Modeus is standing near the side entrance, waiting for me to return. The sunlight coming through the thick, glazed glass windows kisses his flawless gray skin, highlighting his golden markings and horns as if he positioned himself to be in the best possible light. When he pivots to watch my approach, I know his positioning wasn’t intentional, because he still looks just as fucking good after he shifted his posture.
“I didn’t find anything,” he reports. I swear heat follows in the wake of his gaze as he runs his eyes over me.
“Maybe he wasn’t here?” I offer, even though I could have sworn I sensed his presence.
“What about the open window?” Modeus looks up at the ceiling, as if recalling seeing the bedding shift.
Shit. I walked right into the room and forgot to latch the window. “Thanks for reminding me.” I turn to jog back upstairs.
Pushing through the door this time is easier because I’m not afraid of what I’m going to find. I grasp the latch to pull the heavy frame closed, and my eyes instinctively land on the back gardens.
My heart stops at the sight before me. “Dad.” The word falls from my lips in a plea of sheer anguish. Harlow is impossible to miss. His massive stone form reaches for the sky, his fists balled and teeth bared as if he’s cursing God himself.
The thumping of heavy footsteps behind me gets lost under the whooshing in my ears and the rapid beat of my heart, but the presence behind me is impossible to ignore.
“Fuck,” Modeus curses darkly.
I can’t even form words. I feel like I’m in some sort of alternate reality. How can this be real? I talked to him days ago. How did I not see this coming?
Modeus
My intent isn’tto follow her all the way up the stairs, but I give into the pull to be closer to her. I’m already trying to figure out how I’m going to get her to accept my presence until I find the right time to tell her she is mybashert.
Maybe I should have confessed when I felt that stab of envy when I mentioned I had a mate, but I want her to be able to focus on Harlow for the time being.
“Dad.” Her soft voice carries down the hall and hits me right in the gut. She sounds like a lost little girl. The agony that splashes through her hits me next, and it’s worse than any physical pain I’ve ever endured.
I run up the rest of the stairs, not caring how loud I am or that she may know I followed her up. The demand to reach her is all consuming. She stands frozen with her hand on the window, her eyes brimming with tears as she stares into the yard.
I close the distance between us in a few short strides, allowing my chest to just barely graze her back. Her weight shifts, and Lore leans against me the tiniest bit, permitting me to hold her up. She’s probably not even aware she did it.
I know what I’ll find before I even look through the glass. Harlow is motionless, turned to true stone in a pose that would suggest he was fighting something until the very end, but that still doesn’t soften my anger. Rage boils my blood, and it’s so potent, it actually masks the pain wafting off Lore for a breath. Then the organ in my chest pounds, and her anguish lashes at me again.
I grit my teeth, wishing I could embrace the fury I felt toward her father instead of the misery Lore is experiencing, but her pain easily trumps my emotion, if only because it’s coming from her. If it were anyone else, I would be able to ignore the ache.
“How did I not know?” she questions. She’s taking the blame for something she bears no responsibility for.
“Nobody could have seen this coming.” I try to keep my voice soft, but it’s a struggle.
“Then how did I know this was how it was going to end?” she demands while spinning and shoving my chest. I manage not to slide too far back, but only because she didn’t put much effort into the action.
I can admit I shared the same thoughts, but not until the moment I knew he was missing. Before that, I never would have believed it to be true either. “He was selfish,” I snarl near her face, but really, I’m the one being selfish. I’m only pissed at Harlow because his choice affects Lore. Hell, it took strength I’m unconvinced I possess not to give up the moment he lost hisbashert.
“He was hurting.” She hits me again, this time with more force. “And I didn’t know!” She sends another blow to my shoulder. My dick gets hard. The things I would let her do to me just to give her a tiny bit of peace might scare others, but I welcome them. I suppose I should be thankful for my lineage.
Her chest is heaving, and her face is pinched. Her eyes are searching my body as if she’s contemplating the most effective place to strike, but she’s still the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen. I open my arms, more than willing to take the brunt of her emotions.
Her eyes narrow, and a glare of suspicion clouds her yellow orbs. “Did you know?” she demands.
“That he would do this? No.” I shake my head and lower my arms while answering her truthfully, even if I’m omitting that it was easy to see this was an outcome after he disappeared.
Lore watches me closely for a few seconds, as if she’s reading me to determine if I’m lying. “Someone must have known something. Reaper was talking like he already knew he was dead.”
So was I, but I don’t remind her of that. Right now, she’s just looking for someone to blame, and I don’t want to become that person.
Something occurred to me earlier, and I can only hope it doesn’t dawn on her. I’m the one who opened old wounds for Harlow. I barged into his life, needing guidance and lessons in civility, reminding him of what he lost. Maybe knowing that Lore would have abashertwas what allowed him to succumb to his desire to join his mate.
“I think Reaper understood that nothing less than this would keep him from you or the club.” I’m defending the VP, but my motive is selfish.
