The Delta's Daughter Chapter 336

MIKE

Stepping out of the elevator, I took a deep breath, holding it. Only releasing it when I saw Rogue standing outside the delivery room alone.

I wanted to be there for Kellen and Tala. I wanted to meet my nephew, yet, the excitement I held before had almost completely vanished. I tried to muster up those feeling once again but it was hard.

"Beta." Rogue greeted me.

"Fergus," I tipped my head to him, using his birth name. We mostly called him Rogue because he hated his real name. But Rogue wasn't a rogue anymore. And only Tala could get away with calling him by his given name.

He gave me a half-hearted growl at the use of his name. Usually, I would goad him further. But I just didn't have it in me right now. "Anything to report?"

Rogue shakes his head, "Nah, cute little shit though." He smiles, relaxing against the wall, a whistful look shadowing his eyes.

I smelt her before I heard her. Every muscle in my body stiffened. I was hoping she had already left. I should have known better.

"Mike." Jonda's soft quivering voice has my eyes closing, before I turn to find her standing a few feet behind me.

She was still wearing her ball gown, she hadn't left the hospital. Still, looking as beautiful as ever. Her eyes are red and still puffy from crying, and the tremble of her lips has my shoulders and head dropping. Even with what she confessed to me I didn't like to see her this way. I know it wasn't me who caused her to cry. That was all on her. Still, Duke whimpered in my head, his tail tucking and sharing the same regretful feeling that was dampening down the rage that had built inside me since I last saw Jonda.

I couldn't hate her. I don't know if I could ever trust her again, but hate? No, not Jonda. Everything was too fresh, too raw. I hadn't had time to comprehend the events of last night or this morning. I don't know if I could find forgiveness in my heart but I did know that things would not be the same between us.

"I've come to see my nephew. Nothing more." She flinches at my impassive tone. I don't have the energy to put any emotion into my words, nor do I want to.

Jonda's head bobs, her eyes flitting to Rogue behind me then back to me. "Okay," She gulps. "Can, can we go in together? I haven't…" Her words trail off as she looks at me with a pleading expression.

I know what she's asking without her evening asking. She doesn't want to stress out her sister. She doesn't want our business aired like dirty laundry.

My lips pull taught and I hold out a hand, gesturing for her to enter the room first.

"Knock, knock," Jonda announces us while pushing the door open. "Look who I found out in the hall."

Immediately Kellen picks up on the tension, his mental connection almost instant *What's going on?*

What isn't going on would be a shorter list, I think to myself before I reply, telling him we will talk later. "Finally I get to meet my nephew!" I say aloud, plastering a smile on my face that I'm sure Kellen could see right through.

I stretch my arms out to Tala, asking for the bundle in her arms. As soon as she places her son in my arms, all anger, rage, and any fire that had built up, is immediately doused. Any spark of frustration fizzles out as I look down upon the little guy. "So what are we calling the little monster?" This time the smile I wear is genuine.

They hadn't picked a name as far as I knew.

"I like the name, Connor," Kellen pipes up.

"Connor Alexander Teal Moon," Tala says with a smile, agreeing with his first name.

"That's a lot of names." Jonda laughs and I wonder if I'm the only one who noticed it was forced. "It's a beautiful tribute to Dad," she adds.

I liked it too. "Hi, little Connor Moon. I'm your Uncle Mike. Your favorite uncle." I speak to the pup softly cooing at him.

"You just want to be the favorite uncle to all the kids," Jonda says.

"I sure do, and I will be the best father in the realm when we have pups," I spoke without thinking. The words just tumbled from my mouth like second nature.

My gaze holds steady on little Connor, but I feel the rising anger of betrayal knocking on my conscious again. I quickly hand the pup back to Tala. "I hate to hand you back but I need to speak with your dad. But we will be seeing a lot more of each other." I promise the pup.

Kellen follows me out of the room leaving the sisters alone. "What's going on?" He asks not a moment after we are outside the room with Rogue.

Kellen crosses his arms, staring me down. "I'll give you the cliff notes because we have it handled… for now." I let out a large puff of breath before carrying on. "Someone broke into the main vault and stole Tala's crown," I hold my hands up before Kellen can interrupt. "Two bodies were found. An unknown whose identity we are still trying to figure out and Alpha Jacobson Summers, son, Scott, was also found dead with multiple stab wounds. Both in the outer vault room."

"Okay" Kellen nods his head, arms still crossed and feet wide apart as he processes the information. "What else?" He asks, knowing there was more.

"And I found my mate… Right now, she is the main suspect in the theft and murders."

Kellen swipes a hand over his face, "For fucks sake! What are you going to do?"

"Rhett is handling the investigation as well as the integration with the suspect and we already have Damon going through the security feed, we…"

"About your mate Mike! What are you going to do about that?"

"Nothing!" I grit out through a clenched jaw, my fists curling tightly by my sides "Nothing. Until I talk to Jonda." I say because I know Jonda and I need to have a conversation. Whether I want to or not, she and I, the mate sitting in a holding cell, none of it can be brushed under a rug.

"I will need to reject my mate before she is executed for her crimes," I tell Kellen honestly, while Duke paces in my head becoming irritable again at my words

Kellen ponders for a moment before he asks, "Are you sure this mate is the murderer?"

"Pretty sure, Rhett will find out more but as it stands her scent was all over the place including the inner vault where she took the crown from. I will have a report typed up and on your desk by tomorrow."

I turn toward the room his mate and brand-new son are in, halting my steps, I turn to face him once more. "Congratulations Kellen, he is a strong boy." I clap him on the back and bring him in for a bro hug "I'm sorry this night didn't turn out the way it should have." I say that not only for Kellen but for myself too.

"Dude, Tala gave birth to our perfectly healthy boy, how can this night not have turned out great for me? For you, I'm sorry. I know how much you love Jonda and know how much she loves you. You will get this figured out and don't forget I am here for you."

If only it was that simple.

We break the hug and he grabs me by the shoulders "I mean it, Mike. Before anything we are brothers and I will stand by you, whatever happens. Whatever your decision is. Keep Rhett on the case but I will need you to talk to the Alpha, he will want answers on what happened to his son. Alpha Jacobson Summers is an arrogant asshole. I am sure he will create problems not only with other packs but also with the council. He has been after having me removed from the throne before I even turned eighteen and has quite a few followers."

I debate telling Kellen about Jonda but decide against it. This is my problem. He needed to concentrate on his mate and child for the time being. Whatever happens, is between me and Jonda. For now.

"My father is handling Alpha Jacobson. Let me grab Jonda and take her home, so you can be alone with your family. Last night and today are already fucked up, no need for me to make it worse." I say forlornly.

I had no idea if I could even talk to Jonda. The thought of hashing it out made me feel sick. I was torn between still wanting a future with her and not being able to forgive her.

Kellen goes back into the room and Jonda comes out.

"You going to be okay Jonda?" Rogue asks her, his eyes sliding over me as he asks her. Making me wonder what, if anything, he knew regarding mine and Jonda's diminishing relationship.

"I'm good Rogue." Her hand gently touches his bicep as she replies. The simple act, for some reason, had me seeing red. The thought of her jumping into bed with Rogue crossed my mind but I quickly shoved that and the feelings that came with the thought deep down.

"Ready?" I asked her, trying to contain my emotions to the inside.

Jonda bites her lip, worrying it, "Yes." She says and I can see and feel her trepidation rolling off her.

The ride home was silent. Neither of us spoke, me because I didn't know what to say. I wasn't ready to have a conversation with her. Her, because she feared my reaction, my rejection.

I didn't know if it was over between us. But it felt like it might be. I suddenly felt uncomfortable around her, which was wild because, from the moment I met her, my wolf and I only felt at ease in her presence.

I didn't go home. At least not to the apartment Jonda and I shared. Instead, I left Jonda at the door, explaining that I still needed time before I could talk with her. I make my way to my office and spend twenty minutes or so staring at the walls until I pick up the package that had arrived for me only days earlier. Finding myself in the west wing I climbed down the staircase to the servant's quarters. Then even lower until I come to the cellar, opening the old oak door to find the late king's stash of premium bourbon.

I pluck a bottle from the shelf, pop the top off and take two very large pulls from the bottle and slump down onto the hard and cold stone floor and open the box of journals.

*****

THE SHADOW WITCH

I stir the blood in the golden bowl and open communication to Twenty-Nine. "Is the job done?" I ask, licking the excess blood from my finger like a child who would scoop the remainder of cake batter from the bowl. The coppery taste satisfied the darkness within me which craved for its pound of flesh.

One taste and I could see the memories of my victim.

"Yes, master. I have the crown." Twenty-nine's voice comes in loud and clear in my mind. "I am on my way to your location as we speak."

It's amazing the discoveries to be found once you have crossed the bridge to the unknown and come back. I had been living with my new and improved powers for a long time now, but it still amazes me that all the little things I couldn't do before are like second nature to me now.

"Good. All witnesses taken care of?" There's a hesitation in Twenty-Nine's response. One I don't like at all. I stop licking the blood from my finger.

"Master, a female was too fast. The thief got away." I don't have to tell my subject he has disappointed me. He knows it already. I can hear it in his voice. "The rest have been taken care of."

I held back my need to verbally beat him down and the urge to end his life immediately. Instead, I tell him, "No matter, bring the crown to me. You did well my child." I had already seen the face of the female thief Miko sent to claim my stone. The memories from his blood provided me with her face and a name.

'Swift, why does that name sound familiar I question myself. Not recalling anything specific. But her face reminds me of a breeder. The only one to have ever slipped through my fingers.

I wave my hand over the bowl of blood cutting off my link to Twenty-Nine.

Standing from the desk I was sitting at I looked around at the bodies and blood that covered the room.

I kick the scum shifter, Miko's body, as I step over him and the pool of deep red blood that spilled from his throat. The wound never healed from when I cut it open using a silver serrated-edged blade dipped in my own concoction of poison.

Milo, my loyal servant, steps into the room. "They have all been terminated, master." He bows his head to me, "Except for the females who have been loaded up into the van."

"Good. Twenty-Nine has the crown. But he let the thief escape. See if you can find out who this female Swift is that Miko hired to lift the crown." Milo lifts his head, and a look of understanding crosses his features.

That was the only thing about my children. Not all of them are bright. Like Twenty-Nine. He was fast, strong, and silent, but he should know that it just cost him his life, by letting a witness get away.

It was still too early in the game to leave someone alive that could potentially alert the chosen one. I furrow my brows with irritation and pick up my bag. The one that contains vials of my son's blood. The son I thought was dead, until my spies informed me that there was a werecat wandering around with my face. I thought he had died with his mother over twenty years ago.

At least that's what I was told by Orion and Silas.

So imagine my surprise when my team brought him in. I had him put back where they found him so as not to raise suspicions or leave a trail of breadcrumbs for them to find me. Eventually, they would find me but not before I wanted them to.

My son, the Grimalkin, his blood can build me better children, and better pets. The magic his veins hold is pure. As mine once was and I would need to build a strong army for what was coming.

Maybe once I loved him. I remember I did, but that was so long ago. I was a different person and not just figuratively speaking.

I crack my neck at the memories of my old friends. A term I use loosely. Friends didn't leave you for dead. Friends didn't try to fuck you over. They were never friends. The day they left me for dead proved that.

I smile wickedly, the joke was on them. When I woke up, I woke with more power than any other being in this realm. I made a deal with the devil himself and I lived. I watched Silas and Orion be destroyed by the chosen one and relished in their ends.

Lamia Langley was indeed a queen. Like my subjects, we all answer to a higher power. They answer to me as I answer only to the god who sent my tainted soul back across the plains of realms. And he was coming for his goddess.

One stone down, three to go. Where oh where could the kings of the past hide such precious gems?

I climb into the back of the car, Milo already waiting for me. "Do we know why the Grimalkin went to the north master?"

I had some idea why my estranged son went to Abner Brooks, but that was information I would need to confirm before I reacted. First, my army needs to be strong and plentiful. I evaded the question and instead, I tell Milo to head to the Cila territory, our temporary base while outside of Lewe.

Milo pulls out and away from the filthy shifter bar. I watch out the window as we leave the borough in no man's land, a decrepit run-down place like all boroughs. The van, full of the females we let live followed behind us. There were no males young enough to convert in the dingy bar, so they all had to die. But the females, if they couldn't carry a child then they could be transformed.

Or die. It didn't matter to me. There were always shifters who would be happy to join my ranks. And the humans were more than eager for the chance to destroy a pack or Clan.

I think back to the last attack I ordered on the Alpha of the Kodiak Kingdom. Only a few of the Cabal I sent out came back. They reported they had been defeated by a witch who raised the dead as well as a wolf shifter who showed extreme skill and strength. But the most interesting was the white-haired bear shifter.

I met Finnegan Artos when he was a young boy. Always by his father's side. He was one of the first to be chipped by the inhibitor I helped create with Shayna.

I remember those early days so clearly. I also remember my disgust that Orion would use his son as a subject as he did. But we were all blinded by power.

Oh, how perspective changes, I think to myself, looking down at the bag by my feet. But I was not the same person anymore. I was no longer that man I called Senko. All humanity had left me the day I died. Any compassion or empathy I once had… Gone.

Even my daughter, the only other being that held my flesh and blood, I know I should love her. I believe I once did. Now she is just another pawn in my quest.

A quest that has been years in the making.