Chapter 46 Once Like Brothers
Once Like Brothers
Damon
Night had fallen, and I was in the packhouse in Liam’s office, trying to look at the tracker families in the pack- those who had the ability to hide their heartbeats- when there was a knock on the door.
“Enter.”
I had left the door unlocked since I was in there anyway.
The door opened, and Robyn’s familiar scent hit my nose before I glanced up.
She seemed surprised to see me alone, glancing around the room as if it was a mistake.
She was dressed in figure-hugging clothes consisting of a black vest top and high-waisted denim jeans.
“I won’t bite,” I said, smiling slightly.
That emptiness in my chest that she had once partially filled had only grown since the rejection.
It hurt. It fucking hurt. I pushed the thought away.
I didn’t think I ever had a chance anyway; I would always be second, whether that was simply because Raven and Liam always had a stronger connection or because I couldn’t bring myself to fight for it and make matters worse.
One good thing about the rejection was that there was no holding on to hope that it would never be. There was no what if, or just maybe it could work. It was done, and I could look forward from there… it would get easier…
I wasn’t the only one who had shouldered a rejection.
Only recently, Channing, Taylor’s brother, had rejected his mate.
It was different as their marks would remain until the end, but they had weakened the bond by a lot.
However, if, say, Anna took a new mate and marked them, the mark could be lifted from Channing’s neck.
The mate bond… it wasn’t something simple…
“I thought Zack was here. He asked me to check the anti-scent spray supplies,” she said, holding the file over her breasts.
“Leave it with me. Thanks for your constant help, Robyn. You’ve always been really hands-on and organised,” I said, glancing down at the desk in front of me, remembering a conversation from about six months ago that I had overheard her having with her brother Rick…
“You’re damn organised…”
“Of course I am! Who knows, I may be a Beta female. It could just be in my genes to be organised and handle stuff.”
The sound of her laughter echoed in my mind, and I knew back then that was the point where I should have told her I had a mate. Was this karma?
“Yeah, sure. So, there’s nothing missing from the actual sprays, but there have been slight misses in the actual ingredients used to make them.
My bet is that someone has been sneaking a little here and there, then making their own,” she explained, brushing a coiled tendril of her hair back as she placed the file down, pointing something out.
Her heart was racing at our proximity. I looked at where she was pointing and frowned.
“That’s minimal… things get spilt when creating the sprays, are you sure it’s not just a miscalculation?” I questioned, raising an eyebrow. She frowned, cocking an eyebrow.
“I don’t make mistakes when it comes to things like this. Damon, trust me, I’m the one who checked the stocks for Rick last time,” she replied snappily.
“Calm down, I’m just saying,” I said, smiling slightly. She almost said something, the beginning of a smile on her lips before it vanished, and she shook her head, closing her eyes for a second.
“Yeah… so… I was thinking, maybe someone who has access to the supplies…” she said, smoothly moving away from me. My chest squeezed slightly at her move, but I smiled softly as I stared down at the file.
I had lost everyone to the point where they walked away, and when it came to her, that was my fault, but I couldn’t just delve into this fucking pain in my chest. It was my choice to let her go and to let Raven go. I had to deal with the aftermath.
I nodded, and she turned away, hesitating before looking at me.
“Damon, are you okay?” She asked, her voice sounding unsure. I looked up at her, nodding.
“Yeah.” She frowned, pursing her lips.
“I know you better than that, Damon. You’re hurting. Do you want to talk about it?” She asked, fiddling with one of her rings.
I looked at her. I knew she was the one person I could lay my soul bare to, but it would just hurt, just as it would hurt Raven if I had told her how I felt.
Even though Raven talked to me daily, asking how I was and checking in on me, I couldn’t tell her that the pain in my chest was crushing me.
Because I loved her, and for her happiness, I let her go.
As for Robyn… bond or not, she had loved me.
I was not going to hurt her by abusing that.
“I’m fine, thanks,” I said just as the door opened and Liam stepped inside. I frowned, instantly realising there was something different about him. What was it?
My eyes widened, realising there was no aura around him. Although I knew it was usually suppressed, you could still tell when an Alpha walked into the room, and right then, I felt nothing from him.
“Hi… I’m not disturbing, right?” He asked, glancing between Robyn and me.
“No, Alpha, not at all. I was just bringing the list for the supplies,” Robyn said before she walked past him towards the door.
If you do want to talk, I’m here. I know the three of you have a complicated situation, and I’m not trying to butt in, but if you just need an ear to listen… one who won’t ever judge… I’m here, her words came into my head. My heart thundered as I looked at her back.
Thanks… Raven and I… we rejected one another, I said quietly. Her heart raced. She looked down, but she didn’t turn back.
Oh… I’m sorry. Then she was gone, shutting the door behind her. Liam raised an eyebrow.
“All okay?”
“Yeah,” I said. I knew that he knew that we had been mind-linking.
“Cool.”
I glanced at him as he came over, picking up the file that Robyn had brought in. He hadn’t said anything about the rejection so far… I wouldn’t either. I’d let him bring it up first.
“You were out all day, and your aura’s different. Or more like, there just isn’t one,” I asked as he dropped onto his chair. He glanced up at me and frowned.
“I got a seal or two put on me… just in case…” he said quietly after a moment’s pause...
I frowned. Didn’t his dad say he was just going into town? That meant he probably went to see Rayhan…
“Does your Dad know?”
“No, only you and Raven,” he said, frowning as he tossed the file down and looked up at me.
“I owe you a lot more than an apology… but I’ll start there.
I’m not going to justify my shit because even now, I can’t think of sharing my mate…
but my behaviour… it was wrong. I fucked up a lot and, in the process, lost a lot.
” I watched him, sensing the guilt roll off him as he stared at his hands, his elbows resting on his legs, his head hanging.
“What I’m trying to say is that I’m sorry for treating you like shit.
.. that I saw and still see everything you did for me, Damon.
I’m a total prick, but you bent over backwards to make me happy.
You’ve always put yourself aside. You sacrificed everything for me, and I realise I broke the very first promise I made to you years ago.
” His voice was hoarse, and I could hear the guilt laced with pain in it.
Promise… yeah, I remembered it.
FOURTEEN YEARS AGO
“Liam, you won!” I gasped, catching my breath, looking at the boy who was a little younger than me but already slightly taller. He smiled.
“I’m sure you will win next time, Damon. Rematch?”
“Okay!” I said, “Three, two, one!”
We broke into a run, our feet barely hitting the earthy ground as we raced towards the line of trees. I glanced at him, realising he was falling behind.
“I’m winning, Liam! I’m going to win!”
I slammed my hand against the tree trunk, bursting into laughter as I stuck my tongue out at him when he reached me moments later.
“Yeah, you did!” He said, high-fiving me.
“Is it bad? You’re the Alpha. You will always be number one. You should be number one!” He smiled at me, his eyes sparkling brightly.
“We are brothers. There won’t be a first or second, we will always be a team. I promise.” He held his hand out to me, and I took it happily, nodding.
“Yeah, we are brothers!”
I realised years later that he let me win here and there… I was never stronger or faster than he was, but he let me think that because that was Liam for you. Until that Blood Moon…
“I’ve treated you like shit, and even then, you have stuck by me.
You haven’t made a move on Raven... but I still hate you for it.
I acted like I’d always share everything, and then I realised that she was the one thing I couldn’t…
I hurt you, and I know you’re probably mad at me, which you should be, but I’ll try to do better.
I’ll make it up to you… or I’ll at least try to,” he said, running his fingers over his head and messing up his perfectly styled hair.
His words resonated in my head, and I could hear the sorrow and vulnerability in his words, yet the strength and confidence of his determination to fix things shone through. I moved away from the table, taking a seat in the chair opposite.
“I didn’t mind any of your crap until you marked her… that was my limit, and what was worse was I couldn’t do anything. I just watched.”
“I know... but it’s not your fault. You couldn’t do anything. That’s something I won’t ever be able to forget. Ever,” he said, his brows furrowed.
“I know you let me lash you so I can vent my anger,” I said quietly.
“I’m not stupid. Deep down, I know my best friend and brother is in there…
I’m seeing him coming out, little by little.
I just hope that he fights this darkness and realises that his actions are hurting those around him. ” He nodded, looking across at me.
“I’m going to try. Thank you for being a friend, one I don’t even deserve.”