the wordkilled. “And Jackie ran because she knew that she would be killed next for betraying the Hunters by mating with their enemy… a shifter. I wanted my grandchild—you—so I tried to find Jackie by hiring the best Trackers money could buy, but she dropped off the end of the earth.”
Bonnie eyed Quinn, Imani, and me. “Now do you understand why I need your help? Black Forest nearly imploded when they found out Imani was a hybrid. What do you think will happen when they find out that not only does Nova come from a Hunter bloodline, but her other grandmother is their leader?”
“But I don’t have shit to do with that part of my family,” Nova protested. “Hell, I didn’t even know they existed until now.”
“It doesn’t matter,” I fumed. “The hatred between Others and Hunters runs deep. To make matters worse, most people in this town, including me, have lost a loved one at the hand of a Hunter.”
“Rhett is right,” Quinn agreed. “Townsfolk are not going to see reason when they find out what Nova is.” His eyes locked with Bonnie’s. “I’m sorry, Bonnie. I know she’s your kin, but for her protection, she has to go.”
“I can protect myself,” Nova exclaimed.
“Against a town filled with people who can shift into the most dangerous animals in the world?” I countered.
“She’s not going anywhere,” Bonnie declared. “I’ve waited years for this day. Nova is the only family I have left, and I’m not going to let anyone take her away from me.”
“Bonnie, think with your head, not with your heart,” Quinn pleaded.
“Is that what you did with Imani?” Bonnie demanded. “Because as I recall, when the town was in an uproar about a hybrid being in the Ridge, you called for a vote at the town hall meeting, asking to put her under the council’s protection.”
Quinn shook his head. “It’s not the same.”
Bonnie arched a brow. “Why not? Nova’s a hybrid, just like your fated mate, Imani. To boot, the council recently passed a law making all hybrids official citizens of Black Forest.”
Imani stared at Quinn. “Bonnie is right. All hybrids are now welcomed and protected in Black Forest. Including Nova.”
“And you expect residents to accept that she has a Hunter bloodline?” Quinn demanded.
Bonnie looked him up and down. “I don’t give a flying fuck what they accept. By law, Nova has a right to be here, just like all hybrids.”
“But what about Jackie’s bloodline?” I argued. “If Jackie is a hybrid, that could mean that she isn’t the only one in her family, which means the Hunters can get past the Ridge’s veil.”
“No, they can’t,” Bonnie said. “Not according to what Nathan explained to me. Marcy adopted Jackie. They don’t have the same blood.”
“But how can we be sure that Nova’s not here on some secret mission concocted by the Hunters?” I asked.
“Are you suspicious about everyone? Or just me?” Nova demanded.
I stared her down. “Just you.”
Nova rolled her eyes. “Well, I’m not here on some secret Scooby-Doo mission. I’m here because when my mother passed away, I found my father’s letter hidden in her jewelry box.” She pulled the letter out of her bag, handing it to Bonnie, who scanned it.
“It’s my son’s handwriting,” Bonnie confirmed. She smelled the paper. “And his scent is all over it.”
“I was in Africa working as a volunteer midwife when my mother passed away,” Nova explained. “I came back home to the United States to settle her estate, and that’s when I found my father’s letter.”
Imani nodded. “Everyone in this room can smell that she’s telling the truth.”
“How?” Nova asked.
“When a person lies, it smells like burned rubber,” Bonnie elaborated.
“Ah, interesting,” Nova said.
Quinn rubbed his chin. “I hear what everyone’s saying, but still there’s a big damn difference between a hybrid and a hybrid with a Hunter bloodline.”
“Why, when she could be someone in this town’s mate?” Bonnie countered.
She was my mate, but I felt conflicted about saying it aloud—her bloodline was my sworn enemy; therefore, I had no intention of claiming her.
