Chapter 294

[ 1,086 words ]

~Samantha~

“Controlling? I’m trying to keep everyone alive! Something you’d understand if you had actual people depending on you instead of just goofing around!”

“Goofing?” Killian’s voice dropped dangerously low. “You think this is a game to me? I’m dying, Dominic. Actually dying. Every day the curse spreads further and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. But sure, I’m just playing around.”

“Then maybe you should go die somewhere else instead of putting my mate and children at risk!”

The words suddenly made time stop and the air stale.

Devon made a small wounded sound. Diana’s eyes went huge.

Killian’s face went completely blank. “Right. There it is. What you’ve been thinking this whole time.”

“You’ve wanted me gone since the moment I showed up. The curse just gave you an excuse to say it out loud.”

“You know damn well that’s a lie.”

“Then explain to me why do you step between me and Sam every chance you get? Why do you look at me like I’m going to steal her the second you turn around? Why do you treat me like the enemy when I’ve bled for your family more times than I can count?”

“Because you’re in love with my mate!” Dominic roared it. “You’d do the same if you were in my shoes, don’t be a freaking hypocrite.”

Silence crashed down.

Killian stared at Dominic. Then at me. His expression was hard to read.

“Don’t let his words get into your head.” I told him.

“It’s fine.” He turned away. “He’s not wrong.”

My stomach dropped. “What?”

“I said he’s not wrong.” Killian still wouldn’t look at me. “I do care about you. More than I should. But I would never act on it. You’re his mate. His wife. The mother of his children. I know where I stand.”

“Then why are you still here?!” Dominic took a step forward and I grabbed his arm. “Why don’t you just leave instead of hanging around making everything more complicated?!”

“Because she asked me to stay!” Killian spun back around. “Because when you were too blinded by jealousy to see what was happening, someone needed to actually help her! Someone needed to watch her back while you were busy pissing contests with every male who looks at her!”

“Help her? You’ve done nothing but undermine me since you got here!”

“I’ve kept her alive! Which is more than you’ve managed to do with all your Alpha commands and territorial bullshit!”

“That’s enough!” I shoved between them. “Both of you! The twins are right there listening to you tear each other apart!”

They both looked past me. Diana crying silently, Devon trying to be brave but his chin was wobbling.

“We’re sorry,” Devon whispered. “We didn’t mean to start a fight.”

“You didn’t start anything.” I knelt in front of them. “The adults are just being stupid. It’s not your fault.”

“But if we hadn’t taken the necklace,”

“Then we’d be fighting about something else.” I pulled them both into a hug. “I’m sorry you had to hear that. I’m sorry we’re all a mess right now.”

Diana’s arms wrapped around my neck. “Are you and Daddy gonna get divorced again?”

The question was a knife to my throat.

“No. No, baby. We’re just…” I looked up at Dominic. Found him staring at the three of us with such raw pain in his eyes that I almost couldn’t stand it. “We’re just figuring things out.”

“What about Uncle Killian?” Devon’s voice was muffled against my shoulder. “Is he leaving?”

“I don’t know.”

“I should.” Killian’s voice came from behind me. Quiet. Resigned. “Dominic’s right. I’m making things worse. You’d all be better off if I went back to my pack.”

“No!” Diana pulled away from me, turned to Killian. “You can’t leave! Who’s gonna help us with our magic training? Who’s gonna teach us the cool fighting moves?”

“Your father can do all that.”

“Dad’s always grumpy!” Diana’s voice rose. “You’re the fun one! You’re the one who listens!”

“Diana, behave yourself!” Dominic started but she cut him off.

“I don’t wanna hear it! You’re being harsh and I don’t like it!” She stomped her foot. “Uncle Killian stays or… or we’re running away!”

“You’re not running anywhere.” I stood up. “And Killian’s not leaving. Not unless he wants to. Which…” I looked at him. “Do you want to leave?”

He met my eyes. Held them. Something passed between us that I couldn’t name and didn’t want to examine.

“No,” he said finally. “I don’t want to leave.”

“Then it’s settled.” I turned to Dominic. “He stays. You deal with it. And both of you stop using me as an excuse to chew off each other’s heads because I’m exhausted and we have bigger problems.”

“Sam.”

“No. I’m done.” I held up my hand. “You want to be jealous? Fine. Be jealous. But do it quietly and away from the children because they don’t deserve to watch their father have a breakdown over something that isn’t even happening.”

Dominic seemed pissed away while Killian looked away.

The twins just watched, eyes huge, probably traumatized for life.

“Now.” I turned back to Diana. “The necklace. Hand it over. Please.”

She looked at it. Looked at me. Then slowly held it out.

I took it and immediately felt the weight of it. Not physical weight. Magical weight. Like it was pulling at something deep in my chest.

“It’s warm,” I muttered.

“It’s been getting warmer.” Devon moved closer. “Since we touched it. Like it’s waking up or something.”

“Waking up is not a phrase I want to hear about cursed jewelry.” I examined the claw.

Purple appeared then, moving low and fast. He went straight to me, sniffing at the necklace.

Then he growled.

Not his playful growl. His danger growl. The one that said predator nearby.

“What’s wrong with him?” I lowered the necklace but Purple’s growl got louder. His hackles raised. His eyes fixed on something past the camp perimeter.

I turned slowly, following his gaze.

Nothing. Just trees and morning mist.

Then something dropped from above.

A body hit the ground hard enough to crack stones.

A woman. Silver hair matted with blood. Silver eyes wide with panic. Three massive claw marks raked across her face, still bleeding silver instead of red.

She was gasping, choking, trying to speak through what sounded like a collapsed lung.

“Already here,” she managed. “Following the necklace. Black Moon’s hunters.”

She collapsed forward and didn’t move.

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