Page 35 of November Reign
“I just wanted—“
“It’s always about you. All you’ve done since the book picked you is complain! You’ve got this incredible power, all these people who love you, would do anything for you, and all you do is whine. I’m sick of it!”
I knew I was saying too much, being too harsh. The words wouldn’t stop. All my frustrations wanted to pour from me.
“If you’re so sick of things here, then why didn’t you go with him?”
“Because someone has to be here to say no to you for a change. I have to make sure you don’t destroy this coven because you hate your magic so damn much that everyone else has to suffer for it!”
Damon reeled back like I’d slapped him. With how my magic was sparking around my fingers, it was a wonder I hadn’t attacked him. Cody gasped, but stood frozen.
“Fuck this!” I needed to get away.
Using the magic sparking at my fingertips, I boosted my speed with a word and ran to my room.
Maybe I was the one acting like a child. Not that I gave a damn with Oak gone.
Oak texted me an hour later, letting me know he was safe in a hotel for the time being. The relief I felt at hearing from him really compounded my guilt for how I’d spoken to Damon.
I felt even worse when just minutes after I got to my room, Hela arrived. She, of course, let herself in using whatever demon magic she had. The Hellcat was doing her best to cheer me up. We were lying together on the bed; her purring up a storm while I stroked her velvety fur. Hela was honestly the best part of having to live with everyone else.
A knock came at the door.
“Thyme?” Mori’s familiar cultured voice was a surprise.
“Come in.”
Hela moved, allowing me to sit up as Mori opened the door. He took a seat at the end of the bed. His facewas unusually serious, a weird look on the handsome demon’s face.
“I’m not here to yell at you about what you said to Damon. Actually, I’m here to apologize for making your life that much harder.” The surprised sound I made him had him chuckling. “Truly. Damon wouldn’t repeat all you said, but my son did hear most of it.”
Ah, Cody tattled to his father. Probably expecting a different outcome to an apology.
“Cody is also sorry.”
“What?”
“He admits he can see it from both sides. Cody asked himself what would have happened to the coven if Poppy had vanished for a week. They would have fallen apart, or rather, torn themselves apart, with the power vacuum left behind.”
“Huh.”
“Cody also agrees that no one tells Damon no, especially me. We have been too easy on him since he came into his powers. My Damon has been on his own for most of his life. He killed people for money. He is not fragile. Yet we’ve been treating him that way.”
Mori was so earnest it made my guilt spike. While I might have had a point, I went about it all wrong, lashing out at Damon instead of trying to get him to understand my feelings.
“I—“
“We’ve agreed there needs to be some changes in how the coven operates. Damon is too new to being a witch, so while he will be the power source, we believe you should become the leader.”
“Me?” They were choosing me to lead out of everyone? I couldn’t quite believe it.
“Yes. You and Damon will have to learn to communicate. No simple task, as my mate is rather stubborn.”
I gave a weak laugh.
“Damon is my chosen mate. I love him so deeply, but I see his flaws. Perhaps I’ve been overcompensating for our lack of a fated bond by giving him his way. What he did at Halloween is as much my fault as it is his.”
“How so?” That had me confused.
