Chapter Seventeen
“Kothi, are you sure you’ll be fine here on your own? Wouldn’t you rather stay with someone for some company?”
Kothari searched his mother’s face, seeing the tell-tail signs of concern that was never far when she looked at him. She tried to hide it from him, but he was adept at seeing through most subterfuge. That expression infuriated the monster that lived within him, but it also broke the heart of the little boy who craved his mother’s love.
This morning it was the boy who held dominance, and the much softer side of his personality came forth, a side that only his parents ever witnessed. Giving his mother a tight hug, he pushed down his inner demon so he could savour the blissful moment. It wouldn’t last, it never did, but he would take each precious moment when he could. “I’ll be fine, Mother. You don’t need to worry about me. Don’t go to Europe looking back and worrying. You need all your attention on your task there.”
In truth, he was livid that Rafe was sending his parents away. He knew if he asked them not to go, they would stay. However, he also knew he couldn’t ask that of them. Somebody had to go to Europe, it was the only way to protect the pack. Logically he understood that but emotionally he wasn’t ready for his parents to be thrust into the heart of the enemy. If anything happened to them...he was afraid of what his monster would do.
“We’ll be fine, son,” Gard said, entering the living room and setting down the packed cases he was carrying. “We haven’t reached this age without knowing how to take care of ourselves. The most important thing is you listen to Rafe at all times and do what he says. If my memory serves me correctly, weren’t you supposed to be up at the Praetorian Compound as an extra guard?”
Kothari tried not to bristle at the subtle rebuke in his father’s voice. He was supposed to be up at the other compound. He hadn’t wanted to leave until he’d had a chance to say goodbye to his parents though. Surely his father understood that? “I’m heading up there shortly. I just wanted to say goodbye.” His tone was rebellious and only served to have his mother tightening her hold on him.
“We understand that,” Gard answered, a resigned sigh in his words. His son always bristled against any kind of authority, even that of his parents. It was concerning and something they hadn’t managed to correct no matter what parenting techniques they’d used over the years. “It would be best if you got yourself up there now. We’ll be on our way soon.” He took the sting from his words by giving his son a warm hug.
After a long pause, Kothari nodded his head and turned to leave the room. “Be safe.”
“I’m worried about leaving him,” Rayne said, stepping into Gard’s embrace as their son disappeared. It would be the first time Kothari would be alone without his support system and it was hard for her as a mother to leave him.
“He’s a grown man, Sarayne. There has to come a day when he needs to discover who he is and fend for himself. He isn’t completely alone anyway. He has the pack.” Gard’s words made sense but she could hear his own concern. Only time would tell just how well Kothari fared left to his own devices.
Shaking off the sensation of doom that threatened to overwhelm her, Rayne smiled up at her mate, leaning in for a long slow kiss to settle her foreboding. “Did Rafe get you?” she asked when Gard let her up for breath. When Rafe had visited earlier to ask about any abnormalities in the Vârcolac mating instincts, her mate had been visiting Rhianna and Caleb to get any last minute instructions they might have had.
“He did though I probably couldn’t tell him anymore than you could.”
Rayne had been quite flummoxed by the question of whether the animal part of a Vârcolac could be indecisive over the mating pull. She had known that Gard was her mate quite soon into their relationship though it had frightened and confused her a bit at the start. However, that had been the woman’s dilemma...not her panther. She could give no clear reason of why Cassia was experiencing indecision from her wolf, though from the girl’s reaction to Pietro’s rejection, it appeared the wolf had made up its mind.
