N. Walters - Legacy Found

“Tell me everything you know.” He pinned Quinn with a steely gaze and listened as the younger man recounted everything. The attack on his family. Being separated from his twin. Going undercover with the hunters. The long empty search. The call from Steve Macmillan to come to North Carolina.

Finally, Quinn’s voice trailed off.

“He recognized me at the gas station in Nashville.” Shelley broke the silence.

Quinn shook his head. “I don’t think so. Not consciously. Not at first. But something about you and James made him suspicious and he ran the plates of the truck. What he came up with made him want to dig deeper.”

The younger man turned to James. “Your bad luck that a hunter spotted your truck outside a motel and he followed you here.”

James had mulled over everything. “So no one else knows our location?”

“I don’t think so. Macmillan wanted to keep it wrapped tight. He didn’t want anyone to know about her.” Quinn motioned to Shelley.

“Why?” Isaiah sat forward, resting his forearms on the table. “Why was he after you, Rachel?”

“Shelley. My name is Shelley.”

James could see Isaiah was disgruntled, but he’d have to get used to the new name. The girl who was Rachel had died long ago. A brutal death at the hands of the hunters. The woman who was born was Shelley. Strong and patient and a survivor.

“Shelley,” Isaiah conceded. “Why was this Macmillan guy after you?”

Shelley could feel her entire body trembling. Everyone was watching her. Soon they would all know that this tragedy was her fault. Her time here was coming to an end. They wouldn’t want her to stay now. Not after this.

But the truth needed to come out. She needed to tell someone, release the burden weighing her down. It was all a part of dealing with her past so she could have a future.

“I killed his father.” She waited, but no one condemned her. Licking her dry lips, she gathered her courage. “Tom. That was his father’s name. He was the one who captured me all those years ago.”

Isaiah swore. His eyes blazed with fury. The woman sitting beside him placed her hand on his arm. Shelley hadn’t met her, but she assumed it was Meredith, his mate.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring this trouble to all of you.”

“Fuck that.” Isaiah jumped up from his chair, knocking it to the floor. “I wish I’d found you years ago and killed the lot of them.” He whirled around to face Quinn. “And you. You’re a part of this. You let them get close to my sister. To my sister-in-law. My brothers.”

Quinn surged out of his seat and slammed his hands down flat on the table. “I didn’t let them get hurt. I killed Macmillan. I risked my sister’s life for your women.” He took a deep breath, his chest heaving. “I also helped save your wife’s pack in Chicago by calling your brother. I knew who you were. I’ve been able to find out a few things about my heritage over the past few years.” He took a deep breath. “I won’t deny I’ve killed. But only those sanctimonious pureblooded wolves who would have killed me or my sister and brother if they found us.”

James jumped on Quinn’s last statement. “You have another brother?”

“Yeah. He’s fully human. He’s younger than we are. My mom was in a relationship with another loser.” He shot a glare at Donovan. “Craig is how I found the hunters, how I’ve managed to learn as much about werewolves as I have. He’s hell on wheels with a computer.”

“But how did he find me and get my phone number?” Joshua asked.

Quinn smirked. “I did that all on my own. Isaiah used the same phone all while he was in Chicago.” He turned to face the older brother. “I followed you into Meredith’s club one night. You left your phone in your coat pocket and your coat at the table when you went to the john. I lifted your phone and got your number. I also copied the numbers you called. It wasn’t hard to figure out the one you called the most had to be your family or your alpha. I was gone before you got back to your table.”

“You’re good.” Isaiah eased back into his seat.

“Sit down, Quinn,” James ordered. “If we were going to kill you, you’d already be dead.”

Slowly, the younger man eased back down onto his seat.

Aggression seeped from the males in the room. She almost expected them to snarl and snap at one another any second. Shelley could feel the wolf inside her react to it, bristling and pacing. “I’m so sorry for all this.” She needed to make amends, but didn’t know how. “I’ll leave as soon as I pack my things.”

Every eye turned to her and the tension in the room grew thick. She swallowed hard, but squared her shoulders.

“You’re not going anywhere.” Isaiah looked as though he was going to jump over the table and grab her. Meredith’s hand on his arm seemed to be the only thing restraining him.

“You’re staying with us,” Joshua insisted, a deep frown on his face.

“I’m not a prisoner. I can leave if I want to,” she shot back. Crazy. She was going crazy. To be arguing to leave when all she wanted to do was stay, she had to be insane.

“No. You’re not a prisoner.” James’s calm voice soothed some of the unsettled feelings inside her. “But you did promise me a week.”

She was so confused. The last few days had changed everything she’d ever believed about herself and her family. Her past had caught up to her and now her future was uncertain.

It was a relief that James had offered her a lifeline. “A week.” Actually it was more like six days now. But it would give her time to figure out her next move.

Her brothers settled back, but she could tell they weren’t pleased with her. She rubbed her forehead. This wasn’t going well. She’d hoped to build some kind of relationship with her family. That wouldn’t happen if they were angry with her.

Levi entered the house, taking some of the attention from her, for which she was eternally grateful.

“How is Simon?” James asked.

“Well. I removed the bullet and he’s stitched up. He should be fine in a few days.”

It shamed Shelley that she hadn’t been the first one to ask about him. Her heart had almost stopped when she’d heard him yell, seen him fall. They might be virtual strangers, but they were already working their way into her heart.

The room seemed to close around her. The air grew thinner, making it harder to breathe. A panic attack. She couldn’t have one now. Not here.

Fingers closed around hers. She glanced at her lap. James’s hand covered hers, offering silent comfort. He knew. Her gaze flew to his face and all she read was concern.

She concentrated on his face. Taking one breath at a time. She could almost hear his voice in her head telling her what to do. Gradually, her panic faded and she was able to pay attention to the conversation going on around her.

“Do you know for certain that hunters have your sister?” Donovan asked Quinn.

“Who else would take her?”

“Wolves.” Donovan rolled his coffee mug back and forth between his hands. “The fact is that females are scarce and a rogue werewolf might have taken a female to mate with.”

“You mean some bastard kidnapped her and turned her into his sex slave?”

Shelley could all too easily understand Quinn’s concern. No female deserved to be taken and kept against her will.

“Maybe she isn’t being kept against her will.” Donovan faced his son. “Have you thought of that?”

Quinn shook his head. “No. We’re extremely close. She’d contact me if she could. She knows I’ll never stop searching for her.” He turned to Isaiah and Joshua. “You above anyone should understand that.”

James held up his hand. “Enough. Give Isaiah and Joshua all the information you have and we’ll help you make inquiries.”