Chapter 519 Chapter 519
“Is it just me or is there something a bit off about the members of the surveillance team?” It was a sad attempt at changing the heavy mood. He got in and looked at the steering wheel. He’d missed his ride with its comfortable seats and dark windows.
Amari got in and closed her door, “have you met the rest of us? Name one member of any of the teams that seems normal.”
Tripp inhaled slowly as he thought, exhaling, he shrugged, “okay, you got me there.” He grinned and turned the key.
Amari leaned over and tapped the GPS unit’s screen a little harder than necessary. He watched her put in her clan address.
Putting it in drive, he turned it around and headed back down the path to the road. “Don’t stab me, but I have questions.”
She sat back in her seat, “I wouldn’t stab you, you’re driving, and your rig is too nice to wreck by crashing it.” She looked far too amused after saying that. He couldn’t be sure but thought she actually meant what she said.
“Don’t hurt your brain over thinking that, Tripp.” The smile was gone. “Ask your questions.” The expression in her eyes was far away like she was reliving something.
“Your father isn’t allowed to have your number?”
“Right.” She turned and looked out the window. The anxiety coming off her was strong enough that his cat was even concerned now.
“Okay.” He glanced at the GPS and debated on telling her that he didn’t need directions to her clan. “Why?” He knew he was pushing it, but if he was going to break the order of never stepping foot on the Hughes clan land again, he needed to know why. He watched her out of the corner of his eye, and she didn’t turn to look at him.
“I call my mother from time to time.”
That wasn’t much of an answer. “But you don’t speak to your father—” little pieces were clicking together in his head, “why?”
She sighed loud and long, then reached down and loosen her boots and kicked them off. “I guess I should warn you this visit will be hostile,” she shifted in the seat and put one foot up on the dash, “if you knew my father, you’d get it…”
“I do know your father.” He turned to see the surprise on her face.
“Oh, so then you know he’s an asshole.”
Tripp grinned. “I do.” He was so shocked by the direction this conversation was going, he decided to keep the details of his knowledge of the man to himself for now.
“All right then,” she dropped her foot back down and leaned against the door, looking at him this time. “He banished me from the clan years ago.”
An Alpha banished his own daughter? He’d never heard of that. “What the hell? Why?”
She sighed, “I saved my little sister.”
Tripp looked at her, then quickly back to the road before he did wreck his ride on one of these corners. “From what?”
“Being taken, or killed,” she shrugged, “we’ll never know for sure, but he had a gun and was watching her through the scope of his rifle.”
“Who?” He slowed down enough that he could focus on the road and still look over at her.
“I didn’t know about Tomas and all of that at the time, I don’t even know if my father knew about it,” she looked down at her hands, “but, a one-form man was stalking my sister, so I took him out.”
“In cat form?” He wanted to stop the vehicle and put it in park while they talked about this, but he also wanted to get the hell out of this area where Tomas’ people would soon be swarming to look for his brother.
“No.” She said it quietly and then looked out the window.
She’d killed a one-form. His chest felt tight. That was really high on the list of things never to be done.
“He smelled of different clans, but he definitely wasn’t one of us. After I found out about Tomas it all made sense, you know? That taking her during puberty—”
“Yeah, it does.” He cut her off because of the emotion in her voice. “Your father didn’t get that? The Alliance didn’t investigate?”
“I don’t know. I was banished before anyone found out and I don’t know what happened after that.” She blew out a breath, “Shepard Addison tracked me down and found me a place to go and helped me get more training to help the Alliance.”
Tripp white-knuckled the steering wheel. Asshole Hughes had banished his own daughter for saving his other daughter. “How long ago was this?”
“Five, six years now I guess.” The flat tone was back in her voice.