Chapter 951 Chapter 951
Marie’s steps were slow. She wanted as much time as possible to look at these two strangers who were her family. The woman, Edda, her mother, had dark hair with grey mixed in it. She wasn’t large, but she was tall, she supposed. She had kind eyes. That made her feel a little better. Griffin was a large man with dark hair. There were light patches in it, and she recognized that because in the light her dark hair looked that way too. Both of them had a similar shade of eyes.
Webb squeezed her hand, and she realized that she had stopped moving. Huffing out a breath, she walked the remaining distance to them. Edda had her hand over he mouth, her eyes were watering. It almost caused her own eyes to tear up. It did make her feel better to know that she wasn’t the only one feeling overwhelmed by this.
“I would know those eyes anywhere,” Edda said softly. “You are my Marie. You are beautiful.”
In that moment, something moved through her, and for the first time in her life, she didn’t feel like that baby who had been handed to someone else. She didn’t feel like that scared girl who was different from everyone around her. She wasn’t unsure of who she was. “I go by Rhogue. Marie was a girl who had no future.”
Edda studied her face for a moment and then nodded. “Rhogue. Yes. It suits you.” She nodded in a jerky motion and then smiled. “You have a mate.”
It wasn’t a question Rhogue noticed. She turned and smiled at Webb. “Yes. This is Webb.”
“Webb. Pleased to meet you.”
Webb squeezed her hand and moved forward to stand beside her. “I’m glad you’re here. If there’s anything you need, let me know.”
Blaise looked annoyed. “This is Griffin.” She rubbed her hand on his chest and looked up at him. “Your brother.”
He bowed his head to her. “Blaise told me you shifted for the first time.” He gave her a half grin. “I’m a little jealous.”
“You did?” Edda’s eyes rounded. “I bet you are a beautiful bear.”
“Cream colored coat,” Webb said.
“Oh.” Edda put her hand over her mouth. “Spirit bear.” She dropped her hand and smiled. “They told me there are still family on the island.” She looked at Griffin for a moment before turning back to her. “But I don’t feel like that is where I belong now.”
Rhogue understood that feeling. “I have decided to go out and help find other lost and clanless groups.” She put her hand against her chest. “Some part of me needs to do that.”
“You’re not staying?” Griffin glanced at Webb.
Webb shrugged. “We’ll be back.” He turned to Blaise. “I need to find someone to take over my tasks before we can go.”
“What are your tasks?” Edda asked.
Blaise snorted. “He looks after all the rooms, supplies coming in and out—” She exhaled. “Orders and shipping them out to teams. It’s way beyond my skill set.”
Edda glanced at the gun strapped to her leg and nodded. “I’ll do it. I’m not going back to sit in that house with nothing to do.”
Griffin looked at her and then turned to his mate. She shrugged.
“Okay. Have Webb explain how to keep it all straight.”
“It’s easy.” Webb nodded. “And all caught up right now, which will make it simple to follow.”
“Yes.” Edda smiled. “I used to look after so many, and now I have too much time.” She glanced at the window to the kitchen. “Are you hungry? I could make you something.” She looked at Rhogue.
“I’m fine. Thank you.” She flicked her gaze to Webb. “If you want to show her things, that’s okay. I’m sure Griffin and I will be okay on our own.”
Webb studied her face for a moment. “All right.” He looked at Edda. “I can show you the sign in office. You could check out the rooms and take one for yourself.” He grinned. “I’d give you mine, but I have to replace the door first.”
Rhogue looked at the floor and felt her face heat.
“Yes. Let’s do that.” She smiled at Rhogue. “We could have lunch together.”
Rhogue nodded. “I’d like that.” Inside she was relieved and felt bad for it, but she needed some time to adjust to her mother being here.
Webb motioned to the door, and Edda turned and went toward it. Rhogue noticed she had a slight limp, and it was just one more thing that fit together. She knew that limp had been caused by being caught in a trap on the last day they saw each other.
“I’m going outside to get some air,” Griffin said.
“I’ll be twenty minutes.” Blaise held his look. “I have a call with the king this morning.”
Griffin leaned over and kissed her. “I’m just going outside.” He looked at Rhogue. “Want to join me?”
Rhogue nodded. Fresh air sounded good right now.
“All right. Twenty minutes.” She nodded and back toward the door.
Griffin watched her leave and then turned back to Rhogue.
“Shall we?” He started moving to the double doors. “I need to move around. That was a long drive.”
She walked beside him.
“I guess we missed some tense moments.”
Rhogue hissed out a breath. “Yes. It wasn’t fun.”
“I heard some of the details from Blaise when I called.” He held the door open for her. “I don’t feel bad about what Webb did to keep you safe.”
She stepped out and took a deep breath. She needed the cool air. “I don’t either.”
They walked across the yard toward the river.
“So, you’ve spent your whole life wandering all over the place.”
Rhogue nodded. “Yes. You?”
Griffin snorted. “The exact opposite. I was Alberto Tomas’ pet son and prison of my brother, Aiden.”
Rhogue stopped. “Your father was Alberto Tomas?”
Griffin nodded.
“Was it awful?”
He looked at the fence. “It was, but it could have been worse.”
She understood what he meant, but being a prisoner was pretty bad as far as she was concerned.
He began walking again, so she did, too. “I don’t know how to be with a brother or mother, " she confessed.
“You don’t have to be anyway, Rhogue.” He grinned. “We skipped the fighting as kids part, so now we can build relationships from here.” He shrugged. “That’s what Edda and I are doing.”
He called her Edda, not mom or mother. She searched his face, and the others had been right; there was something familiar in his features. Blowing out a breath, she turned and looked toward the river. It was loud and sounded angry, but in a natural, beautiful way. Her heart stopped when she watched a woman climb out of it. “Griffin…” She started running toward her.
When she reached her, she saw that it was no one she knew. The woman was wearing a short dress that had tears in it. She collapsed onto the ground. Rhogue slid to a stop and got down beside her. She lifted her long red hair from her face. “Are you all right?”
“They’re gone.” She said so faintly that it was hard to hear her. “I need the man in the helicopter. He is water clan.”
Rhogue looked around. “How did you get here?”
“In the water.” She whispered. “I followed him from my territory—” she put her head down and closed her eyes. “I thought I lost him, but he appeared in the sky again.”
Rhogue knew who she was talking about.
“I hid under a truck, then followed the river.” She opened her pale eyes. “Do you know the man in the helicopter?”
Rhogue nodded. “Konner. I think you’re talking about Konner.”
Griffin was on his phone.
“Let’s get you inside.” She reached for her.
“No. No. I need the water.” She closed her eyes again.
Rhogue looked at Griffin. “Get Nolyn. Hurry.” She leaned back down beside her. “What’s your name?”
“Talia.”
Rhogue nodded. “We have a freshwater pool here, Talia.”
Her eyes popped open. “I need ocean water.”
Rhogue’s breath caught in her throat. “We have a saltwater tank, too.”
Talia lifted her head. “I will come. Once I am replenished, I have to find my people.”
Rhogue turned to see Nolyn and Shaelan running toward them. “You’re in the right place to get help. That’s what we do. Find people.”