^^^NEW FAB FAN!!!^^^
Vince’s POV
I felt something stabbing at my eyes. I wrenched them open only to close them back tightly almost immediately. I groaned as I stretched, still tired and needing more sleep. My hands automatically sought out Laurel to cuddle her to me as I tried to catch a few more winks. Her side of the bed was cold and empty. I opened my eyes slowly. It didn’t even look as if she had slept here. I sat up quickly, only to groan again from the head rush. I felt like I had been drinking but I knew I hadn’t. Where was she?
And then last night came back to me in relentless flashes. What I had done to her. The woman who was the love of my life, and carrying my child. I had been horrible to her. I jumped out of bed and ran to my closet to throw on some clothes, not even bothering to shower. After I was dressed the first place I went was to the kitchen. The kitchen was like our family meeting ground. Everything we were as a family centered around that kitchen. She wasn’t there. Aubrey was sitting at the table drinking coffee, looking as if he hadn’t had any sleep the night before. He looked up at me as he entered. To say he looked pissed was an understatement.
“Have you seen Laurel?”
He stared at me intensely for a moment. “Why would you need to ask where Laurel is?”
I had a feeling he knew where she was. The anger and disappointment in his eyes spoke volumes.
“Just tell me where she is Aubrey.”
“Nope. Not going to…”
I growled hard and strong in my throat, my eyes darkening as my wolf tried to break through and demand answers at once.
“Tell me where my mate is NOW!”
“Oh. Now she’s your mate? No longer a hump box for you? Don’t need to abuse her sexually? You over that today? Not going to ignore her and think about your mate now?”
I stood there stunned that he knew all of this. I knew what I had done to Laurel was wrong. I had used her. I didn’t think she considered it abuse. That hurt me more than I cared to examine, that she would think I would sexually abuse her. It tore my apart to realize the extent my actions had harmed her. I wasn’t intending to do that. I just really needed her and her love. I was frustrated, pissed, and scared. I was scared of our mates being here, dragging us away from each other. I couldn’t lose her. I was staking my claim on her again. In retrospect I could have been more gentle, but the fear, combined with my wolf breaking free last night, I hadn’t been able to control myself. My wolf and my human needed her, took her, made her know she was ours. But I had hurt her and there was no excuse for that. I needed to make it right.
“I have to find her Aubrey, beg her forgiveness. Please, please tell me where she is.”
I was ready to drop to my knees and beg him if that’s what it took. I would give him whatever he wanted if he just told me where she was.
“She is probably at the airport right now. I guess you forgot mom and LJ and dad were leaving for Paris this morning.”
I stopped cold. How could I have forgotten that? My son was leaving for months on end and I didn’t even have the grace to remember? What the eff is wrong with me?
“You need to pull your shit together Vince. So your mate is here? So is Laurel’s and he did far worse to her. You don’t see her running around here like a damn buffoon. You either shape up or lose her forever. I don’t know how much more shit that girl can take before she just disappears on us all.”
I sighed as I sank into a stool at the island. He was right of course. I was fucking up. I knew I needed to fix what I had with Laurel, I wouldn’t lose her. But what was I supposed to do about Jensa? The thoughts swirled around in my head, and my brain fought my heart. I needed some time to figure this out. I know that doesn’t sound good, but she was my mate after all, they both were.
I had to do the right thing here. Right for everyone.
I nodded to Aubrey and got up slowly, making my way to the office. I had time to think before Laurel got back. I heard Aubrey following behind me.
“Just so you know, dad is sending mom and LJ with a security detail. He is staying. He doesn’t like the looks of Dominic. Also, just so you know, Laurel spent the night in my room; she hadn’t stopped crying by the time they left for the flight. Andrew and Anthony are with them. Andrew will be leaving with mom and LJ. And one more note, Dad offered Laurel his plane ticket. How sad she was, no one should have to live with that sort of pain. She still hadn’t decided if she was going to go. You messed up man. Big time. Fix it.”
With that he looked at me like I was a disappointment and I felt like one. Even more so because I had never let my brothers down. I was an alpha, it was time I returned to that. As I had that thought I smelled a scent that immediately caught my noses attention. I heard a low masculine growl, followed by a low feminine growl that dug into my heart. Seconds later my office door opened and there stood Jensa.
“Vince, I think we need to talk.”
Too right we did. She closed the door behind her and walked towards me. I had no idea what I was going to say to her. I was still confused, nothing had been worked out.
Daniel’s POV
I paced my uncle’s study. I could have sworn Dominic’s pack had attacked mine. I thought I recognized his beta running and shifting into wolf for that night. But I had to be wrong right? I mean we had gotten word a few weeks back that half his pack had been massacred by the rogues. I paced.
Back and forth.
Back and forth.
Back twelve steps.
Forward twelve steps.
Something just didn’t add up. I could have sworn that was Jackson. I needed to figure this out. My pack needed to return home. It felt like I was failing as an alpha. Like I was letting my pack down, and I couldn’t stomach that. I needed to help my people.
I made up my mind to call Alpha Vince, if anyone could help me, he could. His pack had extensive resources. They would surely be able to help us find out who was trying to kill us.
Jason’sPOV
I stared out of the window to my room. Room was generous. It was like a cell. I was treated like a criminal. An outcast. To these people, I was. Alpha Vince hadn’t spared any details about my part in Laurel’s life. I wasn’t welcome anywhere. The alpha tolerated me, but every time he, or anyone else in his pack, laid their eyes on me, there was disgust, and rage, pouring off them.
Growing up, I hadn’t really considered what I had done. I just reacted. I had been so angry about the passing of my father. All because he went to get little miss perfect some ice cream. She was such a brat. Whining about that damn dog. It was always clear growing up, that dad loved Laurel the most. When she came along, she was like his personal ray of sunshine, his joy caught up in flesh. He spent more time with her, doted on her. He never neglected the rest of us, but you could see his heart really lay with Laurel. Well most of it. Me and my sisters grew up detesting their relationship, of course we would never say anything. My dad was very formidable when provoked. After he had died, we couldn’t hold in our resentment, and we didn’t have to. Add to that, he had died going to get the cry baby some ice cream and our anger clouded everything. We knew we were right because the pack and our mom was behind us. They felt the same way. The only one who didn’t was Keith. He never stopped taking up for Laurel. Looking out for her.
When he went away it was open season. We tormented her sure, but who knew it would have come to this. I didn’t care about her being my sister, I just wanted to get rid of some of my anger and grief. Some of my guilt. She was nobody anyway.
After I had helped Dominic with that girl, Angela, my life changed. I became a different person. I cringe whenever I hear the name. But it had happened, no use living in the past. That’s what I always told myself whenever she popped up in my head. How her faced had looked that day. Recently her face had been meshing with Laurel’s and I didn’t know how to take that. But still who knew the consequences would reach this far down the line.
I was losing my mate because of what I had done. And even faced with losing her, I still didn’t tell them about Dominic. I was intentionally giving up my mate for my best friend. I don’t know how much longer I could take that. My heart broke every day, as soon as I opened my eyes, knowing she wasn’t here.
I briefly wondered what Dominic and the pack thought had happened to me. Not only had I lost my mate, I lost my family. How we treated Laurel aside, we really loved each other. We could have been a perfect family if not for Laurel. I sighed as I dropped my head. I fell back onto the bed and let my thoughts swirl. At the center of them, my mate.