The Delta's Daughter Chapter 386

RHETT

It felt strange and wrong to be back in MacTire. The whole way here It felt as though I was missing something. I was uneasy leaving Jonda behind. I knew that was the reason for my emotional displacement. But what was I meant to do?

I couldn't take Jonda with me, and I had to return. This was my home. And Jonda; I didn't know if she didn't recognize our bond or if Senko had done such a number on her that she didn't know.

I had the unique ability to know when someone was lying. And Jonda wasn't lying when she told me Mike was her mate and the child that grew inside her was his. She truly believed it was the truth.

My child, she gave my child another father.

How did things go so wrong? I felt a connection to Jonda, but I couldn't say I was in love with her. Or at least I didn't think I could. She wore my mark but thought it was someone else's. The mark I gave her only intensified the pull I felt toward her.

I thought leaving would be the best thing and easy. It's far from easy.

MacTire comes into sight, and I audibly sigh with relief that I am home. But also, because I feel displaced.

"Have the warriors drop their gear, and take a day off," I tell Dana, my top tracker and enforcer. She agrees and as I pull the car to a stop, she hops out and heads to tell the rest of our team the good news.

I sit in my car for a moment, gripping the steering wheel in an attempt to school not only my face but also my temper. I was angry as fuck at the situation and just when I think I can handle it, and have my feelings under control, The jilted and betrayed anger begins to simmer and quickly rise.

*Rhett, Welcome home. I need you in my office now.* Alpha Travis pushes open a mental connection to me.

*Be right there.* I grit back squeezing my eyes shut. I just wanted some alone time. Was that too much to ask for?

I take a few minutes before begrudgingly getting out of the car and making my way up the steps, through the main door, and to Travis' office.

I find Josiah already there, sitting in one of the chairs that faces Travis's desk. I read his expression; he looks too nervous for his Beta status.

Travis has his back to me, looking out the window towards the vast expanse of the mountains that surrounds MacTire. "Welcome home Rhett." He says without turning to face me.

"It's good to be home," I say half-heartedly. "What's going on? You didn't even give me time to drop my bags."

Travis lets out a low rumbling growl and I notice Josiah shifts uneasily in his seat.

"The spy we had been looking for, for the past year…" Travis's strained voice trails off, "We found her."

"Her?" I was surprised, my eyebrows raised as I look at Josiah for confirmation. Josiah grimaces but the werebear keeps his mouth closed and eyeballs Travis.

"Yes. Her," He finally turns around. Dark angry eyes bore into me. I've never seen Travis this aggravated. As if he could explode at any moment. "I haven't been able to get any answers from her. I need you to question her immediately."

"Who is she?" I curiously ask.

Travis and Josiah share a look which only increases my curiosity.

I'm taken aback by Travis's one-word answer. "Petra." he spits out between clenched teeth.

"Petra?" I laugh thinking it's a joke. Although by the look on Josiah and the Alpha's face, I know it isn't. My eyes flick between the two unbelieving. "Come on…" I say, still thinking they will say not really, gotch ya.

Travis and Josiah fill me in. They haven't told Lamia yet. It was Mikes suspicion that led to Travis catching her. Travis said he wanted answers before he divulged that Petra wasn't who she claimed to be. Yet she wasn't speaking to them, she was too afraid. And Travis feared that Lamia or King would kill the female.

The idea of Petra being killed didn't sit well with Travis. He had feelings for the little girl or woman, I guess she is. She had been like a little sister or niece to all of us. And despite the discovery of her treacherous actions, Travis couldn't fathom losing her. Maybe it was the idea of losing what he thought she was. I'm not sure.

*****

There I stood, looking at a flawless female. Jet black hair, porcelain skin, and eyes that were as bright as the sun. She didn't look like the eleven-year-old little girl I hugged goodbye to three months ago.

"Petra," I call out to her. She hangs her head, hiding her face. "Talk to me, please?" I keep my voice even. Pushing away any anger or confusion and burying the need to shake the female for answers. That's not how you get what you want.

Josiah opens the cell for me, and I walk in. Kneeling in front of the small female I say, "I understand what you are. Who you are. What I don't understand is why you kept yourself hidden. We need you to tell us Petra."

I hear her gulp, and her body shudders. She's frightened.

"It's just us Petra. We haven't told Lamia, or anyone else. It's just me, Josiah, and Uncle Travis that know. Let's us help you." I'm gentle with her, unlike how we were with Lyric. We can't afford for her to shut down. She could possibly tell us where Senko is.

I need her to trust me if I want my questions answered. We would figure out how to deal with her once we got her talking.

She ignores my question but quietly says, "I'm so sorry about Jonda."

My hands ball into fists and I clench my teeth. She probably knows more than I'm giving her credit for. "Jonda and the child are doing okay."

Petra's head shoots up to look at me, mouth gapping open, "She's alive?" Her shocked look morphs into one of panic. And she violently begins to shake her head. "He will know. He will probe her mind, drive her insane until he gets what he wants." A tear slips from her eye, "I'm sorry. I couldn't do anything for her Rhett. I'm so sorry."

I grab her facing, cupping it with my hands and looking into those eyes of summer, "Petra, who is Senko to you?" I held her tighter, imploring her to answer. "Who is he to you?"

Her eyes fill with sadness and fear and remorse. "He is my father." She grips my wrists and locks her eyes with mine, "At least he used to be."

"Tell me Petra. Tell me everything. We," I look behind me at Travis and Josiah.

"We will do what we can for you Petra," Travis says coming into the cell. His words were full of promise.

I look back down at the small shaking female, "He means it Petra. Help us and redeem yourself. Tell us everything. About your mother, father, what happened to Senko where he is."

"I can't." She sobs.

"Yes, you can," I tell her with determination. "Lets us help you by helping us." Her body starts to shake violently, trembling with fear.

Travis steps over to us and scoops her up into his arms, leaning against the wall, he wraps her small body up in his arms like a child and holds her. Just like he did the first night he met her, here in the very same cell.

"I'm so sorry Travis. I'm so sorry." Petra sobbed into his chest while Travis tried to calm her with soft words. He stroked her hair and rocked back and forth. Petra may wear a different face and not be who we thought, but it was clear that Travis still had a soft side for her.

Eventually, Petra calmed down and when she did, she looked up at Travis then Josiah, and finally me. "I will tell you everything. No matter what happens to me, I want you to know. I want you all to know if I could have stopped him, I would have. That the love you have all shown me is valued beyond what any of you think. I know I will never be forgiven but I can at least help you now. I want to."

We didn't leave the cell, but Petra told us everything. Starting with the night Orion and Silas killed Senko. The way she described her and Crimson's father, she made seem like he wasn't always bad.

"My father had developed a serum after the one that created the Crawlers. A better serum, one that could change shifters and humans. Orion didn't like the idea.

"One night, Orion and Silas came for me, I don't know why, but my father stood in their way. I remember Orion accusing him of unsanctioned testing. That the Crawlers were enough. He said my father had a god complex. That his creations were going too far. Orion said my mother belonged to him, and I did too.

"That night my mother brought me down here and told me to run as far as I could. To seek out Farid, heir to the Asiarian throne. That he would keep me safe. Except I didn't make it far. Two weeks later, I made it to the ocean. I tried to charter a boat and pay a fare, but I had nothing. I wasn't a shifter; I had no magic. That's when he found me.

"I remember as I ran, my mother's screams, the growls from Orion and Silas. I remember watching from the shadows as they stabbed my father over and over again until the ground was soaked with his blood. But then he found me. He was alive.

"Over the weeks, once reunited, I didn't question him. I didn't care about the how, just that he was alive. But it wasn't him. He was cold and removed. His once caring and affection for me had disappeared replaced with a stoic and cruel man. He had come back different, darker and more powerful.

"He trained me to be his spy. Taught me how to hide, to listen. Taught me poisons and tactics. He took my blood telling me my magic was too much. I didn't even know I had magic then. I was too young. I didn't even know if I would have a wolf. When I was ten, I remember feeling different. My mother told me to hide my eyes. I couldn't change my appearance then; she gave me contact lenses to wear so Orion wouldn't know what I was.

"Would you believe me if I told you he was once capable of love?" Petra says with sadness. "For five years my father plotted secretly to grow his own army. While Silas pillaged and ransacked packs and he and Orion grew theirs. My father gained support amongst the rogues and stole the females Silas kept after destroying a pack.

"Three years ago," Petra lets out a sob and I think she is going to begin crying again when she corrects her posture and stands from Tarvis lap. She begins to pace. "Three years ago, when you," She looks at Travis, "and Queen Lamia were being held against your will. My father sent me here to find a stone. A magical stone. I found Lamia instead and reported it back to my father. He told me… he told me to bring him the dead child of the chosen one. I cut the dead child from her womb and took it to him." She began to hysterically cry, as we looked at her part unbelieving and part fury.

"I'm so sorry. He's, my father." She said noticing how we were stunned into silence. There was no way Lamia would let her live now. And now we know how they got little Zanes DNA. "I have heard him speak to Aodh. He tells him soon. I have heard him say that Aodh returned him from the dead that he lives to serve the god of the underworld and I believe it! He can manipulate shadows, minds, blood. If Jonda is alive then he still has control of her. I wish I could have helped her like I did the others. But I couldn't. Please believe me. Please."

"Others?" I say, "How many others."

"Those I could free I did. The breeders, I could help I did. Because he would only manipulate the children, use them. Drain them of their blood." My thoughts flash back to Lyric and her sister. Was Petra the one that helped Melody escape?

"Did you ever find the stone?" Josiah questions her, because Travis and I are dumbfounded by the horrific deed.

Petra nods. "I found it not long before Travis discovered me."

Suddenly like a tornado, Travis jumps to his feet and has Petra against the wall by her neck, feet dangling.

"Travis!" I yell but the Alpha just growls as he continues to choke the life out of the young female. "Travis!" I try again, and yank at his shoulder. Wrong move, His arms came back, striking me and I feel the wall hit my back and slid down, gulping to replace the air that was knocked out me.

"How many stones does he have?" Travis snarls in her face. Josiah makes a move but hesitates to see the glowing eyes of his Alpha. "Where is his base of operations?" He commands an answer from her, his voice mixing with that of his wolves as Janus comes forward.

"You are killing her!" I shout and surprisingly Travis lets go, taking a step back from her.

"Theres two." Petra coughs gasping to fill her lungs. "One in Lewe and one on the other side of the Morngord Lake. Both underground." She rushes out.

"How many stones?" Josiah repeats.

"He has two. The blood stone and a white one." Petra rubs her neck, her body shaking again.

"You are as sick as your father!" Travis screams at her, throwing his arms up in the air.

I put myself between them fearing he may attack her again. I can sense, feel and see Petra is genuinely sorry for what she has done. I also sense that she feels she had no choice in the part she has played.

"Was your kidnapping part of Orion's plan?"

"No!" She says in surprise. "He had no idea who I was. Not even my mother knew it was me."

We leave Petra's cell, the three of us in a stupor over her details and confessions. "We need to tell them." I say, speaking of Lamia and the other three Knights. "They need to know,"

"Don't you think I know that!" Travis wheels around on me. Rage painted his face, eyes wild and his wolf on the surface. "Just. Just give me a moment Rhett."

"You care for her still?" I asked Travis.

He nods his head solemnly, "Lamia didn't give up on me. I won't give up on her. After everything she confessed to. She never once said she took a life. She never once did it out of hatred. She did it for a man who she thought loved her. She tried to save some of them. But what could a child do against a demon like Senko?"

"Twenty-four hours," I told him. "twenty-four hours. Then I'm telling them." I point between Travis and Josiah, making myself clear that tomorrow I will have to divulge the information to Lamia and the rest of the Knights.