Lottie POVI wasn't in the mood for this shit; I had expected to come out here to find my father, the damn beta of this pack, to be supporting people. To be getting those injured, if any, to the infirmary, maybe I don't know, organising our pack warriors discreetly in case one of the visiting alphas decided to launch an attack tonight when we were most vulnerable. But instead, I find him in the darkness with Mike no doubt conspiring with whoever the fuck this male was. Meanwhile, those I cared for were left scared, confused, and running around like headless chickens. It was a joke!"He is a joke!" Sage growled a statement I was inclined to agree with, but I wasn't ready to voice that just yet. "Leave!" I demanded of the stranger who was not part of my pack, I knew I was being rude and had insulted him, but frankly, I didn't have time to kiss his ass; my mate was injured, and my other was close to a breakdown while they secured their father's body, my best friends mate was at death's
Lottie POVTurning to glare at my father and Mike, I pursed my lips, wondering how on earth everything had managed to go so wrong. Their eyes met mine, and I could see more than anger dancing in their eyes because of how I spoke to them; there was something I couldn't place, and it had me more than a little suspicious. "You two better be able to fix this cluster fuck you have caused because I have had enough of everyone's bullshit!" I growled, looking at them with just as much bitterness as they clearly bore me."I don't have to explain anything to you!" My father hissed, the contempt in his tone not lost on me. "Have you forgotten who you are talking to.. girl!" the last word spat out with such disrespect I felt my back stiffen. "How could I forget!" I mocked. "I am your beta; you will show me respect..""Respect is fucking earned, Father!" I laughed, cutting him off brutally. "And haven't you heard... You are no longer Beta because..." Swallowing the lump in my throat, I closed m
Lottie POV"You are exhausted; your body is flagging Char!" Sage moaned at me, and I had to fight the urge to roll my eyes; I was exhausted! Goddess knows I could fall asleep standing up. "I know, but Kane and Knox need me to get these answers! Lilly needs me to help Bash!" And like fuck was I going to let them down, they had lost their father and needed justice and solutions! "No, Char, they need you to support them, to hold their hands and tell them it's all going to be okay," Sage whispered, clearly nervous about my response to all this. "But it's not going to be okay." I sighed, "Not unless we can fix it.""Char, you can't fix everything." Sage sighed, and I knew she was right, but I could at least try! "Go be with the twins!" "I can't!" I breathed. "This is all my fault; how am I meant to go in there and face them when this... is all on me! If I had just rejected them like my father had said, maybe none of this would have happened!" "Maybe... but they would still be in pain,
Kane POV "Get the door." I told Knox with a nod to the servant's exit. I couldn't keep my Father here much longer. Someone was bound to walk in, and I wasn't ready to answer the questions they would have, much less deal with the pity cast in their eyes. I knew my pack would be grieving as much as Knox and I soon enough. I didn't know how much of that shit Mike had given everyone but going by Lotties experience, I guess we had around another twenty minutes to get my Father somewhere secure. "Careful!" Knox growled from the doorway. As I gently lifted my Father into my arms. Fighting back the tears that blurred my vision, I carried him from the ballroom and out of the servant's quarters. "Watch his head!" Knox roared when I knocked our Father's head on a pillar on the back stairs. "Sorry, Pop's." I whispered, my eyes falling to his face, hoping that, by some miracle, the bump to the head would wake him up. It wouldn't. I knew that. He was gone. Grounding the lump back down my throa
Knox POV "Knox.. she just needs time." Kane tried to say, but even I heard how weak it sounded. Looking down at my Father, I tried to imagine just for a moment what Ma was going through; the man in my brother's arms wasn't just our Father. He was her mate! And he was gone... potentially at the hands of their son! Me! The pain must be unbearable... I understood why she couldn't stand to look at me! I pulled my eyes from my Father's empty gaze, unable to handle the feel of my brother's pitty-filled eyes on me a second longer; I didn't deserve their pity! Instead, I looked ahead into the glass panel on the wall, seeing my own reflection, naked and vulnerable, but my skin was free of marks and bruises, clear of any signs of the devastation my brother bore; the only similar thing we shared was the marks we accepted from Lottie. I wanted to reach out to Lottie and tell her I needed her, but what right did I have to the comfort she offered? Despite Havoc's whining, I knew she needed the s
Mike POV "Some partner you are!" Anthony snapped into my head; his words rang cold and angry like the fucker was delusional enough to think he had a leg to stand on. "Ten minutes ago, you were considering whether or not to have that fucking demon kill me... Remember!" I reminded my one-day father-in-law, refusing to even glance in his direction. "I was joking! Fuck take a joke, Mike!" He had the audacity to snarl into my mind, but his words sounded weak even to my ears. "Let the fucker stay on the floor, maybe it will remind him that even the mighty can fall." I laughed at Flint, "Where he belongs for what he has done!" I waited for a reply but frowned, remembering he was not going to answer any more than he was going to heal me! I kept that from my face as I looked ahead at the three Alphas whom I had personally welcomed earlier, even though that was meant to be the twin's job! I had done everything to ensure they felt welcomed when Knox and Kane were busy fucking and mating m
Lottie POV Knox was in all-out meltdown mode, Kane was utterly and unequivocally heartbroken from what I could sense through our mate bond, and I wanted to be with them, yet here I was dealing with his shit show. Lilly had mind-linked and asked me to hurry up with whatever 'fix' I had promised for Bash because he was going downhill fast. So, as we entered the office on the middle floor, close to the infirmary, I knew I was running out of time.. and patience! Fast!"Thank you!" I nodded respectfully to Chase and Liam, who were hovering in the doorway after bringing my father and Mike in. My father had been shoved to his knees before me, more of a humiliation attempt from Chase, I guessed, but whatever, my father's pride was the least of my worries. Mike had taken a seat in a chair opposite the desk. "Adam and his men are securing the grounds; I will make sure everyone visiting is aware that we are here to support, not make matters worse." "And if they don't have the same outlook on
Lottie POV I never claimed to be a great interrogator, but I would be damned if these two got the better of me. Every ounce of suffering I felt through my mate bond was because of one of these two, and they would be paying for that. "In blood?!" Sage cackled, hopping from foot to foot inside my head, excited at the prospect of being allowed to play. "If you like!" I replied calmly before turning my attention back to Mike, who was groaning like the coward he was."I won't ask again!" I warned him. Slowly, his head lifted from his bloodied hands to my face; something had settled behind those eyes I once loved and felt safe with that made me feel good: Doubt! For the first time, he was apparently doubting the he had on me. "I don't.." He started to say, but I cut him off by pressing my finger into his shoulder wound caused by Knox. "Charlotte!" My father screamed, and I shook my head, resolving myself to do what needed to be done."Help me out, Sage!" I expressed aloud, and to Mike'