Page 48 of Hidden Fate

Vlad cleared his throat. “Isn’t Drake watching your loved ones? He’ll notice they’re missing.”

“If we work together, he won’t know they’re gone before we execute our plan.” Uther’s neck corded. “Reece lives at our old thunder home, and everyone wants her safe. These two live on the château grounds, but they’re reclusive and stay in their house because Drake has made it clear he doesn’t want them near him. As long as we don’t give him a reason to suspect us, he shouldn’t find out. But if he does…well, that’s why we need them to stay with you—for protection.”

What do you think?I needed to hear Thorn’s thoughts before I shared mine.

We have no choice,Thorn answered and turned his head toward me. His irises lightened with all his emotions.We have to take them in. We need Uther’s help, and these three deserve a safe home where they’ll be welcome.

Vision blurring, I nodded.I agree. They wouldn’t hand them over willingly if Drake was involved. If Drake attacked, they’d be stuck in the crosshairs.

Thorn glanced at his mom, who nodded and turned to Errol and Vlad. When they didn’t counter, Thorn straightened his shoulders. “Fine. We’ll keep them with us as long as we can check them and anything they brought for trackers.”

Jerry exhaled, the lines on his face smoothing out. “Thank gods. I can’t keep living with the worry that today will be the day when Drake snaps and kills her.”

That was what I needed to hear. The genuine relief was justified and not something Drake would have wanted them to say. He didn’t like people speaking ill of him.

“Let them out. Errol, Cassidy, and I will check them and their bags before taking them to our vehicle.” Vlad marched to the back door of the Tahoe.

That meant Thorn and I would be staying behind to chat with the warriors. Gemma, Jerry, Uther, Thorn, and I moved to the front of the Tahoe so we wouldn’t be in the way.

Uther removed a cell phone from his back pocket and handed it to Thorn. “I was told to give this to you. It’s a burner phone that can’t be traced. The numbers you need are already programmed into it. And Drake’s coronation is in two weeks. If it happens, he’ll have all the power he wants. For now, he has to work through red tape to get thunders to support his claim to the throne. Two weeks is all we have to make a plan and execute it. We don’t have time for mistakes.”

Two weeks.

That wasn’t enough time.

“We’ve already stayed in this location too long.” Jerry fidgeted. “If someone is watching us, they’ll have questions. We need to go.”

“Let’s say a quick goodbye first,” Uther replied and locked eyes with me. “Please make sure Reece is all right.”

I placed my hand over my heart. “I promise.”

“Okay, your first message is already on the phone. Now I’m going to say goodbye to my daughter.”

Chandra, Kari, and Reece hurried toward the Suburban while Thorn swiped the phone.

My breath caught when I saw the name of the person who’d messaged. Maybe this was a trap after all.

CHAPTERSIXTEEN

I looked at Thorn,feeling every ounce of his disbelief, anger, and longing. His face was twisted in the most heartbreaking combination of those three emotions, his eyes wide and his jaw clenched. He brushed a finger along the message like it was a life force.

The message was simple.

A Devastated Mother: I’m sorry for everything. Words can’t express the depth of my regret and the love I’ve always had for you, but we don’t have time for that. I’d rather say it in person, but what I have to say is that your father and I were so wrong about you. I know Drake killed Arman, and it’s time for us to work together to ensure he doesn’t lead our people. That right belongs to you. Let me know when you get this.

He must have longed for a message like this as a boy, and it was almost a slap in the face for him to receive it now.

I placed one hand on his arm, wanting him to know I was here for him in all ways…the ways that mattered. “Babe, we’ve got to move. If someone has pinged the spot, there’s no telling where the warriors are. Some could be close. We can’t risk staying any longer.”

My heart squeezed uncomfortably. But I’d felt worse, and so had Thorn, and unfortunately, that had been because ofmybad decision. The one where I’d sneaked away from him after completing our fated-mate bond to turn myself over to his brother.

That thought crushed my heart further. If not for the sound of my heartbeat, I’d have believed it had stopped.

Every bad thing that had happened since Thorn’s parents abandoned him was because of Drake. Their parents had been content to let Thorn live in hiding, despite knowing where he was…until Drake had learned about him.

He sighed and put the phone in his back jeans pocket. “You’re right. Let’s move. We can figure out what to do about her.”

My heart filled again. We were truly one, and we both knew it.

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