First Draft

Rowan's POV

I hadn't wanted Fiona to find out we were a family of werewolves this way. However, the words were out there now, but there would be hell to pay for Rian at a later date. Right now, I needed to figure out how to deal with her, so I could make that phone call to her father. I was itching to tell him I held all the cards and that if he wanted Fiona back, he would meet my demands.

She sat looking at us; her face drained of color and her mouth was slack. I worried she might faint. "Nice, Rian," I told my brother, throwing him a menacing glare. "What were you thinking? Look at her... she's in shock or something."

"Sometimes it's best to just rip the band-aid off. Besides, you've had ample time to tell her, ya know? Instead, you put it off and she must have been wondering." He shrugged his shoulders. "Fiona, pet... are you all right? I promise you are not in any danger from us."

When she sat in silence staring at nothing I could pinpoint, I knew I had to do something. I approached her with slow steps, so as not to frighten her. "Rian is right. We will not hurt you, and you have my word on that."

She raised her dark blue eyes and met mine. "I don't believe it. I don't believe any of this. This is all too much for me to take in. You expect me to believe that you are a freaking werewolf?" She started laughing and didn't stop.

She laughed louder, throwing her head back until it sounded like a crazed cackle.

Great, now she's hysterical, I thought, glancing over my shoulder and cutting my eyes at my big-mouthed brother. "See what you've caused! She's having a hysteria breakdown or something."

"I'm not hysterical," she piped up, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes. "It's just hard to believe. First a vampire, now werewolves! What's next? Witches and warlocks?" She winked at me.

The sarcastic wench.

"I hope not," I answered. "We try hard not to mix with the other races. We don't all get along very well."

"Yeah, I noticed," she said in a dry manner. "Did you kill that vampire?"

"No, just maimed him pretty well, since the tools to kill him were not with me. I've scoured the bars, clubs, and pubs trying to gather information about Sexflex to find out who created and is distributing it. That bloodsucker might have been a human before," I told her.

"What do you mean?" she asked, confusion marring her forehead.

"Someone could have given him Sexflex, and it's very addictive. We've explained it, Fiona. After taking several doses, it turns humans into certain creatures. I'm not sure how it works yet. I don't know why it turns some into vampires and others into goblins. Hell, for all I know, it may turn people into werewolves, fairies, and witches. I don't know enough yet, but I intend to find out."

"I see," Fiona ventured. "Well, I wish you luck, but I want to take Kat home."

"Right," I said, gritting my teeth. Although I planned on sending her home as soon as I got what I wanted from her father, my inner werewolf was protesting. I knew I had to let her go, mate or not. Still, the thought of releasing Fiona after finally finding my luna stung-it hurt. Honestly, my heart ached, and I yearned for her.

I stood and removed her cell phone from my back pocket. "I'm going to call your father now. He is holding some of my pack prisoners and I intend to get them back by exchanging you."

She hopped from the chair and it toppled to the floor. "That can't be and I don't believe it," Fiona cried out. I watched her clear blue eyes cloud over as tears dripped onto her t-shirt.

"Sorry, Fiona," I whispered, giving her a sad smile. I was too tired to be angry with her anymore. "He has several adults and a few children as young as four. Their parents are going out of their minds and, as alpha, they are relying on me to get them back."

"My father has children held captive?" she asked with a sob. "I can't imagine the man I know doing something like that. Sure, he's never been affectionate, but he's not cruel! He's been a good father and has taken excellent care of me, Kat, too. Her parents died some time ago, and he took her in. This is overwhelming. Why would he take them? You said he was a hunter... a killer. You didn't mention kidnapping."

"Think about it, pet," Rian said, approaching us. I knew he couldn't stay silent for long and if he called her pet or love once more, I might not be able to control my actions.

I couldn't keep her, but she belonged to me. If I told him she was my mate, he'd back off, but he would also badger me to death about sending her away. Plus, I knew him too well. If I sent her away, I feared he would mark her as his, regardless. It was clear he fancied her.

"He's not just holding them captive, Fiona! They're being used for bloody experiments," I roared. It was exhausting being harsh with Fiona, and I was trying to be more considerate. So much for that. However, her acting so naïve was getting old.

"NO!" she yelled. "He would never-"

Her cell phone rang in my hand, startling us all. I looked down and smiled at the contact name on the screen: Father. "Well, well, well. Speaking of the Devil," I said and answered the call. "Hello, Mr. Quinn." I listen to his confusion for a moment. "No, you have the correct number. I'm assuming you want to speak to your daughter... Hold on and I'll put it on speaker."

I hit the button and glared at Fiona. "Ok, she can hear you now."

"What? Who is this?" he asked.

"Father... it's me, Fiona," she said and cried, which suited me fine. The bastard needed to acknowledge the dire situation he was in.

"Fiona! What is going on? Where are you? Is Kat with you, and who is that man answering your phone?"

I turned the speakerphone off. "You don't remember me, but I remember you well. Listen up, Quinn... If you want your daughter back unharmed, you must release all the members of my pack you are holding hostage and they best be alive and well!" I growled into the phone, awaiting his response.

"Kat?" I questioned. "Yes, we have her here, too." I glanced at Fiona with a frown. "I'm sorry, Quinn, but you'll have to speak with Fiona. Kat is indisposed at the moment." The conversation wasn't progressing the way I imagined. The pompous prick seemed more concerned for Katrina than his daughter, so I put him back on the speaker.

"I will NOT release your precious pack members until I speak to Kat," he said, steel laced his tone. I watched the range of emotions cross Fiona's face and felt pity for her. It was as if someone was squeezing the heart in my chest. She hadn't known about her father, after all. I felt like a real ass.

She came at me with long, angry strides and snatched the phone from my hand. "Kat will be fine. I can't believe you, though! You really are the monster they said you were. I've spent hours proclaiming your innocence! How could you," she seethed and began sobbing.

"Kat will be fine?" he asked. "What do you mean, Fiona? And stop all that blubbering. You know how I hate when you carry on with such dramatics."

My inner wolf was bursting at the seams, hearing the vitriol in her father's voice. I would relish the day when I could wrap my human hand around the bastard's neck. How dare he speak to my mate in such a way! It didn't matter that I would never mark Fiona as mine. Hearing him belittle her caused my blood to boil. I calmed myself by making a vow to kill him.

"You're a monster," Fiona screamed at her father, bringing me back to reality.

"Fiona!" he barked, his nasal voice filling the room. "I've no time for this. What happened to Kat? Tell your new friends that there's no deal unless I get Katrina back unharmed!"

"Katrina?" she ventured, her face scrunched in pain. "What about me? Kat is fine!"

"They can keep you for all I care," he told her, sounding bored. "And if Kat is fine, I will speak to her first before we agree on anything! You can stay there with those mangey beasts, but I will get my Katrina back!"

I watched as she stood, her cell phone clutched in her shaking hand, her mouth open, eyes wide, and wet. She looked to be in shock. I could tell how her father's disregard was hurting her, and I grabbed the phone back. "Listen here, you arrogant, disgusting bastard! Your precious Katrina could speak to you if she was as responsible and smart as your daughter! And they are both alive thanks to me and my brother. Katrina thought it would be a lark to take unknown drugs from a bloody stranger last night, but Fiona knew better. That stranger gave her Sexflex and lured her to the back of The Magenta club!"

"Sexflex!" he yelled into the phone. "How many did she-"

"She only took one, but that's not the point, old man. She took it from a vampire," I told him and heard his audible intake of breath. "And before you ask... yes, he bit her and would have killed Fiona and Katrina had I not shown up when I did."

"I suppose you think I owe you something for this act of gallantry," he snarled.

"I want nothing from you except what belongs to me. I used a special serum to pull out any impurities or poison from the wound in Katrina's neck, so the foolish girl will be fine. But you know what you must do to get the girls back."

"I only care about getting Kat back. You can have Fiona."

"You will take both of them or none," I said through gritted teeth. My heart wanted to take him up on the offer and keep my mate, but I couldn't get past it. How could I live knowing my fated luna's father hunted down my kind? I couldn't.

"Fine," he barked. "I will gather your property and we can meet at the-"

The narcissistic prick wasn't calling the shots. I was. "I call you back with instructions," I said and ended the call.

***

Oh, poor Fiona. Her father is a nasty piece of work! I hope you enjoyed the chapter

xxxooo, Lisa