"We didn't find him," Kayla said.
"His father probably took him out. He said he was going to try to save him, but I don't think there's any way that he could have."
"Didn't see Dr. Keane either."
"There were a lot of people in there—and a lot of chaos. Do you think you may have missed them?"
"I guess it's possible."
"When Connor gets back, we can see if he wants to go looking for him. I think Mason is a smell he'll never forget."
"Lucas and I could probably find him. We should go looking for him. Just to be sure."
We sat in silence for several minutes. I stared at the building, not wanting to look into the eyes of anyone else. I didn't want to see pity or sympathy or disgust.
"Baby?"
I turned my head to the side. "Mom—"
"I know you're not a baby," she said, as she knelt beside me. "But you'll always be my baby. I'm so sorry I never told you the truth."
"It's okay, Mom."
I didn't know who reached for whom first but suddenly we were hugging each other tightly and I could barely breathe. Mostly because I was crying. Mom was crying, too, and the more she cried, the harder she squeezed me. I guessed when I really needed her, she was there for me.
Finally, I drew back and inhaled deeply. "I'm having too many girly moments."
Mom smiled and tucked my hair behind my ear. "You always thought you had to be tough."
"So what was he like—my father?"
"Listen, I'm going to leave you two alone," Kayla said.
Mom brushed her hand in the air. "Oh, you can stay. You should hear this. You, too, Lindsey. You can stop hovering back there."
"You smelled her," I said.
"Of course," Mom said as though it was nothing, then embarrassment touched her features as she realized I would never have the ability to distinguish individuals simply by their scent. "Brit—"
"It's okay, Mom. You can't stop being who you are, and I need to learn to be and accept who I am."
"I didn't want to disturb you," Lindsey said as she knelt in front of me.
I reached out and hugged her quickly. Long hugs seemed to generate tears. "Thanks for holding my secret."
"Hey, anytime, although it might be better if people didn't find out I knew."
"Right." She'd made a grave error in judgment putting me before the pack. I'd never forget her for it, though.
I turned back to Mom. "So, my dad?"
She pressed her hand to her heart. "Oh, Brittany. I hardly know where to begin. It was after my full moon. Michael and I had decided we weren't destined mates. We were simply friends. We went our separate ways, and I was feeling restless, so I went to Europe. Then I met Antonio. He was from Spain. He was the most handsome man. And he had the most delicious accent, the most beautiful eyes. Your eyes. And he was so romantic." She nudged her shoulder against mine. "We actually met in Brittany, France. Which is why I named you Brittany. We toured Europe together. I've always heard that when you meet your mate, it's like a kick to the gut. How unromantic."
I smiled, remembering saying something similar to Connor.
"But falling in love," my mom said dreamily, "is wonderful. It happens over time. He'll say something or do something and your heart just tightens."
I thought of Connor and all the times he'd made me smile or laugh or grow warm with desire.
"But he left you. Was it because you were a Shifter?" I asked.
Mom shook her head. "No, I never told him. I didn't have the courage to tell him."
I could so relate to that.
"I loved Antonio. Still do. He was the one for me. But I knew he could never accept what I was. Then I realized I was pregnant," Mom continued. "I wanted you raised among our kind, so I came back here.
"I know you were always disappointed that I wasn't one of the legendary Dark Guardians, but I was always a mother first. I don't regret it." She cradled my cheek. "I don't want you to regret it."
"I don't. I might have understood if you'd told me."
"And you might not have. It was my burden to carry. I mean, really, when do you tell your child that you were a rebel in your youth? Might give her ideas."
She made me smile. She'd always been able to make me smile. "I love you, Mom."
Winking at me, she squeezed my hand and nodded. I figured she thought anything more would result in additional tears. We'd never been big on tears.
I didn't smell him. I didn't hear him. But I knew he was there. I twisted around and smiled at Connor. "Hey."
"Hey." He sat behind me and put his arms around me. "Hi, Ms. Reed."
"Hello, Connor." She patted my arm. "Think it's time for me to go find some folks closer to my age. I brought the car. It's parked about ten miles from here. Find me if you want a lift home."
I figured she was the only Shifter who had arrived in a car, but then she was the only one with a human daughter.
"I'll see." I didn't know yet what my plans were. For all I knew, the elders would have me placed under house arrest for impersonating a Shifter.
"Okay'" Lucas yelled. "No one is left in the building. Everyone stay back. They're ready to demolish the building." He raced toward us. Kayla met him halfway.
Lindsey wandered over to where Rafe was waiting for her.
Connor and I stood up to have a better view.
The series of explosions went off in a timed sequence and the building crumbled into a pile of debris and dust. Somehow after all we'd faced, it seemed…anticlimactic.
After the vaporous clouds settled, Lucas walked back over to us. "I'm going to send Guardians out to search for Mason and Dr. Keane. Their underlings I'm not too worried about. But the Keanes, we need to find. We can take them to Wolford, hold them prisoner there until the elders decide what to do with them."
"I'll help you search in a minute," Connor said. "I need to take care of something first."
Lucas nodded as though he knew what that something was. I was afraid I might, too. That something was me.
My suspicions were confirmed when Connor turned to me. "We need to talk."
I nodded. Yeah, we did.