Rebecca’s Wolves(99)

A soft mewling made her jerk her gaze to the other end of the couch. She shrieked when she saw the wolf at her feet, scrambling away from it before she realized it was Griffen.

Miles wrapped her tightly in his arms as she pressed closer. “It’s Griffen, love. Relax.”

Griffen jumped down from the couch and made the transition to human while she watched. Her heart pounded as he grabbed his jeans from the floor and kneeled at her side. “So sorry, baby.” He set his head in her lap. “So sorry.”

She nodded and placed a hand on his head, burying her fingers in his thick brown hair. Hair she knew so well. He was alive. As was Miles.

She jerked her gaze again when movement caught her eye.

Melinda eased forward, a smile on her face. “Welcome back, sleepyhead.”

She leaned over and kissed Rebecca on the forehead.

“How long was I asleep?” Her voice was scratchy, barely audible.

“About thirteen hours,” Miles said.

“Jesus,” she muttered, and then she shot up straighter, knocking Griffen off her lap and righting herself. “What happened to the wolf?”

“Griffen shot him,” Miles said.

Oh, thank God. “Is he…dead?”

Miles nodded, a flinch noticeably shaking his body. His gaze shifted away for a moment before returning as though he were sad about the death of the man who attacked them.

She set her hand on his cheek and leaned into his chest. “I was so scared.”

“I know, love.”

Griffen’s hands were on her back and thigh. “You scared us nearly out of our minds too, baby. Glad you’re finally back.”

“I think I went into shock.”

Miles chuckled, his chest vibrating. “You think?”

She smiled.

Melinda padded away and returned with a glass of water. “Here, hon. You must be so thirsty. I’m making you something to eat. Oatmeal. Something easy to digest.”

Rebecca took the water and downed the entire glass. Her throat protested at first and then loosened. “Did anyone else get hurt?”

“One of the officers outside, but he’ll be fine.” Griffen stood and shrugged into his jeans.

Miles angled her body toward the room so Griffen could sit next to him.

When he was settled, Griffen eased her toward him. He kissed the top of her head and inhaled deeply. “So scared.”

She had more questions. “Who was it?”

“Randal Junior. The son whom we suspected of helping his father terrorize you.” Griffen stroked his fingers through her tangled hair.

“And was it him?”

Miles nodded. “Yeah. Found his computer in his car on the road about a mile from here. He was the one who sent the e-mails.”

She felt Miles’ tension once again, watching as his gaze drifted away. There was something he wasn’t saying. “What is it? What aren’t you telling me?”

Melinda came back at that moment with a bowl of steaming oatmeal, handing it to Rebecca. She cleared her throat. “He was our father.”

Rebecca’s spine shot straight as she lifted off Griffen and glanced from Miles to Melinda and back. “Oh, God. I’m so sorry. How did you figure that out?”

Miles chuckled low and deep, sardonically with no humor. “Well, first of all, when he shifted back to human form, we all jumped back at his appearance. Even old and wasted away by drugs and booze, he had my features.”

Griffen interjected, “But they also picked up his father last night. He’s being held in the county jail. As soon as he was arrested, he suddenly had a lot to say. He was a fountain of information, mostly babbling to himself, but giving away a plethora of interesting details.”

“They’re doing a DNA test to make sure, but there’s little doubt.” Melinda headed back toward the kitchen.

This was when Rebecca realized for the first time that Mimi stood on the other side of the room. The woman looked older than she had yesterday. She hunched forward, her hands showing off a tremor Rebecca never noticed before. A tear fell down her face as Melinda passed her with a gentle touch.

“Grandma, stop it. There’s nothing you could have done different.”

Rebecca’s skin prickled with the next question. “Your mother?”

Neither twin spoke.

Griffen set a hand on Rebecca’s thigh. “He says he killed her.” His voice was low and gravelly.

Rebecca’s heart ached. There were no words to express the sorrow she felt for these two souls who lost so much so early in life and now suffered from the realization it was all truly gone. She shifted her gaze to Miles while Melinda rocked in an embrace with Mimi.

A tear ran down his face, and he dashed it away with the back of his hand, forcing a smile at Rebecca. “I’ll be fine. Nothing I didn’t already know.”