Chapter Fifty-Five

Waverly.

The tension settling between everyone at the camp had her on edge. She followed behind Barbie as they made their way back to the cabin.

Sarah raced over toward her and interlaced her fingers with Waverly’s. “I’m scared,” she whispered. “Did you see the size of that thing?”

Waverly nodded, not feeling like she could answer with a straight voice. There was fear embedded in her that she couldn't shake.

Knowing their father was near, and that he could bring royals with him, made her sick to her stomach.

When would this end? When one of them died? Or when the royals were put in their place once and for all. Could that even happen? They were made to be perfectly indestructible.

“Me too,” Waverly whispered. "I've never seen anything like it in my life."

Sarah squeezed her hand in a reassuring way but it didn't stop the knots in her stomach.

Barbie held the door open for both of the girls and shut it behind them. When Waverly looked she noticed the strain on Barbie’s face. “Drake thinks I’m in on this,” she whispered, covering her face.

Waverly did too. How could she not? It looked fishy that she showed up and in two days so did a hellhound.

Barbie’s face fell flat. “Do you think I’m in on this, too?”

Waverly bit her tongue to keep from shivering in fear. This woman could tear her to pieces, and neither Roderick nor Drake had made it back to the cabin.

Sarah cleared her throat. “Barbie, I don’t want to believe that you’re in on this, but you show up and then—,”

Barbie stepped forward and Waverly braved herself to stay still. “The royals were after you prior to me showing up, Girls. You all knew my husband was against not turning you two into them. This isn’t something new.”

Waverly knew it made sense. They were running before Barbie made it to them.

“True,” Sarah under her breath. “I think you need to speak to the boys about it—,”

Luckily, the front door opened and Waverly sighed in relief when Drake and Roderick walked inside.

By the look on Drake’s face, Waverly realized she wasn’t the only one skeptical.

“Get away from them,” Drake hissed.

Waverly watched Barbie’s face morph into sadness and her spine stiffened in surprise. “Drake, you don’t seriously think that I would harm you or your mates, do you?”

Drake’s jaw worked as he contemplated what to say. When he looked her way there were hard lines on his face that made him look hard and cold. It almost reminded her of his father.

“I don’t know what to think,” Drake snapped. “Dad’s hound just showed up here to wreak havoc on the camp days after you showed up.”

Barbie looked down at her feet, and Waverly felt a wave of guilt run through her. “Drake,” Waverly said, stepping forward. “They were chasing us before she got here. It doesn't mean she's in on it necessarily."

Drake stared a hole in Waverly’s head. Maybe she’d overstepped her boundaries? Maybe this wasn’t the time to interject her opinion into their family life. They were newly mated, but she did feel he appreciated her opinion.

Drake broke eye contact and slid his palm down his face in irritation. Roderick whispered something to him, but Drake looked hesitant to do it.

He walked over and placed both palms on her shoulders. “Prove it, Mom,” he whispered.

Barbie nodded, pulled out her phone, and dialed a number.

Sarah glanced over at Waverly and shrugged her shoulders. Whom was she calling? It only took a few seconds to hear their father answer.

“Hello."

“Hey. I’m just calling to check in on you. I haven’t heard from you.”

He was silent for several seconds before he chuckled. “Do you think I was born yesterday? Why do you have me on speakerphone? Where is Kim?”

Drake sighed in relief. He grabbed the phone out of her hand, and she reluctantly let him have it. “Why in the hell is your mutt here at the camp with Waverly's scent?"

His father chuckled again, but this time there was no humor in it. “Drake? What camp are we talking about?”

Drake’s fingers clutched around his mother’s phone. Waverly heard it give under the pressure. “Cut the shit,” he snapped.

“Okay, Drake. You want the truth, do you? I’ve known your mother would crawl to you boys because she can’t help it. She supports you no matter how stupid you’re being.”

“So you send your hound down here knowing your wife could be hurt? How noble, but then again, we all know you're a coward."

His silence told the entire room everything they needed to know. He didn’t give a damn about anyone but himself, not even Barbie.

Roderick turned around, put his palms on the wall, and let his head hand between his shoulders.

Waverly could feel the heartache the boys felt.

Drake ground his teeth together. “Well, I killed it, just like I’ll kill anything else that you send to us. I’ll protect my mate even when you don’t protect yours.”

“You have no idea what’s coming for you, son. If you would have just kept that girl’s mouth shut then none of this would have happened. You and your little useless human mate would have been able to live your lives.”

“Do you even hear yourself?” Drake asked. “I wouldn’t give her up for anything. Send your hounds or your rabid vampires, Father. While you’re at it, come face us yourself, you coward.”

Waverly hung on every word, waiting to hear him reply to Drake’s threat.

He didn’t. He hung up the phone and Drake handed it back to Barbie. She wrapped her palm around her mouth.

“I’m sorry,” Drake whispered. “For accusing you—,”

Barbie launched at him and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. “I’m sorry your father is such a jackass, boys. I never expected any of this to happen.”

How could she have known he would turn them all into vampires and go power crazy?

Drake hugged her back, eyeing Waverly over her shoulder; she saw the sadness on his face. He was sad. She knew that. She felt it in her chest.

He pulled away so Roderick could hug his mother.

Drake stepped over, so close his chest brushed against hers. “I’m sorry we’re going through this, but as you see, the worst is yet to come.”

Waverly lifted onto her tiptoes and kissed him deep. She didn’t care that other people stood close by or that she was crying into their kiss.

She’d been proud of Drake, but this was proving just how much she truly loved him.

“I love you,” she whispered softly. “Your braveness. Your kindness. All of you. I’m just sorry that your father is a dick.”

He rested his forehead against hers and nodded. “Me too. Whatever he tosses at us, no matter what it is, we’re going to win. I won’t accept defeat.”

“I believe you.”

Waverly pulled back when Barbie cleared her throat. “Maybe we should go tell Beau that I’m not some type of mole before he sends his friends in here to kill me?”

Roderick walked toward the door. “That’s a good idea. Everyone stay here. I don’t trust Dad not to compel the Marines to raid us at this moment. Or worse ..."

He was right. There was no telling what he would do to harm them. He said more was to come, but in Waverly’s naïve mind, she couldn’t fathom what it would be.

What was worse than rabid vampires and giant dogs from Hell?

Apparently, they would find out.