Patting the bed on my other side, I shiver at the feel of cold sheets. That can’t be right, I haven’t woken up alone in months. The absence of my mate beside me gives way to a budding ache in my stomach.
Where is Angel? I was so sure I would wake up to Angel pacing the room like a caged animal.
Before I go looking for my mate, I decide to clean up the grime and blood on me. My muscles crack like I haven’t used them in months when I push off the bed.
My steps falter as I pass the bedroom window and find a dark storm brewing outside. pushing the curtains aside, I take in the heavy clouds thundering in warning. I know I complain about all the sunshine and rainbows in this realm, but for once, the gloomy weather doesn’t bring me the same peace it once did.
Brushing my forever there paranoia aside, I rush to the bathroom. The scalding hot shower helps relax my muscles. The burns I was covered in last night are nowhere to be seen, and the only scars left on my body are the ones that don’t define me anymore.
Putting on Angel’s hoodie and my sweatpants, I leave the wet mess of my hair for Angel to deal with.
My first stop in the living room is useless. Even the kitchen is empty. Now that I think about it, the whole floor is silent.Too quiet.
It’s never this quiet in the Horsemen castle.
The absence of my family didn’t bother me when I woke up, but the longer I didn’t find them, the faster the ache in my stomach crawled up my chest.
Rushing up the stairs, I try to find the conference room, and for a change, it doesn’t take me four tries. But I don't find it because of my suddenly sharp memory but the sounds of screaming and smashing echoing in the corridor.
Pushing the heavy doors open, I take in the destruction in the room. Chairs on the floor, broken pieces of glass littered around.
Members of the council gathered inside don’t surprise me, after what happened last night, I expected a meeting, but how some of them are doing everything to avoid looking me in the eye is feeding my anxiety.
My sudden arrival halts their argument, before I can blink, Seiji and Grace engulf me in a tight hug. Unexpectedly, August pops up from behind me and crashes into the back of my legs. The boy knows better than to eavesdrop on these meetings, so what was he doing lurking around?
The uncertainty and anger lingering in the air forces me to stand straighter and pull away from the hug. I hate feeling on guard in my own home, but my gut twists in a way that warns me to prepare for the worst.
Before the tension in this room can choke me, my eyes search for Angel, and only after I spot him standing in a far corner, do I breathe out.
Finding his eyes already on me makes me smile so big my cheeks hurt. I wait for him to come to me, but he doesn’t move.My smile slips with every second, Angel stays rooted in place, staring me down like one would a stranger.
Holding my hand in her tight grip, Grace turns to glare at Angel. Her scowl takes me by surprise because she is not the type to glare at anyone, let alone Angel.
Pulling away from Seiji’s arm over my shoulder, I caress August’s cheek before going to Angel. Every cell in my body is aching for his embrace, and I don’t want to wait any longer. The vacant look in his eyes is starting to scare me now. If he won’t come to me for some reason, then I will bridge the gap for both of us.
Angel’s palm shoots out to stop my approach, and my heart sinks. This is the first time Angel has denied my touch. He hates staying away.
“Are you feeling better?” Angel asks. His tone lacks his usual warmth, but he’s still worried about me, so whatever it is, it can’t be that bad.
I don’t let the hollowness of his expression get to me. Angel is stressed. What happened last night must’ve increased his worry and workload. That’s why he is acting so distant. He’s just stressed, nothing more.
With everyone looking at me gravely, I count heads to make sure no one was hurt yesterday. The numbers add up; they’re all here with limbs intact, so what’s with the somber looks?
Titling my head, I finally ask, “I’m fine. What’s wrong, Angel?”
The deafening silence in the room only shatters when an elderly demon pushes his chair back to stand.
The ex-Warriorhead for Conquer has always irked me. With his lips twitching like he is holding back a smirk my irritation only ten folds.
The demon nods his head at Angel to signal something, but my mate completely ignores the gesture, keeping his eyes on the wall behind me.
“The votes were clear, son. You know what to do.”
“Don’t you dare Anxo!” I flinch when Seiji suddenly seethes beside me.
The instinctual step back almost makes me trip over August, who is now hiding behind me. Looping my arms to wrap around him, I’m about to bring him in front of me when my eyes fall on the two suitcases standing by the door.
“I’m glad you’re feeling good,” my hesitant smile completely vanishes when Angel steps away from the wall and gestures to the table of councilmen.
