Fixing the Mistake

*Rowan*

I stare at Hezzlie, who is lying in the bed where she should be–in my house. The bed where I fucked her senseless twice. The pain in my chest has completely disappeared since I brought her home. If I have any say in it, she’ll be here from now on, even if I am mildly afraid that Alistair has brainwashed her the same way he did my sister.
She’s not acting the same way Mara was, though.
At the moment, I can’t discuss that any more, though. While we were speaking, I started to hear a strange noise coming from down the hallway. She says it’s a violin–which I get now. But who is playing it, and why?
Hezzlie slides out the other side of the bed and rushes toward the door with me on her heels. I catch her at the door, and she almost falls over, probably because she’s still weak from using her powers. I catch her, and my hands on her sides seem to sizzle. She turns and looks at me, and I want to carry her back to the bed, but I don’t. I pull my hands away and follow her down the hallway.
I’m not shocked when we end up in Mara’s room, but I am when I see what’s happening there. Her fucking brother, Aiden, who I do not trust either, is standing at the foot of Mara’s bed, playing the violin.
I’m about to shout in his face and tell him to get the hell out of here when Hezzlie hushes me by pressing a single finger to my lips, and my deepest urge is to kiss her finger. Again, I hold back.
Aiden is playing a song I recognize. Mara used to play it on the piano all the time, and even though she’s still sedated,I can tell by the way her head is moving that she’s hearing it. She recognizes it, and she’s trying to wake up.
James comes into the room and stares from one of us to the other but doesn’t say anything. No one seems to want to break the spell Aiden is casting. Unfortunately, that’s not the kind of magic I need. After about three minutes, the song ends, and he drops the violin from his shoulder.
“That was beautiful,” Hezzlie says, moving to her brother. She hugs him, and he wraps his arm that holds the bow around her. “She’s going to be so happy to see you.”
“She killed our mother.” I growl. “Did you have anything to fucking do with that?”
Hezzlie steps away from her brother, but he keeps his arm around her. “No,” Aiden says. “I didn’t want my father to use her as a weapon. I begged him not to. That’s why I’m here. I care more about Mara than anyone else in the world. I’m so sorry about the queen, but I swear, I'll do whatever I can to help you get vengeance on our father.”
My eyes are still narrowed on him. I know that Hezzlie believes him, but I have no reason to trust him. He wouldn’t be the first person who came into my house just to do me harm.
“How did you even get in here? No one locked your door?” I ask him and then look at James who only shrugs. He was in with Hezzlie, so it’s not his fault. Is everyone who works for me incompetent?
“No one locked it. This door wasn’t locked either. Please, don’t make me leave. I need to see her. Maybe Hezzlie can break the spell that my father’s wizard cast on her,” Aiden begs.
I shift my gaze to Hezzlie “Do you think that you can do that?”
“I have no idea,” my mate admits. “But I’ll try.”
Taking a deep breath, I fold my arms and look at my sister. She suddenly looks more at peace than she has since she arrived here weeks ago. I’m sure she’s been in physical pain from being separated from her mate, the same way that I have been. Now that Aiden is here, she should be feeling better.
But she’s still programmed to kill me. For all I know, Aiden is, too.
I don’t think he’ll hurt her, though.
“How long until the current sedation wears off, James?” I ask my healer.
“A few hours. I can’t be sure,” he replies.
“Fine. Stay here with her, but this door will be locked, and if anything happens to my sister, you can rest assured I will tear you limb from limb,” I warn the prince.
“I would never hurt your sister or mine,” he assures me, and I think I hear a warning in the last few words, like I’d better behave around my mate. I should be offended, but I know he’s got reason to think I could hurt Hezzlie because I sent her away from here to get Mara back.
Saying nothing, I wave for James and Hezzlie to follow me out. Hezzlie hugs her brother first, but James exits swiftly, and once Hezzlie is out, I lock the door.
I’m getting all kinds of reports through the mind-link about battles raging all along the border with Darksky, and I really want to be a part of it, but I also don’t want to leave her side. While Darksky hasn’t committed his entire army, he’s sending in smaller groups to feel us out. So far, we are winning handily, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t want to get out there myself.
The taste of blood lingers on my tongue, but it’s fading, and I’m longing for more of it.
But I’m also longing to taste my mate.
I take her hand and tug her toward her room.
“Am I okay, Dr. Bolton?” she asks James, who follows along behind us as that violin begins again. Aiden is playing the same fucking song. That’s going to get old quickly.
“You seem to be,” James assures her. “I’m assuming you just overexerted yourself. I think you should rest a bit more, but I don’t think you’ve got anything ailing you.”
“Thank you, James. That will be all,” I say dismissively.
He snickers and shakes his head, and I pull Hezzlie back into her room and close the door, locking it from the inside.
“Where’s Dean?” Hezzlie asks, and I feel the eagerness inside of me wane slightly. “I haven’t seen him.
“He’s out fighting your father’s forces,” I tell her. “Do you want me to summon him?”
She presses her lips together and turns to face me, her arms folded under her breasts, pushing them up slightly. “No. I was just curious,” she replies. “Why do you have to be such a jackass all the time?”
“I was nice to your brother.” I move to stand right in front of her, breathing in her familiar scent. “I could’ve taken him to the dungeon.”
“You locked him in that room.”
“With his mate. My own sister,” I remind her. “What are the chances that your brother would be mated to my sister while you and I are also mates?” I wonder aloud.
She shrugs. “I don’t know, but my brother was brave enough to mark his mate even though it wasn’t convenient for him.” She arches an eyebrow, and my dick twitches in my pants.
I grin at her. “Well, I guess it’s time to remedy my mistake.” Before she can respond, I pull her to me, and my mouth crashes into hers, devouring her luscious lips.
I will mark her. I will make her mine. And I’m never letting her get away from me again. Ever.