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I don't know whose reaction to what we heard was more startling for the group; Thea's... or mine. I'd say Thea's though.

Those words sent a shot of agitation through my veins and the years of turmoil from guilt over my supposed fallen friend was feuding my need to show Evan Gallagher what he messed with.

I had tried to rush forward, growling out, "You sonofa---" but my dad and Mr. Dennison got a hold of me. The back of my shirt was being tugged on while I was trying to shove Mr. Dennison out of the way.

My eyes were locked on the man on the porch who seemed to enjoy the rise he was getting.

On the other hand, my cousin was quicker and more successful in getting to her target.

After having dodged her husband's grasp and shouldered her mother out of the way, Thea stormed up the steps with her hands clenching and unclenching repeatedly.

My Uncle Thatcher got in front of her, sternly speaking her name in a low voice but my cousin wasn't having it. Not that I blamed her. With one swift move, Thea shoved our uncle out of the way but had managed to grab hold of the handle to his Hunter's knife strapped to his side.

Thea didn't even give Evan a chance to take a step back once she grabbed hold of his shirt and shoved him back so hard he flinched when his back hit the wall.

My cousin pinned him there, that familiar sneer on her face when the Hunter Mode was taking over. The side of Thatcher's knife was pressed against his throat, him swallowing made him wince as he stared back at the heated gaze from my cousin.

Evan weakly grinned, wincing in between as he forced out a laugh.

"She's definitely Emeel's, don't you agree, Thatcher?"

The man's face grimaced when Thea shoved him further against the wall and our uncle huffed back that now was not the time for joking. Especially when his niece was ready to slice open Evan's throat.

"Ah," Evan chuckled, glancing at Thatcher before looking back to Thea. "I wouldn't doubt it. She's quite... skilled that's for sure."

Thea sneered, "Don't take this lightly when I say that I will show you the number of ways I can rip out your vocal chords!"

Evan winced again. He swallowed hard, trying to glance down at the knife pressed against him. His weak grin faltered a little.

"Ripping them out, however brilliantly done, would only delay your reunion with Maddox, don't you think?"

Thea was practically growling as she demanded to know where Maddox was. Even from this distance, I could see how teary-eyed she was getting. And it was amusing to Evan seeing how tormented Thea looked.

"Where is he!?" Thea shouted, now digging the knife in enough that there was slight bleeding. 

Evan laughed while the rest of us were trying to ease Thea. We would have let her have at him but if Maddox wasn't here, we wouldn't know where to look for him if Thea killed Evan. And once Thea was locked in her Hunter Mode, it was difficult to get her out of it until she got her fresh kill. 

"Do it!" Evan sneered, pressing his throat further against the knife. "Prove that you really are the ruthless ultimate Advanced Hunter that Pritchet always wanted!" 

Thea frowned, narrowing her eyes and her jaw tightened before stepping back from Evan. But not before leaving a long gash across Evan's cheek. The man hissed, turning away with a hand to his face. He stared at his bloodied hand, glancing up at Thea who stood back beside Thatcher. 

Evan grinned, nodding as he straightened. 

"You're truly beyond what was imagined, Thea Saranto." He raised a brow, pursing his lips. "I can see why my son admires you so much."

Straightening to his full height, ignoring the cut on his face, Evan motioned to the open doorway. He bowed mockingly, raising his brows.

"Shall we then?"

I frowned, narrowing my eyes as I spoke up that we weren't going inside the house. Evan turned his gaze to me while I told him how we had no reason to trust him; especially with what happened with Maddox. 

"If you want to talk to us about what you're doing then you fucking tell us right here, right now. We're not going in that fucking house with you! How are we any safer in there with you!?" 

Evan pursed his lips, nodding, "Point taken." then sighed, "Fine. We'll take the back porch then. Come along."

He turned away, moving to close the front door before leading the way to the left side of the house. 

The rest of us glanced at one another, wondering if we should follow. But we figured the back porch was better than being inside the house where Evan would have a better advantage to his surroundings.

Huffing out a small breath, Dennison muttered, "Let's just get this over with..." and lead us up the front porch to the left side where Evan disappeared. 

I followed behind the group with Thorton who looked worried. Placing a hand on his arm, I warned him that he needed to relax. He needed to be alert but in a calm manner. If he gave off any anxiety then Evan would take advantage of that. 

Thorton closed his eyes, letting out a long breath then nodded. 

Evan was already seated at a white metal table with four seats around it. There was a short plump woman with a gray servant's outfit. Her graying hair pinned back under the white cap that was part of her uniform. 

She looked over at us briefly as she was setting down the silver tray with the elegant silver teapot and a transparent pitcher that looked to have lemonade in it. She was reaching for the teacup in front of Evan and avoiding eye contact with him. Her fingers shook as she was pouring his tea. 

Evan remained still, seated with an ankle crossed on the knee of his other leg and his fingers intertwined in front of him. His eyes were studying each one of us as we approached the table. His eyes once again settled on Thea a bit more than anyone liked. 

Especially for Dennison.

The growl erupting from his chest gained Evan's attention. He raised a brow, switching his gaze back and forth between him and Thea then grinned. 

"You seem quite overly protective of Emeel's daughter," he directed to Dennison. "Tell me... Is there more there than what appears?"

Dennison's lip curled, growling, "You just stop staring at my wife longer than you have to. I don't like it. And I don't fucking like you. But I'll rip your eyes out of their sockets if you keep staring at her like you have." 

"Really...?" Evan raised his brows, grinning more. He let out a scoffing chuckle, shaking his head as he sat up better.

"I'd never thought it would actually be true that an Advanced Hunter would become involved with the very creature they were meant to annihilate." 

He tipped his chin up a bit. 

"Yet I see it is true after all."

He then motioned to the remaining empty chairs. "Please... Sit."

Evan picked up his tea and sipped it slowly. He then looked at the plump woman pouring lemonade.

"Hilda. Bring more chairs for our guests." 

The woman blinked a few times, swallowing as she nodded silently and placed the pitcher down then hurried through the back door, making sure to close it behind her. 

Evan took a deep breath, turning to face us. He looked at my Aunt Emeel as he directed to the rest of us. 

"I bet you're wondering how I survived all those years ago."

"Among other things," my aunt sneered. 

It didn't go unnoticed that Mr. Dennison used a hand to gently touch my aunt's wrist. Evan let out a laugh, sitting himself back as he couldn't believe his eyes that the most infamous Werewolf Hunter---so ahead of her companions---was now involved with the very creature she used to hate so passionately. 

"Not that I should be surprised really... Considering that you gave up the life of a Hunter to downgrade to a normal life with a human." 

My aunt narrowed her eyes, lip curling more but Mr. Dennison tugged her arm to keep her calm. 

"Well then," Evan smirked, dropping his gaze to his tea. "I'll begin 'once upon a time' to that fateful day---that last day you all saw of me."

He turned when the back door opened and Hilda was shoving a stack of chairs out onto the porch. Evan winced from the scraping of the chair legs and gave her a frown once they made eye contact. Hilda swallowed, turning to close the door again and shoving the chairs in our direction.

Thorton and I broke from the group to assist her. 

Hilda looked up at us, blinking, and then offered a small grateful smile before letting it fade. Thorton and I handed out the chairs while Evan patiently waited for us to sit. After everyone was settled, Evan waved Hilda away and told her to mind the noise.

It was some unspoken understanding between the two since Hilda swallowed and nodded before quickly escaping into the house. 

I narrowed my eyes at the door, thinking about what Evan said. Hilda seemed to be a bit frightened that we were here. She seemed... nervous. And I was wondering why. It could go many ways... but there was something she was hiding. 

"Now then," Evan brought me back to the conversation. "If you recall," he pointed out to Thatcher, my dad, and my aunt, "the very morning that we all were gathered in the grand hall where Master Pritchet was announcing our first off-site mission, it was to seek out the Werewolf Council and eliminate them."

The three ex-hunters shifted uncomfortably but nodded. 

Evan grinned, nodding back. 

"I remember all of us so determined to prove ourselves. That was the purpose of the mission anyway. We were to prove ourselves as the Advanced Hunters we were raised to be and doing so while standing side-by-side with our links."

Evan raised a brow, "I'm sure we all remember who we were matched to."

He looked to my dad, "Donna..." then Thatcher, "Penelope..." and then my aunt, "And of course... Daven." 

Shrugging a shoulder, Evan grinned, "I was linked with Veesta. Such a blossom that one."

From what I recalled about Veesta Hollow, she was first linked with Evan. But then after the supposed incident where Evan was killed and then my Aunt Emeel running off to avenge her friend followed by her disappearance altogether, Veesta was re-linked. Because both of their partners were presumed "dead" the Society allowed Veesta and Daven to become links. 

Evan and Veesta were so in-sync---the best description and as close as you can get to 'being in love' as an Advanced Hunter---that it was agonizing for Veesta when Evan was 'killed'. I remember how my dad told me how different Veesta became. How distant she was until the few months that followed after it was announced that Veesta was to be linked with Daven Hollow.

'Daven was torn apart,' my dad had told me. 'He'd adored your aunt so much and couldn't imagine a life without her.' 

My dad then explained how Daven seemed so ashamed of himself the days following the Link Ceremony. When I asked why my dad sighed that it was because Daven had confided in my dad that he consummated the 'link' with Veesta that night. 

But then after a month, once news of Veesta's pregnancy came to be, Daven started brightening again. My dad says it was because of the baby and not so much his link. Because again... my Aunt Emeel was always going to be his ultimate link and nothing and no one would change that. 

I looked up at Evan, frowning when he was in the middle of saying how they found the hideout for the Werewolf Council. The young group of Hunters split up in pairs to cover the entrances and exits to the hideout. Once they found the Council in the meeting hall, the group caught them all off guard. 

The Werewolves had little chance to escape. They had little warning. 

"I remember so specifically what happened the moment that she-wolf cornered me," Evan looked off to the side. His brow lowered, pursing his lips. His gaze lifted to my aunt.

He mentioned how she was the closest to Veesta and was why he urged my aunt to get Veesta away. He made my aunt drag his link away, not wanting her to see what was to happen. 

"I could hear Veesta... Even now that I speak of it..." Evan swallowed, lowering to look at his teacup. "The shrill sound of her screaming as the she-wolf closed in on me. Begging Emeel to let her go... calling out my name...  And... and yet... I couldn't let her see. I couldn't do that to her."

Evan explained how he'd thought he was done for. He'd thought that the Werewolf would have killed him had it not been for him thinking at the last minute. He'd turned onto his stomach, bracing one hand behind his neck and the other on the back of his head. The she-wolf attacking him clawed into his back. She'd raked into his flesh repeatedly and Evan had to hold back the amount of pain he was in.

His mistake of turning his head to see why the she-wolf stopped clawing him made his hand slip and let his ear out in the open. The wolf snapped her jaws in his direction, only tearing off the tip instead of the whole ear once Evan twisted himself away. 

Though his back hurt, his breathing ragged from trying to control the strength being spent, Evan pushed himself up to his feet. He spun around, taking his Hunter's knife to warn the she-wolf off. Her predatory steps towards him with her gold eyes locked on his made Evan frightened---even as skilled as he was. 

"I was only eighteen after all..." Evan sniffed, shaking his head. "Which is why I could tell the she-wolf was toying with me. She knew I was injured... weak... and so when I ran I could feel her catching up. I didn't have anywhere to go since I didn't know the layout."

Evan had no choice, he says, but to jump out the window. The only problem with that, according to him, was that the hideout was on a cliff, overseeing the ocean. 

"But I jumped..." he assured. "And no one could have survived a jump like that. Not with those rocks at the bottom. Or at least that's what she must have thought. But I was an Advanced Hunter. Any one of us could have survived that fall."

Evan sighed, brows furrowing as he went on to tell us that he'd broken so many bones, painfully had to lie on the rocks for days before making himself drag his broken body to the shore. 

He stopped then. He intertwined his fingers again, resting the side of them against his mouth. 

"Why didn't you come back?" my dad asked.

Evan smirked, shaking his head. He lifted his eyes to my dad.

"Go back? You honestly thought I'd be able to go back? As broken as I was?"

"We could have come for you. You know you could have told us."

"No." Evan shook his head, leaning back. "I couldn't. Because then Master Pritchet would have had me killed."

My dad and Aunt Emeel frowned. Thatcher shook his head that Pritchet would have made sure Evan would have healed properly. 

"Not a chance," Evan argued. "Pritchet wouldn't have any use for a broken Hunter. He'd see me as a loose end. He'd somehow make it look like an accident."

He turned his gaze to the Ray twins. "You both know it."

My aunt frowned more, looking at her brother and sighed, "He hated the weak, Vincent... Evan has a point."

My dad blinked, shaking his head until my aunt reminded my dad of who their father was. How they were both raised to be the best, and that their father wanted nothing but the best. 

"'I won't accept anything less,'" my dad mumbled, something my grandfather would tell him when dad would train me back at the Society. 

Thatcher frowned, turning back to Evan. "So then what? You decided that not telling us---your friends---where you were? What happened to you?"

Evan raised a brow, lowering his hands to the table. He pointed out that his so-called friends forgot all about him.

"Because we thought you were dead!" my dad shot back. 

"And so you all gladly let Daven take Veesta!  You all allowed it to happen!" 

"That is not our fault, Evan, and you know it!" Thatcher snapped, pointing at the other man. 

"You're right..." Evan sneered, standing at eye level with my uncle. "None of you had the ability to stand up to Master Pritchet. You all would have just let him kill me had I returned and we'd be hearing the exact same thing now... that it wouldn't be your fault." 

My aunt stepped forward, making Mr. Dennison hold her back a bit. She growled at Evan that he had a lot of God damn nerve to start pointing fingers. She reminded Evan that he was the one who urged them to leave him behind. That he was taking one for the team because of his link. That he wanted her safe. 

"And I did my part! I made sure Veesta got out! As much as she hated me for it because my link was alive while hers wasn't!" 

My aunt shook her head, sniffing, "So don't you try putting your decisions on us, Evan. You made your choice to not come back. We would have defended you. You just wanted the easy way out." 

Evan's eyes narrowed but my aunt was giving him the exact same look. He then grinned, nodding that my aunt was right. And that if any of their group was loyal to her companions it was my Aunt Emeel. 

"After all... word had reached out that the Great Emeel Ray slaughtered the only child to a Werewolf Council member. And the very council member who had supposedly taken my life months before."

My aunt's face didn't change. But my dad and Thatcher looked at Evan, questioning how he knew that. How was he able to know that information.

Evan turned away, placing his hands into the pockets of his slacks and looked out at the land behind his home. He took a deep breath, letting himself look out a little longer before muttering, "My parents of course."

He looked over his shoulder, those eyes of his hinting a dark gleam. 

"They were the ones who advised me to fake my death if I was ever in a situation such as the night I disappeared. They knew the ins and outs of the Society as everyone else did. But they were the only two who had an advantage over most because of where they worked in the Society."

My aunt huffed, "The lab..."

Evan nodded once. "The lab. Which is where they made vials of the serum we were all given as children to send to me. It was able to assist in rejuvenating my bone structure. Not completely since I still carry a limp... and the claw marks on my back. But nonetheless I was able to get stronger with the vials and I'd receive a letter with what would be occurring in the Society."

He paused, looking away from us with a scowl. His eyes narrowed and jaw clenched as he rolled his shoulders back a bit. 

"Then they tell me the news about Veesta. How she was re-linked with Daven because Emeel Ray was presumed dead after months of her being gone."

He looked back to us, shaking his head slowly. "I can't say it didn't hurt. Because it did. To have to live knowing that my link was going to be with another? To know that this other was not really happy about the arrangement yet still took part in the ceremony?"

Evan scoffed, turning away and rested his hands on the railing. He continued staring out at the land as he muttered, "How stupid Hollow was to think that the one time they fuck and he's the father of my child."

Thea and I glanced at one another, frowning before looking at her mother question that Evan knew all along about Veesta's pregnancy. 

"Of course I knew!" Evan snapped, turning to sneer at her. "We both found out before we went out on the mission! And then she had to lie to that fucking moping moron!"

I frowned, looking downward as I was thinking over the time that Veesta first knew about Maddox and then the time of the announcement that Daven Hollow and Veesta were expecting. It now made sense when my dad would point out how Maddox was born a lot sooner than what was expected. 

I looked up at Evan who was in the middle of clarifying this.

"My parents told me about Veesta's son being born earlier than what was normal. Of course... I then had to tell them all about the real identity to the child bearing Hollow's last name."

Evan explained that was the start of his parents knowing who their grandchild was. That they both promised Evan to watch over the baby boy who was named 'Maddox Hollow'. He closed his eyes, shaking his head and a small sad grin tugged at the corner of his lip. 

"Maddox... It was the perfect name for Veesta when I mentioned it when we tried to figure out if we'd be having a boy or girl. We'd stayed up all night when we found out about the pregnancy to think of what to name our child. She agreed on the name 'Maddox' if we had a boy... and she kept our promise."

Another pause before Evan rolled his eyes. 

"Hollow apparently wanted to name our son something similar to what his family named their children, like how he got his own name 'Daven'... but Veesta wouldn't allow it. Which I'm grateful for since that fuckhead would have ruined my son with some lame-ass name like his!"

Evan shut his eyes tightly, rubbing gently on the bridge of his nose. He dropped his hand, frowning at us.

"For years... Years I was hidden away. Finding this place," he motioned to the house we were at. "And it was a quiet home-like place with families so I found it the safest place for me to live."

Turning, Evan leaned back against the railing and crossed his arms. He glanced at us with a raised brow.

"And for those many years... I had to hear about my son growing up. Calling that prick 'dad'."

Shaking his head, the man glared at the wall in front of him. He mentioned that it wasn't until Maddox was around seventeen that things in the Society started to become interesting.

"There was word of a town... hidden in California... where a young teenage girl lived and she just so happened to be the offspring of the Great... Emeel... Ray..."

Evan raised his brows, grinning at my aunt whose fists curled. 

"But you were no longer a Ray... now were you, Emeel? Because you took on a different surname. One that belonged to a human no less. A human who ran around with the likes of Werewolves! Pft... A death sentence for a stupid human."

I caught Mr. Dennison's jaw tighten, narrowing his eyes at the mention of Thea's father---his once-best friend. It might have stung him a bit too with the guilt of now being in a relationship with once-best friend's wife.

Talk about dysfunctional.

"A half-blood Hunter child is unheard of. It's just not what is part of the world we grew up in..." Evan reminded us. "But then... Then this teenage girl shows up out of nowhere and is given the serum that turns her into a Hunter beyond imagination!"

Evan laughed, standing up and putting his hands into his pockets again. Shrugging, Evan smiled that he just couldn't understand how it was possible that a half-blood became superior to others who were full-blooded.

"But that's because of her mother." 

My aunt continued giving Evan this hard, agitated stare. He could see it too but it didn't stop him from trying to make his point. 

"Emeel and Vincent Ray were twins. The first and only. It was impossible to understand how this came to be---except for the genetic mutation we all go through that happened to include an extra dose of mutation for the Ray twins. Their ability to fight, run and strategize surpassed everyone else. We were all so proud of course..."

Evan grinned, shrugging a shoulder while looking at Thea. 

"Which explains how your daughter became Master Pritchet Ray's dream. With your Advanced Hunter blood, plus the extra mutation, mixed with the serum given to your daughter tricked the bloodstream to assume the body it consumed was full-blooded. That small boost in your genetics, Emeel, is the only reason your daughter survived the change in the first place."

"What's your fucking point, Evan?" My aunt sneered.

"My point," he smiled, "will be revealed shortly. But I have to bring to light that it was relayed to me that the day Thea Saranto was given the serum, she almost killed my son."

I felt Thea stiffen beside me. I glanced at her to see her eyes glossing. 

"My parents explained to me, however, that it was this very same girl who did everything she could to save Maddox. Of course... I was at first beside myself that this half-blood dare attack my son... but after hearing my parents explain their visit to assist with Maddox, Veesta mentioned that she'd have lost him had it not been for this half-blood."

Evan claimed that Veesta sounded more distraught that she almost lost the only remaining link to Evan. That she was angry about the attack on her son but didn't want to lose him too. 

"Makes me wonder..." Evan frowned, tapping his chin. "What an advantage a half-blood had to talk down a whole Society from killing any more Werewolves. And at seventeen years old. It was astounding to hear about it from my parents; they were even impressed."

Evan chuckled, shaking his head. "Especially when they failed to completely alter Thea's memories."

My cousin's eyes widened, her brows furrowing and she swallowed hard. She lowered her chin, narrowing her eyes.

"Yes," Evan nodded at Thea with a grin. "The pair in the lab that day when Master Pritchet ordered you to the Annex... Those... are my parents."

Stunned, we all weren't sure what to say... think... or do. I just kept thinking back to the Society and how closely that pair in the lab were always to the Hollows. It now made sense but what didn't make sense were the years after the Society was disbanded. 

I frowned, eyeing Evan carefully. 

"Your parents... why didn't they leave if they were free to do so? Why did they stay at the Society even after what happened to my grandfather?"

"Good question," Evan nodded. He walked back to the table, pouring himself some more tea. He raised his brows at us, holding the teapot towards us to silently question if we'd like some. When no one moved or answered, Evan grinned, shrugging before placing the teapot down.

He was stirring the tea slowly when he finally answered me. 

"You see... My parents were free to leave...sure. But they didn't because they had a responsibility to keep an eye on my son. They had to remain behind to ensure that my son was safe as Maddox watched over the half-blood himself. Course... there also was the small child to worry about."

Evan smirked, looking at Thea with a raised brow. 

"For a moment... When word of you being with child came to me... I thought I was a grandfather."

Dennison growled, nose scrunching as he stepped closer to Thea. I could see the muscles in Dennison's jaw contracting repeatedly. 

Evan paid no mind at the moment to Dennison. He just continued speaking to Thea. 

"But then it was confirmed by the only medical doctors in the Society---yes, my parents---" he added when Thea's eyes widened. "That the child you were carrying was not only half Advanced Hunter... but half Werewolf." 

The man's gaze shifted to Dennison. He eyed him carefully, nodding to himself before chuckling that with Thea's advanced abilities and Dennison's tall, robust physique that the halfling belonging to them was no doubt going to be something to behold once he was of age.

With a raised brow, Evan grinned, "Which brings me to what you all came here for."

Evan sat down, taking a moment to sip his tea and then lowered it before deciding to sip from the cup again. This started annoying my aunt who pointed out that he was stalling. 

"And for a good reason, Emeel..." Evan raised a brow while taking another sip. 

Placing the tea back on the table, the man sat back, crossing his ankle over his other knee. His relaxed posture made us sit on edge. 

"Because I have a bargain for you all. And I want to make sure that I was heard out before you all spin out of control in the next few moments." 

Thea gripped my hand and I knew why. She could sense it as much as I did that we were about to find out about Maddox, Sr.

Evan raised his brows, smiling at us before telling us that he didn't want to get ahead of himself and then lifting his pointer fingers to indicate for us to wait and then stood up. 

"One moment..." 

He walked over to the backdoor, opening it while calling to Hilda. There was some clamouring inside like she'd been startled and Evan rolled his eyes before the woman appeared. Evan lowered, muttering something to her that made her eyes widen and then nodded. She scurried away and Evan shut the door again.

Returning to his seat, Evan lifted his teacup and sipped once more. He stared at us over the rim of the teacup and I could barely see the smirk from behind it. 

"What are you up to, Evan?" Thatcher was on alert now. He kept looking around him.

Evan assured us that he was up to nothing at the moment... but that he didn't blame them for thinking otherwise. He continued to sip his tea until the back door opened and Hilda stepped out with her hands wringing together.

She swallowed hard, bowing, "He's on his way down from the library, Mr. Gallagher." 

Hilda glanced at us, swallowing again before she was waved away by Evan. She disappeared into the house, shutting the door behind her. Evan faced us, grinning that his son was always in the library. 

"He enjoys reading. Something he got from me."

We all looked at the back door when the knob twisted and I held my breath as the door opened. It felt like it was opening slow on purpose and while I felt my heart plummet, I heard Thea whimper once the tall figure stepped out of the house. 

There was the familiar---more kind gaze--- from those purple-blue eyes of his. The perplexed looked on his face from seeing us even looked familiar.

Maddox, Sr. was alive! He was standing right there; no blood... no emptiness in his eyes... he was--- was alive!

"Maddox! There you are!" Evan smiled, pushing himself to his feet and walking over to his son who frowned at him. Maddox kept glancing in our direction as Evan clapped a hand on his son's shoulder.

"Son... I'd like to introduce you to a few people."

They walked over and I couldn't get my brain to process a message to my legs to stand up. I felt completely numb and looking at Thea, she must have felt the same. 

"Now, Maddox... These three," he gestured to my dad, aunt, and Thatcher, "Are old friends of mine from my younger days. They came to visit and brought their family with them."

Evan looked directly at Thea as he mentioned to his son, "They'd been so eager to meet you." 

Thea's gaze hardened on Evan who smirked at the rise he was getting out of my cousin. But Thea blinked suddenly when Maddox held out his hand to her. 

She stared at it for a moment, swallowing before placing her hand in his and watched Maddox grin, "I'm Maddox. It's nice to meet you..." he raised a brow, waiting for her to supply her name.

"Uh... Thea." My cousin swallowed. "Thea Dennison." 

Maddox smiled, nodding before looking at me. I frowned a bit. Hating that he didn't recognize us at all. He had absolutely no clue to who I was... or Thea... or any of us.

"Kale..." I mumbled, shaking his hand once he extended it out to me. "And I snore a lot."

The guy gave me an odd look, glancing at Thea who stared at me in my hopes of trying to jog Maddox's memory. Clearly, it was a fail. Now he probably just thought I was weird. Kind of like before...

Close enough.

"Right..." Maddox chuckled then introduced himself to everyone else. When he got to Dennison however, Maddox paused once he was shaking his hand. 

Maddox frowned, looking down at the hand he was holding then met Dennison's gaze again. Narrowing his eyes, Maddox asked, "What'd you say your name was again?"

"I didn't," Dennison's lip curled. His eyes glowing in that golden hue. 

The moment he saw this though Maddox stepped back wide-eyed and looked at his father. 

"He-He's---He's a Werewolf!" 

He stumbled backward, scowling while making sure to distance himself from our group. He glanced at his father when Evan grinned with a nod that Auric Dennison was, indeed, a Werewolf. One who was an alpha.

Dennison growled, sneering, "Not anymore, Gallagher. And I'd like to know your source for all the information you've had on us." 

"I told you," Evan grinned, "It was my parents." 

"No!" Dennison snapped. "I'm talking about everything else that they couldn't possibly know!" 

Maddox suddenly got defensive, stepping forward towards Dennison who looked ready for him to try anything. 

"Who the fuck are you to talk to him that way!?" 

Maddox shoved his dad's hand off him, glaring at Dennison again.

"You are guests here! Don't forget that! I'd hate to send you home with a fucking broken arm!"

Growling, Dennison stepped forward and sniffed, "Try. It."

Thea managed to wedge herself between the two, placing her hands on their chest to push them back from one another. She huffed out for them to stop it and that we were not here to fight but for us to find out the truth about a friend of our who was believed to be dead until now. 

She gave Dennison a look who narrowed his eyes at her before grunting and turned away. Thea sighed, closing her eyes before looking at Maddox. I noticed that her eyes fell to the scar on his neck from when they were teenagers. It only made this more real that this was Maddox, Sr.

"Please understand..." She started. "We're all a little agitated at the moment because we discovered something that left us guilty. Please give us a moment to absorb this."

Maddox stared at her, his brows furrowing as his head tilted a little at her. His eyes filled with a cloudy gaze but then slowly nodded, not missing to shoot Dennison a look as he stepped back. 

"My, my... you do have a way with words," Evan grinned, clearly impressed.

Thea raised a brow, warning Evan that she was not here to fight. That he tried to get a rise out of her the first time but this time she was going to control herself. 

Evan feigned a pout, "And not let me see the brilliance that I've heard so much about? Such a shame indeed. I was hoping to see what Master Pritchet's perfect dream looked like in action."

Warning him again that she was not going to give in to his want, Thea glanced at a confused Maddox before directing to Evan that he knew what she was here for. 

"Yes... And we'll have to discuss that." Evan's lip curled. He chuckled, "Of course... that'll be difficult on your end since you'll have an either-or decision to make."

He offered Maddox lemonade who shook his head before Evan took a sip himself. 

Thea frowned, tilting her head, "What do you mean?"

Evan grinned, calmly seating himself since he knew no one would attack him. For Maddox's sake.

"Why... I mean that you'll have difficulty deciding which one is more important. Which one..." Evan smirked, "Is more worthy of your rescue."

Seeing our faces, Evan nodded, "I am referring to, of course, the alpha's---" he paused, raising his brows at Dennison, "'Scuse me, former alpha's question about my source for the information I've had. Regarding you of course, Thea... And how I knew what your name was."

Thea's eyes narrowed, lip curling as she demanded through grit teeth for Evan to spit it out.

Evan chuckled, lifting the glass of lemonade to his lips. He looked over the rim of the glass, that smirk hinting something sinister. 

"The she-wolf, Thea," Evan admitted once he pulled the lemonade away for a moment. "The she-wolf who I've been keeping prisoner under my house for the past seven years." 

The man raised his brows, grinning, "She calls herself... Langley."