Jinx’s Mate(19)

He stood, wrapping his arm around her and kissing her. “I’ll be back soon.”

He strolled from the room with a smile on his face. A quick afternoon lovemaking session was just what he needed to get his old bones moving again. He turned to Tex.

“What’s going on?”

“We had a clan member, Cliff, leave. Ben and I weren’t sure where his loyalties were. He was Avery’s cousin, there was an unhealthy devotion between them. No matter what Avery did, Cliff never went against him. Cliff was brainwashed. I suspected he might have a goal of becoming Alpha.” Tex explained, quickly moving down the hall. “He left behind his two daughters with a note saying that a life alone wasn’t for them. They needed to stay in the clan, to be raised properly and find their mates.”

“Their mother? How old?”

“Their mother was one of the women Avery killed. While I was gone, he killed more then a dozen members in his fits.” Tex shook his head.

“You know none of this is your fault.”

“I can’t help but feel responsible. From everything we gathered, it’s clear Avery went off his hinges in those weeks. If I had returned…”

“He’d have killed you.” He took hold of Tex’s arm and stopped him. “Don’t give me this shit, you know he would have and then where would the clan be? You’re their Alpha now. It doesn’t matter how many people Avery killed, or why, it’s your responsibly to put the pieces back. You can’t do that if you’re feeling sorry for yourself.”

“The girls are nineteen and two.” Tex continued down the hallway. “It’s a large age gap because they were forbidden to have any more children after Ashley. Claire was an accident, which is why Avery demanded the woman’s life.”

“Wait. If Claire is two, and the mother was killed while you were in Alaska, why did Avery wait so long?”

“He had her sequestered with Claire, away from her husband. It was part of the punishment. Cliff was told if he did everything to please Avery that his mate and child would be returned in two years.” Tex clenched his fists. “The two years passed while I was in Alaska. It seems that Cliff demanded his family be returned. That’s when Avery demanded the woman’s life. Still he kept the child locked away, only allowing one woman to visit.”

“Who’s the woman?”

“No one knows. Only that Avery allowed her to visit the child, to care for her and play with her.” Tex stopped in front of a door. “Damn it, Claire is terrified. She’s curled up in a corner crying, refusing to allow anyone near her.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“We need to calm Ashley. Then we have to find the woman, if there really is one. She’s our only chance to help the child.”

Jinx put out an arm, stopping Tex from opening the door. “Summer might be able to help. She can talk to the women and try to find out who it might have been while we’re dealing with Ashley.”

“There’s a phone over there.” Tex tipped his head to the side. “Extension thirty-two. Call her and then meet me inside. I’ve got to help Ben.”

The door opened and screaming flooded the hallway. A young girl’s sobs mixed in.

What a mess.

Children shouldn’t have to suffer for their parents mistakes or grievances with an Alpha. Inside that room, poor Claire was doing just that. Scared, alone, and forced out of the room she had spent her whole life in. Jinx grabbed the phone, dialed the extension, and hoped Summer would answer.





Chapter Nine




With her attention on the stack of papers, Summer was at ease. She enjoyed doing something—it didn’t matter what. It made it even better that she was doing something that would improve things for the clan. Even with her leaving she wanted them on the right track, and with each day her confidence of that grew. Each day there were so many changes in the clan, the members, even the resort. She couldn’t help but wonder if she would recognize the place when she returned.

The phone on the desk rang, startling her. She watched it light up, the ringing echoing in the room, and debated answering it. Surely it wasn’t for her, only Jinx and Tex knew where she was. What if Lukas had arrived and someone thought Jinx was still there?

Timidly, she reached forward and cradled the phone in her hand before bringing it to her ear. “Hello?”

“I was starting to think you wouldn’t answer.”

His voice teased along her senses, and she could feel him almost as if he was in the room with her. “Jinx? I thought…”

“I am, but we need your help. There was a woman visiting a small child that Avery was keeping in the tunnels, and we need you to find her.”