“That’s not-” She tried to fight, but I whipped back around.
“That’s exactly what you were doing.” I bared my teeth at her, tears still coursing down my face. “You might be fine with him pulling your strings, but I’m not. Not when it cost me three years of love. Three years of safety. Three years of happiness. You don’t get to fucking play like he’s the greatest man alive when my mate is growing cold at my feet.” She stumbled away from me.
Good. Fuck them. Fuck everyone.
“My sweet girl.” Her voice trembled as she slid next to me.
“Grandma.” My voice caught. I turned to her, my voice horse. “He’s gone.”
She pulled me into her arms, and I broke. My tears came faster. Sobs were ripped from my chest. “It’s okay, my love.” She tightened her arms around me. Her hand tracing circles against me.
I pulled back, stunned. “How?”
She smiled at me as she wiped the tears from my face. “I called in a favor.”
“I can’t lose him.” My hand tightened in his. I heard tiny footsteps, but I wasn’t fast enough.
“DADDY RO!” Carly’s broken sob had my head dropping. I watched my tears land on my grandmother’s dress as Carly dove against Rowan’s chest. “No.”
I had to take a moment before I turned to her. “Sweetheart.” I stumbled over the word. I turned to her, and she looked up at me with broken eyes.
“He can’t be gone.” She shook her head, sending her little pigtails flying. “He promised to teach me how to ride a bike.” Her little hands wrapped in his blood-soaked shirt. “He promised to teach me how to fight. I wanted to protect you. He said we would protect you together.”
I licked my trembling lips as I tried to think of something to say. “I know.” I blew out a breath. “He did protect me. He protected everyone.” I closed my eyes, and I heard others start to break through.
“Amy.” Wendy and Toya stepped out of the crowd.
I looked up at my friends, and I shook my head. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now.”
My dad dropped to his knees. “Baby, please.” He crawled towards Rowan. “Forgive me.”
“STOP!” I screamed at him. “I might learn how to forgive you, but it’s not going to be today.” I leaned against my grandmother. “I know I’m not thinking clearly. And that hating you isn’t fair, but it’s all I have left.” He paled. “I have nothing left. I have nothing but this hate burning inside of me, and if I didn’t have Carly, or if I knew that the spell I just created would hold after I died, I would join him. But I don’t know, and I am not selfish enough to condemn thousands of souls to torture or worse at the hands of humans.” I looked down at my mate. “So you will haveto forgive me when I say this, but the only thing keeping me on this earth is the burning hatred I have for you right now. The fact that you repeatedly kept me away from my Goddess-given mate for your own agenda has created a red-hot hatred that I am going to allow to burn until I remember what it’s like to survive again.”
“Amy.” My mother admonished me, but I ignored her.
I stood on shaky legs and stepped over my mate. My dad’s eyes stayed on me, and that pissed me off. “Look at him.” I growled, pointing at Rowan’s body. My father shook his head, tears falling down his cheeks. “I SAID LOOK AT HIM!” I screamed as I stomped over to him. Instead of listening to me, his eyes followed me.
“Amy…please.” He tried to grab my hand, but I grabbed him by the throat. I pulled him to his feet while people around me started to yell.
Uncle Ronnie came to my side. “Amy, ladybug, you can’t kill your dad. When the anger fades, you will hate yourself.” He was the only smart one.
I turned to him with a sad smile. “I know Uncle Ronnie. I’m not trying to kill him.” I felt the edges of my smile quiver. “I just need him to see what he’s done.” I swung around, pulling my father with me. I forced his head down to look at Rowan’s body. “Do you see him?” Fresh, hot tears cut rivers down my bloodstained cheeks. “Aurora stabbed him in his heart, but you are at fault.”
He shook his head. “No.” He tried to deny it. I released him, and he stumbled back a step. “I didn’t do this.”
“Let’s tick off everything you did wrong that caused my mate’s death.” I lifted one finger. “You chased your mate away because you thought you knew better.” I lifted another. “Then in your own anger you allowed your pack to fester, having unranked members bully others. You allowed Aurora into your packwithout vetting her. You allowed her to run free and torment weaker members. You allowed her close enough to put a spell on you.” I waved my hand in his face, all five fingers up. “And I’m not even done listing.” He shook his head, denying it, and something inside my chest snapped. I balled my fist and struck. I had never hit my father with my full power until this moment, and when his head snapped to the side, I felt nothing. Not relief, not anger, I felt nothing towards the man I knew deep down I still loved. I turned away as my mother screamed, but my dad grabbed my hand.
“I’m sorry.” His words were soft. “I deserved that.” I looked at him, and I could see in his eyes that he wasn’t mad. His eyes were filled with regret.
“Gavin.” My mom tried to argue, but he shook his head.
“She’s right, Ainsley.” He looked at me and slowly let go. “I deserved it. I deserved much more than that.”
I walked back over to my mate, and I dropped beside him. There was something I needed to know before I made my final decision. “Grandma…” She must have heard something in my voice because she shook her head.
“No.” She refused to meet my eyes.
“Please.” I grabbed her hand. “I need to know.” She shook her head.
