Chapter 68: Grace
Kinsley seemed to hesitate, and I felt myself waver slightly. If she was Lycan, she could have shifted and destroyed the three of us without us even having a chance. But instead, her eyes kept flickering to mine. She couldn’t shift without revealing that she wasn’t Lycan or revealing that she was and either way it was lose-lose for her. And the way her eyes kept flickering to me, I realized it was probably the former.
“Come on, Grace,” She pleaded. “Tell them it was all in just good fun. I didn’t mean any harm.”
I shook my head no, my mind reeling. Ethan had said that we were twins. Ethan looked like Dad. Ethan was abandoned. I was bound. Kinsley wasn’t Lycan. Ethan and I supposedly were Lycan. Blood Moon pack was Lycan. Something wasn’t adding up, and I felt stuck, but whatever it was, Kinsley seemed to have known it this whole time. I felt sick to my stomach.
“Grace, I’m your sister!” Kinsley shouted. “Tell these buffoons that this was a misunderstanding and have them let me go.”
“I told you already, I’m not going back.” I said steadily, my nails pressing so deep into my own skin I was sure it was going to leave marks.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Kinsley tried to sneer at me, but it honestly just looked pathetic since Arlo had such a tight grip on her. “As if anyone would want you.”
“Watch you your mouth, girl,” Arlo warned, squeezing her a little tighter, her face paling a little. “Just because your pack didn’t value Grace, doesn’t mean our pack doesn’t. And if you continue to antagonize her, I won’t hesitate to do some damage before we ever even get to the dungeons.”
Kinsley whimpered, and Arlo began to drag her toward the entrance showing that he was ready to go.
“Are you okay?” Leon asked, looking me over, letting us hang back a minute.
I nodded, not trusting my voice now that I was safe.
“Stay close to me, okay? I’ve already mindlinked Rhys what’s going on, and we’re going to get you out of here safely. But whatever happens, do not leave my side or my sight, got it?”
I nodded again; grateful he was taking this security issue seriously. It did little to ease my fear, but it was nice to have support in this moment unlike what would have happened in the past.
“Guys, you might want to see this.” Arlo called out from the other side of the store.
Leo put his arm around me protectively, and we began to move quickly through the shelves.
“What’s wrong?” Leon asked, his voice clear and strong as we approached.
“The bitch killed the store clerk, there’s blood everywhere.” Arlo grumbled, but he was looking a little pale and sick. I wasn’t sure if he was feeling everything or if the sight of a dead body had him looking sick.
“Here, give me the girl, you go and check the store. Make sure there are no other casualties, or injuries.”
Leon released me, but didn’t leave my line of sight as he approached to switch out Arlo. I could tell he wasn’t taking any chances with Kinsley, and Arlo was looking more and more unsteady, so I knew he was just giving Arlo the out. There had been no one in the store when we had come in. Leon grabbed Kinsley by the wrists, pinning them behind her back. He kept as much distance as he could between himself and her while still keeping her secure as if she disgusted him.
Arlo did a quick sweep of the inside of the store before giving the all clear, and we headed to toward the front door.
“Arlo, you’re going to stay and make sure this place is cleaned up and explain what’s going on when the clean-up crew gets here, and I am going to take Grace and Kinsley back to the pack, but where the hell is Sawyer?”
“He was going to continue his -” Suddenly Arlo’s words were cut off and he was pulled out of our sight as the door slammed behind him and a rush of wind hit us.
“Fuck.” Leon muttered and grabbed Kinsley with just one hand and me with the other. He was taking no chances of us getting separated, which I appreciated.
We stepped out into the wind, and my eyes immediately landed on Arlo who was laying on the ground looking like he was going to throw up, and Alpha Adrian was standing behind him, one foot on Arlo and one on solid ground with a smug look on his face.
Leon stopped and secured both hands on Kinsley, but not before making me grab his shirt.
“What exactly is your plan here?” Leon demanded, his voice cold.
“It’s simple.” Adrian sneered. “You are going to give me Kinsley or Grace, and I will let your friend go.”
I tightened my grip on Leon’s shirt and closed my eyes. If they wanted information from Kinsley, I would have to offer myself up. I couldn’t let Arlo go with them, no matter how scared I was. This was an opportunity, and I could see that Leon was hesitating. I had to do this. I had to.
I slowly unclenched my fingers from Leon’s shirt and straightened myself out. I could do this...
Leon’s hand immediately shot out for me when he noticed I let go and I looked up at him with wide eyes. Leon shook his head no, ever so slightly, and reestablished my grip onto his shirt.
“No tricks.” Leon growled, and I saw Sawyer in the distance, pushing a large cart.
“Of course,” Adrian answered, pulling Arlo up to his feet.
Suddenly Arlo was shoved toward Leon and I and Kinsley was released, and I felt a tug on my arm, and I wasn’t sure who was reaching for me, but I was glad I had Leon’s shirt to hold me in place.
Sawyer sprinted toward us when he saw what was going on, but it was over. Adrian and Kinsley were already halfway down the street.
“Arlo?” Leon prodded him, but he was unconscious again, Leon was holding him up.
“What the hell happened?” Sawyer demanded, his face showing his surprise.
“We will talk about it later. I can’t believe you split up from them,” Leon growled angrily. “Take Arlo and Grace home, I will clean up this mess.”
I fought the tears that threatened. It was all my fault that this had happened. I sat in silence the whole car ride back to the pack. I knew Sawyer kept trying to talk to me, but I couldn’t hear him. I felt numb. How close had I been to losing everything again?
I had managed to keep myself in check, but as soon as we pulled into the checkpoint and I saw Rhys standing at the edge of the border, I threw open the car door and sprinted into his arms and completely lost it...
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