Page 87 of Fractured Mates
Otherwise, Astor won’t be the last man I kill, and I’d really prefer him to be.
I’m ready to leave that part of my life behind. Enjoying the simple life, living for the love of my mate, and being part of a pack that doesn’t have ill intentions… It all sounds pretty damn awesome and like something that I’m long overdue for.
Epilogue
Sophie
This has been the longest week of my life, and that’s saying something, considering all the stupid shit I’ve done.
Jules has said maybe a dozen words to me since she realized what was happening. The only thing that got her to come with us was River explaining he still has a job to do with these missing supernaturals. He did promise to visit and that they could talk by phone, but when he explained to Jules very clearly that they would be friends for the foreseeable, that’s when he really won me over.
Still, it’s been hell. A hell that I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world. Especially as I hear Jules running through the house we’ve barely moved into and screaming as she opens the door.
The girl hasn’t seen her mate in six days, and when I exit the kitchen to see the way she’s clinging to him before he’s even walked through the threshold, one might assume it’s been six months.
Even better, River is grinning widely and keeping his hands above her waist when I walk into the front room. Good boy.
“Jules, you’re going to suffocate him,” I tell her, but she no longer hears me. I’m nothing but the big, bad sister who took away her new favorite toy. She’ll thank me one day, after she’s lived a little, made her own friends, and stopped looking over her shoulder every other minute.
That’s probably the hardest part. She won’t tell me what happened with my parents or Astor, but she at least confirmed she was never physically taken advantage of. That, I would have gone on another killing spree for.
I’m doing my best to accept that she’s safe now, even if we’re not on speaking terms. Yet.
Kyler comes in behind me and goes to River, ignoring the growth wrapped around the other shifter as they shake hands. “We’re glad you could make it.”
What my mate really means is that he’s glad he no longer has to listen to Jules crying at night or wince when we hear something shattering against the wall in her room. At least for the next two days.
Teenage hormones are savage.
“Have you seen Dawsyn yet?” I ask River as he finally moves past the front door, gently guiding Jules away from him.
I expect her to continue clinging to his side, but I’m pleasantly surprised when she chooses to walk next to him, leaving a couple of inches between them as we sit on the couches in the front room—the only two pieces of big furniture that we have so far in the front part of the house.
“No, I stopped here first,” River replies. “She’s with Cillian and her parents right now. I’ll see her soon enough.”
Jules grins proudly beside him, as if she knows he came here first just for her sake.
“How are things back in South Carolina?” Kyler asks him since we’ve chosen to stay out of that mess. Well, mostly.
“Joseph is officially back in charge,” River says, though he doesn’t seem thrilled about that revelation, based on the crease between his brows. “Maciah and Amersyn have stayed behind and Lykem should be back here by now. Other protectors are keeping post, and they’ve found two of the locations, but not the one Lykem was most concerned with.”
What he’s not saying but I can hear in his tone is that the dragon shifter isn’t going to be happy until he has his justice. And considering I was the one who killed the man with the most information, I might not be a welcome sight for Lykem until he gets what he wants. At least I have a heads up to give him a wide berth for the time being, which I can understand from his perspective. He needs to right the wrongs done to his mate, but maybe one day he’ll understand I had my own wrongs to settle as well.
“I know we need to be here right now,” I say, “but if there’s anything we can do from afar, please let us know.”
River grins, his gaze moving between Kyler and me. “Getting bored already with the domesticated lifestyle?” Then, he holds his hands up in defeat as my mate growls at him. “Easy. It was just a joke. Everything is handled for now. We’re focusing on the pack for now and using witches to make sure we’re getting the truth out of everyone connected to Astor.”
Huh. Maybe I need some witchy friends in my life. Then I could force the truth out of Jules.
As soon as the thought enters my mind, I let it go. She’ll talk to me when she’s ready. I just have to keep reminding myself of that when thoughts of strangling her try to take over.
“Good. Hopefully this will be over before most people even know it was something,” Kyler says, the side of his leg brushing against mine.
The mere touch makes me wish we were alone, but I’m not sending River and Jules off together just so I can get laid. I made a choice to take responsibility for my sister, suffering libido be damned.
There will be plenty of people around tonight, my wolf says. I’m sure they’ll be happy to keep an eye on her while we have some fun.
My wolf and Kyler’s have had more alone time than our human halves, but I’m not complaining. Her happiness is at least keeping my bitchiness in check.