Page 39 of Protecting His Treasure

Shaking his head, Kaede didn’t try to block his father’s punches. His eyes were on his mother’s body in the corner of the room. She’d been ripped from her chest to her feet. Her throat was shredded.

‘I didn’t mean to,’ his dragon cried. ‘You blacked out. I was in control, but she was in control of me.’

Kaede could hear his dragon talking, he could feel his father hitting him, however, he couldn’t say anything. All he could do was stare at his mother.

“She was my Treasure,” his father cried. “She loved you. And you tore her apart like she was nothing. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t help her. Why did you call us here?”

“I didn’t. I didn’t call….”

“We got your note.” His father’s fist fell to his side. His dad started to gasp for breath.

Kaede turned to him. “Father, hold on. I’ll go get help. Hold on.”

“I do not want to hold on,” his dad whispered. “I do not want to live without her. I do not want to live in a world with a son such as you.”

“I didn’t do this father. I couldn’t have. I would never…”

His father gazed into his eyes. “How did I miss this darkness inside of you.”

“There’s no darkness. I didn’t do this. I didn’t.”

“In the next life, I pray your mother and I do not have a unfilial son like you. I sever ties with you, Kaede. In this life and the next.”

“No, father. No. No!”

But his father could no longer hear him. He was no longer a part of this world. His dad’s eyes drifted shut. Sobbing, Kaede collapsed onto his father’s broken body. His dad’s blood seeped through Kaede’s shirt. It stained Kaede’s chest, his face, his hands.

‘I deserve death,’ his dragon roared. ‘I deserve death. The witch forced me. It was the witch. You blacked out. I was in control, but she was in control of me.’

“What witch?”

‘Hanami.’

That bitch. Kaede stood up. Covered in blood, he cast a last glance at his mother and father. He didn’t even try to hold back the tears. He let them fall. His parents were dead, because of him. It didn’t matter if he wasn’t in control. It was still his hands that killed them.

‘My hands. Forced.’

“We are one, dragon. You weren’t forced. We were forced.”

‘She uses dark magic. It made you black out. She left them a note, luring you here, to the old cottage.’

Yes, this was the old cottage that his grandfather had grown up him. Kaede’s father hadn’t torn it down. He wanted it to be a reminder of how far their pack had come. Now, it had become the place that he and his mate died at the hands of their son. Another round of sobs wracked his body.

“Seeing you like this almost makes me regret what I’ve done.”

Hanami. Kaede whirled around and faced the witch responsible for this.

Smiling, “I bet now you’re regretting not making me your beta.”

Fuck talking. Kaede raced forward. She raised her hand, causing his hold body to freeze.

“Didn’t I tell you I was a powerful sorceress. Even more so when I’m on this plane.”

This plane? What the hell was she talking about. “Release me, witch.”

“Not yet. That would ruin our plans.”

“Our plans?”