Chapter 472: Denial
Chapter 472: Rylan
I do not know how long I cry. From gratitude, from relief. I almost lost them. I almost lost my family.
I lower my hands.
I look at them.
Clarissa, in her wolf form, curled protectively around the tiny dark pup. His small body rises and falls with each breath. His small nose twitches in his sleep.
I reach out and touch his fur.
He stirs. A soft whimper escapes him.
I smile.
"Hello, little one," I whisper. "I am your father."
He does not open his eyes.
But I stand. I have to make things right.
I reluctantly leave the room and shut the door behind me. Now that they are okay, rage is consuming me.
***
Theron
I am hearing ridiculous rumors. My brother had a pregnant wolf? And Seraphina tried to kill her?
It does not make sense.
I increase my pace and open the door. There she is, standing in the doorway.
Bloody.
Bloody?
That cannot be.
I look at Marcus, asking for an explanation. He shakes his head, saying he does not know.
I look at Seraphina. Her face is splattered with blood. Her clothes are torn. Her eyes are wild.
"Seraphina—" I start.
She looks at me.
She looks disappointed.
It is me. Not my twin.
I feel the words die in my throat.
"Where is Rylan?" she asks.
"I do not know."
"You are his brother."
"I have not seen him."
She laughs. It is a hollow sound.
"Did you know?" she asks.
"Know?"
"Know that your brother was hiding a pregnant bitch in Redmoon?!" she shouts.
The rumors are true? No way.
"That cannot be," I say. "Rylan is your mate."
She laughs again.
"Yeah, that is what I thought too," she says in a small voice.
She walks toward me and breaks down in tears.
"How could he do this to me?" She cries. "Theron, how could he?"
I have no answers. I am still trying to process this information.I stand there, frozen. She is crying against my chest, and I do not know what to do. I do not know what to say.
I wrap my arms around her. It is all I can do right now.
She clings to me, her body shaking with sobs. I have never seen her like this—broken, desperate, lost. I hold her until her tears slow, until her breathing evens out.
With Marcus’s help, I convince her to wash the blood off and change clothes. She does not resist. She does not speak. She just moves mechanically, like a puppet with cut strings.
Marcus guides her toward the bathroom. I watch them go.
I stand alone in the room still trying to understand what’s going on.
Seraphina refuses to eat and refuses to sleep, choosing instead to wait for Rylan. I offered to go and get him, but she stopped me. It is the longest night ever. Time drags on at a snail’s pace.
I think I see the sun rise when the door is banged off its hinges.
It comes flying straight toward us. I shield Seraphina with my body.
The door crashes against the wall. Splinters fly everywhere.
I turn.
Rylan is standing in the doorway.
His eyes are wild. He is half-transformed—claws extended, fangs showing, his body shifting between wolf and man. He is not in control. He is a predator hunting his prey.
"Where is she?" he growls.
His eyes land on Seraphina.
He sees her.
And he lunges.
I do not think. I just move.
Marcus is faster.
We hit Rylan at the same time, slamming him against the wall. He is strong—stronger than I expected—but there are two of us. We pin him down.
He struggles.
He snarls.
"She tried to kill them!" he roars. "She tried to kill my son!"
I press my weight against his shoulders.
"Rylan—"
"You do not understand!" He thrashes against us. "She almost died. My son almost died. She—" His voice breaks.
"You cheated! You betrayed our bond!!" She screams.
We still pin him down. He stops struggling. Marcus and I exchange a look.
"Let me go," he says. "I will not hurt your precious mate."
We hesitate. Then we get off him.
This is not a conversation we can intervene in.
Rylan stands. He straightens his clothes. He looks at Seraphina.
"I understand," he says. "I betrayed you. I apologize. Hate me all you want. But you nearly killed my son."
"Rylan, you... made a pup with another wolf?" Her voice cracks. "Is it because I could not give you one? Is that why you did this to me? Huh? Is that it? Is that why you did this?"
She stares at him. Waiting. Hoping. Begging for an answer that will make sense.
Rylan clenches his fist.
"This is what you could have done," he says. "Take your anger out on me, not on them!"
"You will not even give an excuse!"
"I feel no fucking need to defend myself from someone like you!"
"Like me?" Her voice rises. "What am I? I am a mate scorned, betrayed by her beloved! You did this to me!"
Rylan flinches.
He exhales.
He looks at her.
"You are right," he says quietly. "It is my fault."
The words hang in the air. I feel like I can predict the next words.
"Rylan, don’t," I start.
He looks at me with disappointment.
"You do not get to stop me, Theron." His voice is raw. "Do you know how small he is? Your nephew? I can fit his whole body in my palm." He holds up his hand, staring at it. "Do you know how I am feeling right now? That his life could have been snuffed out today?"
He looks at me. Then at her.
"By the person I love most in this world." His voice cracks. "I am a mess of emotions. How even though you did that, I love you. My heart sings to yours. How I want to comfort you. How I want to get on my knees to make it all better."
He takes a step closer to Seraphina.
"But I see the bloody image of the mother of my child," he says. "And it disgusts me."