Page 19 of Master of Kayos

“Finola hated her life.The pack isn’t without utilities or technology, so when she began seeing what life on the outside was like from watching TV, she wanted to see somewhere other than New Mexico.Women in their pack are allowed to work because not all are cut out for being gardeners, bakers, cooks, and homemakers.She met Trenton at the café where she was a waitress.They both recognized the animal inside each other, and from what he says, they recognized each other as mates immediately.It was difficult for them to talk and make plans, but somehow, they managed.”

Kyllian knew the rest of the story.His phone buzzed, but since he was in the rental, he hadn’t set it to connect to Bluetooth.Keeping one eye on the road, Kyllian answered and put it on speaker.“Hey, Bishop.You got something for us?”

“It’s not much, but the last text Nikita sent was to Tarryn.She asked Tarryn to take notes in their classes, and she would get them from her when she got back.Everything before that was just teenage girls talking about the boy Tarryn was dating and things like graduation.”

“Back from where?”Quinn asked.

“It didn’t say, but that text was sent, then deleted almost a week ago.”

“So she had already planned on leaving?”Quinn asked softly.Kyllian reached over and took her hand.

“I’m sorry I don’t have more for you,” Bishop said.

“No, Brother.You can’t recapture what isn’t there.If she had taken her phone with her...Can you tap into Tarryn’s phone?See if she has texts from an unknown number?It’s possible Nikita snagged a burner phone somewhere.”

“I’ll give it a try, and I’ll let you know if I come up with anything.”

“Thanks, Bishop.We’re pulling into the airport now, so if I don’t answer right away it’s because we’re in the air.”

“Ten-four.”

After returning the rental, they entered the terminal.They were early, so Kyllian suggested they grab something to eat.Quinn picked at her food while Mercy told them more about Nikita’s life.He couldn’t imagine how Quinn felt hearing about her child from someone else’s point of view.It wasn’t like she’d given her baby up for adoption willingly so the child could have a better life.Nikita had been taken from her.

“You need to eat.”Kyllian put just enough Gryphon voice into his words that she wouldn’t realize it wasn’t a suggestion.Quinn obeyed, but he could tell she wasn’t enjoying the flavors, merely eating for sustenance.By the time they finished their meals, their flight was being called.Since they had tickets in first class, the three of them boarded before everyone else.He and Quinn sat together with Mercy across the aisle.Quinn was quiet, which Kyllian expected.What he didn’t expect was for her to thread their fingers together and settle their hands in her lap and keep them there throughout the first flight.They had an hour and a half layover in New Baltimore, and once they offboarded, Quinn pulled Kyllian into a bar along the concourse with Mercy following.After ordering drinks, his female peppered Mercy with more questions about the pack, leaving out the words wolf, mate, and pack.She wanted to know about Nikita’s life with her father and stepmother.

When they were seated on the plane to Oklahoma City, Quinn immediately took Kyllian’s hand.After about an hour, Quinn leaned her head on his shoulder.Kyllian pressed a kiss to her hair, letting her know silently he was there for her.She wasn’t shaking near as badly as she had been when they first left New York, and for that, Kyllian was proud of her.

During the flight, she asked about his family, so Kyllian told her about his brothers and sisters, the kids, and his parents.The only one he didn’t speak about was Lucy.He trusted Quinn, but unless they were true mates and she was in his life for the long haul, Kyllian wouldn’t share about the Gargoyles or the serum Lucy was working on.Only their immediate family was aware of the journal Lucy’s adoptive father left in his home detailing genetic testing.Lucy was working with Jonas Montague to perfect a formula using Gargoyle DNA that would prolong human lives.When Gargoyles mated, whatever was in their saliva extended the life of their human mate.Gryphons didn’t have that ability.Nor did they live a thousand years as the Goyles did.

Kyllian’s Gryphon rumbled, but it wasn’t to Kyllian.He figured it was talking to Quinn’s Wolf, but he didn’t want to interrupt to ask.He’d never known his beast to truly be separate from him.Didn’t know it was possible.Even around his family, he’d never felt the Gryphon conversing with another.It was odd, but at the same time, it was soothing.Quinn might not want Kyllian as a mate, but her Wolf did.Kyllian trusted the two animals to somehow work things out, and wasn’t that a kick to the balls?Before meeting Quinn, Kyllian was content with his life.Sure, he had been slightly sad when Bonnie decided to end their contract, but that was more from not having a regular sex partner.The woman was smart and funny and the perfect sub.The sex was good.Kyllian could bed almost anyone he wanted, but now?Now he didn’t want anyone other than the female sitting beside him.Now he understood what his brothers meant when they said once you meet your other half, you didn’t want anyone else.

He had no idea how things would work between them.They led separate lives.Quinn never left her property; except she had left to go find her daughter.Maybe after they got Nikita back, Quinn wouldn’t feel the need to hole up at home, hiding from her old pack.With Kyllian as a mate, he would guard her with his life.When they met up with her mother’s pack – and he had no doubt they would at some point – he wouldn’t allow Dennis to keep her with their pack just because she was a dire wolf.Kyllian wasn’t kidding when he said the River Canyon pack sounded like a cult, keeping to themselves and not allowing the wolves to mate with anyone who wasn’t also a dire wolf.And he would raze the pack to the ground to keep both her and her daughter safe.

Kyllian had a message from Bishop when they landed in Oklahoma City.

Bishop:Good news.I was able to get into Tarryn’s phone.Nikita sent her a message saying she was going to try and find her mother.She sent several more messages with pings of her locations.The last was at a bus station in New Santa Rosa, New Mexico.That was this morning at 10:15.I’ll update you if she sends another text.

Mercy shrugged the strap of her duffel higher on her shoulder.“I don’t understand.How does Nikita know where to look for your old pa— family?Even Jeremy and I weren’t made aware where they’re located other than New Mexico, and that’s a lot of ground to cover.”

Quinn stopped in the middle of the concourse.Numerous travelers had to walk around the trio, some of them voicing their irritation.“The only ones I ever told were Stewart and Karen.We know Stewart didn’t tell her, so that leaves Karen.”

“But why would she tell Nikita?For all intents and purposes, Karen is her grandmother.”

Kyllian tugged on Quinn’s hand.“Let’s continue this conversation in the car.”He didn’t want one of them to slip up talking about packs where humans could overhear.Once they secured a rental and were on the road to New Amarillo, he looked at Mercy in the rearview.“Do Blake and Bethany have more kids?”

“Yes.Nathan is seventeen, Carrie is fifteen, and Jake is twelve.Why?”

“How do the others get along with Nikita?Is she first in line to take over the pack after Blake?Or does that fall to Nathan since he’s male?”

“In our pack it’s the firstborn alpha who is next in line, and that would be Nathan.”

“What happens if there isn’t an alpha offspring?”

“If the current Prime Alpha has an alpha sibling, they could take over, or if the sibling is an omega and has an alpha child, that child would take over.”

Kyllian was glad Gryphons didn’t have such convoluted hierarchy.“And it stays in the family?What if that family isn’t what’s best for the pack?”

“Someone can always challenge the Alpha.Technically, it’s what Quinn did when she took down Stewart.”

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