I was alert and concerned. My plans had gone completely wrong. I thought our families could disassemble in peace, but he was still alive. That fuck who ruined my life was still waging war on the woman I loved, and I was sure my brother would help him.
My father was someone who forced chains around our necks. He was someone who kept his sons in cages. Like animals, we were fed scraps and treated despicably. He kept us sedated with various chemicals he bought in the city. Xanax. Seroquel. Whatever the fuck he could get his hands on to keep our minds numb and bodies imprisoned.
Yet, Kahn was happy to appease our father whenever it fit his needs. The incident ruined his life, but I couldn't feel guilty for wanting to leave anymore. Kahn had nearly gotten me and my mate killed. If I found he was going after Lilly's dad, that would be the last straw for our relationship. There would be hell to pay.
Where love should have been, a vacancy was filled by anger and hatred. Lilly didn't know too much about my long lasting obsession, but the only solace I had was her. Every night, I dreamt about our first interaction. I went over every minute detail in my head. The more I thought about it, the more I became convinced she would despise me with every bone in her body. I convinced myself that I had to keep her prisoner, give her what my father gave me. Since then, I had found the error in my thought processes. She was someone with real goodness inside of her. I hadn't had too much experience with that.
She wanted me. For the first time in my life, I had found someone who could understand my pain. She knew who I was, and she saw the level of torture I had been subjected to. Oddly enough, she was the one who’d saved me. It was completely unexpected.
Still, as I carried her through the forest, back to the evil of my cabin, she became distant. Maybe it was because she knew our families would never come together. Maybe she was having doubts. I tried to ignore it, but if she left, I wouldn't have anything worth fighting for.
Above our heads, dark clouds began to form. Thunder rang out across the land. "Rain," I muttered.
We were close enough to hear the rustling of leaves. My brother roared in the distance and more gunshots rang out. "We need to hurry," I said.
"What will happen to my father?" she asked me.
I looked inward and sighed. I had to save him if I wanted her heart, but it meant risking my life. This wasn't a part of my plan. I wasn't in the business of reuniting her with her father. Especially since I knew who he was…
Did she know his connection to my state of being?
I kept running anyway and said, "He will survive. I will save him, too."
I would do it for her.
Heels on the ground, I made headway and slowed when I saw the standoff. My father was on one side, kneeling on the porch with his rifle. He fired a round and sat back to reload.
Her father lay behind a large rock, also aiming his gun. My brother was nowhere to be found, but I was sure that he was stalking him with great precision. Truthfully, I hoped this wouldn't erupt into the great war my father warned us was coming. I closed my eyes and prayed that the government agents he threatened us with were just that, threats to make us submit to his will.
Lilly opened her mouth. "Father—"
I quickly cupped her mouth and lowered her to the ground, placing my finger across my lips. "Now isn't the time to play hero," I whispered.
My father broke the silence. "Aiden, stand the fuck down. You're outnumbered."
I looked around for cover and ducked behind a tree. Wh
at was I thinking by not bringing a weapon with me?
"You broke the pact, Micah," Aiden, her father, said.
He was wrong. Both of them were. The pact had been broken by me first. Years ago, I had crossed that divide in the forest just to get one look at her. The pact didn't mean jack-shit.
Lilly forced my hand away, and though she remained silent, her eyes were wide with fear. The pact started with a simple handshake between two men and mortal enemies. All of that was coming to a head. She was learning too much about what had happened, too fast.
"Idiots," I muttered and shook my head.
Aiden stood and took aim. "Funny. I was going to say the same thing about you. The line was crossed. You took my daughter. We discussed this."
My father also stood and walked forward. He was bloody and could barely make it to the edge, but his aim was steady and true. "We’ve both been tricked," he said.
Aiden hesitated and nearly lowered his weapon. "What are you trying to say?"
And then, walking up from the other side of the cabin, my brother finally showed his ugly face. He stood tall, and his grin seemed to shine when a bolt of lightning broke through the clouds. "My brother is the one who took your precious daughter. Your anger should be reserved for him,” he said.
I shared a glance with Lilly, knowing that if I survived, I would have to tell her everything that I knew. The knowledge she'd gain would change her life forever, but maybe that wouldn't sting as much as I thought it might. After all, we were the victims of one large and wicked game, and we couldn't move across the board without knowing why we were there in the first place.
Aiden moved his sight from side to side, unsure where to center his aim. Both my brother and father started to walk forward, forcing him back until he hit the start of the hill down to his RV. He tried to get a footing, but it was clear he was imbalanced. They were going to rush him until he fell.