Chapter 56: Family Revelations
321words
"Your uncle, not your grandfather," Elizabeth confirmed. "And a fanatic who believes he's on a holy mission to eradicate werewolves from the earth."
"Why is he revealing you to me now?" I asked, suspicious of his motives.
"Because he needs you," she explained. "Your research, your understanding of werewolf physiology. I've resisted him for decades, but you—you have knowledge he doesn't. Knowledge that could help him perfect his detection formula."
"And he thinks you can convince me to help him?" I asked incredulously.
A sad smile touched her lips. "He thinks maternal bonds will sway you where threats failed. What he doesn't understand is that I would never ask you to betray what you are. What we both are."
She moved closer, lowering her voice. "Your Alpha is coming for you. I can sense him—the bond between mates is something Richard could never understand."
"How do you know about that?" I asked, surprised.
"Because I had it once, with your father," she replied, her eyes distant with memory. "It's unmistakable. And it means we don't have much time."
To my shock, she began loosening my restraints. "Richard is watching through cameras," she whispered, "but the feed loops every fifteen minutes for system maintenance. We have a small window."
"You're helping me escape?" I asked as she freed my hands.
"I'm helping us both escape," she corrected. "I've waited thirty years for this opportunity. When Richard brought you in, I knew the time had finally come."
As the last restraint fell away, Elizabeth helped me sit up. "There's something else you should know," she said urgently. "Richard has Sophia too. She's being held in the east wing, scheduled for ‘rehabilitation.'"
"We have to get her out," I insisted.
Elizabeth nodded. "We will. But first, we need to destroy Richard's research. All of it. He's closer than you think to perfecting the formula."
