Chapter Forty-Nine

Sullen

Sullen had hoped her mother wouldn’t notice her dad’s presence so quickly. She needed to figure out if he was lying before her mother came in with guns blazing, and ruined Sullen’s own thoughts about her father’s appearance.

Right then she wasn’t sure who to trust.

She wanted to trust her father. To love him. But after this betrayal, it was hard to fathom trusting him again.

Her dad stood up and turned to face the door. Her mother stormed in like a bat out of hell with Kevin behind her. Sullen watched her father’s face morph into anger at the sight of Kevin.

What had he expected?

She knew it was his wolf that was angry, but Sullen wasn’t going to deal with that, and neither was Roan apparently.

Roan jumped in front of her dad and gripped his shoulder. “Don’t. Do. That. That’s my father, and I won’t allow you to come in and destroy anything they’ve built. This isn't either of their faults."

Her dad’s throat moved deeply as he swallowed. Sullen could only imagine the pain his wolf was causing him.

“Oh the nerve of you,” her mother spat. “I can’t believe you lied, and that you came back.”

“How did you not know?” Sullen asked. “You would have felt if your mate died, mother.”

She pressed her lips into a thin line. “I’ve never lost a mate before, and when he disappeared I was hurting, I thought he was dead, Sullen. I never picked up on his scent. I never had any indication that he was alive. Sue me."

Sullen found it hard to believe that she was telling the truth. “Whatever.”

Roan put his palm on Sullen’s shoulder. “I think we should let them talk.”

Mr. Kevin didn’t seem to like the idea, and frankly, Sullen didn’t either. “I’m not sure,” Sullen whispered. “What if they are plotting something—”

“Sullen!” her mother shouted. “You seriously think I’m plotting with a man that we’ve thought was dead for years?”

Sullen stared at her mother with saddened eyes. She didn’t want to accuse her mother, but it wasn’t looking good for her.

Sullen crossed her arms, and Roan snaked one of his around Sullen’s waist. “Come on,” he whispered. “They need to talk, and so do we.”

Reluctantly, and only because Roan asked her to nicely, she walked out of the conference room. She heard Roan say something to his father as she made her way into the hallway.

She pressed her forehead against the wall, and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

Roan’s strong hands gripped her shoulders, and he whispered, “Are you okay?"

She grunted into the wall.

"Do you believe him?” Roan asked.

Sullen listened to Mr. Kevin storm out of the conference room. “Will you think I’m a sucker if I do?”

Roan turned her to face him and lifted her chin with his fingers. “I would never think that about you,” he said. “You’re strong. I’m surprised you didn’t give him something worse than a slap to the face back there.”

Sullen felt a tear fall down her cheek, and Roan wiped it away. “I can’t help but believe him, Roan. Why come back after all this time? Why now when the rogues are about to strike? He knows something. I’m just hoping he doesn’t turn his back on us at the last minute.”

“We’ll keep him at arm’s length,” Roan whispered.

“Why did you let them in there together?”

Roan tugged Sullen toward the door. “Because I don’t think they are plotting anything. Your mother is suspicious, but your dad seemed genuine. I think he left you all to protect you from the group of rogues.”

Sullen felt better knowing Roan believed that, and she wasn't the only one who did. “I’m tired,” she whispered.

Roan nodded. “Me too. Why don’t you hop into the shower, and I’ll bring some food up?”

Sullen walked toward their room and shut the door behind them. She was glad that Liam hadn’t come back to watch her. She needed a second to understand her emotions.

She was happy that her father was alive, but sad that he’d stayed away from her while she was hurting. She cried and had felt broken inside for years. How could he do that to her?

Stripping from her clothes, she walked toward the nightstand where her phone sat. She grabbed a change of clothes and locked the bathroom door behind her.

Sullen had three new text messages.

One from Jennifer asking to grab lunch soon.

One from her boss who asked her to check her email.

And another from Duke.

It sent chills down her spine. The last she’d heard about Duke was that he was secretly a werewolf. Whether to believe that or not was the big question.

Her anger boiled over again.

Sullen: Do you have something to tell me?

She slammed her phone onto the bathroom counter and turned on the hot water of the shower. The audacity of him texting her. What part of 'piss off' didn’t he understand?

She finished her shower, dressed in one of Roan’s t-shirts, and grabbed her phone.

Duke: Tell you what, Sullen?

She rolled her eyes and wrung her hair out over the sink before wrapping it in a towel.

Duke: How much I like you in a towel?

Sullen’s body froze. How in the hell did he know that? Tip-toeing toward the bathroom door, she peeked her head out and made sure no one was there before walking toward the window.

She pushed it open easily since it hadn’t been closed from her jumping out earlier. Had he come inside? Was he hiding in the closet?

Sullen opened each closet door and checked under the bed.

Sullen opened her text messages.

Sullen: Why are you watching me?

She pictured Duke laughing or smiling at the screen. He didn’t take too many things seriously, other than work, so she could imagine it.

Duke: You left me. I’m coming to get what’s mine.

Sullen: I'm not yours. I found someone meant for me, Duke.

Duke: Lol. Your mate?

Sullen's body went cold.

Sullen: Are you human?

She felt stupid asking him that since in her head, he was still a human, but humans didn't know about mates.

Sullen watched as the three dots danced on her screen. Anticipation raced through her. The bedroom door opened, and Roan walked in with their food.

He stopped in the doorway. “What’s wrong?”

Sullen stared down at the screen, and her body went cold.

Duke: Of course, didn’t you know, little fox?

She dropped the phone on the floor and covered her mouth. He’d been watching them. “I think Duke is the leader of the rogues, Roan. I think he’s here with us.”