“Carter!”
I was their protector.
Was.
I couldn’t see clearly. She confused everything, and I did what I had to in order to protect my brothers. In the end, I didn’t protect anyone, not even myself. I thought she would be the one who would cost us everything, but I was wrong. It was me.
Hindsight is a fucking bitch. Or maybe it’s karma.
A loss like this feels like an anvil as it crushes my chest, stealing the breath from my lungs.
I stare out at the empty field, a pool of Heather’s blood still visible through the mud and rain, and wish I could go back in time and change everything.
The lightning strikes, creating sharp, bold, angry lines in the sky. Thunder rumbles, shaking the very ground beneath me. It’s as if God himself is telling me what a fuck-up I am.
I fall to my knees as a sob erupts from my chest.
“Please help me!”
Aside from the storm, there’s nothing but silence all around me. Nobody is coming to save me from myself. There is no undoing what I have created.
Destruction. Theirs and mine.
CHAPTER THREE
KILLIAN
Iwake up at the end of Carter's bed, drenched in sweat with Heather's hairbrush clenched so hard in my palm, the bristles leave indentations on my skin. Tossing it on the bed beside me, I groan in frustration as I get up.
Pulling out my cell phone, I check my text messages.
Nothing.
Knox hasn’t responded to a single call or text, and Butch is taking entirely too long to get me information. He’s our locator and should be able to find out if either of them is alive. Most of the time I’m sure they’re dead, but there’s always that little voice in my mind.
What if they somehow survived?
When I heard Knox’s voice echo through the forest, I wanted to run and save Carter, but I knew better. I was sure if he wasn’t killing himself, the sight of me would almost ensure it.
I betrayed him—I betrayed them all.
My presence would only add pain. Once the person Carter would turn to—now I’m the enemy.
She was right about me.
I am a dick.
I make my way to the kitchen and brew a pot of coffee as I roll my eyes at myself.
“An entire pot. For one person because you are alone now, asshole.”
Pouring myself a cup in Carter’s favorite mug, I stare at the ceramic and run my finger over the design. It’s black with a red bow and says, “Addicted to Hunting.”
Seeing it on the counter makes me imagine he’s still here. Like I didn’t kill my own brother—a carbon copy of myself.
Fuck. What have I done?
He told me what would happen without her. Given his past, I should have believed him instead of thinking he’d get over it. I hated her, and then I didn’t, but tried to convince myself otherwise. And by then, I had already made the call. It could not be undone without raising suspicion. I should have moved us all elsewhere to hide her—but I didn’t. Because I’m a monster. It wasn’t until I saw the aftermath that I realized exactly what I had done. Even my mother warned me about this, as if she could see into the future and knew I’d ruin everything.
