Page 14 of Knot All Is Lost: Part 2

He scanned the article, mumbling to himself until he reached another part to share. “The family as a whole became reclusive after the attack. Hardly ever being seen in society. That changed once Isabelle was bonded to Yoram, since he was a big name government Official. Isabelle was much younger than Yoram but I’m sure he chose her because of the money, connections, and vitality to bear children, not because he liked her.”

Oscar made a grunt before he signed. “Does he actually have a heart tolike,let alone love someone?”

I had to agree with Oscar on that. I’m not sure he could ever care for someone other than himself.

“One reporter notes that Isabelle’s parents became reclusive again when the changes to the Omega Preservation Project came into effect, no longer allowing Omegas to choose, but be placed with a pack instead,” Marius noted. “Interesting how that changed after Yoram got the Omega he wanted and could ensure that bribes would come flooding in. It wasn’t until there was an announcement that Isabelle was pregnant that anyone noted her parents started to fall ill,” Marius paused as if something caught him off guard. “That’s odd… these symptoms. They oddly enough, match pretty close to what Alton is dealing with right now. Every doctor he goes to see just tells him he’s getting old.”

Bodhi shot to his feet and pointed at the screen. “See, what did I tell you? The bastard probably poisoned them so he could get their money, the house, and whatever else that might’ve been handed down to their daughter.” All of us looked at him, confused at his level of excitement. He rolled his eyes and carried on. “Yoram isn’t the affluent man that people think he is, because he covers that shit up so well. Sure, he went to a fancy college, but if you read anything about him, he never once talks about what it was like growing up. To me, that screams cover up. It’s what I’d do.”

Feeling the need to move as I filtered through all the information we’d just uncovered, I paced the length of the small room. What Bodhi said was true, people who grew up with a past they were ashamed of never wanted people to know about it. Instead, they’d rather distract you with the things they want you to remember about them. The elite college they went to, the job they hold, a new house they bought, anything for you to stop inquiring about a time in their life they wished never existed.

Everything Yoram had done was about gaining power and prestige. So, what would Isabelle’s family have given him? Money—yes but not the latter. They were reclusive, living in their country home away from prying eyes, always being blamed for the attack. What people couldn’t understand was they didn’t originally set out to create the drug that was used to increase the chances of an Omega being born. They wanted to help fertility as a whole…

Could that be it? Could it truly be that simple?

“Guys, what if we’re making this too complex,” I said, turning back to them. “Bodhi already said it, what gives you more power than just having money?”

“Omegas,” Oscar answered. “Her parents probably had access to the drugs and Yoram would have no qualms about using them to ensure his Omega had an Omega child. Later, we learned that while the basic fertility drug helped, once they started trying to do anything more than that it put both mother and child in danger.”

“Oh fuck,” Nixon swore, dropping his head in his hands. “You don’t think he could be using them on Cambrie, do you? Trying to make sure that if you guys got her pregnant during her heat it would result in an Omega for him to use, do you?”

While that might be a valid concern, I felt like Yoram didn’t have time to play that long of a game. “If you take that logic and apply it to the past… what if the baby hadn’t been lost at childbirth but stolen,” I mused. “That man, Daryl Minks, claimed that Cambrie wasn’t his, but he never said if her mother was pregnant when he met the woman or if Cambrie was already born. What if she stole Cambrie?”

Just the idea of that made my heart break for my Little One. All her life people came and went, but she always had the reassurance that her mother was the only one who loved her. If what I guessed might be true, then even that was a lie. Oh, I’m sure the woman loved little Cambrie and did the best she could to care for her adopted daughter. Now, it just had me questioning who this woman could really be.

“Do any of you know what her mother’s name was?” I asked.

Everyone shook their heads, looking even more defeated than when our Omega was taken from us. Everyone that is but Marius, who looked completely distracted by something that had him shoving out of his chair and racing out of the room. Having no clue what might have caused this, we all followed him to the kitchen.

“Where is it? Damnit, it needs to be here,” Marius muttered to himself. “Marla.” he bellowed for the woman in a fashion that was incredibly out of character.

“Goodness, whatever is the problem?” Marla asked, her eyes wide as she took in the madman pawing through her kitchen cabinets.

Marius whirled on his feet and charged over to the woman and rested his hand on her shoulders gently but full of urgency. “The get well baskets that come all the time, you said there was a tea in it that Alton drinks every day. Where is it?”

“Oh, well they come on Sundays and have just about enough to make it through the week. I just made him the last of it…” Marla trailed off as Marius ran past her. “For heaven’s sake, someone better tell me what is happening right now!”

Spencer placed a comforting arm around the woman’s shoulders. “I wish I could tell you, but he charged out of the study without telling us a thing. Where is Alton right now?”

“Damnit son, what’s gotten into you?” Alton's hollering voice echoed down the hall.

That had us charging off, finding the man in question standing in the sunroom with a shattered cup on the floor. Alton’s eye flashed with anger as he glowered at Marius. “You better explain yourself or I’m going to have you arrested for assault, young man. To think, I invited you into my home and extended my hospitality to have you turn on me like this.”

Marius’s breathing was heavy, like he’d run a marathon instead of just down the hall. “I’m not attacking you. I'm saving your life, you idiot.”

My brows shot up at this claim, making me look over at Nixon, who just shrugged.

“Marius, what are you talking about?” Marla asked as she stood next to her Alpha.

“Please tell me Eric is home and that you haven’t tossed out the tea leaves,” Marius cut in, ignoring all their questions.

Alton stomped a foot in frustration as his face started to turn purple with rage. “What in the blasted hell is going on, Marius? Spit it out right now or so help me god,” the Alpha barked, making Marla flinch at the command.

“They’ve been slowly poisoning you for years, Alton,” Marius burst out. “Fuck, they could be doing it to me too, for all I know. Marla, I know you don’t have a reason to listen to me but please get the remains of the tea and call Eric.” She looked at Alton but when he didn’t argue, she left the room to do as Marius requested.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on now that she’s gone?” Alton demanded before he lapsed into a coughing fit. Marius helped the man back into his chair and handed him a glass of water but Alton waved it off. “Only thing that helps with this damn cough of mine is that tea, it gives me some relief.”

“Be that as it may, it's also the same thing that's killing you,” Marius explained. “He did the same thing to Isabelle’s parents.”

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