Chapter 31

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to @bookmunchies.

Thank you for all the amazing comments you leave on this story!

They really make me think where my characters and the book in general are headed.

*****

I approached my brother and hugged him from behind. He turned in my embrace, burying his face into my t-shirt, dampening the fabric as he sobbed.

"He is right." His muffled words were mixed with a sniff. "I abandoned him."

I blinked away my own tears, my heart breaking at my sibling's pain.

"There was nothing you could do," I told him quietly as I rubbed his back. "The Maksimoff are rich enough to hire the best lawyers or bribe the judge. You did what you could, but they are powerful and you were only sixteen."

His grip on my t-shirt tightened and he pulled back to look at me with reddened eyes.

"I should've done something."

"What?" I asked him. "What more could you have done, Everett?"

"I don't know." He let go of me and ran a hand through his short hair. "Something."

I opened my mouth, but he shook his head.

"I know what you are going to say, Rhys, and..." He sighed. "I suppose you are right. Nothing short of the Great Spirits intervening would've gotten me my son, but I... I feel as if I should've somehow let him know that I wanted to be there for him."

"You were there for him," I tried to convince my sibling. "You were there early every time the judge allowed you to visit and left as late as you possibly could." I stepped towards him and placed a hand over his shoulder. "It's not that Alec hasn't seen you try to be with him; he just refuses to acknowledge it."

"And whose fault is that?" He asked through a whisper. The tears had stopped falling and he looked tired... Aged... Older than our dad.

"Anastasiya's," I replied without hesitation.

"But I let her raise him, Rhys."

"How many times do I have to tell you, brother?" I squeezed his shoulder, "There was nothing..."

"I could've done," he finished with another heavy exhale.

"And you considered a lot of options." I shook my head. "You even though about kidnapping him and running away."

"Yeah..." He looked at me with guilt in his eyes. "Thanks for stopping me then. And sorry I got angry at you."

"I was just a kid, but even I understood what you were going through. I was never crossed about you shouting at me back then."

He nodded without saying a word and my arm dropped from his shoulder.

"What now?" I asked.

"I go home and pretend that nothing happened." He looked down and kicked a pebble. "I hate hiding things from Lisa, but there's no reason for her to get upset as well."

"She'll know something is wrong," I stated.

"She'll think it has to do with the new murder. And Rhys?"

"Yes?"

"Don't tell mom and dad about it. Please."

I nodded.

This was something our parents would want to know about. Something they would want to help with.

But what could they do?

What could any of us do?

There was no changing Alec's mind... There was no changing his attitude.

And Everett - my poor, unfortunate brother Everett - was upset enough already. If not sharing what happened between him and his son tonight could ease his life just a bit - just the tiniest tad - then I'd keep his secret.

"Thanks." His lips curled up, but one could hardly call that a smile. He turned away.

"What about in the long run?"

He swirled around, an eyebrow raised.

"You are going home now, acting as if nothing happened, but what about in the long run?" I questioned again. "What are you going to do about Alec?"

He helplessly lifted his shoulders.

"I'll keep trying to make him love me. Or at least not detest me. What else can I do?"

I stepped forward.

"What about Vika?"

He looked confused.

"She's nicer than Alec, more rational. And he cares for her... He listens to her." I leaned towards him. "Why don't you get in touch with her and ask her to meet you. Talk to the girl and see if she can help you understand your son."

He was quiet for a moment, chewing on his lips with his eyebrows pulled close together.

"Do you think she would talk to me? And without saying a word about it to Alec?"

"If you tell her you want to discuss something important about him and that it's imperative she doesn't tell him, she'd meet with you out of curiosity, if nothing else. It's only then that you'll have to convince her to help you and not to let Alec know that the two of you spoke."

"But how do I do that?"

"Be honest; that's all you need to do," I assured him. "She'll see how much you love your son and she won't be able to stay unbiased because she cares for him too."

It was his turn to hug me.

"Thank you," he whispered, close to my ear. "Thank you for giving me hope, brother!"

With each of us patting the other on the back, we separated.

"Go back to Riley; I'm sure he misses you."

I smiled at him.

"You have no idea how much I want to snuggle him right now. To just lie in bed with him and hold hands." I sighed. "Maybe he's asleep though. It's already past midnight."

"Nah." He smiled as well - a proper smile this time - and it felt like an eternity since I last seen him do so even though it had only been a few hours since he'd been laughing at the dinner table. "I'm sure he's waiting for you."

"See you tomorrow, brother."

He nodded and headed towards his house. I turned around to walk to my home, my steps quick as my heart beat.

Was Riley really waiting for me?

I wanted him to get some sleep, but a more selfish part of me hoped he was still awake. I wasn't sure if we were at the point in our relationship - my heartbeat sped up even more; God, we were in a relationship! - where we'd feel comfortable to share a room for the night, but I wished that we could at least talk.

About what - I didn't know.

I just wanted to hear his voice, to know he was there.

Something cracked underneath my foot and I paused, gazing down.

Just a dry twig.

When I looked back up I noticed two things: Riley on my home's porch and a tensed Jared with his head turned in my direction. I stepped out of the shadow of the tree I was under and my fellow Silver Bullet visibly relaxed and smiled at me.

"A little late to be out for a walk, isn't it?" I asked and his expression turned from friendly to guilty.

I stopped by them and crossed my arms over my chest.

There was another murder and this boy had been God knows where. Riley was also out, but at least he wasn't unsupervised. I hadn't missed the tiny bit of my father's face peeking from behind the curtain.

But Jared...

I sighed.

"Sorry my dog scared you, Riley," the boy apologized and I shook my head in disbelief.

Jared didn't own a dog.

Not only had he gone out alone, but he'd shifted... When Riley was around.

This was something I wouldn't let slide.

"We'll talk about this tomorrow," I shouted at his retreating form, even though he was still close enough to hear me speak at a normal volume.

And not only that, but you are on cleaning duty for the gym until your arms fall off, I added in my mind before turning to my mate.

Any urge I'd had to ignore how tired and stressed I was and chase after Jared instead of postponing the lecture I was already reciting in my head, disappeared without a trace when I saw Riley.

"How have you been?" I reached up to caress his face, trying to smooth his troubled features.

He closed his eyes and leaned towards my hand. I knew humans couldn't feel the tingles we shifters enjoyed at the contact with our mate, but my touch obviously pleased him. My anxiety pulled back and made way for a wave warmth at that notion.

"I should be asking you that; you seem absolutely exhausted," my mate muttered.

"And I am. I can't wait for us to go to bed." I spoke my mind without thinking.

His eyes snapped open.

"In the same bed?"

"Unless you would feel uncomfortable." I tried to amend, taking a small step back. "I can sleep on the couch."

"No, no, no." He grabbed my hands. "I'd like that; I just thought that you might feel uncomfortable as... You know..." He blushed and bit his lower lip.

I knew I'd turned crimson as well.

"We are just going to sleep." My voice betrayed my nerves. I felt like a little boy, an ignorant teenager who had braved the courage to talk for the first time to the subject of his long-lasting crush. "It's too early for the other thing."

I snuck a glance at the window. Mercifully, my parent had left.

"Let's go up." Riley let go of one of my hands, leading me inside the house by the other.

I was six years my mate's senior and here he was, nervous, yet much more in control of the situation we were in, much more in control of us.

"I don't suppose you can tell me what happened?" He asked while I was locking the door.

"I can tell you some, but let's leave it for tomorrow."

I sounded as if I was begging and perhaps that was what made him nod in consent. I sighed as I mentally thanked the Great Spirits for pairing me up with such an understanding mate. My shoulders slacked in relaxation, but only for a moment, then a new kind of anxiety took me over: I was heading to my bedroom with my mate by my side.

*****

A/N: What do you think of Rhys' advice about Everett contacting Vika?

Do you think Everett should let Lisa and his family know what went on between him and his son?

Any comments on Tom secretly keeping an eye on Riley? Invasion of privacy or sweet gesture towards his son's mate?

Should Rhys share with Riley how worried he is about Everett or would that go against the promise he made to his older brother?

Anyway, I'll be posting a sneak peek from Alec's story in August, along with a little bit about his book; is there anything you are wondering about concerning that story?

If a certain scene or person will be in it? Or maybe you want to know something about Alec?

Ask in the comments!

A few (unedited) paragraphs of that sneak peek are available on facebook. The link will be given as an External Link and in the first comment.

As always, thank you for reading, voting and commenting and have a great time wattpadding!