Page 150 of Knot Unwanted: Part Two

“Ren,” he says, rising to his feet. “This is an unexpected development.” His gaze tracks over my pack, assessing and dismissive in equal measure. “And you’ve brought…company.”

“My pack,” I correct him firmly.

He gestures to the seating arrangement before his desk. “Please, sit.”

I remain standing, and my pack follows my lead. “I received your message. Through your lawyer.”

“Ah.” He nods. “Yes. I thought perhaps a direct conversation might be more productive than continued silence, given the circumstances.”

“The circumstances,” I repeat, unable to keep a hint of bitterness from my voice. “You mean the collapse of Heath’snetwork, the prospect of spending the rest of your life in prison for trafficking omegas?”

Father’s expression doesn’t change, but I detect a slight stiffening in his posture. “The legal situation is complex and not as straightforward as the media portrays. My involvement with Heath’s organization was strictly medical and advisory.”

“Bullshit,” I snap. Fuck the carefully maintained control I’d promised myself. “You knew exactly what you were doing. I saw what you were doing with my own eyes.”

“I developed innovative medical treatments for designation-specific conditions,” he counters smoothly. “How others applied those treatments is hardly my responsibility.”

Beside me, I feel Hailey tense, her scent sharpening with anger. Finn shifts slightly closer to me, a subtle reminder of support and grounding. Stone and Jax remain watchful, their presence solid. Strong.

“We both know that’s not true,” I say, forcing my voice to remain steady. “But I didn’t come here to debate your guilt or innocence. The courts will handle that.”

“Then why did you come?” Father asks, arching one brow in that familiar expression of condescending curiosity that once made me want to put my fist through a wall. “Surely not for a tender family reunion.”

“I came because your lawyer said you had information about the remaining parts of Heath’s network. Information you’d only share with me, personally.” I meet his gaze directly, refusing to be the first to look away. “So here I am. What information do you have?”

Father studies me for a long moment, then gestures again toward the chairs. “At least sit down. This may take some time.”

After a moment’s hesitation, I acquiesce, choosing the chair directly across from his desk. Finn and Hailey take seatson either side of me, while Jax and Stone remain standing, positioned like sentinels behind us.

Father resumes his seat, hands folded neatly on the polished surface of his desk. “The situation is this,” he begins, slipping into the clinical tone he used for medical consultations. “Heath’s network is more extensive than the authorities have yet discovered. There are facilities still operating in three countries, moving omegas through channels that haven’t been compromised.”

“And you know this how?” Jax interjects, his voice deceptively calm.

Father’s gaze shifts to him, reassessing. “Because I helped design those facilities, Mr. Ironwood. Just as I designed the one where your omega was temporarily held.”

The casual reference to Hailey’s captivity sends a surge of protective rage through me, but Hailey herself remains composed, her chin lifting slightly as she meets Father’s calculating stare.

“You have names,” I prompt, trying to redirect the conversation. “Locations. Details that could help shut down these remaining operations.”

“I do,” Father confirms. “Information that would be extremely valuable to both the FBI and international authorities. Information that could significantly influence the course of my legal proceedings, if properly leveraged.”

And there it is—the real purpose behind this meeting, the self-interest lurking beneath the facade of cooperation. “You want a deal,” I state flatly. “Reduced charges, lighter sentence, maybe even witness protection.”

“I want considerations appropriate to the value of what I’m offering,” he corrects smoothly.

“Why reach out to me?” I ask. “You disowned me. Made it clear I was a disappointment. Why now?”

Something flickers briefly in Father’s expression before he admits, “Because you have access to the Ashgraves.”

I stare at him, momentarily speechless as the true purpose of this meeting becomes clear. “You want me to use my connection to Riordan to influence your case.”

“I want you to ensure that valuable medical knowledge and expertise isn’t lost to the justice system’s need for scapegoats,” Father counters smoothly. “The work I’ve done—the research, the treatments—has applications far beyond what Heath perverted it for. Applications that could help countless omegas.”

“Applications that could make you very rich, you mean,” Finn says quietly, speaking for the first time since we entered the study.

Father’s gaze shifts to Finn, reassessing him with newfound interest. “The financial aspects are secondary to the medical advancements,” he claims, though I’m sure none of us believe him. “But yes, there is potential for significant value creation.”

“Mother and Dad stood by while you participated in omega trafficking,” I point out, anger rising again. “They benefited from the money and status your work with Heath provided, never asking too many questions about where it came from or what it cost.”

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