Page 48 of Accepted Bonds

“Sure.”

After getting Caden’s response, I grabbed Mateo’s hand and intertwined our fingers together.“I’ll ask the next question.Mateo, truth or dare.”

“Truth,” Mateo said, kissing the back of my hand.

“Can I ask about your dad ...and ...June?”I asked, staring at his face because I knew how hard it was for him to talk about this subject.

He was silent for a few seconds before placing his forehead on mine.“Okay ...What do you want to know?”

“Has she been punished?What about your dad?”

“Dead ...They’re both dead.She got my dad to ask for me to be sent to him so they could take me hostage.They imprisoned me and requested that Alpha Owen give up ownership of the rear and unoccupied lands at the southern edges of the Crawford Pack if he wanted me back.And my father stood by and watched everything.We locked gazes once and there were no emotions in his eyes.If Alpha Owen hadn’t sent enforcers to rescue me, I might have died for some acres of land.”He squeezed my hands so hard that they hurt, but I didn’t complain because I’d brought up this hurtful topic.

“Have you considered that it might have all been because of a compulsion?From what I’ve heard about your father and Alpha Owen, they grew up together like you, Caden, and Aiden.There’s a big possibility that June had an instinctual magic related to compulsion.Even ...even if he fell in love, his eyes shouldn’t have been empty of emotions when he stared into your eyes.There should have been emotional turmoil of some sort.So ...maybe your father didn’t hurt you intentionally, he just had no choice.”I said as Mateo released my hand and stood up, his fists clenched at his sides and his chest heaving as he struggled to process my revelation.

I knew I was making assumptions, but I felt like I needed to remind Mateo of this possibility because I could see that the pain from the events of his past was eating him up from the inside.

“I think Aurora is right,” Caden said, clearing his throat.“My dad said ...your dad loved you and your mom too much to voluntarily betray you for a pretty woman.”

Mateo’s face contorted with a mix of emotions before he turned away from all of us, facing the window behind Caden’s bed.I couldn’t see his face, but I could see him raising his hand to wipe the tears rolling down his face.

When his shoulders started shaking, I stood up, staring at his back worriedly as Caden stood up and pulled him into a hug.My brows furrowed as a sob escaped his mouth and his shoulders started shaking.

I, who brought up the heart-wrenching topic, could only stand by the side, regretting my decision to bring it up.“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize.I think Mateo needed to talk about this, and you were the best person to bring it up.”Aiden said.

His usual cheerfulness faded as a frown settled on his face, lending a seriousness that highlighted the resemblance he shared with Caden.

I moved closer to Mateo and wrapped my arms around his waist from behind, resting my head on his back.

By the time he stopped crying, we were lying in another puppy pile.Our truth or dare game had ended and my anxiety over Alpha Timothy had settled.

I was still worried, but I’d decided to trust that Alpha Timothy would return safely and we’d be able to solve this pack observer case.

29

Aurora

Levi and I received a text from Rebecca telling us about Alpha Timothy’s safe return to the hotel forty minutes after our truth or dare game ended.

We planned to debrief Alpha Timothy in the evening, so we remained in our puppy pile for the next twenty minutes before going for lunch.After lunch, we all went our separate ways.Levi went to an internal Supernatural Council Intelligence Department meeting.I went for a lecture for future Alphas with Caden and Aiden while Mateo went for a lecture for Pack Betas.

After dinner, Levi and I went to Rebecca and Victoria’s suite for a video call with Alpha Timothy, while Caden, Aiden, and Mateo had to attend a couple of meetings with Alpha Owen and the Alphas Congress planning team.

When our evening call started, Alpha Timothy recalled some of the questions he’d been probed on by the hooded man and the various methods he’d used to evade detection.Then he told us about the plan the hooded man had shared for his meeting with the witch.

“I was told to request a meeting with my pack observer in my office, teleport to my pack with this blue teleportation ball, knock my pack observer unconscious by blowing this powder in his face, and teleport with him to an unknown destination using the glowing teleportation ball.”Alpha Timothy said.

“Sounds like that’s how they deal with the pack observers in other packs,” Victoria commented thoughtfully.

“Mm-hmm ...Alpha Timothy, did you get any other information from the hooded man?”Rebecca asked.

“Nothing.He only asked specific questions, like he was reading from a list of questions.Wait a minute, come to think of it ...I got a feeling like he was new to this kind of thing,” Alpha Timothy said.

“So you think he may not even be the hooded man I saw speaking to Alpha Juan?”I asked.

“Well, I don’t know about that, but he didn’t look very ...experienced, no matter how hard he tried to pretend he was.I’ve dealt with too many pack members training to become pack enforcers not to recognize that newb stench when newbies try to pretend to be professionals.”Alpha Timothy said.

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