CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Kyle
"So that's why you ran?" I asked.
She nodded, her eyes vulnerable. She looked like she had the weight of the world on her small shoulders. It was way too much responsibility for someone so young. I was determined to carry the burden for her.
Now I understood why she had left, but it still didn't erase the anger that she hadn't even given me the chance to help her.
"No more running," I told her. She didn't respond. "From now on we do this together."
Her eyes held mine. "I can't promise that."
And I felt like we were back to square one. I had too much to deal with to also have to worry about her trying to make a run for it every chance she got.
"You have to trust me."
"I do," she said softly. The way she looked at me with those long dark lashes made my heart skip a beat.
"Then trust me to find a way to keep you from harm."
She pressed her lips together, refusing to answer. I stepped closer, taking her one hand into mine. The touch of her skin against mine felt like heaven. Her eyes lifted to mine. Beautiful twin emeralds held my gaze. She was stunning, and I felt the warmth spread through my chest. Her eyes softened as I felt her hand shake slightly in mine.
"You feel that?" I asked in a whisper, not wanting to break the moment.
She nodded.
"That will keep you here with me."
There was resistance in her eyes but I would ensure that never happened. Now that I had her safe with me, I was not going to let her go.
We would do everything we could to keep the knowledge of her existence from the Keepers. If the worst-case scenario played out and they did discover what she was, we would find a way to save her. I would not allow them to end her life. She was mine to protect with my last breath.
"The Keepers don't know you exist, so all we have to do is make sure they don't find out." I began to logically tackle each reason that would make her to try and leave. If she didn't have any, then she would stay here with me.
I could push her to complete our mating but I didn't want to rush her into it just to ensure the outcome that would tie her to me and make it a lot more difficult for her to leave.
"I promise I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. You promise me that you'll trust I can," I instructed her firmly, needing her to say it to me.
She contemplated what I said for a few moments before she smiled and nodded her head. Relief flooded through me.
"I've been through hell and back looking for you," I told her, gathering her in my arms. When her arms slid around my waist and hugged me back, I felt that familiar warmth in my chest spread.
I knew mates could be attracted to each other before they discovered they were mates but what I felt for Crystal was so much stronger than that and we still hadn't mated.
"I didn't want to leave you," she whispered, and her words warmed my heart.
There had been a few times I had wondered if the reason why she had run away was me, so it was a relief to know it wasn't.
"I've had a crush on you for as long as I can remember," she told me, and I pulled back to smile down at her.
"Really?" I felt my ego inflate at her admission.
"Yes."
"When did you discover I was your mate?" I asked, needing all the details.
She smiled at me. "It was one afternoon by the lake. When I first saw it and realized, I thought I was the luckiest girl."
"I wish I'd known earlier. For so long I thought I would never find my mate." For a moment I experienced that familiar feeling of sadness I had experienced so many times through the years yearning for a mate to share my life with.
"I'm sorry," she said, reaching up to touch the side of my face. I savored it. "It wasn't long after that I discovered I was different."
"I'm sorry," I said, feeling I should have realized something was up but the reality was there had been no way to know.
"Why are you sorry?" she asked, looking up at me with the vulnerability that pulled at the protector in me.
"I'm sorry you couldn't share it with me and you had to carry the burden on your own."
"I didn't," she revealed, and I frowned. "Claire was there for me."
My anger for Claire had disappeared and now I only felt grateful that she was there to help Crystal when I couldn't. I had checked on her while my mate had slept. She was much better than last night and the news that Crystal had returned safely had freed her from the stress that had affected her health.
While staring down at her, I lifted a hand and touched her lips.
"I've waited so long to do this," I murmured before I leaned closer and kissed her. My lips against hers made my stomach somersault.
I pulled away, trying to rein in the need to make her mine.
"Don't stop," she whispered, looking up to me with her wide green eyes.
"If I kiss you again I won't be able to stop." The intent was clear in my eyes.
"Really?" she asked.
I smiled and nodded. There was that innocence about her that told me she wasn't experienced with guys. I could wait until she was ready. I had waited this long, I could give her the time to make the decision.
"Besides, there are a lot of people who are waiting to see you and I don't think they'll be happy to wait."
Her smiled dropped slightly and I cursed myself for saying anything.
"Who?" she asked.
"Your parents, Claire, and a few others."
Keri and Blake had arrived that afternoon. I had expected to still feel angry at Keri but the truth was I didn't. I didn't agree with what she did but, having found my mate again, I didn't feel any animosity toward her anymore. I still wasn't sure, though, if it was possible to go back to the close friendship we had formed. Only time would tell.
"I'm not sure I'm ready," she said, pulling out of my embrace and walking to the window to look outside.
"Why are you nervous?" I asked, coming to stand behind her.
"I just left without a word."
I reached out and rested my hands on her shoulders.
"That doesn't matter. They love you and they're just happy you're safe."
She leaned in to me as I began to massage her shoulders, trying to ease the knots I could feel in her muscles. When she turned to face me, I dropped my hands.
"I'm really scared," she said, looking so vulnerable.
"I won't let anything happen to you. Trust me."
She nodded but it didn't ease the worry lines in her face.
"For the moment I don't want to share your secret with everyone. We can't run the risk of someone slipping up and letting it out."
"Okay."
I was already formulating in my mind who I was going to tell and who didn't really need to know.
"I think it's important for you to tell Liv and Rob. They've been so worried about you and I think they need to know everything to understand your actions."
Their love for her would ensure their secrecy. Other than her parents, I would keep the secret only between our tightly knit group including Curtis. I needed him to know the truth so he could run a sample of her blood to see what he could find.
We had to figure out what Crystal was capable of. There was a reason why the Keepers were afraid of people like her and if we discovered what that was, it could be something we could use to keep her safe.
Our most important task was to find a weakness for the Keepers so we could exploit it if we needed to. I had to plan for the worst-case scenario.
Crystal
I had to keep reminding myself to trust Kyle but it was difficult when I had spent so much of my life only relying on myself. Letting someone else in made me feel nervous and out of sorts.
My reunion with my adoptive parents had been emotional.
"I'm so sorry," I whispered to both of them when they engulfed me in a hug.
"It doesn't matter," Liv told me as her wet cheeks wet mine.
"We didn't think we would ever see you again…" The emotion in Robert's voice shook me.
Feeling overwhelmed and emotional, I cried with them. Kyle stood watching from the sidelines. It was his way of showing support but not meddling.
It had taken a bit of explaining for them to understand why I had felt forced to leave. They had also understood the importance of not revealing my secret. Robert swore to do whatever he could to help Kyle and the pack keep me safe.
It wasn't long before I was in the study with Kyle when Cade walked in.
"One night and I miss everything," he said to Kyle.
"You snooze, you lose," Kyle shot back.
Cade's eyes rested on me. I had never officially met him although I knew who he was. He had a reputation for being fair but ruthless.
"It's nice to finally meet you," he said, extending his hand to me.
I shook it timidly as I mumbled, "Hi."
He gave Kyle a look as he held my hand. Kyle's eyes narrowed at the point our hands were joined and his jaw tensed.
"And now you get it," Cade said in a teasing tone, releasing my hand. I didn't understand what he meant by that.
"She's my sister," he argued back.
"That doesn't make a difference," Cade assured him with a slight shrug of his broad shoulders.
"You've been a hard lady to find," Cade said, turning his attention back to me. I dropped my gaze, feeling a little guilty for putting them through it.
"Who are we still waiting for?" Cade asked as he dropped into the seat beside me.
"Keri, Blake, Curtis and James."
Uncle Nate was supervising the pack while we planned what we were going to do next. Minutes later, Keri and Blake entered, followed by Curtis.
"I'm glad to see you again," she said, walking up to me. I stood up and she surprised me by hugging me.
"Thank you," I said to her, needing her to know how much I appreciated what she had done for me. From what I had been able to gather, it had put a major strain on her friendship with Kyle, which I hoped I could help fix.
"Hi," Blake said in a friendly greeting.
Curtis shook my hand and then I sat back down as everyone pulled up a chair.
After James arrived, Kyle was ready to start the meeting.
"As you guys know, Crystal escaped from the Keepers early this morning and managed to save a rogue who had been a pack member from being killed."
I didn't like the attention I received from the people around me when their eyes turned to me. It wasn't a role I was used to. I looked up to see Cade look at me with respect, before my eyes found Kyle. The look he gave me made my tummy feel warm and fuzzy.
"How did you get away?" Blake asked.
"Some of the Keepers had left to find Flynn, so their security wasn't as tight. Besides, they weren't expecting me to leave." Blake and Cade watched me with interest as I relayed my story. "One Keeper did catch me in the room when I was freeing Dean."
Kyle frowned. "You ran into a Keeper and you still made it out?"
He gave me an incredulous look as I nodded. "Yes. He helped me escape."
The room was so silent it made me nervous.
"Why did he help you?" Kyle asked.
I shrugged. "I don't know." The werewolves around me looked among themselves. "I kept a syringe filled with wolfsbane to use as a weapon."
"Wolfsbane?" Curtis questioned, looking thoughtful. I nodded.
"How does it affect the Keepers?" he asked.
"Well, I'm not a hundred percent sure but I know it weakens me when I take it."
Curtis looked at me, a little confused, and then I remembered they still had no idea what I was. I looked at Kyle, unsure of how to proceed. He didn't step in and take over like I hoped he would. Instead he gave me an encouraging nod. I swallowed nervously as I turned back to Curtis, trying to ignore the rest of the eyes on me.
"I'm not just a werewolf," I admitted. I could have heard a pin drop it was so still. "I'm half-Keeper."
It was a bombshell they hadn't expected.
"I did not see that coming," Blake said, his eyes still wide with shock.
"How's that possible?" Cade asked, leaning forward. His eyes were studying me closer, like he would be able to detect a physical attribute to prove I was half a Keeper.
"My mother was a werewolf and my father was a Keeper."
"When did you start to notice the Keeper traits?" Curtis asked. Hopefully the more information I could give him, the more it could help.
"At sixteen."
"What were the side effects?" he asked, taking out a notebook and a pen from the pocket of his shirt. He scribbled something down and then looked up expectantly at me.
"I noticed…I was stronger. I broke the handle off a door by accident."
"I bet you could kick Cade's ass," Blake chirped in, and Cade threw him a glare that told him to shut up.
"Maybe." I shrugged. It was mind-blowing to them that, despite my outward appearance of a small, petite girl, I was stronger than all of them.
"What else?" Curtis prompted.
"I have a mark at the back of my neck. It heats up when werewolves are near." My hand subconsciously moved to the spot at the back of my neck. It was warm to my touch.
"Do you mind if I take a closer look?" Curtis asked. I nodded and moved my hair back with my hand. Curtis' fingers touched it.
"Harrison told me the heat increases if there are rogues around," I told them.
"Who is Harrison?" Kyle asked, leaning against the desk. I let my hair go before I looked at him.
"The Keeper who helped me escape."
"Do you know if the Keepers have any other powers?" Curtis asked, taking his seat again.
"Not that I know of."
"Let's go back to the beginning," Kyle said to me, needing more details. "What happened when Harrison caught you trying to free Dean?"
"He took the syringe from me and injected it into his own leg. Then he told me the easiest way out of the property and how to avoid the guards."
"Do you think they let her go on purpose?" Cade asked, but I didn't miss the wary expression he gave Kyle.
I hadn't even contemplated that. Why would they do that? None of this was making much sense. Why would one Keeper help me escape? He didn't know me, and people didn't do things like that for no reason. Had my escape been part of the Keepers' plans?
Remembering Travis sent a shiver of fear through me. Kyle didn't miss it.
"I think we're done here."
Everyone except Curtis began to leave the room.
"I'd like a blood sample," he asked me before looking at Kyle, who nodded at him.
"Sure." I extended my arm for him. He got what he needed out of his small black bag and took blood from my right arm.
Once he finished up, he left, and Kyle pulled me to my feet.
"What scared you?" he asked. His gray eyes searched mine.
"The guy who's in charge of the Keepers," I admitted. "None of the others gave me the creeps like that guy did."
"What's his name?" he asked.
"Travis."
Our eyes met and I could see the intensity in his. He leaned his forehead against mine.
"We will get through this."
I closed my eyes, trying to believe his words, but I couldn't block out the image of Travis and the way he'd looked at me. I had a feeling if Flynn and Harrison hadn't been around, my fate would have been very different.
Flynn. I pulled away from Kyle.
"Where is Flynn?" I asked.
"He's downstairs in a cell."
"I need to see him," I insisted, making an attempt to walk out of the study, but Kyle's hand wrapped around my wrist and halted me.
"What?" I asked him.
"I don't think it's a good idea."
"Why?" I pulled my wrist free from his hold.
He pressed his lips together. "I can't give you a reason except I don't have a good feeling about this."
It wasn't enough. Even though Flynn was a Keeper, he had saved my life. Like Harrison, I couldn't label him purely as the enemy. They were different.
"Flynn saved my life," I said, trying to explain to Kyle.
"But he thought you were human." That silenced me. "What if you had been a werewolf? Do you think he would have saved you then?"
I wanted to say yes but if that scenario had played out, he probably wouldn't have.