A Council of Betrayal (18 page)

Grant turned, meeting my gaze. “Did you mean
what you said to Tommy?”

I sighed. I could understand their need for
confirmation, but my decision could not be swayed. “Yes.”

Grant looked back out the window, his jaw
tense.

I drew a breath. “Neither of you are bound to
this position yet. You can refuse it and me.”

Both of their eyes ricocheted to me, widened
in shock, before they looked at each other.

“No, Olie, we want this. We want to protect
our kinds by your side. We trust you to keep us safe,” Ali said,
reaching out a hand to my own.

I smiled and Grant choked out, “I agree,” his
throat thick with emotion.

…

We touched down in St Ann five hours later. I
was checking my cell phone, mentally gearing up for what I had to
do.

Logan stopped abruptly from exiting the
plane. “Olivia,” he called, not turning around.

I stopped gathering my luggage, coming to
stand by his side in the cramped space.

“Everyone stay here.” My voice had steel
undertones. I took the steps rapidly, Logan hot on my heels.

“I’m assuming I wasn’t included in that
comment,” he muttered.

“You weren’t,” I whispered back, my lips
hardly moving.

Grams stood next to Hash in front of a black
town car with a smirk.

“You can’t kill me, Olivia,” she began. “I’m
a 50/50 shareholder in everything and I’ve named Hash my
beneficiary if anything were to happen to me.” She threw the
paperwork at me. I caught it, crumpling it up.

Bitch was smug. “I’m okay with killing you
both,” I answered with a shrug.

“Try it, see what happens,” she threatened,
taking a step forward.

“I made you,” I hissed, narrowing my eyes, “I
took you from the gutter and made you a Queen.”

She scoffed, placing her hands on her hips.
“You do not get credit for what I am. I made myself who I am
today.”

I shook my head. “You betrayed us. You are
unwelcome at the manor and Kitten.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Try and
keep me out, Olivia. My name is on the deed.”

I was done. They were both dead.

I lunged, intent on the throat I had left
bruises on earlier. Logan’s arm around my waist dug painfully and I
screamed in frustration. If anyone was watching and/or recording
us, I was not doing myself any favors.

“You will be permitted to take your
belongings from the manor in one hour,” Logan warned, not even
struggling with my weight, asshole. “So I suggest you make
arrangements.”

Grams leveled him a long look. “This isn’t
over. I will take what is mine.”

That only renewed my attempt to kill her. She
looked at me, disgust etched onto her downturned mouth. If I wasn’t
so pissed, I’d have been hurt.

I fought to keep my turbulent and poignant
emotions from spreading to the pack. I wanted them both dead, heads
on a fucking silver platter. While I’d prefer to do it myself, I
wasn’t above putting a price on her head.

Logan led me to the car Jerry had pulled up
and I got into the back seat, fury flooding my veins.

“Get to the manor,” Logan relayed to
Jerry.

Grant and Ali watched Grams walk away,
sadness lining their features.

I clenched and unclenched my fists, imagining
all the twisted things I’d do to the bitch.

…

Tommy was waiting on the steps for me when we
drove up.

He stayed sitting but lifted his head,
following the progress of the SUV.

I stepped out of the vehicle, making my way
over to him.

“I don’t want a puppy, Olie. Promise me you
won’t kill Grams.” His eyes were red from crying as he pleaded with
me.

I wrapped my arms around him, only to have
him push me away.

“Promise, Olie!” he yelled at me. “This is
all I want,” he added, his voice cracking.

I cringed. “Let’s go inside and talk about
it.”

He relented, stomping up the stairs.

I turned to meet Logan’s gaze.

What do I do?

He shook his head.

All the children were gathered in the foyer,
sitting on the steps and spilling into the living room. They
watched our return closely, some with angry eyes, others with
sadness. They were anxiously awaiting something deep and meaningful
I couldn’t give them. What I could provide them with was the
truth.

“I’m sorry, guys. Grams betrayed us. She
tried to give Hash a list of every Supernatural under the Council’s
protection.” Muttering met my announcement, heads shaking in
disbelief.

“Tommy said you are going to kill her?” a
small voice squeaked.

I nodded. “Yes, I have to. To protect my
standing and everyone here.” Tommy whined. “But I can’t. She is a
50/50 partner in everything and she has named Hash her beneficiary.
If I kill her I’ll be dealing with Hash, and if I kill them both,
the humans will have my head.”

“So she lives?” Tommy asked hopefully.

“For now,” I confirmed.

Logan cleared this throat, stepping next to
me. “Grams will undoubtedly be hiring an attorney to negotiate how
much money she will want to leave us alone.”

“Money?” a small voice asked. I turned to
Mindy. I’d forgotten she was here while we were in Vegas.

“Mindy, hasn’t Mercer come for you yet?” I
asked, surprised.

She shook her head. “You mean that Grams is
going to abandon us all for money?”

“Yes,” was my answer, not as strong as I’d
have liked. “She chose her side and it wasn’t with us.”

Mindy watched me closely. “You are always
welcome here, Mindy.”

“But she’s human. Grams is human and she
betrayed us,” one of my teenagers supplied hotly.

“We don’t judge based on species, Connie. We
judge on loyalty, and Mindy has been loyal. I’ve been betrayed by
Supernaturals more often than by humans.”

“You also don’t interact with humans,” Connie
interjected. The kid was making sense.

“Look, Mindy is one of us. She has suffered
as the castoff of a society that doesn’t want to get its hands
dirty. Our protection is hers until she decides she doesn’t want
it,” I stressed.

Connie glared at me and I broke. “I know,
guys. I miss her too.” The entire room sprang into motion, rushing
into me, hugging me, sobbing, grieving for the surrogate mother
they had lost. It wasn’t fair. Every single kid in my care had
suffered, some worse than others, and here I was taking away their
rock.

I fucking hated being put in this situation.
This is exactly why I could have forgiven so much from her, but the
public betrayal of every Supernatural we were created to protect
crossed lines not even I could ignore.

My heart broke and I met Logan’s gaze, even
though he appeared blurry. A few of the kids had wrapped around him
as well, needing comfort. He rubbed small circles on their backs,
comforting as best he could. I let comfort and peace seep from me,
willing it into each and every precious soul.

Ali and Grant moved in as well, bending down
to hold and reassure everyone they could. I had saved these kids
from their own private nightmares. I’d given them safety, and now I
was stripping them of it.

“Who is going to replace her?” Connie asked,
leaning against me. I kissed her hair.

“Ali and Grant will be moving in and taking
over,” I answered. We hadn’t clarified if they were moving in, so
maybe I shouldn’t have said that.

I peered over Connie’s head at them. Ali met
my gaze and smiled warmly, nodding.

…

The kids settled down, going back to their
usual routines. Ali and Grant went to pack Grams’s things. Logan
and I sat on the steps outside. I had tried to help Ali and Grant,
but raving hadn’t been helpful for anyone.

“Do you have things you need to do?” I asked
him.

“We have things to do,” he corrected me.

I slanted a look him. “Hey, we may be
sleeping together, but I’m still charging you for taking down beast
shifters.”

Logan laughed, “I expect nothing less.”

I sighed, “We need a plan.”

“You need a lawyer.”

“You know of any?”

“Several, but only one is ruthless enough for
this situation. Do you want me to call her?”

I nodded. “Set it up. I can’t imagine it will
take Grams long to give me a dollar amount.”

Logan fidgeted and I felt his uncertainty
about his next question. “It’s okay, Logan, you can ask.”

“How much can you afford to pay her?”

“A lot. I’m a hoarder.”

“Really?”

“Yeah Logan, don’t worry, I won’t run you
into bankruptcy,” I teased him. “Like Lorraine and her generous
spending habits.”

I smiled and he wrapped an arm around my
shoulder.

“We will get through this, Olie.”

“There is no other way but through,” I
murmured.

I patted his knee, “Come on, Ali and Grant
can handle this. Let’s go see Kass and Darren.”

The door opened behind us and we turned. “I
think you need to see these,” Ali said, handing me a manila folder
thick with paper.

I opened the file, my fingers running over
the glossy photos. Grams walking across the street downtown. Mindy
at her side as they laughed at something at the park. Mercer and
Grams on a date night, leaning closer to each other over their wine
glasses. The pictures kept going and I turned to Ali.

“Turn them over,” she rasped.

I flipped the thick stack over.

“Where did these come from?” Logan asked,
peering over my shoulder.

“I don’t know. I found them in her top
drawer,” Ali stated, coming to sit next to us.

“I’ll skin her alive and make you watch,” I
read aloud in a whisper, flipping the photo over. It was the one of
her and Mindy.

“Why didn’t she bring these to me?” I asked
no one in particular.

Logan leaned closer, lending me his
warmth.

“Does it matter?” Ali asked.

I shook my head. “Honestly, I could forgive a
lot for her. I would have forgiven the other issue with Hash and
the secrets she was keeping, but trying to give our information to
the humans is a line I cannot bring her back from. So no, Ali,
while it does clarify why she did it, these don’t change
anything.”

I handed her back the file, but before I
released it, I turned to her. “I will protect you and Grant, only
death can keep me from that promise.”

She squeezed my shoulder, holding the vile
stack of photos to her chest. “We know, Olie.”

Logan rubbed my shoulders. “Do you still want
to see Darren and Kass?”

“Yeah, I could use a little kiddo love.”

…

We stopped off at a toy store first since
neither of us had gotten the kids anything.

I laughed as we knocked lightly on the door,
careful not to wake up Harris.

“It’s a good toy,” Logan defended.

“A nerf gun is a little old for him, but
Hannah will love it,” I informed him.

A dark-eyed Kass answered the door, her face
lighting up when she saw us. “You’re back!”

I moved in to hug her. “We have arrived.”

“Thank all the gods, can you watch the kids
while I shower? I can smell myself and it isn’t pretty.”

I nodded, giving her a shove. “Go, we got
this.”

“OLIE!” Hannah yelled, rushing into our arms.
Kass cringed on her way to the shower as Harris let out a cry.

She turned partially to get him. “Go, we got
this,” I encouraged her.

She hustled away. Logan picked up Harris from
his bassinet, cooing and rocking.

“What did you bring me?” Hannah continued in
an outside voice. Logan gave me a glare.

“Outside, monster child, outside.”

An hour later I had chased, hid from, and
surprised Hannah in every corner of the yard. The kid was still
raring to go.

I poked my head in to check on Logan. He had
Harris sleeping on his chest as he watched a home improvement
show.

I grunted, closing the door quietly.

…

Kass showered and managed to snag a nap, and
Logan caught up on his DIY show.

“You look good, Olie,” Kass commented,
pulling down plates for dinner.

“Holy hell, Kass. I have so much to tell
you.”

“Wait until Darren gets here. I only want to
tell the story and answer the questions once,” Logan grunted as
Harris woke up.

Kass smiled, taking the squirming baby. “You
hungry little man?” she cooed. “Logan, don’t let Olie cook
anything.”

“Hey,” I called out after her, “I can make
mac and cheese!”

“No you can’t,” Hannah offered.

…

Darren literally dropped his fork, the food
in his mouth on display.

“You mated Olivia on accident?” he asked,
shocked. He had scented the change as soon as he entered.

“Why haven’t you heard of this?” Kass looked
over at Darren.

Logan and I shared a look as we continued on
our story. It turned out being mated to Logan was actually the
highlight of our trip to Vegas. The irony of us being mated in
Vegas was not lost on me.

…

“Wow,” Kass said, walking us out.

“I can’t believe it,” Darren echoed, holding
Harris.

I sighed, hating that I had to relive Grams’s
betrayal yet again. Logan’s hand was solid on my shoulder.

“Hey Olie,” Kass offered, turning me from the
door, “if you need anything, I’m here.”

I gave her a weak smile. “Thanks,” I sighed,
embracing her. “Just take care of yourself and the kids.”

Logan and Darren exchanged their own goodbyes
and we were off.

“Where do you want to sleep tonight?” Logan
asked.

“With the kids, do you want to stay with me?”
I asked, not sure how he’d feel about that.

He nodded, but the unease in the mate bond
wasn’t so agreeable.

“Cheater!” Tommy cried as I tickled him.

I laughed. “It’s the only way I win!” I
answered as Mindy worked my controller.

I leaned back on the floor, laughing,
releasing Tommy to try and gain back the lead Mindy had taken.