Chapter Eighty-Three

“What does that mean?”

“It was a saying that was used back when your dad lived his first life. When he was killed in his first life, the attacker said the same thing. Like a mantra. And he never forgot it. So when Beck said it this time, he knew.”

“So, we wait until this is figured out.” I sounded as defeated as I felt. I didn’t want this to continue, but I wouldn’t risk anyone’s life.

“Yeah, but at least you have something to do.” Ronnie smiled over at me.

“What do you mean?”

He pulled the car over and hopped out. He went to the trunk and rustled around for a few minutes before coming back with a laptop bag. Once he settled back behind the wheel, he handed it to me. “This is for you.”

“What is it?”

“Open it.” He tapped the bag and got the car back onto the highway. I unzipped the bag to find a new, sleek laptop and a new phone.

“I’m going to ask again… what is it?”

“This is your brand new, never-used, custom-built hacking computer.”

I stared at the side of his face. “I don’t know how to hack.”

“I guess you have a new hobby to take up.” He chuckled as he quickly glanced at me.

“What the hell are you talking about?” I pulled the laptop out of the bag, and there was a book underneath it. I pulled out the book and turned it over in my hands. “Ethical Hacking for Beginners.”

“Yeah. Your dad also got you a subscription to Hacking101. It’s a website that trains you with games.”

My mouth had dropped open, and I looked over my shoulder to Lynn, but she was focused on her phone. “Why would I need any of this?”

“Because. He wants you to learn how to hack. Pretty obvious.” Ronnie answered slowly, like I was dumb.

“I understand that! But why?” I pulled everything out of the bag.

“He left you a letter. Burn it once you read it.” I shook my head and turned to face him slowly.

“What the hell, Uncle Ronnie?” I wagged the phone. “Why do I need a second phone?”

“That is a hidden phone. You will only message using that if you find something.”

“Ronnie. Please, for the love of the goddess. Explain.”

He tapped the wheel. “Your father will go into deeper detail, but he believes Vince is involved in some shady business, including the attacks. But we can’t access his system from your father’s. We assume he has firewalls that protect him from outside infiltration, but someone closer, someone he doesn’t suspect, might get through.”

“You need me to learn hacking because Vince might be involved in… what, exactly?”

Ronnie nodded. “We don’t know for sure. We might even be wrong. I hope we are. But we have been having issues with your pack swooping in and stealing contracts from us. We originally thought it was just your mom giving them information. Well, I did. Your dad always said she would never do that, and now more than ever I believe him.” Ronnie bobbed his head back and forth. “Now, normally this wouldn’t be an issue, but your dad noticed someone from over there breached our system, but they made a mistake and left footprints.”

“So, if they were good enough to hack you guys, wouldn’t they catch me?”

Ronnie tapped the computer. “That is where this comes in. There is no information on here that will lead back to you. You learn to hack. Do your best. Find the information, or don’t.” He lifted a shoulder. “Your dad is grasping at straws here, kid.”

“Why?”

“Because your mom went from sleeping with Morgan once a year to multiple times this year. He can’t survive it anymore.”

I nodded slowly. “He wants a pup with her.” I swallowed the bile that threatened to come up.

“What?” Ronnie almost drove off the road.

“He made it a big thing on her birthday. He wrote it in her card that he demanded she read out loud in front of the pack. That they were going to be trying for their own pup.” I remember my mother breaking down in my room once I found out that night. “He realized I was coming of age this year, and he would probably lose control of her mate.” In my previous life, my mother held on until I found out Brandon was my mate. She gave up once she knew I was mated to Brandon. She died in childbirth of their pup, the pup didn’t survive either. “She is supposed to find out she’s pregnant in a few months.”

Ronnie paled. “No.” He looked at me, and I looked away. A tear fell anyway. “She doesn’t make it, does she?” I just shake my head.

“I won’t let it happen this time.”