Taurus

Chapter 17

I just stared at her. I never knew this.

"He is half-star, Draco," she said, her eyes brimming with tears. "Mali is just not his mate, but she was his Soul-Bound. Stars fight with everything for their Soul-Bounds. No one can stand against such a bond. Just see Aries and Lyra. That is a Soul-Bond. But she refused him. Said she already had a mate and she would not leave him."

"Dave was not worth it," I said. "Any of it."

Sorrel blinked her tears back. "But do you know how heart-broken, Riley was then? He used to be the great Riley Garcia that even our Omicron was afraid of. The one who single-handedly solved the smuggling of drugs in the East Coven. That great vampire. He was broken, Draco. He wanted to kill himself. Had we not called Nox, Riley would have been dead. Can you see?"

I looked up at her. "See what?"

"What Mali means to him?" she asked. "I know. I am asking a lot. But if you hurt Mali, Riley won't let go of you easily. He finally got her back and he won't even care what you might mean to her. He is half-star, Draco. He can kill you and not give an excuse. No one can do anything about it. I am telling this for your good. Please, don't hurt my female Omicron."

The second she finished something struck me. "You know. You know what she is going to tell me."

"She was telling Riley and-"

"Shut up!" I snarled as I got up. "It was my story. What right has she got to tell it to everyone? And what right do you have to plead for her to me?"

"Draco! It's just-"

"So it's fine if she can hurt me," I asked, containing that anger. "It is not so if I do it?"

"I don't mean that-"

Without listening to her further, I left. She kept calling my name but ignoring it, I went towards the room that held her scent.

I did not even bother to knock and I just opened the door. The sight greeted before me was not something I was familiar with. Mali was sniffing in Riley's arms while Ryan and Carson were holding hands and were standing in front of them.

"Draco!" Mali whispered as she got up.

"Draco!" Sorrel had caught up on me. "Listen to me-"

"Shut up!" I shouted at her. "You have no right, Sorrel. No right."

There was a change in the female I knew. "How dare you, Draco. How dare you say that to her? My Epsilon-"

"That's right," I scoffed. "Your epsilon. Not mine. I don't belong in this coven, Mali. I don't need to. I can talk however I want to."

"Draco!" Riley warned. "You-"

"Are you going to say that I can't shout at her?" I asked. "That she has all the rights to tell my story to everyone and not me? That she has the right to question my friendship with her when in reality, I should be questioning hers?"

Ryan stood and pulled his mate up. "As I said before, Mali. We, Carson and I, don't have to be here. I am glad that my female Omicron trusts me, but what you have to speak with Draco, does not include us. We are leaving."

Carson wordlessly followed his mate out. But Ryan turned and came up to me. If he was going to say something about forgiving Mali, I would have to show them what a real hitman was.

"Draco?" he said, his voice calm. "It's your life. You can feel wronged. You can feel hurt, we have no right to tell you what to feel. From what she said, she did everything to protect you. But if I see from your side, you have been wronged, deceived and used. This truth will definitely not mend the bond you have with Mali, but it is something you have to hear. I will not even ask you to consider Mali because you have to consider yourself first. But if you want anything, my house will be open tonight for a mug of hot cocoa."