Chapter 68

(**Rayne’s POV**)

After witnessing her uncle kill his best friend, there was silence on the deck for a good ten minutes as everyone tried to process what to do next. All Rayne can think of is if they should inform the Werewolf council of what happened here today. If they inform them of this crime, they will have to inform them about Wilson’s death. However, that death was justified, and she is sure the council will agree when they learn of his crimes.

Can Daniel’s death be considered a justifiable one?

*He threatened to kill your mate and your unborn baby just to have you as his prize* Parker reminds her through their mind link.

He has a point. However, there were other options. Killing him wasn’t one of them unless he attacked them to carry out his threat. A loud wail brought her attention back to her uncle. He collapsed onto the deck on his hands and knees and is crying in deep agony. Daniel was his best friend, Beta, and he just killed him without hesitation. The ramifications of that action are hitting him now.

It isn’t pretty.

“Dad, can you take Ryan into the house? We will figure out what to do with the body for now.”

Edmund nods his head, then struggles to help Ryan stand up. Parker moves to help him and between them they get Ryan inside. Leaving her outside on the deck with a corpse. Blood is seeping into the wood of the deck. The smell of death is floating in the air, making it hard for her to not throw up again. What in the hell are they going to do?

If they report this crime to the council, they will come to Bodega Bay. Do they know what she does in secret for the supernatural world? If they don’t, then there is no reason to tell them about all her challenging work. If they know, will they try to interfere? Why would they when what she, Parker, and all their allies are doing is for the greater good?

Grabbing the blanket off her lounger, she covers Daniel’s body, then walks inside to talk to the others. Her uncle is sitting on the sofa with a blank look on his face. Tears have ravaged his face, making him look haggard. The weight of one’s actions can make a person look ten years older than they are. Death has come to her house, and she wants him to leave.

“What are we going to do about Daniel?”

Ryan looks up at her as she asks what is on everyone’s mind. The look in his eyes makes her move to sit next to him.

“Daniel was sicker than I thought he was. He was obsessed with Mia. I just didn’t want to see it or believe it of him. What am I going to tell his mother?” Ryan’s voice breaks as fresh tears fall from his eyes.

What can she say to help him through this? Everything she would say he already knows. Not knowing either of them very well makes it hard to say the comforting words she knows he needs. At a loss, she looks up at her father who is sitting across from them on the other sofa. He looks just as haunted at Ryan does, yet the reasons are different.

“I killed Wilson,” he blurts out.

Ryan’s head jerks up to look at Edmund.

“I know that doesn’t help solve the problem we find ourselves in now, but I just thought you should know.”

“When?”

“Recently. He came here to finish what he started fourteen years ago. He came to kill Rayne.”

“I think he figured if I was dead then he could regain his Alpha status and go home to Jade Moon.” She explains to Ryan.

“Wait, when was he stripped of his title?”

Rayne gives him an outline of what happened five years ago. Wilson’s attack on her during the Mate Ball, Sebastion beating the shit out of him, and Alec calling the elders in. That was the night she was set free from his torture. Ryan looks like he wants to punch someone, but then he seems to remember that the object of his rage is dead. Wilson can no longer hurt anyone else in their family.

“I want to see my sister’s grave. I need to say goodbye. To tell her how sorry I am for failing her daughter. Rayne, I should have come anyway, I am so sorry for not coming to confirm what he told me.”

“What is done can’t be undone, Uncle. There is no point torturing yourself with those regrets. I made it out of there and have a life I never dreamed possible. The love of the most amazing man I have ever met. My father is with me once again. There is nowhere to go but forward. Do I wish my mother were still here? Every fucking day. Did I wish you would have come for me back then? Yes, I did, but there is nothing either of us can do to change the past.”

“Your mother would be proud of the woman you have become.”

“I like to think so.”

“I am going to turn myself in.” Ryan stands up, breaking off the conversation, then walks outside. He pulls his phone out of his pocket when he gets outside.

With that decided, all they can do now is wait. How long will it take for the council to send someone to access the situation? It could be days before someone comes to Bodega Bay. There was no way she could allow Daniel’s body to stay on her deck for that long.

“We can wrap him up and put him in the freezer in the garage for now.” Parker says as he comes to sit next to her. “That sounds so cold-hearted. There is a dead body on the deck, and I am suggesting putting him on ice like a piece of meat.”

Rayne shudders as the image of a dead body in her freezer pops in her head. It is stuff of grisly horror films or murder mysteries. Not something she ever thought to deal with in her life. When Wilson died, they buried him the next day.

“Should we tell the council about Wilson and where we buried him?”

“No, that death was justifiable and there is plenty of witness to prove it. He came here to kill you,” Edmund states as he reminds her of what happened.

“Yes, but he didn’t die that night. You killed him the next day after you confronted him for what he did.” She looks up at her father as she speaks the truth.

“Your dad is right, if you tell the council what happened they will agree. Do you really want to tell them everything he did to you and your family?”

“No, but it needs to be done. Not just for myself, but for Bridgette too. He has paid for his crimes with his life, but none of those crimes were ever on record. Just the beatings he gave me. Not why he beat me.”

“What will putting that out there do? There is only our word against his for killing your mother. He can’t defend himself, so we look like the bad guys.”

“Arabella will state what she saw in your memories.”

“That is a magical interference. Will they listen to that?”

“Ok, how about we deal with one crime at time? If Wilson’s name gets brought up while they are here, we deal with it then.” Parker suggests.

There isn’t much more that can be said to that, so Rayne stops talking. Are they right? Should she just keep quiet about Wilson? She will keep quiet unless asked about him directly. It was time that they all stop giving Wilson any attention.

She would stop thinking of him, speaking about his heinous acts, and giving him power over her life. It is time to let the past stay dead and buried, just like he is.

“They are going to send someone here to get our stories. There are two agents for the council up in the Portland, Oregon, area. So, they will be here in a few days.” Ryan tells everyone as he comes back into the house.

Portland? The Redwood Pack is near there. Is someone from there on the council? That should be interesting. Questions on who is coming from Portland fly through her head as her uncle sits next to her father.

“Who is coming from Portland?” Parker asks quietly.

“Julian and Lenore Drakos. He is the old Alpha, and she is still the Luna of Redwood Pack.”

Must be Sebastion’s parents. How much do they know about their son’s relationship with her? Daniel’s death just opened another assortment of problems. Everyone involved in her history with Sebastion has moved on. Will his parents do the same after they meet her? Will they accept what she and their son did by breaking their mate bond?

*Two Days Later*

Rayne watches her uncle pace the living room as panic sets in. The agents for the council called this morning to tell him they are in California. They will be here in thirty minutes. That gave everyone in the house enough time to get showered, dressed, and fed. It also gave them all plenty of time to think about what they will say to the council’s agents.

There is still a debate in her mind on whether to mention Wilson’s death. Two days ago, they all agreed to keep silent about him unless asked directly. However, since it relates to what happened here, his name is bound to come up. How much should she say? Would they believe it if she told them that he died the night he attacked the bar?

Wilson died that night, in a way. Monroe snapped his neck for all his wolves to see. If anyone else was watching, that was all they would know.

*Stop, Ray, leave it alone.* Parker whispers through the link.

Oops, she was thinking too hard.

Thirty minutes later, when the doorbell rang, everyone is gathered in the living room. Edmund answers the door since he was already standing. Rayne gets up to go greet their guests as well. The two people that entered the house make Rayne blink in surprise. A man that looks so much like Sebastion, he must be his father. The slightly shorter female beside him makes her think of Arianna.

“Edmund?” The female says in shock.

“Hello, Lenore.” Edmund’s voice is calm, but his shoulders are tense.

“We were told you died in the Pack Wars,” the male beside Lenore says as he pulls Edmund in for a hug.

“There is a story to that, I am sure we will get to it as the day goes by. There is much to be discussed,” Rayne steps up behind her father after the man lets him go. How did he know the Drakos family? Why did he not say anything about it when Sebastion and Irina were here for the wedding?

Both newcomers look between her and Edmund in surprise. Then Lenore spoke as she steps forward to shake Rayne’s hand. “Seeing you now, there is no doubt who you are. Where are my manners? I am so sorry, Lenore and Julian Drakos at your service.”

“I would say it is a pleasure to meet you, but under the circumstances, that may not be the case.”

Lenore nods her head, “Let’s get started then, shall we?”

Rayne leads them into the living room. Parker and Ryan both stand up when everyone else entered the room. Once introductions are made and everyone took a seat, a tense silence descends on the room. Edmund goes into the kitchen to get the coffee he prepared and brings it into the living room.

“I am just going to get this out right now since it is something that will need to be addressed to the council later. You,” Julian pointed to Edmund, “Were reported dead by your Alpha. How is it you are alive?”

Before either of them could answer, Lenore spoke. “We know they reported Wilson for abusing a girl in his care for years. That is why he lost his title and was banished. Neither of us connected that child’s name with yours right away. Now, seeing the two of you, we have.”

Rayne shares a look with her father before she stands up. “That is a long story. It is also, in a way, what is responsible for the death that occurred here two days ago. Our past has a way of not wanting to stay dead and buried where it belongs.”

“What do you mean?” Julian asks as he lifts his coffee cup to his lips.

“Everything you were told about what happened to my father's death was a lie. Wilson lied to cover up his own crimes..”

“Wilson? Whar did he do?” Julian looks surprised, then anger seeps into his eyes.

“I will show you what happened that night,” Edmund says as he walks around to stand behind Julian and Lenore.

He places one hand on each of their temples, then closes his eyes. Rayne watches their faces as he shares his memories with them. Her father is where she got her magical abilities from. It makes her want to know more about his family, but now is not the time. Shock, outrage, disbelief, and lastly profound sadness cross each of their faces. Rage settled over Julian’s features as he looks back at Edmund.

“He did all of that to punish you for still having your mate. Kara’s loss drove him insane.” Lenore whispers when she looks up at Edmund.

“He killed Mia as she was protecting her child,” Julian growls as he stands up to pace the room. “I need to call the council to have them issue a hunt for Wilson Stone.”

“Don’t bother, we already know where he is,” Rayne states firmly. The weight of Julian’s stare makes her look at her father.

Lenore and Julian look at each other. Julian sits back down next to his wife, then motions for Rayne to continue. When she opens her mouth to speak, Edmund gives her a look that made her stop. Instead of speaking further, she walks back to Parker and sits on his lap. Closing her eyes, she buries her head in his chest.

“Where is he?” Julian asks Edmund.

Edmund points toward the woods where they buried Wilson.

“If he is so close, how are you all dealing with it? Have you forgiven him for what he did?” Julian asks in an outraged voice.

“Wilson Stone is dead. We buried him the day after I killed him,” Edmund tells him.

The silence that follows his statement speaks volumes. From the expressions on Julian and Lenore’s faces, it is clear they believe Wilson’s death was a justifiable one. Case closed on that part of the past. Now, would they believe Daniel’s death to be the same?