That is the truth.”
Emotion churned in my stomach, but I grit my teeth to keep it buried. “If Nero ordered the hit on my parents, then it is highly possible that your father sent you to me with an ulterior motive. I want to know what it was.”
“I’m sorry. I can’t help you.” He set his napkin on the table and reached for the check. “Enjoy your lunch.”
“You owe me an answer, Sebastian. You claimed your feelings for me were real, so prove it.”
He snatched up my hand, bringing my fingers to his lips before I realized what was happening. His nostrils flared as he inhaled the scent of my skin. “Why would I bother to prove myself to you when you’ve already settled for a wolf, Carina?”
His eyes flashed as he released my hand and walked away.
I caught my breath while I watched him pay for the expensive meal neither of us enjoyed. After the door closed behind him, I got up to follow. He spun around when he got to his car, stopping me in my tracks.
“My patience has worn thin. I have a wolf to track.”
I nodded. “I know.” We stared at each other for a moment as I struggled to find words. “Did you bite me to get to my sister?”
Sebastian stared at the sky and shook his head, finally meeting my eyes again. “I already told you—I know nothing of your sister. You were bitten because my father found out I loved you.” His brow creased. “I thought I had kept my secrets, but somehow he’d discovered it. The choice was to make you one of us or leave you behind.”
“You don’t know what love is.”
“Perhaps you’re right.” He slid his hand into his pocket, glancing down at the pavement. “But I have worked at Nero long enough to know that if I left you behind he would have had you killed. You already knew too much.” He shrugged and lifted his gaze to meet mine. “The choice was made.”
I wasn’t sure if I was relieved or if I’d just ripped open a deep wound. “So as far as you know, Severino didn’t connect that Nadya was my sister.”
He shook his head. “As far as I know.” His dark eyes held mine, and he lowered his voice. “He is aware of her now, of course. In Fonthill’s last report he mentioned discovering your sister. He told us he planned to use her to barter for you.”
“I figured as much.” But it still made me sick inside to hear it confirmed. With a sigh, I held my hand out to shake his. “Thank you for answering my questions.”
He stared at my hand and finally took it, pulling me into his arms. I stiffened. I guess he noticed because he let me go. “I would have given you the world,” he whispered.
I stepped back shaking my head. “All I wanted was honesty.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Adam and I walked down the barn aisle in silence. Jason got an emergency call and had to go to the hospital. Gareth went back to his motorcycle shop, and Luke guarded the house while Lana and Nadya gave the twins their baths. Adam stopped in front of the Bruce’s stall. He stroked the bay stallion’s thick neck.
“I’m going to call the Pack together tonight,” he started. “We have to figure out how to stop Fonthill. Lana can’t sleep at night she’s so worried, and keeping the Pack on twenty-four-hour guard duty is making everyone punchy. We need to take action.”
“I’m all for action.” I waited for the other shoe to drop.
“I want you to be there when we plan this. Alone.”
And there it was.
I groaned. “Sasha saved our asses up at the cabin. She’s not our enemy.”
He started to open his mouth when a vehicle groaned in the distance. My body tensed. With our enhanced hearing, I could already tell the engine was too large for a car, but it also didn’t sound like Jared’s truck. And it definitely wasn’t Gareth’s motorcycle.
“I’m not expecting any deliveries.” Adam took off running for the house.
I was right behind him. We met Luke in front just as a black Hummer with dark-tinted windows pulled into the driveway.
“Luke,” Adam said without taking his eyes off the Hummer. “Tell Lana to be ready to take the babies out the back.”
He nodded and went inside while Adam and I stood facing the intruder. The passenger door opened and I held my breath. Polished black shoes stepped out onto the pavement, and I could see khaki green slacks, but the rest of the man was still hidden behind the door and tinted glass.
When he slammed the door closed, my heart stopped. Beside me, Adam rubbed his eyes.
Standing by the Hummer, in full general dress uniform, was our dead father.
He straightened his coat. “You two look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Jesus, his voice sounded like Malcolm’s too. Other than his graying hair being kept in a short military cut, he looked, sounded, and moved exactly like our father. If I hadn’t scattered the ashes myself, I might’ve believed this was him.
It was tough to bury my shock, but I did my best to hide my emotions.
I glanced at Adam, but he didn’t take his eyes off of the general.
Our father’s twin brother. Holy shit. The Pack elders and our dad never told stories about the past or our uncle, and when we pried, our Alpha redirected our attention. We finally assumed his brother must be dead, and he never corrected us. Maybe to our father he was.
The man approached with his hand outstretched. “I’m General Miller Sloan.”
Instinctively I took a step forward in front of my Alpha, making no move to touch the stranger. “What brings you here?”
The General raised a silver brow, dropping his hand back to his side. “I’m here on business. I need to speak with my brother. I received intel that Malcolm Sloan’s Pack meets up here.”
“Malcolm’s dead,” I said evenly.
Genuine surprise flooded the general’s features for a split second before his face became a mask of government authority. He rolled his shoulders back. “I’m sorry. I was afraid something might have happened to him. I hoped I was wrong.” He cleared his throat and went on. “Who has ascended to Alpha?”
If it weren’t so obvious he was my father’s twin, I never would have believed we were related to this man. Our blood ran hot, yet this general stayed completely in control when he learned his twin brother was dead. They obviously weren’t close, but they must’ve been at some point. How could he be so calm when I told him Malcolm was gone?
“I’m not sure that’s any of your business,” I said. “Malcolm never mentioned his brother.”
At that I caught a flicker of emotion, but in a blink it vanished. “We had a parting of ways years ago. I should have made contact sooner.” He shook his head. “I’m here on government business. Your father may not have mentioned me, but he probably told you about Operation Moonlight.”
Adam nodded. “He told me he thought he was going to serve his country and instead he and his friends became lab rats for Nero.”
The corner of Miller’s mouth pulled up a little. “He didn’t see the potential like I did.”
Adam shook his head. “You call shooting up werewolves for some Lycan Squad until their brains hemorrhage
“It went too far with the Lycan Squad. We realize that now, and that’s why I’m here. I came to help the Pack with this situation.”
“Thanks.” Adam let out a humorless chuckle. “But we’ve been fine without you all these years. I think we’ll pass.”
