Chapter 20: 20: Day of Reckoning

Fiona

“When will you be back?” asked Kyra from the top of the stairs. Her arms crossed, and anxiety was evident on her face.

“If we haven’t returned by tonight, alert the council and tell them everything,” Rowan said, handing Kyra a slip of paper with Cormac’s address before kissing her cheek.

“It’s going to be okay,” I said with a broad smile, hoping to calm her.

Kyra followed us outside as we all climbed into the SUV, watching with weary eyes. I felt awful for her and waved as Rian took off.

After thirty long minutes of silence, we pulled into a parking spot at a park a few blocks away from Quinn’s house. Rowan turned in his seat, regarding me and Kat, and I saw a muscle jerk in his jaw.

He let out a sigh. “Well, it’s time. Let’s get this over with, and hopefully, neither of you will have to deal with this sick bastard ever again. But remember… if anyone, especially Quinn, shows up, you girls make a run for the SUV.” Rowan glared between us, waiting for a response. We nodded, and he tossed the keys at me. “Don’t get separated if you can help it.”

“Are you sure you don’t want us to wait for you in the vehicle for at least five minutes?” Kat asked.

“No!” Rowan shook his head. “Head back to the house and have Kyra contact the pack as we spoke about last night.”

“If we can, Rowan and I will help you both escape. And if Cormac shows up, go straight back to the house. Tell Kyra there’s a possibility that we are in danger,” Rian said, agreeing with his brother.

“Wait…” I shook my head, confused. “I just thought of something. How do we get back? You once said we would never find your house on our own.”

Rowan pointed at the GPS attached to the dash and touched an orange app shaped like a house. “Just tap this, lass.” My stomach twisted as beads of sweat popped along my forehead. “Relax, Fiona… this is worst-case scenario stuff.”

“Everyone ready?” Rian lifted his brows and glanced at us.

“I suppose.” I let out a ragged breath and glanced between the brothers.

“All right, let’s focus on any hardware and important paperwork first. We need computers, files, and anything tangible brought out to the SUV before we do a deep search. That way, if we get interrupted, it won’t be all for nothing,” Rowan said before exiting the vehicle.

Once inside the gate, I stared ahead at the imposing home I grew up in. A chilling sensation, like little spiders crawling down my spine, almost stopped me in my tracks. I licked my top lip, tasting the briny sweat beaded there, and sensed the essence of malice before me. “Listen, I have a terrible feeling about this,” I mumbled to Kat.

She grabbed my hand, giving it a squeeze. “It’s gonna be okay. You’re just nervous and so am I.” Kat threw me a tight smile, but I noticed the uncertainty and fear in her eyes. “Let’s get this over with and behind us, okay?”

“Yeah.” After a fake smile, I released her hand, but the dread remained. The knowledge that something terrible could happen continued to gnaw at me. An odd premonition, like a slideshow of memories, played out in my mind’s eye, but I shook it off and inserted the key into the lock. My hands shook, and the keychain dropped to the concrete. I wiped my wet palms on my jeans, licked my salty lip, and tried again.

“Do you need help, lass?” I felt Rowan's approach. His body heat surrounded me, causing more undue anxiety.

“No. Sorry.” With a shake of my head, I uttered, “Got it.” I pushed open the door, praying we made it out of here unscathed.

No one spoke as we crossed the threshold, and I marched straight to my father’s study. After collecting his laptop, several folders, and a few notebooks, Rowan sent Rian back to the SUV with our findings.

“Wait,” I cried out. “Don’t go out the front door. Let me show you a different door to use. There’s a side gate as well, but it has a keypad. Just long-press the eight button, and the gate will open.”

“Long press the eight…” Rian rolled his eyes. “I figured Quinn would have some crazy code, but whatever. Show me to the other door.”

“Eight is his favorite number,” I said, shrugging my shoulders.

“That doesn’t surprise me. The number eight is often associated with power, victory, and strength. And Quinn is a bloody cocky bastard.” Rowan shook his head, and we left the study behind. I was breathing easier, and realized my earlier stress was silly. Cormac was in London, and we should be safe.

I stood silent, clenching my teeth, listening as Kat and Rowan made small talk while we waited for Rian to return. The sick, hollow feeling inside my stomach intensified being this close to him, and I yearned for solitude. I wanted a bed in a dark room to lick my wounds in private. My head was spinning, my emotions spent, and I didn’t understand Rowan and his mixed signals. I had been such an idiot for giving into his charms and falling into bed with him.

What had I been thinking?

I hadn’t. I failed to think things through, or else we wouldn’t be in this predicament. I still couldn’t wrap my head around the werewolf thing. Who am I kidding? I can’t wrap my brain around any of it—werewolves, witches, vampires, or fairies. And that’s what I needed to focus on, instead of being lovesick over a man. A man who changed his mind like I changed underwear. One moment, Rowan was being nasty to me, and then we were rolling around in the sheets. Then he ghosted me before proclaiming his love… again. It all seemed too much, and I was finished—done with Alpha O’Connell.

“That was fast.” Kat’s voice brought me back to reality.

“I don’t play around.” Rian smiled. “So, what next?” He rubbed his palms together, ready to get on with the task at hand.

“The lab,” Rowan announced, and his eyes met mine. I held his gaze, my face void of expression, but sensed the color rise from my chest, settling on my cheeks and ears like fire. Damn him!

Back in the lab, my body shuddered, and I felt sweat beading along my lip again. It was the room I dreaded visiting again, and the strange feeling assaulted my senses like before. The lost, long-buried memories seemed out of reach as I took in my surroundings. Even the room smelled like dread as I searched the recesses of my mind. What the hell happened here?

“Are you okay, lass?” I turned toward the sound and found Rowan standing far too close. With his arm almost touching mine, my body jerked of its own accord.

I scrambled away from him, flashing a fake smile, and rubbed my upper arms. “Yes, sorry. This room gives me the creeps, and I know something horrible happened here. Something besides Cormac cutting off my wings, since I was too young to remember that heinous deed.”

“You’re lucky you don’t remember,” Kat said. I turned toward her, and my breath hitched in my throat, taking in her paleness and the faraway look in her eyes.

“Kat…” Shaking my head, I strode to her side and grabbed her hands. “I am so sorry. That was insensitive of me. Please forgive me.”

“Why ever are you apologizing, love? Just because Cormac has subjected me to more of his vile treatment and I remember does not diminish what he did to you!” She stared into my eyes, and I blinked, letting the tears roll unchecked down my face. I felt her arms engulf me, and I welcomed the hug.

Rowan cleared his throat. “Ladies… I hate to intrude, but we really must—”

“Don’t be a dick, mate!” Rian seethed.

I released Kat and wiped my nose and eyes. “No, Rowan is right. We need to get on with it.”

“Well, yes, but that was uncalled for.” Rian shot his brother with a stormy glare.

“Look here, bro… I wasn’t trying to be an ass! But we are in a precarious situation, and I’d like us to get what we need and get the hell out of here. Do you trust Cormac Quinn enough to meander around his house?” With his brows hitting his hairline, Rowan continued staring at Rian, and I saw the tension ticking in his jaw.

“I get it. I do. But maybe show a bit of compassion!” Rian shrugged, maintaining a scowl.

A confrontation was brewing, and I needed to step in. “And this minor disagreement is also costing us time…” My words gained their attention, and without speaking, we resumed our search. We loaded Rian down with more files and another laptop while Kat was busy picking a lock on a big metal cabinet.

“Rian, run that stuff to the SUV and come straight back to the lab. Once we finish here, I say we hit the old man’s private quarters and then the outbuildings.” Rowan stood behind Cormac’s desk, his arms folded across his broad chest.

“You got it. I shall return.” Rian gave a quick salute and dashed from the room.

Rowan and I stood behind Kat as she attempted to unlock the large, sterile-looking cabinet. I stared at Kat’s back, feeling Rowan’s gaze on me. His scrutiny made me uneasy, so I shuffled from foot to foot, unsure what to do.

“Do you want me to give it a go?” Rowan asked.

I whirled on him, placing my palms on my hips. “Why?”

With a chuckle, he asked, “Why what?”

“Don’t play coy! You know I’m asking why you wanna give it a go, Alpha Wolf?”

“Because I—”

I threw my hand out, palm facing him, teeth clenched. “Because you think you are better at everything!”

“Fiona, that’s not—”

“Shut up!” I roared. “Just shut the fuck up! I’m so bloody sick and tired of your holier-than-thou attitude.” Striding toward him, anger seemed to radiate from my pores, and I relished watching his eyes round. “Alpha O’connell has all the answers, doesn’t he…”

The sound of soft chuckling told me Rian had returned to witness my wrath.

“Calm down, lass, that’s not what I meant.” As my toes touched Rowan's, I stared up at his imposing form. But I wasn’t ready to stop. My rage didn’t need an excuse, just an outlet, and I had been waiting for this opportunity. I watched as aggravation flickered in his orbs, giving me a bit of satisfaction.

“No! I will not calm down or take orders from you. Just remember, I’m not one of you pack members!” My nostrils flared as I continued spewing my vitriol.

“You… you over-inflated, cocky asshole! Nobody can pick a fucking lock like Kat!”

“Got it!” Kat announced.

“Bravo! I’m not sure what’s more impressive…” We all turned in unison at the voice, and the hairs stood up on my arms.

“I never realized your talent, Katrina.” Cormac Quinn stood, leaning against the doorframe, grinning. “And my little girl, putting that mangy mutt in his place.” He clapped. “However, this is not how I wanted you to find out everything, Fiona.”

I jumped, my heart in my throat, as Rowan grabbed my arms and pulled me behind his massive frame. While craning my head around his large arm, I said, “I doubt we have found everything, you slimy bastard!”

Cormac glared between me and Rowan. “If you had been patient, I would have explained everything properly, and of course, you wouldn’t be facing such a dilemma right now.”

Silence surrounded us as Cormac entered the room leisurely, almost like he enjoyed finding us in his lab. Warning bells screamed inside my head, and I knew we had to escape. ASAP.

However, the opportunity had passed. Cormac let out a frenzied chortle before turning to the keypad inside the lab and tapping a button. I watched as the door sealed shut, and icy fear sucked the breath from my lungs.

“Now it’s time for a little chat among friends,” Cormac said, a wide grin lifting the corner of his mouth while his eyes lowered to mere slits.

We were fucked.