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He’s doing what I did and blocking the pain out. As much as I want to talk to him, I know it has to wait. My heart aches as he walks away from me again.
“I think I can take them all out, but I might damage the building,” I offer. “I don’t want to destroy your home.”
“They’re doing a pretty good job of that already,” Dec says, gesturing to where magic has knocked down bricks and shattered windows. This place is usually pretty well protected, but it looks like these attacks have been going on for a while.
“How long have they been out there?” Luca asks.
“Two or three days now. We’re running on very little sleep and we’re low on supplies. I was barely able to make it out to pick James up.” He pauses and looks at me. “He still won’t tell me what happened. I hope you can work it out.” His concern for me in the midst of his brother’s refusal to explain touches me.
“I hope so too,” I respond. “But we have to focus on defeating these witches right now, and worry about that later.” I know what I need to do, I’m just not sure that I can do it without James. He was the one who helped me control my magic enough to make this work the first time. Before I had his help, I almost killed Delilah with it.
I make my decision and refuse to back down. “I’m going out there. I can stop them without anyone else getting hurt.”
Ry, Luca, and Orym shake their heads. “You can’t go out there alone.” It’s James’ voice that echoes in my ears though. I turn to face him, realizing that he hadn’t gone very far after all.
“I have to. Your brother and his family don’t deserve to suffer just because my nutjob aunt decided that she wants to make a hybrid army, and she thinks that she needs Delilah’s blood to do it. I’ve got this,” I respond, finally feeling confident that I do have this under control.
“At least let me go with you. I think I know what you’re planning, and you’ll need me to keep you grounded so you don’t destroy the entire block,” James says, his voice softer now.
My heart races at the thought of being close to him again. I want this more than I want to breathe, but I know it’s not going to last. He’s not offering to come back to me. He’s offering to help me defeat his brother’s enemies, who just happen to be mine as well. But I’m selfish and I’ll take whatever I can get from him.
I nod. “Okay, but you have to stay close so I can protect you from their attacks.” It’s another ploy to be near him, and I’m sure he knows it. But he agrees without argument, and he takes my hand as we move toward the door.
ORYM
I don’t want to let Garnet go out there, much less with only James as her support. But there’s no other option, and I know she can do this. There’s just something about asking your mate to detonate herself like a bomb that seems strange to me. I can’t even be mad that James wants to be the one who goes with her. He’s been her rock when it comes to all things magic.
That’s not to say that Ryland, Luca, and I haven’t tried. James just took charge of that part as a way to bond with her, since we’ve all known her longer. I think that’s why we didn’t fight too hard to be included. They needed something just between the two of them.
But with him breaking the bond, I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to trust him again. I understand that it was Amber’s fault. I just can’t get past the pain he put Garnet in. And the rest of us only felt a fraction of it. I’ll never figure out how Garnet is able to push past that pain and let him help her so easily.
From the look on her face, it may not be so easy for her either. I feel her uncertainty along our bond. Something is missing and her soul is reaching out to find it. Absentmindedly, I rub my chest in the same spot that she does. Then I glance around and realize that all five of us are doing it at the same time. James realizes and stops, his cheeks turning red.
Ryland insists on discussing Garnet’s plan before he agrees to let them go outside. He steps in front of the door to stop them. Of course, she’s pissed about it, but we all understand his concern. He wants to be sure that James won’t leave her side, no matter what happens.
“Ry, please. We don’t need to talk this to death. Just let me go out there and blow these witches up,” Garnet insists. Her frustration is clear, but he’s not backing down.
Ryland shakes his head. “Not until I’m sure he isn’t going to abandon you when you need him.”
James steps closer to Ryland. “I get why you can’t trust me now, but I’m not going to leave her. I’ll stay with her until this is done. I love her just like you do.”
My alpha growls. “No, you don’t. If you loved her like I do, you wouldn’t have destroyed her heart by leaving. Now we have to put the pieces back together that you tore apart. So, don’t try to tell me that you love her the same as we do.”
Pain scrunches James’ features. Dec grabs Ryland’s arm and pulls him away from them. “We need to let them do this. You all can work out your issues once Midnight is safe.”
Garnet nods and pulls James out the door without hesitation. I hope they can do this.
JAMES
Ryland’s mistrust and harsh words hurt me. Not nearly as much as I’ve hurt Garnet, so I understand his point. I deserve so much worse. I never want to hurt her; I just can’t get past my feelings of inferiority. How can a mere human compete with alpha wolves and other supernatural creatures?
Garnet grips my hand as we walk out into the alley. I’m not sure exactly where she’s planning to do this, but I know we shouldn’t be this close to the building. It’s not safe for anyone to be this close, even if she’s figured out how to control the blast.
“Where are we going?” I ask, tugging on her hand to slow her down a little.
“We have to get them to follow us. I need more room. I don’t want to destroy Midnight. May not have a choice, though.” Her response is clipped as she shoots magical attacks at different groups of witches as we pass.
I notice that she’s keeping a shield up around us too. That doesn’t stop me from flinching when a blast of blue energy hits it right in front of my face. I’m a little gun-shy since that last fight where I got hit in the leg and nearly died.
