I hate that I can sympathize with him for feeling oppressed due to lack of power. I know everything he is saying is true, but what makes me hesitate is that he is one ofthem.
The ones who destroyed me and my best friend. People who terrified my son enough to leave invisible scars on his little heart. Their hands might’ve only hurt the three of us directly, but they ruined so many lives in the chain effect of their actions.
I haven’t seen my papa in years because of whattheydid. Harvey lost both his parentsbecause of them,and August lost his parents, his pack, and his destined lifebecause of her. Grace and Angel have mates who they would have to carry emotionally for the rest of their lives, and these are just the surface problems.
What happened might be in the past, but it altered the entire course of my life. Do I have it in me to put my trust in the handsof someone related to those who hurt me? But then again, I didn’t even think about holding what Kiara and Luke did against my mate.
I can tell Seiji sees that even when I’m grateful for Jackson’s help and his newfound allegiance to the Horsemen, it’s not enough to make me trust the warlock. Trusting him would go against my every instinct, and I need more than one favor to take that step.
“I have news. Big news,” Seiji sputters.
When the pregnant pause becomes pregnant itself, I clear my throat and raise my brow at him to spit it out. “This is not the time to be dramatic, Princess!”
Seiji takes the warlock’s hand in slow motion,intertwinestheir fingers, and makes a show ofkissingthe back of Jackson’s hand. The blank expression on Jackson’s face melts into a gentle smile, and I’m left there standing, gobsmacked.
The meaning behind the action makes me take a shaky step back. My head snaps to Angel, and I instantly feel better about being blindsided because he is just as bewildered.
Smiling bashfully, Seiji shrugs before uttering the word I know he has been dying to say, “Mate.”
“Oh shit. Fuck. Mother—” Angel covers my mouth and waits until I’m done cursing.
Hopping in excitement, I jump on Seiji and hug him tightly. “Why didn’t you lead with that, you drama queen!” We laugh like two maniacs and jump in each other’s arms while forgetting about our mates. “I’m so happy for you.”
I’ve told these people to stop messing with my badass reputation time and time again, but the number of happy tears I’ve shed since I met them is starting to get embarrassing.
Angel clears his throat, and I know it’s my sign to return to his arms. Seiji starts tearing up, and Jackson immediately takes over, whispering in his ear until the waterfall stops. I all but meltin my Angel’s arms, watching them interact like they’ve known each other forever.
Smooth mocha skin, deep brown eyes and a jaw that could cut me in half. Jackson surely complements Seiji on the outside. They make a damn fine couple.
Seiji reintroduces us in a different context, and this time, it’s much more pleasant. I behave like a woman whooccasionallyswears and nothing like the crazy one who was cussing for ten minutes straight.
Before Seiji and Jackson leave us to take their respective positions at the front line, I watch with pride swelling in my chest, as Seiji puts on his solid black face armor.
It’s carved with delicate patterns, the gaps filled with melted emerald stones. The Armour covers half of his face from his hairline to chin, and from the exposed side of his face, he winks at me, catching my stare.
Just before they leave, I call out Jackson’s name. He regards me curiously, probably thinking I’m about to threaten him again.
“Try not to die, okay? Us Horsemen don’t take it well when our family is hurt.”
With glassy eyes and an appreciative grin, he nods once before walking towards the battlegrounds, hand in hand with his mate.
Another name on my ever-growing list of family.
CHAPTER 42
Showdown motherfuckers
Nevaeh
With a half-gold face armor carved and embedded in tiny gems, the Horsemen of Conquer, my mate helps me strap on my body armor.
Rustling through an old cabinet, Angel whips out a small box and wipes the dust on it. A broken gasp leaves me when he opens and shows me what’s inside.
“Dean got it made not long before he left. I think it was a reminder to not lose hope.”
In his hand, the face armor looks like plain glass, but the instant Angel holds it to my face, the glass adheres to my right profile.
My lips part in surprise when he turns me to a mirror and watch the armor light up with hundreds of small, intricate, glimmering gold veins.
