𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 ( 𝐌𝐱𝐌 ) [ DARK ROMANCE ]

Chapter 23 | PHASE TWO: Nightmare

DYLAN ||

Two days later

This was a fucking nightmare. A complete and utter fucking nightmare. Like seriously. A full blown night terror, waking up to pee in the bed, drenched in sweat, panic coursing through you, anxiety ridden nightmare.

My dumbass didn't even put two and two together. Even when Rome would talk about his brother every single morning during breakfast at the packhouse.

Roman spoke so highly of his older brother, calling him his lifeline and saying things like nobody could ever compare to him. He would tell us how his older brother took care of his younger siblings all the time when their parents would leave on their monthly getaways.

I don't know why I never put two and two together man. . . I mean it wasn't like Roman ever actually mentioned his brother's real name. He always referred to him as Emeric or brother or hero.

So now I'm freaking the fuck out.

The fear that seeped through my veins when I figured out they were related was nothing short of the fear that coursed through me when I came face to face with Roman's rage.

And when I saw them embrace each other, their purrs resonating throughout the room — I felt myself zone out from the feline brothers conversation because all I could think about was how hurt my mate was, how much the bond was pulling me to comfort him, how I was the cause of his pain and how betrayed he must have felt.

The moment when Roman called Hunter over to him, was when I zoned back in and I saw Raiden's reaction to an action that should have been simple but clearly it was anything but.

I could practically taste his fury at the fact that his brother was mated to the same man that helped take him down.

The same man that injected him with the numbing agent that took all control from him, that took his leopard from him, all while I was forced to use our bond against him.

What the fuck is wrong with me?! Why can't I just be the Alpha that Bennett would have been? The Alpha that my Dad wants me to be, the Alpha that I know I can be. . .

I knew my actions were wrong, everything was wrong and I couldn't deny it. I couldn't blame it on Raiden because I gave him a chance to explain everything and when he did, I believed him — I really did, but I had no choice but to help in capturing him when my fucking pack ambushed him like that.

And even with the potency of his rage that filled the room after learning who Hunter was to his little brother, Raiden never lost control. He never cursed anyone or tried to attack any of us, he just sat stoic and as regal as felines were known to be.

Theo and Garrett stood next to me just as shocked at Raiden's lack of reaction to our behavior towards him these past three weeks, instead he expertly bottled up his rage and stay focused on his brother.

Raiden never once lashed out at any of us, even though I knew my brother and cousin were the ones responsible for his many bruises.

I knew and I couldn't do a fucking thing about it.

They were the only ones that were allowed to go down there to bring my mate his food and water twice a day, so I wasn't stupid. Raiden's body was riddled with bruises and Garrett and Theo were the only culprits.

I knew Gabe and Hunter wouldn't have touched a hair on his beautiful head because they knew he was my mate, our packs rightful Luna, but my brother and cousin didn't know that until the fiasco. . .

Mate bond classes taught us that when you find your mate, you'll be able to feel the full force of your mate's emotions once you mark each other, but I was starting to feel Raiden's emotions without even touching him.