Retribution & Retaliation

62

Baldric

Growling, I throw my boot across the room. Books banging off the floor as they fall from the shelves. Flipping the small table between the chairs I kick one of them over and scream. My blood is boiling and I can almost feel the anger as it pulses through my body. My uncles, Matteo and Eli arrived just in time to make sure nothing tragic happened but I was still fuming. Now they were gone, to I don't know here, hiding.

"Agh!" The rage tears through me.

Swiping my hand across our desk the computer flies through the air until it crashes to the floor. Bits and pieces of metal, plastic and wood broken on the hardwood beneath my feet.

I'm terrified, I won't admit it but I am. I'm scared there will never be somewhere safe for the people I care about. I'm scared my children will never experience peace without the constant threat I've been so accustomed to. I'm scared there won't be anything worth coming home to for my parents.

The only thing that held me together was knowing Devina wasn't here, so she wasn't indanger during all of today's terror. Blaire and Winter, the look on their faces, I couldn't get them out of my head. I couldn't do anything to help them, to change how they felt or wipe their tears as they were locked away with the rest of the children.

I fought, I did everything I could and my body was aching and stiff because of it. Yet my heart won't calm. Instead I continue to throw things, to let it all out privately away from the girls.

Because even though the rogues are gone now they're still weeping. I wish Devina was back, I wish she'd return and help them. I wish Claire could do something to take the pain away, to wipe their memories of rogues ever existing, but I can't. I can't do anything, ever.

Nothing I do helps.

"Please tell you you're almost back." I link my mate, suppressing a growl. Trying my best to reign in my wolf.

It's absolute madness, but those two little girls wormed their way into my heart and I feel responsible for them. I love them.

Devina might not have answered them when they asked if she was going to be their mom but I felt like their father. At least, I feel like this must be how a parent feels. I guess I won't know until I have a child that's fully mine, one made from the blood of Devina, Gabriel and me. I doubt it would be any different. I hope it wasn't. I couldn't imagine feeling worse than this.

A yawn pushes into my head as Devina links me. "We are driving back now. Are you okay?"

"Rogues attacked."

"I know. How are the girls? How is everyone? We'll be back soon, ten or twenty minutes." She was sad, sympathetic and worried. I can feel it through our bond as she links me. But how'd she know? Did Gabriel tell her already?

Flipping down onto the sofa I look at the room and groan. "The girls are fine. Everyone's fine, a couple wounded but everyone's alive. Link me when you are near the border."

"Good. Good. Okay, I'll see you soon."

Closing our link, I kick at the coffee table and it falls into its side.

"Was that necessary? You already totalled the room." Gabriel grunts, shutting the door behind him as he walks in, startling me.

Sitting up straight, I meet his eyes and exhale a deep breath. "Help me clean up?"

Bending over the grab a book, my brother shrugs. "Why do you think I came down here."

Tossing the book on an empty shelf, Gabe crouches down and picks up a few more books. "The girls are asleep in our room, they don't want to sleep alone tonight. Penelope is up there now watching them."