CHAPTER 58: A PITIFUL PRISONER

Thaddeus’ POV

Cody opened the door to his ranch house. It was painted white with a wrap around veranda in the front. The rooms were all bright, in whites and creams, with minimal furniture and ornaments. You could tell a guy lived here alone. A bachelor. Well, not anymore now that he’d come back for his “Lizzie.” We found Farris, Friday’s Dad, slumped over near the liquor cabinet in a pool of his own vomit. Theo and I glanced at each other. We looked at Fang, scrutinising his expression. He kept his facial expressions neutral. I knew he had to be hurting on some level. I clapped him on the back, squeezing his shoulder. He put his hand on the hand I’d laid on his shoulder. He sighed deeply. Theo rubbed his back.

“Hey, Fang, this situation…it’s complicated,” I said, not knowing what else to say to him.

Fang’s eyes were shimmery, glassy. He was trying to blink away the tears. A stray tear escaped down his cheek and he quickly wiped it away. Even Theo was feeling sorry for Fang, continuously rubbing his back comfortingly like they were bros. I had to think of my delicate little Friday. This was her Dad. Asshole or not. Attempted Murderer. Former Beta. He had served Marigold so that should not go unnoticed but he’d also betrayed his former alpha but his former alpha had in a sense betrayed him first with the affair with his Beta’s wife. It wouldn’t be my decision to make, it would be Maze’s but I was worried about that too. Cody had gone and gotten himself into this mess. Maze couldn’t let any harm come to Cody devastating his mom. Killing Farris would devastate his mate and not doing anything would alienate his father.

Cody helped Farris to his feet and started getting him cleaned up. Cody mopped up the vomit. I got some water from the fridge and encouraged Farris to sip it. He could not go to trial drunk as a fish. Farris slumped over on the couch in a new set of clean clothes. He moaned. His stomach hurt apparently. Well, obviously

We gave him some greasy fries to eat and he ate about half a portion and drank two cups of water before he started to perk up a little. He had his wits about him now. He glanced at me somewhat

distastefully. I knew he had wanted his daughter with the Marigold Alpha Maze but I was not sure if recent discoveries had changed that.

“Farris, I’m gonna give you a chance to please explain what happened the day Malachi was shot,” | said.

not get

“As if its’ gonna make any difference. I’m a dead man walking,” said Farris. Fang’s POV

“So you’re not even gonna try to plead your case?” I asked, trying as hard as I could to emotional.

“You know what upsets me?” said Farris.

“What?” I snarled, reaching my limit with him.

“You can forgive your w***e of a mother but you can’t even try to see it from my perspective,” said Farris, slurring his words and cackling madly near the end of the sentence.

I was sick and tired of hearing him call Mom a w***e. She had an affair with her mate. She decided to run off with him. What’s done is done. Even Elizabeth who was a wreck-at-first was trying to pull herself

“When am I supposed to see it from your side, huh? When are you ever not drunk so I can talk to you, sympathise, empathise?” I snapped, losing my patience, losing my cool.

“Poor Fang, his father is a drunkard. Where’s hot stuff? King pin? Big cheese?” Laughed Farris. “What?!” I asked, narrowing his eyes. What the f**k was this maniac talking about? “I think he means Friday,” mumbled Cody.

Thaddeus actually laughed. “Boss Lady is fine. She’s hosting a Lady’s Luncheon,” said Thaddeus proudly, puffing out his chest a little. NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

“She ain’t no lady. She’s a w***e like her mother,” muttered Farris.

In one fluid and swift motion. Thaddeus grabbed my Dad by the scruff of his shirt. His feet dangled off the ground as the seven foot alpha was holding him at eye level and the former beta, at six-foot-two, was ten inches shorter than giant Thaddeus.

“Don’t you ever everinsult my mate, again?” Snarled Thaddeus, canines bared, eyes black.

Thaddeus dropped him. He fell on his knees and slid back down onto the ground slumped over.

“She’s a w***e!” Complained Farris. “Just like her mother and the other one,” mumbled Farris.

“What other one?” Asked Thaddeus quickly, forgetting to threaten my Dad again this time. I was not thrilled about him calling my Mother and Sister whores along with some third person.

My Dad did not answer Thaddeus’ question. He just lay on the floor, fell asleep, and started snoring very loudly.

“Are you turning him in?” I asked, holding back tears. My voice cracked a little. Damn it! A tear rolled down my cheek and I quickly wiped it away.

“I think considering how addled his mind must be, years of alcohol, emotional trauma,” mused Thaddeus. “Maybe we could do twenty-five to life and not murder.”

“Would Malachi and Maze agree to that?” I scoffed. “Felicity and Friday could convince them,” suggested Thaddeus.

He was right. My Mom wouldn’t want my Dad dead either. She would blame herself. She would be consumed with guilt and that would eat away at Malachi too through the mate-bond. It was Malachi’s decision to reject her ultimately. His choice had made things complicated, rejecting her and then still pursuing her relentlessly, dissatisfied on a personal level with his publicly acceptable Luna, Elizabeth. Friday and Dad had a horrible relationship but I knew she yearned for a better one. She wanted his love, craved his acceptance, similar to what she had wanted from me.

“You won’t let him escape from here, will you?” I asked, looking up at Thaddeus. “He couldn’t escape from anywhere or to anywhere in this state,” stated Thaddeus throwing his hands up.

My Dad continued to snore. Friday’s POV

They were all gone. Fang, Cody and my Thaddeus. Ugh! Where were they? I could not wait to get out of this stupid dress and end the day with Maze and Thaddeus. They had promised me a massage. My wolf purred thinking about it. There was an open field at the back of the pack house. The grass was so overgrown it was knee-high in some places and waist-high in others. I sighed. I was not too great at tailing people following their scents yet. All I could tell is they’d been here recently and then they’d gone. The sun beat down overhead but the cool wind eased the effect by tossing my wavy hair back and forth. The wind grew stronger and blew my hat off. I gave a small shriek of surprise and turned to chase after it. I saw a hand flick out and effortlessly catch it. Maze. neck, wrapping the illac ribbons arouna gentiy so that it lookea like i was wearing a choker. I lookea up at Maze, drinking in his handsome features. He grabbed me by my waist and pulled me flush against him. I tickled him which made him release me. I ran away treading lightly, picking my way through the tall grass, I heard a low growl behind me. I giggled just as Maze pounced in me, tackling me to the floor. He cradled my head throughout our fall.

Ilay, shrouded by the tall glass with Maze leaning over me, putting his weight on his palms and knees. One of his knees was between my thighs. He was panting and so wasi when our lips found each other. He kissed me so sweetly and so urgently at the same time. I moaned into his mouth as his warm rough palms caressed my bare thighs under my dress. “You’re gorgeous,” he whispered against my lips.

“You too,” I said, blushing and running my fingers through his silky dark hair. Both Thaddeus and Maze had not had a haircut in ages it seemed. Their hair was just passed their shoulders. It suited them though. Maze laughed. I tangled my hands in his hair and pulled him to me. He kissed me, moving his lips skilfully against mine, coaxing my mouth open, nibbling my lower lip and sliding his tongue along the nibbled area. He did the same to the top lip while his pelvis pressed against my core. I could feel his huge meter straining against his pants. He sat up suddenly pulling me with him so that I was straddling

his lap, my legs at either side of his waist and my arms around his neck, my fingers kneading the nape of his neck,

his hands massaging my lower back. I felt a little giddy. He slipped one of the dress straps down so my shoulder was bare. He planted open-mouthed kisses down the side of my neck and along my bare shoulder making me shiver.

“Maze,” I whimpered.

“What, Friday? Talk to me, Baby,” he replied grabbing one of my hands and kissing each fingertip. He repeated this on the other hand. He nuzzled me. I sighed contentedly but then I remembered what I wanted

to tell him, “Thaddeus is gone!”

“What?” Said Maze. “Fang, Cody and Thaddeus are gone,” I told him. “Yeah,” said a voice.

I jumped, startled. Elizabeth had come round to the back and was staring at us. Malachi and my Mom were walking towards us too.

– “Where are they?” Called Malachi.

“They’re right here, in the grass,” said Elizabeth loudly to her ex-husband and his new bride. At least they were on speaking terms.

Malachi, my Mom and Elizabeth just stood there, staring at me, my dress all rumpled and my hear tousled as I straddled Maze in the grass. I blushed the deepest shade of scarlet and tried to scramble to my feet, causing me to fall over and get my dress tangled in Maze’s cufflinks.

“Do you guys mind?” Snarled Maze.

“You didn’t!” Said Malachi pointedly. Felicity smiled but covered her eyes. Malachi seemed to be referencing when Maze had walked in on Malachi and my Mom that day I had asked Thaddeus to mind- link him. Maze growled lowly but I could tell he wasn’t serious.

“Maze, un hand her,” said Elizabeth indignantly like Maze was some robber who had me slung over his shoulder like a sack of loot.

I stifled my laughter and slowly got to mu feet. Timbre and True came over followed by the four twins. “We should go look for them! Thaddeus, Fang…” I began but Timbre stopped me gently.

“And they have your father with them, Friday,” said Timbre gently.

My heart plummeted. My mother’s face paled. Elizabeth’s eyes widened in fear. Malachi stiffened and pulled my mother even closer to him. I could feel a vibration near to me. I looked up. It was Maze growling lowly and he was far from joking around this time, his eyes black and his canines bared.