Chapter 238: Grace
“I know exactly who you are, Grace Cairstairs.” The words reverberated through my head like an echo. Why would she say it like that? I had saved them... Hadn’t I? I had been part of the plan anyway until I pushed too far and needed my own rescue...
I didn’t have to turn to know Rhys had approached us apprehensively, and I wasn’t the slightest bit surprised when he rested his hand on my hip.
“Oh great, and now the Alpha King is here,” The woman rolled her eyes dramatically, and a flashback to the prison hit me like a ton of bricks. She looked just the same as she had then, tall and lanky, but no meat on her bones, and her face still incredibly pale. “I’m Laura, Maizie’s mother.”
Laura. She was the summoner who had gotten the keys for us. We had originally thought it was a man who was volunteering, but he had actually been volunteering her services much to her dismay.
I smiled at her politely. “Thank you for summoning the keys for us.”
“I thought I was going to be free, not for you to kidnap us just like you did our children!” She snapped.
I frowned, and Maizie looked at me in confusion, but I just shrugged.
“I’m going to let you handle this, unless you need me.” Rhys said into my mind, and it took everything in me not to jump, but I nodded slightly, not wanting to break this moment.
“Firstly,” I said, gathering up my courage. “This is the Alpha King, and I am his mate, we will be shown respect, despite whatever you are currently feeling. Second, nobody kidnapped you. You could have stay behind, and you were given that choice. You are also free to leave, but I don’t know where you’d go. You will be thrown right back in prison if you return, I assume, and you don’t have any money or anything to go elsewhere, but I’m sure if you asked nicely, my mate would help set you up somewhere. And third, your child was not kidnapped, she was sent to kidnap me, and she chose on her own free will to stay in our pack where we could keep her relatively safe.”
Laura looked flustered. Her eyes kept darting from me to Maizie as if she was sure I was lying. And I understood. She had been living in a pack that only knew lies the same as I had, the same as Maizie had. We all had things to unlearn. But I didn’t know why her allegations had me so riled up.
“Is it true, Maizie?” She demanded after a moment.
“Do you know what the program is, Mom?” Maizie asked, not acknowledging her question.
“Not really,” Laura’s frown deepened. “I was always told that you and Blaire were very gifted, and that’s why they needed you. That you were going to save us all.”
“Save you from what?” Maizie asked curiously.
“Tyranny.” Laura answered as if the word left a bitter taste in her mouth as she glared at Rhys.
It was Maizie’s turn to roll her eyes. “How were children going to save you from tyranny, Mom?”
And she was right to ask that question, it didn’t make sense. None of anything that had happened was making any sense.
“They were making you guys smart. So, that you could think for yourselves and when you grew up you would know how to protect your people. That you would be smarter than those who came before you.”
“You didn’t think that was weird?” Maizie asked, her mouth hanging open.
“No, children are our future.”
“No, Mom. They trained us to be weapons. To attack and not ask questions. They made us live in fear. I’m only here because I tried to attack them in order to try and protect Blaire. They should have killed me. I attacked the Alpha Prince. But they realized we were kids. They gave us a chance to be kids. Something we never got there. We were granted mercy. And I owe everything to Rhys and Grace. I’m not the only one protecting the kids anymore, they have them too.”
“And what about your sister?” Laura demanded, anger on her face.
I put my arm on Maizie’s shoulder. “Go pack,” I muttered to her. “We’re leaving.”
She looked from me to her mom before turning on her heels and leaving. When I was sure she was gone, I turned back to her mother and said coldly, “Despite everything your daughter has been through, she is one of the bravest, strongest people I know. Her sister isn’t safe because you didn’t fight for her. Maizie has done EVERYTHING to protect not just her sister, but ALL of those kids. And if you want to see her, and me, and Rhys as the bad guys, that’s on you. She is a wonderful girl who has been through hell and back. She deserves more from you.”
Rhys squeezed my side gently and mindlinked, “Should we go get ready to leave?”
“Yes.” I replied.
“Are you going to let her talk to me like that?” Laura stammered, looking right at Rhys.
“Yes.” He answered. “We owe you no loyalty.”
“You are the Alpha King! You owe us your loyalty!” She shouted. And the chatter that had been happening in the other room ceased, and I could feel more eyes on us.
“And you owe me yours,” Rhys replied coldly.
Rhys guided us out of the room without another word. I couldn’t believe that woman’s audacity. Her daughter had done more for the people she cared about than anyone could ever had asked of her. I could see the way fear played into both of their reactions. Laura let fear control her. She would always be a bit of a sheep. I could even see Maizie leading their family even as a young child because fear didn’t control Maizie. She used it to empower her, to protect those around her. But right now, she was the one who needed protection, and I would not be backing down from the challenge.