Chapter 96

Grace

I awoke on the familiar, albeit uncomfortable, couch in the lab. The harsh overhead lights seemed brighter than usual, casting long, unwelcome shadows on the stark white walls. A bitter taste lingered in my mouth. As I blinked away the remnants of sleep, I became aware of Margaret seated nearby, her expressions etched with concern.

"What happened?" I croaked, my voice scratchy from sleep and unease.

Margaret leaned forward, her piercing gaze fixed on me. "You passed out."

I shuddered. "The... water plant?"

"It's fine," Eason said from somewhere else in the room as I tried to sit up. Margaret gave me water. I drank slowly before lifting my gaze to look at Eason. He'd undone the collar of his shirt. He was sweating and flushed.

"How long was I out?"

"Long enough that you need to eat," Margaret said. "Charles had lunch delivered to your office upstairs."

I groaned, rubbing my temples in a futile attempt to ease the headache that was starting to make my eyes vibrate.

"I can't believe this is happening," I murmured.

How long would it take for me to get my kids and leave Mooncrest? Where would we go? I didn't know anything about our mother's family. What about all of our stuff? Was a week enough time to get everything out?

Margaret placed a reassuring hand on my arm. "Terrorists are just cowards who have been allowed to get away with worse and worse things. Think of them as overgrown bullies."

"With bombs."

Margaret shook her head. "Don't be a pessimist."

I glowered at her. "They were going to blow up the water plant. What else am I supposed to--"

"Did I tell you not to be afraid?" Margaret asked. "Or did I tell you to stop letting your fear stop you from thinking? I believe I told you, the way I've been telling you, to grow a spine."

"No fighting," Eason said before I could even reply. He clicked his laptop closed. "Time for lunch. Let's go."

He stood and marched to me, grabbing my arm and hauling me to my feet.

"Let me--"

"Now isn't the time to bristle against tough love, Grace. We're all scared. We still need a plan. Melting down isn't going to help."

I set my jaw. "Is that what you told yourself when they broke in the first time?"

Eason went still and looked down at me. Our gazes met.

"We're going there?"

"I think a terrorist organization threatening to kill the entire pack is a good reason to--"

"Then, go."

I blinked, staring at him. "What?"

"If you're so convinced that your stepping down is going to solve anything, then go. Go and let some schmuck who agrees with terrorists take your place." He narrowed his eyes. "It must be fucking nice to always run away from hard choices because you have a backup plan."

I tore away from him. "How fucking dare you! I--"

"Who chose Dad's casket?"

I blinked. "What?"

"Who chose Dad's casket? The flowers? The engraving? The color of the suit he was going to be buried in?" Eason hissed. "Who called the insurance companies to get it paid for and made the arrangements? Who wrote the damn obituary? Who went to the hospital to confirm his identity?"

I blinked at him again.

"I'll give you a hint. It wasn't you," Eason hissed. His shoulders were shaking. "You were buried in blankets, sobbing your fucking heart out like you were the only one who lost their last living parent."

"Ro--"

"Don't bring up that fucking traitor! He did nothing, just like you!" He yelled, his voice shaking the air. "You cut out of Mooncrest as soon as the funeral was over and went back to school. You ran, and I had to stay here with this mess. I made sure the pack ran while you were dicking around with Devin, even though this entire city hated me. I had to deal with their shit and keep them fed until you deigned to come back with a husband, a baby on the way, and a fucking attitude, and you still don't get how fucking easy it has been for you."

"Easy?" I hissed. "You don't know what I've been through, Eason."

"Safe and secure inside our house with your head buried in the sand because someone else was around to take care of it." Eason tilted his head. "And rather than trying to change, rather than even seeing that everyone here is trying to support you, rather than giving a damn about anyone else's fears but your own, you'd rather run. Again. To hell with Margaret coming out of retirement for you--"

"I--"

"To hell with me pushing myself to get you out of the mess your decisions left us all with--"

"That's not--"

"To hell with Charles being an honorable man and trying to make things right. To hell with everyone doing their best to get us through all of this but you, like always." Eason glared at me. "You've always been fucking selfish, and I'm tired of it. So, are you going to help come up with a plan, or are you grabbing your kids and running? I'm sure Charles has a suite for you in the palace, and you can go back to being a lycan's housewife before the week is over!"

My blood went cold as Eason glared at me. Sweat trickled down from his hairline as he panted.

"The people that Blood Moon wants to destroy, like me, Amira, Gabriel, and everyone else who doesn't slot in with the traditional werewolf way, don't need an ally that runs at every opportunity. We have enough problems."

Then, he walked past me as if he wasn't even going to wait for me to come up with an answer. Anger and frustration roiled off of him and stirred something in me: anger and pure indignation.

"Where the hell do you get off getting on your high horse?" I hissed, stomping after him up the stairs to the main lobby. "I--"

"There she is!"

I skidded to a stop and turned. My blood ran cold, and that fear seemed to crash over me again as I looked out the large windows that overlooked the street. The scene outside was chaotic, with a growing mob of protesters being held back by a line of security officers.

"Step down before you get us all killed!" Someone screamed.

I was frozen. I felt a hand clamp around my shoulder and stumbled in the direction someone was pulling me. Eason hissed and jabbed the top floor button. As the doors slid shut, the sound of the picketing vanished. Eason leaned against the wall, panting. His shirt was clinging to him as he fumbled for something in his pocket.

He opened it and drank it just as we reached the top floor.

The door opened, and the sound of phones ringing filled my ears. Eason stumbled out.

"Tell me the food is here?" He said as he reached Amira's desk. She nodded and set the phone back in the cradle just as it started to ring again.

"Take a break," Eason said, turning around and heading towards the conference room. Amira shuffled out behind the desk as the phone kept ringing. I followed to the conference room where food had been laid out.

Eason had opened the cooler and shoved a popsicle in his mouth before starting to make himself a plate.

"Are all the calls the same?" Eason asked.

Amira winced. "Well, they've gotten angrier in the past hour, and I think someone leaked the attack on the water plant."

Eason opened his laptop, wiping his forehead. His expression was grim as he scanned the screen.

"It's reached the major news channels," Eason said. "Did you send the message about the bomb threat?"

She nodded as I slowly sank into a seat. "No reply."

He cursed. "Of course not. The President has more to gain waiting for her to cut loose or hoping Blood Moon will just off her beforehand."

My heart jumped. Eason glanced at me. His eyes glinting.

"You haven't answered me."

"Answered you?" I asked. "I don't think I have to answer you since you've already made up your mind about me. You've all but called me a coward."

"My apologies. You are a coward."

Amira's eyes widened as she looked between us.

"I think having my life threatened should give me a bit of fucking leeway, Eason," I growled and stood up. "And all your support isn't going to mean jack shit when he blows up the city."

"Then, go," Eason said flippantly and took a bite of his popsicle. "Be sure to leave your keys when you go."

The words hit me, sending me back to so many years ago when Eason and I had fallen out about Devin. I could see the look of hurt on Eason's face from then. Then, the anger as he yanked the keys to the house from his keychain, threw them at my feet, and rolled his suitcase out. I hadn't seen Eason in person again until I ran into him in the grocery store in Mooncrest.

I set my jaw and turned away from him, marching out of the room. Amira gasped, and then I heard Eason talking again in short, tense sentences.

I clenched my fists, frustration and anger simmering just beneath the surface as I marched away from the office and downstairs. I didn't need Eason to throw my words in my face, and fighting about my ex-husband and forcing Eason to keep his opinions to himself wasn't the same as a terrorist threat.

Eason didn't understand.

He didn't have children to worry about and protect. He didn't have the same ticking clock I had. Every moment I had was precious, and nothing he could say would change the fact that Blood Moon had destroyed packs bigger than Mooncrest with ease. We had no defense against this.

They'd never been caught.

They'd never backed down, and every alpha who had acquiesced to their demands was still alive. Their packs were under different leadership, but they were still alive. The drug would give me more years, but it wouldn't do anything if we were all killed!

I'd rather have what few years I had with my children, with Charles, alive than gamble with cutting them so cruelly short out of pride.

I passed the banner where my father smiled back at me, and my eyes burned.

I'm sorry, Dad. I just... I just can't.

I took the elevator down and called for the chauffeured car. I tried to call Charles, but he didn't answer, and as the phone went to voicemail, I caught sight of a man standing in the middle of the crowd.

I heard his voice.

"Mooncrest deserves an alpha who is loyal to our ways and knows the value of our traditions! We'll make it through this. You have my word."

The crowd cheered, and my blood boiled.

It was Marvin, Jackson's father.