Chapter 140

Rachel POV

"How do you know this was done by those wolves?" Tyler asked me, shifting his grip on me to lower me to stand on my own feet again.

I couldn't believe he was even asking me the question. They were my fathers! I had grown up with Patrick Flores as the man I called "Daddy" first and later "Father" and I had known Richard Campbell to be my father only a short time, but I'd known him long enough to recognize his voice.

"I heard their voices! I saw Patrick!" I cried, tears starting to leak down my face against my will, "Patrick was literally in the room with me and the men holding me hostage spoke to Richard Campbell on the phone while it was on speaker. I heard his voice. I heard him."

Tyler rubbed his hands up and down my arms as if to soothe me, but my tears wouldn't stop. What had I done to make it so easy to betray me? Why did I have not one but two fathers willing to use me, hurt me, even kill me for their own ends?

Even more pressing to me was the question: where was my mother?

Gasping, I rasped, "And my mother isn't dead! I got Patrick to admit it. I think if he knows where she is -and he does- then Richard Campbell has to know, too. Patrick wouldn't have kept her alive if she weren't valuable and who is she more valuable to than Richard?"

"She's his key to the Moonglow Pack kingdom," Tyler acknowledged, "There's no reason to give him the Alpha role if not for his connection to your mother. If your mother was still alive, the pack would be able to claim her as Luna and throw him out as Alpha."

"Would they though? They're so backwards. I can't imagine them allowing a female leader," I said.

Moonglow Pack had treated me more like a commodity to be traded or used than like a person to be respected. They had treated all their females as second class citizens. I knew the idea of a Luna leader rather than a pack Alpha would be wholly new to their people.

"That could be what Richard Campbell is counting on. He can't be totally sure though or he would have told Patrick to kill Elena or said he didn't care if she was returned to her pack," Tyler reasoned.

I knew he was right because his idea felt right as soon as he said it.

Patrick was impulsive, but Richard was a man who planned. I could imagine Patrick choosing to fake my mother's death because the opportunity came up for him while Richard would have carefully considered what her reappearance on Moonglow land would do to his leadership position.

"Do you think we can get Patrick to give her up?" I asked.

Tyler considered to himself, squeezing my arms once before releasing me to begin pacing the floor. He seemed deep in thought so I left him to it, staying quiet. I knew Tyler could outsmart these men---but would smarts be enough when they were ruthless to a degree I'd never considered?

"I think I could bribe Patrick with enough money. I'm not sure there's enough money in the world for Richard Campbell though," Tyler said.

Thinking on it, I asked, "Why? What makes him unwilling to take the money? He has to know he wouldn't be able to hold the pack if we brought my mother back."

Tyler sighed, "You have to understand his motivation. He wants to be Alpha of a powerful pack. He wanted this badly enough to sacrifice his name and his own birthright. He gave up his pack to become House Campbell's heir. If Elena is brought back, he'll have sacrificed his bloodline for no reason. No reward. Is there enough money to justify the cost of your bloodline?"

No, I realized, I couldn't be offered enough money to give up my connection to Ethan even if I had knowledge now he wasn't my full brother.

We shared our mother's blood. We had both grown in her belly. We'd both been raised with Patrick's petty cruelties inflicted on us.

"I wouldn't give up Ethan for anything," I admitted.

"Does Richard have siblings?" Tyler asked.

I realized I knew nothing of Richard before he became mate to Elena. Not anything certain. All I knew was what Art had told me and it'd only been a brief explanation. My entire interaction with the man had been filled with manipulation, lies, and treachery---without even counting the times Nathan Lewis had lost control to come after me as a Lycan.

Shrugging, I admitted, "I don't know. We would have to ask Art. Would you be comfortable speaking with him again? For the information he has?"

"Yes," Tyler allowed, "For the information he has, I would be willing to reach out to him again. I don't need him to come here though. We have phones. He can keep his distance from my mate."

I sighed, but found I couldn't stop a smile at the possessiveness Tyler displayed. I had never felt so valued before even while I could admit to myself I wanted to see Art again in the future for myself.

Art had become a good friend to me. I valued him. I valued my relationship with Tyler more though.

"We'll call him," I agreed.

My hand went to my belly where I rubbed gently at the child I carried there. I knew I was making the right choice for my baby as much as for myself. Friendship would come and go throughout my life, but I would always and forever be this girl's mother; a mother is invaluable to her child which I knew from losing my own.

Or believing her to be lost.

"We do have to get my mother back, Tyler. Swear to me we'll get her back," I demanded, wiping at my face to clear away my tears, "I need to know I will see my mother again at least once in this life."

Tyler put his arms around me, pulling me tight to his chest as he murmured against my hair, "We'll get your mother back. I swear to you I will find her no matter what it costs me or what it takes. We'll bring her home to you."

I nodded against his chest as I closed my eyes in relief.

I knew on a primal level Tyler Wright would not lie to me. He would do as he'd promised and my mother would come home to me and Ethan.

"Have you heard from Ethan?" I asked, "How is he?"

"We'll call for information now," Tyler said.

Dialing his Beta, Tyler placed his phone on speaker and asked, "Adam, have you heard any news of Ethan Flores?"

"He's still in a coma from the last report I have though they claim his vitals are improving," Adam answered, "How's Rachel doing?"

"I'm fine, Adam! Well. Exhausted. Sore. I want to go home. Otherwise I'm fine," I said, surprised on some level to realize I no longer felt at home in Bella's apartment. I'd come to think of my room there as Lindy's room.

"Lindy," I said, whirling, "Do you need to go to the hospital? Your face is so bruised!"

Lindy gave me a tremulous smile and I realized she'd been crying the whole time. The poor thing was probably frightened out of her mind. I had no idea how she was going to handle the whole world at large if her father were to be brought to justice for trying to harm me and my unborn child, not to mention what he'd done to my mother if he were involved in her imprisonment.

Lindy said, "I'm fine. Really. The bruises will heal by tomorrow. I am just so glad to see you alive! Safe! And alive! Are you sure---my father?"

She choked as she asked and I knew I'd never suspect her of being a party to any kind of foul play.

Lindy Campbell might be an imposter, but I honestly didn't think she was capable of realizing she was one. I could tell she genuinely believed she was the daughter of Elena and Richard Campbell.

"Yes, I'm sure," I said.

I wished I could tell her otherwise.

Bella saved the moment by throwing herself into my arms, hugging me for all she was worth. She and her mate Jack were both worry-worn. I was grateful I had such an amazing support system.

"We have to find my mother, Tyler. We have to!" I begged.

"First, we have to take you home," Tyler insisted, and I found I didn't want to argue with him on the matter.

"There's no place like home!"