The Mark of Betrayal (by Cooper) novel Chapter 67

Samara

On the morning we left for Dylan’s pack, Sloane approached us.

“You’re going to Uncle Dylan’s pack?”

“Yes.” As much as I want to protect her from everything that’s going on, I agree with Roman. We’ve all had enough lies in our life.

“Are you going to kill him too?” she asks.

“If he played a role in killing the Brenner family, yes,” Roman tells her.

“What about Aunt Priscilla and my cousins?” she asks.

“Detective Timothy will be there to offer her the option of moving to another pack. I doubt she’ll want to stay in that pack with her pups if Dylan was part of the betrayal.”

She looks past us to where Detective Timothy is waiting for us.

“Could she come here?” she asks.

“It’s an option that I’ll give to her. But she may choose a clean slate with her pups away from all of this. That will be her decision,” Roman says.

She looks back at us. “You think Uncle Dylan is guilty, don’t you?”

“Yes I do. But that’s why I’m going to interview him. Detective Timothy is going with me. He’s a professional and will also make sure that he believes that Dylan was part of this before we take any steps against him.”

“When will you be back?” she asks, her voice catching.

“Tomorrow. Will you be good for Beta Austin and Beta Elizabeth for me?” I ask, crouching in front of her.

She nods.

“I know this is really hard, Sloane.”

“What if something happens to you. I won’t have any family left,” she says, choking on a sob.

“Hey. Dylan is already in custody. The pack is contained. This isn’t going to be a battle, we’re just finishing what was started,” Roman says to her.

“}

I pull her into my arms. “The reason I’m going is because Ayla can keep the pack calm. If they’re calm, there’s no fighting. I know you’re scared, but we’ll be fine. And we scheduled our ultrasound for Monday. I hope you still want to come with us.’ “I do,” she says, pulling back.

“Good. We’ll be back tomorrow. How about I call you tonight and let you know we’re safe and all is well? Would that make it easier for you?” I ask her.

“Yes. And, can you tell me what Aunt Pricilla decides?”

“I will. I’m not sure she’ll have made up her mind by tonight. She’ll probably be weak if things go the way we expect. But you know that Uncle Roman and I won’t keep secrets from you.”

“Thank you,” she says, hugging me tightly. I hold her for a long moment as Ayla begins to gently purr at her.

“Thanks, Ayla,” she says when she finally pulls away.

“Anytime my beautiful niece.”

I stand up and Elizabeth steps forward. “We have a movie night planned with just the girls,” she says, wrapping an arm around Sloane.

“I think I want one of those when we get back, so think about what movie we should watch,” I say to her.

“How about family movie night, so I don’t get left out,” Roman says, making Sloane smile.

“Maybe pick two movies. One for family night and one for girl’s night,” I whisper, knowing Roman can hear me.

Once Austin pulls Slade away from Roman, kicking and screaming, we head out.

“I hate that he’s struggling so much,” Roman says as we get in the car. Then he focuses on Timothy.

“Are you mated, Detective?”

We’re driving in a large SUV. Roman put himself between me and the door in a protective move and has his arm around my shoulders.

“No, I haven’t found her yet. You’d think with all the work I do, I would have, but maybe there’s a reason I haven’t found her. I travel a lot for this job. When I meet her, because I still have hope that I will, I’ll probably quit the force and find something that lets me stay home with her and our pups.”

“Well, we have some ranked positions available,” Roman says. I know he’s joking, but Detective Timothy turns to look at him. “I’d be interested.”

“Really?” Roman asks, surprised. I’ll admit, I am too.

“Yes. I love my job, but it’s hard being in the underside of humanity and the werewolf world day in and day out.”

“We should talk. Soon.”

“I’d like that,” he says.

The drive to Dylan’s pack isn’t long. While my family’s pack is northeast of Roman’s, Dylan’s is northwest, sort of creating a circle of protection, or what should have been protection, for the three packs.

As soon as the warrior who is driving parks, Roman looks at me. “Stay by my side until we know it’s safe.”

“Okay.”

Our pack members meet us in front of the packhouse along with several other warriors that are obviously part of Dylan’s pack as well as Priscilla. I’ve never met her but she definitely has the air of a Luna.

“Roman, what is going on? No one has told me anything! Your father came here over a week ago, took over the pack, threw Dylan in the cells, and then these … goons have been forcing me and the kids to remain in isolation,” she says, referencing our pack members.

I can feel the pack’s agitation and Ayla pushes forward, letting her aura roll out and extend over the pack.

Roman watches me, waiting to respond to Priscilla.

“What’s happening? What is that?” she asks, but her voice is calmer now.

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