Callum parks his car in front of the pack house, but before I can get out of the car, he stops me. He locks the door to the cars and I give him an unamused look, clicking the lock to my door to unlock it. Callum looks equally as unamused. 

“What?” I ask, crossing my arms. 

“You might not like what you hear,” Callum says, concern written all over his face and expression. “Lennox, you don’t-”

I scowl. “So what? Am I just supposed to pretend that I have no suspicions? That the people who raised me are truly innocent and didn’t have anything to do with this?”

“One description-”

“Matches mine. I’m not asking Charity or Maurice about it! I’m only asking Raina and if she doubts it, then I’ll drop it.”

Callum sighs, and I can tell he’s irritated. Most likely disappointed in me and irritated that I’m rushing into this without much of a plan for information that won’t make me feel better. A part of me wants to know that I belong to a pack, but the other one is praying I’m wrong. 

If my suspicions are true and I’m right, I’ll have to confront the man who raised me as the man who kidnapped me. I won’t be able to have both the family that raised me and the pack if I’m right. 

I’ll have to make a choice. 

Raina gets to have both… but she’s actually related to Dad. 

In my case, I’m not biological and he may have raised me, but if I’m right and I’m Charity and Maurice’s biological son, then he wouldn’t be my dad. He would be the man who kidnapped me for whatever reason. 

I shake my head; I need to get the truth first. I can’t just rush into things without confirmation; it’s irresponsible and stupid of me to do that. Plus, it’ll only make me more anxious and upset. I need the truth and I hope that Raina knows something. 

I take a deep breath and take Callum’s hand softly in my own. “Callum?” 

His expression softens when he realizes my tone is gentle and not angry or as frustrated as it was when we arrived. 

“Thank you,” I say, meeting his eyes. “I… ever since we got together, I’ve dragged you along into all of these revelations of my family that I didn’t think was possible and you’ve supported me every step of the way. I don’t know how to express how thankful I am.”

Callum smiles, pulling my hand to his lips and kissing the back of it. “Things will settle eventually, Lennox. The only way to express how thankful you are that would mean something to me would be that no matter what you learn from Raina, Charity, Maurice, whoever… promise that you won’t spiral down some vengeful, angry path. If what you think to be true is true… then some kind of vengeful action started this and I won’t be able to stand by and watch you spiral and tear yourself apart.”

Him saying he won’t stand by and watch… that’s a terrifying sentence. Callum isn’t a liar and I know that if I turn things into a toxic situation due to my own anger, he will leave. Whether it be rejection or just taking a break from me while I get myself together, he’d leave. 

I can’t let that happen. 

Callum is my mate and I’m falling in love with him. He’s the best thing in my life and we’re going to build a future together… no matter what happens with my family, whatever that may end up meaning, I need to think about him. 

“I’ll try to stay level headed.”

“I’ll support you, Lennox. As long as you promise you’ll keep yourself from dangerous decisions or anything… impulsive depending on how this turns out.”

I don’t say anything else, but I nod. I really will try, but I hope I can keep things together if my suspicions are proven true. Gods, maybe I am wrong, and if I am, it’d be much easier. It’d honestly be easier to just ignore everything making me suspicious and pretend all is right, but I can’t morally do that. 

Callum and I go up to the front door and I knock. 

Maurice answers, and he’s obviously surprised to see us. He has the same exact eyes as I do, but I try not to think about that. 

“Callum, Lennox, what a nice surprise,” he says, stepping aside so we can enter the pack house. “Is there something I can help you boys with?”

“Is Raina here?” I ask, cursing myself because my voice isn’t as smooth as I anticipated. 

Maurice nods. “Yes, she’s with Camila and Victor. Down the hall there, second door on the left.”

I thank him and we walk down the hallway to the room in question. I feel a bit guilty that I’m going to interrupt Raina’s day, but I refuse to believe she has no clue what’s going on, and I’m confident she’ll tell me the truth. As much as we usually avoid each other, Raina is honest and she doesn’t see information as a valuable, malleable tool. 

I knock on the door to the room she shares with her mate, and Raina is the one who answers. I know she wasn’t expecting me for a fact, but she doesn’t look very surprised that I’m here. 

“I need to ask you something,” I say, frustration already building up inside of me. 

Camila is sitting on the bed in the room, her son on her lap and watching a movie. She seems uncomfortable, and I’m sure it has a lot to do with the aura of an Alpha’s frustration entering her safe space. 

Raina picks up on it as well, turning to briefly smile at her mate before stepping into the hallway with us and closing the door to their room. “We can talk, but not in here,” she says, heading for the back door that leads out from the kitchen. 

I didn’t even visit the backyard when I was here for the party, but I’m pretty impressed by it. Further out are the forested and hilled areas, but in the yard is a nice garden area, a clean and well-kept lawn, and several tables to sit at. 

There aren’t any wolves out here, which I find strange since it’s mid-morning and I’m pretty sure that while some of the wolves work, they’re not all gone all of the time. 

“Why is it so empty here?” I ask, sitting at one of the wooden picnic tables. 

Callum sits beside me, but he doesn’t hold my hand and I’m sure he’s a bit anxious. Of course, I’m anxious so I’m sure my energy is having an impact on Callum because he doesn’t want me to be upset or have to face a truth that I’m sure is coming. 

“Full moon ceremony last night,” Raina responds, sitting across from me. 

“You don’t look surprised to see me,” I say, moving right into it. “You know why I’m here, don’t you?”

Raina sighs. “I have an idea.”

“Are you going to tell me the truth?”

Raina nods, not breaking eye contact. Her eyes are dark brown and don’t match mine whatsoever. 

“Did Dad kidnap me?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. 

My hands are shaking as I ask and my throat is tight; I don’t know which of her answers I would prefer. A part of me wants her to tell me I’m right so I don’t sound ridiculous in my own brain, but the other part of me just wishes everything could be normal.

“Yes,” Raina says, and she breaks her eye contact with me.