42. A Correct Apology
A Correct Apology
Cassius
We stare at each other, the silence eating away at the air. It’s suffocating standing here, with him in the same room as my mate. My blood hungers for his suffering. But I push it down. I’m here for my mate. I promised and I won’t go back on that.
“For fuck’s sake. Both of you apologise.” Omega Anna’s voice bellows.
Her anger is palpable, and as the self appointed mediator of our family, she has every right to be. We’ve been staring at each other for over twenty minutes.
“Sorry.”
“Sorry.”
We both mumble. Neither of us really meaning it.
“I—” I begin
“—it’s.” He interrupts.
Omega Anna claps, pushing her way between us with a grin so wide I imagine it hurts.
“Well done. Now Alpha Dain, don’t you have something you would like to say?” She prompts.
He glares at her, huffing and rolling his eyes.
“You don’t have to treat me like one of your children.”
“Then don’t act like one.”
Evangeline snorts, bringing a smile to my face. No matter how painful this is, how awkward, at least she is here. My mate, safe. I’m doing this for her.
I missed my brother, that part is true, but what he said will never leave me. We will never go back to how we were. But Eva wants a big family, and I will do anything to make that happen. My suggestion of forgetting he ever existed and instead adopting a whole orphanage of children was shot down.
“Our children are much better behaved. They know how to apologise.” Browen interjects.
He’s enjoying this way too much. Watching over the entire scene like something out of those shows Eva likes. Thankfully, the rest of his pack decided to leave me at least a little dignity and go out for the day, leaving only my meddling brother and Omega Anna to witness this blessed reunion.
Dain groans.
“I thought I was looking out for you. You’ve always been my little brother and I guess I sometimes forget—”
“Ahem,” Omega Anna fakes clearing her throat.
She crosses her arms over her chest and gives Dain a look that I never want to be on the receiving side of. His fist flexes and his jaw clenches, but he continues.
“—I find it hard to remember.”
“No, try again.”
“You’re an adult. And an Alpha. You can take care of yourself. This is a me problem. I wanted to feel useful, I guess. I feel like everyone is leaving me behind.”
I look at him. Really look at him. Not with red in my eyes or anger fighting its way free, but as a person.
He looks sick. Something is going on with him.
He looks broken. His eyes are sunken. His hair looks like he hasn’t washed it in a week.
I was wrong. He wasn’t clenching his jaw because of Omega Anna.
He’s still doing it. His tongue flicks at his canines, and his whole body keeps shifting.
I sigh.
Fuck.
I still care.
“You will always be my brother. But we are both adults now, and that’s going to look different from when we were kids.
You can’t go around insulting my mate, threatening her, or thinking your opinion of my life weighs more than mine.
You can be there, you can talk to me, but you have to hear me when I speak.
” Words I didn’t know I was holding back pour out of me.
This was supposed to be a monumental moment for me.
A defining part of my life. There was me before finding my scent match and me after.
I will always hate that he made this harder for us.
I’m never going to feel at peace with the idea that my own brother looked at my mate, my Evangeline, and wished she was dead.
But that man, the one with so much pain and anger in his eyes, is not my brother.
If he can get back to who he used to be, there’s a chance for us.
I see glimpses of him now. It gives me hope.
“I am sorry. For what it’s worth, I have nothing against Omega Evangeline. I never did. She’s strong and brilliant and—”
“Alright, enough with the compliments. He’s going to think you wanted him to break it off with her so you could have a chance.” Browen laughs.
He moves, ready to interfere, like I might pounce on Dain and beat the shit out of him. Again.
I do not find that funny. But it is exactly what I was thinking.
“I’m not getting this out right. What I mean is that I would have found fault with anyone you wanted to mate. When I found out about Omega Evangeline’s past, it was an easy target. But I was wrong.” He stresses, sparing an apologetic glance at my mate.
“And you won’t do anything like that again,” Omega Anna adds.
Dain nods. He sways a little on his feet, but catches himself.
“Right. I promise. Just don’t ghost me again. I cannot deal with Mum on my own.”
I slap him on the back and nod towards Browen’s study.
We walk silently, Browen trailing behind us.
I practically push him down onto the armchair, hoping he will sit before he falls over and makes a bigger fool out of himself.
Browen starts pouring us drinks. It might be 11am but nothing says brotherly love like day drinking.
Dain accepts it, downing it in one and slides deeper into the chair.
“Dain, what the fuck is wrong with you?”
The space between his eyebrows crease, but he doesn’t say a word.
“Seriously, what is up with you lately?” Browen cautiously refills his glass.
“I don’t know.”
He shakes his head and takes another large gulp. At least this time he doesn’t finish it.
“I’ve been feeling—” he pauses, staring into the swirling amber liquid like it holds the secrets to his inner thoughts, “—off.”
That’s the best he can come up with?
The anger. Confusion. Not being able to sleep or eat. A constant worry that your own body is giving up on you and you can’t fight it. There’s no energy, just a slow acceptance that either this is your life now, broken and wrong, or death is coming.
I’ve felt it.
A burning, longing desire that can’t be pushed away. The longer it goes unacknowledged, the more it takes from you.
“Like a hole in your heart.”
A breath that won’t come. A missing piece of a puzzle. A scent you can’t identify.
“Something missing in the corner of your eye.” Browen gives a sad smile.
“A feeling like you’re forgetting something, but no matter how hard you try, you can’t remember.”
I lean forward, arms resting on my knees.
Dain sits up straighter, alarm ringing on his face. Eyes wide, panic and wonder flickering across his expression.
“Yes.”
“That’s your mate.”
“No.”
No wonder he’s suffering so much. It’s right in front of his face and yet he can’t see it. This is going to get worse before it gets better.