212
Tony
Eliza looked back at me. Her eyes held a mixture of shock and disappointment, but I didn’t say anything.
“Don’t look at my brother like that,” Matt growled and opened the door. “And don’t come back unless it’s with a fucking apology.”
“You can’t curse at me. I raised you!”
The light surged a bright blood red.
“My mother raised me, you selfish cow. You were barely a fucking mistress. Get out.”
She let out a soft sniffle and left. I watched her go, feeling the weight of her unspoken judgment heavy on my shoulders. I felt the words bubbling up to tell Matt that he’d gone too far, but I couldn’t get the words out. I heard her footsteps echoing down the hallway. My mind whirled as I thought that maybe I could go back for a while. I wasn’t doing anything here.
He closed the door and grinned, holding up another bag.
“Hungry?”
He fell into the seat Eliza had left. He unpacked the bag and started to eat with a low moan.
“Matt,” I said softly. “Can I... Thanks.”
Matt grinned. “I’m always on your side, Tony. Twins for life.”
I smiled and took a wrapped thing from the bag.
“One day, we’ll talk,” Matt said softly. “But for now... just know that I won’t abandon you.”
I frowned at that. “What do you mean? You make it sound like we’re going to war or something.”
He shook his head. “I meant with Oren and all that.”
I searched his face. “But do you lie to me?”
He paused. I felt a pang of fear. There were secrets he wasn’t telling me.
“Yes,” he said.
“Why?”
“A man can have secrets.”
“You never have before.”
“Yeah, well, I never thought you’d be agreeing with Oren either. Shit happens.”
I set my jaw. “Do you ever plan to tell me?”
“Yes.”
I sat back. “I guess... that will have to be enough.”
“Yep. Fries?”
I smiled and took a few. “How were things at the Estate?”
He waved his hand. “Unless you’re asking me about how Quillan, don’t even think about it. You’re exactly where you should be... She’s the mother of your kid, Tony.”
I looked back at her and froze as I swore I saw her hand move.
“Did you see that?”
Matt nodded. “Does it mean anything?”
“I don’t know.”
Matt nodded. “We’ll... just hope.”
I sighed. “Do you regret it sometimes?”
“Being your brother? Only on Sundays.”
I nudged him as he laughed. “I meant about... our father.”
He sobered quickly and grabbed a drink from another bag, throwing me one as he opened it.
The memories of that fateful day still weighed heavy on my mind. Matt and I had been just teenagers, caught up in a tumultuous situation we barely understood. Our father had been covered in blood and monstrous. The entire pack had been terrified as he threw the bodies into the woods. It had been an act of courage, stupidity, and a sense of justice that had me calling the deaths in. It was a day that changed our lives forever.
Yet, I remember when I had spoken to Matt about it that night before the Council’s Enforcers showed up.
I’m on your side, Tony, Matt whispered.
Matt and I sat in somber silence. The hum of the lights was the only sound in the room, and the air felt heavy around us. The lights flickered a few times.
I cleared my throat, breaking the silence that had stretched between us. “Do you ever think about that day?”
Matt’s gaze, usually so expressive, became distant as he recalled the past. “As little as possible... so every damn day, probably.”
“Matt--”
“The scent of the blood, the wet sound of the bodies being dragged. It comes in and out, and the only thing I regret about that day was not killing him.”
My eyes widened. “You... never said that before.”
His lips twitched. “I’ve got a hell of a lot more to be angry about now. If he mortgages the house again instead of sitting his crazy ass down and putting down a workable budget, we should buy the house, kick them out and turn it into a resort or something.”
I laughed. “You’re terrible.”
He shrugged. “We made a promise to the pack that day. We swore to lead them, to protect them, to ensure they would never suffer like they did under his rule.”
Matt’s eyes met mine, his expression serious. “And we kept that promise, didn’t we?”
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “To the best of our abilities, yes.”
“And at the first opportunity, they all turned on us.”
My lips twitched. “Maybe it’s just fear.”
“Fear of death by claws or starvation?” Matt took a vicious bite out of his wrap. “Fear of better?”
“Maybe they always knew that it was only ever temporary. Maybe those people who left knew it was coming before we did.”
Matt laughed. “Those fuckers were afraid of being next after poisoning Lucy...”
He winced. “Speaking of... We should talk about Lucy at some point, too... Probably not as high up on the list as Ginevra and where you’re going to move her and Quillan to, but.... pretty high up.”
Ginevra’s hand twitched again, and I sat forward, watching her for a few moments.
“And don’t go feeling guilty,” Matt scoffed. “You can’t carry the weight of the entire pack on your shoulders. Their decisions, their fear, and cowardice are all on them.”
I leaned back in my chair. It creaked softly under my weight.
“I know. I'm trying to focus on what I can... For now, Ginevra is in the hospital, and I can’t help but feel responsible. She’s sick, and she can’t be here for Quillan.”
Her hand twitched again. Her brow furrowed.
I bit my lip. “And Quillan needs her.”
“Of course he does.”
I leaned closer as her eyelashes seemed to flutter.
“Quillan needs you.”
A single tear fell from her eyes, but she didn’t wake up, but it was hope.
“She can hear us,” I whispered in awe.
Matt grinned, sitting forward and taking her hand. “You’re in the hospital, and if you don’t wake up soon, you’ll have to eat a bunch of hospital food.”
I laughed.
“Even supernatural hospital food has to be bad, right?” He said. “And I’m going to give Quillan all the candy he wants. I’ll rot all of his teeth out before he’s five if you’re not here to stop me.”
“The hell you will,” I said, shoving him. He laughed.
“Like you’re going to be able to stop me. Fat chance!”
Her lips twitched into a small smile.
“If you don’t wake up, you’ll have to watch from wherever as Tony fumbles around trying to be a father, and I will play the part of the most chaotic uncle possible. Cotton candy for breakfast...”
He went on, and I tried not to laugh, not to encourage him, but I needed the levity, and it seemed like so did Ginevra. Matt sat back after it was clear that she wasn’t going to wake up just yet, if ever.
“I tried. I guess she’s okay with cotton candy pancakes.”
I sighed. “You’re insane... But it sounds nice.”
“What?”
“Fending off you buckets of sugar... taking care of Quillan. We could move and have a normal life, you know? A life where we don’t have to constantly worry about pack politics, alliances, and power struggles?”
“You could be a Wall Street Tycoon. He’d be a rich little jerk by the time he’d four.”
I laughed. “Better than a mischievous little imp.”
Matt chuckled softly, a hint of nostalgia in his voice. “Remember when we used to sneak out and play by the river? No responsibilities, no expectations, just the two of us.”
I couldn’t help as he smile at the memory. “Yeah, those were simpler times.”
Matt squeezed my shoulder. “We’ll get through this, Tony. Just like we always do. We’re a team, even when you’re being stupid.”
He spoke louder. “I really hope you gave Quillan all your brains. He’s going to need it.”
Her hand twitched again.
I nodded, a renewed sense of determination welling up within me. “You’re right.”
I took her hand and scooted closer, squeezing gently.
“I didn’t know how to promise you then,” I said. “But I promise. He’ll want for nothing. He’ll... grow up to do and be whatever he wants. I’ll take care of him, Ginevra.” I paused. “He’ll enjoy his life as much as he can without you, but there will always be a part of him missing if you’re gone.”
I thought of our mother and the hole her death had left in me, in Oren, in Matt.
“I want you to be able to be there for his first open house. His first day of high school... his first day of college.”
Tears gushed from her closed eyes.
“So wake up soon. Okay?”
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