Page 31 of November Reign
“You knew?” Damon’s face reddened with anger.
“Found out after the club on Halloween.”
Damon calmed. “So he’s still calling you?” I nodded. “Do you answer him?”
“Not the calls. Well one, but only because he threatened us. Otherwise not since...”
“Since?”
“The night Mori was shot. It was my fault. Basil called and stupidly, I answered. He heard River tell me which rooms he’d put you in.”
Gregoris went still, fury in his eyes. Parker held onto his arm, preventing him from doing anything. “That was your fault?”
“Yes.” I had to get it out. “I’ve carried around the guilt all these months. It was stupid to answer him. I should have ignored the call. He just... Has a way of getting under my skin. He’d been messaging me all day...” I trailed off, realizing I was just giving excuses.
“I’m sorry, Mori.”
Mori paused, whispering something to Damon, who kept shaking his head as if he was refusing to acknowledge my apology despite Mori’s muttered encouragement. It eased my guilt some knowing the truth was out there and Mori didn’t appear to blame me.
Damon pulled away from his mate and had a look of someone readying themselves to do something they really didn’t want to do. He took a deep breath and let it out with a sigh. I waited patiently for my punishment. Damon wouldn’t let Mori being shot slide.
“No. I’m sorry, we can’t have you here, Oak. Once the coven finds out, they’ll never trust you. How can we be sure you aren’t an inside man? First Mori then Halloween. It’s awfully convenient that you spotted one of Basil’s people at the club. Did you tell them where we were?”
“Hey!” Thyme sat up straighter, apparently ready to launch to my defense. “We didn’t know which club you were in for sure.”
“Still, it looks bad.” Damon exchanged a look with his friends before meeting my eyes again. “I think you should leave for a while. Just until we can be sure. When we know whose side you’re really on, you can return to the house, if you want.”
“Alright.” I’d been prepared for this. “Just give me half an hour to get my stuff.”
My gaze strayed to Thyme, wondering what he would do. He looked devastated. “I–I’m staying here.” His eyes filled with tears. “Sorry.”
Thyme muttered spell words to speed his steps and fled from the room.
I hadn’t truly expected him to give up the coven and his brother, yet it still felt like I had a knife shoved into my gut.
Tether
Thyme
In the safety ofmy room, I broke down. Internally I raged at Basil for taking someone I cared about from me again. First it was our parents, then it was Fern and Damon. Now it was Oak. I was so sick of it!
Outwardly, the only sign of my pain were the silent tears that I let run freely down my cheeks. They landed on the hardwood floors unchecked.
“Prow?” Hela made a familiar noise outside of my door. I hadn’t seen her with the others, but it made sense she had returned to the mansion now that Cody and Toth were here. It was surprising she had come to me. I liked her, we just hadn’t formed a bond, not like her and Oak.
Just the thought of him hit me with a pang to the chest. I should be in my room packing to go with him, yet I couldn’t bring myself to leave Damon, not now that he knew everything. The coven was in such a state, I was shocked he hadn’t had challengers come to fighthim.
I let Hela in, only for her to rub up against me, demanding pets. I rubbed my hands over her fur, careful of her barbed ears and tail. Her purrs were so soothing. I dropped to my knees so I could wrap my arms around her. She rested her head against mine, purring louder.
“Thank you,” I whispered against her fur.
Hiding in my room while Oak was likely packing was cowardly, I just didn’t know what to say to justify staying behind. Over the last few days, we’d bonded, even though we hadn’t talked all that much. Being there for him at night, the physical closeness was just the baby steps towards what I really wanted.
Somehow I ended up lying on the floor, using Hela as a pillow as she purred up a storm. The sound was so relaxing, I think I must have fallen into a doze. I hadn’t been getting all that much sleep when I was with Oak, too caught up in my feelings for him and the situation with Basil to really relax enough to rest properly.
The door, which was already ajar, pushed further open.
“Thyme?”
