Retribution & Retaliation

75

Gabriel

Watching Devina gather up the strength to head back out of the office, I rub her back. I'm amazed at her strength once again. We might have been in here for an hour, but despite that it was still quicker than I could imagine I'd be able to if I were in her shoes. Baldric was sitting at the desk with headphones on eying us every so often. A small memory stick plugged into his laptop on the desk in front of him, he massages his forehead. Ripping out the headphones he throws them down and slaps his laptop shut, sighing. "Ready?"

Nodding, void of any emotion, Devina wipes her hands down her face. "Yes, I'm okay. I'm fine. We should get back out there. I'm sorry for ruining your reunion with your family, I should have just slipped out alone."

Shaking my head, and getting up off the couch, I pull her into my arms while my brother rushes towards us. "You didn't ruin anything, Mo Chroi." He murmurs into her hair when he finally reaches our sides, running his hand up and down her back while I hold her close.

"It was loud in there anyway. You saved me from a headache." I joke, hoping she doesn't start crying again.

Taking a deep breath, she slaps our arms away and fixes herself, tugging at her shirt and pulling up her pants. "I looked like a baby, didn't I?"

"Not at all." I reassure her, sliding around her to unlock the door. "No one even noticed. Everyone was too busy chatting, I didn't know until Ric linked me."

"Good." She mumbles, tucking her hands into her sweater pocket, my sweater technically but I didn't mind at all. I loved when she wore my clothes, almost as much as I loved wearing them afterward and smelling her on them.

Taking her hand in his, I watch Baldric give her a quick glance before jutting his chin out at me. "Let's go. We have to get them settled in before the girls get home."

Bouncing my head up and down, running my tongue along my top teeth, I open the door. My eyes are glued to the floor as they pass me and I close the door. Faltering for a second, I shut my eyes and calm my wolf. He had hated seeing Devina like that, so hurt, so wounded. I'd been ignorant, I'd thought finding out her mom was alive would change everything for her. I never expected there to be anything wrong once they'd been face to face. I hadn't expected it to be hard for them, because I was stupid. I thought it would be easy for them because it was easy for me with my parents, but Isabella wasn't my mom and I wasn't Devi. Our worlds had been different, and I was so unprepared because I never had the misfortune of experiencing something like that. I'd never wish for my mother to go through what Isabella had, but a part of me wished I'd known the pain Devi felt if only to better understand her. To know how to help her. All I wanted was to help her. I thought I had when I dealt with Alexander, but I was wrong.

Shaking out my hands, opening my eyes, I stride down the hall and push my shoulders back. Trying hard to appear stronger than I am, braver, and unaffected by what had happened when my heart broke in my chest for Devina. My poor, innocent, mate. Shuffling up beside them, I hook my arm around Devi and smile down at her. Squeezing her shoulder I can't help but press my nose into her hair. "I love you."

Sinking two fingers into the waistband of my pants she smiles up at me, but it falters a fraction before she's able to force it into place. "I love you too."

"But she loves me more." Baldric teases, kissing Devi's knuckles, grinning at me over her head.

Tisking, Devi smacks him with their bound hands. "You're an idiot."

Our smiles fade the second we realize we're back in the room. Devina's clenching her fist around the fabric of my waistband as I tuck her closer to me. If I was closer to Baldric I'd kick him, his eyes piercing the side of Isabella's head while everyone else stares at us. Our family goes quiet the second they start to notice us, one by one they turn their heads and wait expectantly. For what? I don't know. My mate's thumbnail starts to dig into my side and the burn makes me jump slightly, everyone's gaze snapping to me I smile, a mask slipping into place to cover my discomfort. "We had all your rooms here straightened up. Grandpa, you guys will be staying at the other pack house, right?" I jut my chin out at Ally and Daniel.