Ten minutes had passed and I wanted to be ready for Ryker’s return. I untied my top and slid my bottoms off, throwing them to the side of the pool before getting on the float. My book was just at the edge of the pool so I paddled over and snatched it—a flash of something moving caught my eye in the process. What the hell?

“Ryker?” I looked around and there was no one there.

A voice spoke up from behind. “Sorry to disappoint you, B.”

Growling, I rolled off into the pool and immediately went on guard. “What in the name of all fucks are you doing here?”

Dressed in a pair of slacks and a polo shirt with his blond hair perfectly coifed, Sebastian picked up my bathing suit and tossed it to me. I threw my now wet book at his head, hoping to wipe the smirk off his face. Unfortunately, he dodged out of its path. “It’s good to see you too. I see you and Whitemore have gotten closer.”

I put my bathing suit on and stormed out of the pool. The rage inside consumed me, my wolf desperate to kill him. “So help me God, if you try to take me back, I’ll rip out your goddamned throat right now.”

He held his hands up, taking a step back. “I don’t want that, Bailey.”

I was so angry my claws extended, my body shaking with the need to shift. “Lies,” I shouted, my voice animalistic. “All you’ve done my entire life is lie to me. I know the truth.”

His eyes flashed. “No, you don’t. That’s why I’m here, to tell you the truth. I’ve followed you ever since you left Wyoming.”

Frozen in place, I remembered the way I felt at the airport. I had sensed another wolf for a brief second. “It was you,” I whispered.

He nodded. “I wanted you to know I was there.”

“Why can’t I sense you?”

Taking a deep breath, he blew it out and stared deep into my eyes. “I’m a royal, Bailey. It’s part of our magic. I can choose if I want to be sensed or not.”

Everything around me stopped, my whole body numb. Sebastian tried to steady me, but I slapped him, raking my claws down the side of his face. “Don’t you dare touch me,” I hissed. Blood oozed from his wound, but he stood firm. “You were there when I was in college, weren’t you? Why didn’t you tell me? Was it to keep Ryker away from me?”

Sighing, he wiped the blood off his face and his wound started to heal. “No, it was to protect you. That’s been my job since the day you were born. If I didn’t keep you away from Ryker, there would’ve been a war. At the time, you weren’t ready for that.”

My claws grew longer. “Fuck you! Where were you the day my parents wanted to sell me off to Kade like a common whore? They aren’t even my real parents!” The shift came closer. My wolf was demanding his blood.

He took a deep breath, his gaze sad. “I wanted to save you, Bailey. The day that fucker came for you, I was apprehended by his wolves. I’m strong, but not that strong. Besides, I’m worth more to you alive than dead. By the time I killed them and got away, you had already left. I haven’t been back since.”

“Why should I believe you?”

As fast as lightning, he appeared in front of me, gripping my face in his hands. “Because it’s the truth. Look into my eyes and tell me what you see.” I grabbed his hands, digging my claws into his skin.

“I see a dead wolf if you don’t get your fucking hands off her now,” Ryker snarled.

Sebastian huffed, his stare never wavering from mine as he slid his hands down my face. “I don’t want to hurt her. She needs to know the truth,” he claimed.

“Then I suggest you say it quickly and disappear.”

“It’s not that simple. I need time.” He then grabbed my hands, holding them over his heart. Ryker growled his warning; he was about to attack, his body trembling in rage.

“Stop!” I yelled through our bond.

Breathing hard, he tensed, ready to strike. “He betrayed you. He needs to die.”

“I need to hear him out. If he’s truly betrayed me, I’ll kill him myself.” He reluctantly stepped back, but stayed on guard.

“Do I get to speak, or are you two plotting my demise?” Sebastian asked.

“Yes to both,” I replied.

Squeezing my hands, he lowered his gaze. “I know you think I betrayed you, but I would never do that. I swore to your family, your real family, that I would protect you.”

“And who exactly is that Sebastian? I can’t remember anything about them. The people who I thought were my parents stole me from my family. If I ever see them or anyone from the Yukon pack, I will kill them, just like I’ll kill you, royal or not.”

“That might be kind of hard,” he murmured sadly, his expression grim.

Dread settled into the pit of my stomach. “Why is that?”

“I think you know why, Bailey.”

Closing my eyes, I pulled my hands away from his and stepped back. “All of them or just my parents?”

“They weren’t your parents.”

“Tell me,” I commanded, opening my red, burning eyes.

He glanced quickly over at Ryker and then back to me, his expression torn. “I’m not sure. I didn’t stick around to find out, but the Yukon’s weren’t happy. We all know what they’re like.”

Slapping a hand over my mouth, I held in my scream. Ryker approached, but I held up my other hand. They both looked at me like I was a bomb about to explode. By the ache in my chest, I felt like one. I had to get away.

“Bailey, don’t,” Ryker pleaded.

Tears fell down my cheeks. I couldn’t stay there any longer.

Ryker

“Bailey!” Sebastian shouted.

I wanted to chase after her, but she needed to be alone. It killed me to see her in pain. Sebastian started to take off after her, but I stepped in his way. “Let her go.”

He glared at me. “She needs to know the rest.”

“And she will. Right now, she wants to be alone. She just found out that her pack was most likely slaughtered.”

“Fuck them! They weren’t her pack. She was their goddamned prisoner; a pawn in their plot to be united with your psycho, piece of shit brother,” he thundered.

“But you allowed that to happen, didn’t you? You stood by for fifteen years, watching her—letting her—be used.”

Jaw tense, he huffed and his eyes tracked Bailey’s movement toward the water. “I never wanted her to get hurt. I did what I did to keep her safe. Joining the Northern pack was the only way to be with her. I made an oath to her father before he died. He told me to protect her.”

“What happened to them?”

He tore his gaze away from Bailey and looked at me. “Greed. I’m not sure of your knowledge about the royals, but we’ve always been more powerful than the rest.”

“Are all royals related?” He shook his head, but kept his focus on Bailey. The way he looked at her, I could tell there was something there. “Are you in love with her?”

He chuckled, but it didn’t sound humorous. “Even if I was, it wouldn’t matter. You’re her mate. That’s why you were banished from your pack. Rollin made sure of that.”

“My uncle? How do you know all of this?”

“Because I was there, watching from a distance. You had Bailey, but I couldn’t get to her with that damn witch of yours casting her voodoo shit everywhere. Your mother had seen the mating signs between you two and went to the council. Unfortunately, Rollin had staked his claim to Bailey first, promising her to Kade. Your parents fought it. Your father even challenged Rollin for his position as alpha.”

“But he never got the chance,” I said.

“No, he didn’t. From what I could tell, he would’ve won the fight. I don’t understand why your father wasn’t alpha to begin with.”

“He didn’t want to kill his brother.”

I remembered the morning of the duel, as if it was burned in my brain. My father sat at the kitchen table with his morning coffee, only to fall over dead. It was soon discovered there was wolfsbane in his drink, masked by magic. It was Maret who killed him for my uncle. If either were still alive, I was going to make sure my face was the last they ever saw.