Page 29 of The Eternal Choice
Confusion spreads across Ernestino’s face. “I don’t know, no one does. Why do you ask?”
My eyes go wide. “You guys never investigated? Your father was killed by someone who was mated and allowed him to become vulnerable in that position, but you never wondered who she was mated to?”
“We assumed it was foul play from the start. The arranged marriage was tied to the foster system which added members of Tony’s clan to merge with ours. They were allowed to join the challenge to become the new clan leader,” Ernestino explains. “We never really focused on the mate because we were instantly at war with Marshgloom when she killed my father.”
“That’s insane,” I huff. “What if it was Nario who was her mate, eh? Wouldn’t it explain his aggressive behavior?”
Ernestino stumbles back as if I gave him a punch to the gut. Okay, maybe I verbally did, but come on, it explains so freaking much. On the other hand, it would mean they’ve been living with a traitor amongst them for decades.
“No,” Ernestino murmurs with wide eyes.
The two letter word doesn’t hold much strength and I might go as far as hearing confirmation in it because his head is bobbing. Things are clicking inside his head and lining up the way it all made sense to me as well. Nario wanted to become clan leader. He despised his father for accepting an arranged marriage instead of stepping down, robbing him of the chance to follow in his footsteps.
One thing doesn’t make sense, though. Why in the hell wouldn’t Nario come right out and say Sienna Mattia was his mate? The arranged marriage could have been shifted to the son and would have still connected the two clans.
What the fuck went wrong all those decades ago, and left everyone without options?
CHAPTER TEN
– ERNESTINO –
Her words shock me, nevertheless, they sound true and make fucking sense. Nario’s behavior, the long-lasting anger and hatred with me becoming clan leader, his work ethic, his disinterest in an arranged marriage and mates…everything fits.
I glance down at the phone in my hand and end the call. If Nario was Sienna’s mate, it would also make him the traitor. Sewing the prisoner’s mouth shut while torturing them for information makes sense when you don’t need information at all because you’re already in on everything.
Fuck. I can’t believe this shit. My own blood brother wants me dead so he can have my damn job. No wonder he accepted Tony’s deal while I was claiming my fated mate. He doesn’t care at all. He lost his and is doomed to spend an eternity alone or settle with someone who he will never feel anything similar with compared to a fated mate.
Nario’s only goal in life is becoming clan leader. He lost when I completed the challenge first. I fucking earned it. Anger fills my veins at the confirmation of everything I struggled with these decades when I had him at my side.
No more.
“Tonight’s attack was on that fucker. We need to find him,” I growl.
Lilliana gives me a tight nod. “Definitely. We need to keep this between us for now, though. This kind of betrayal? Some will need proof and to be able to bring him to justice before theclan you have to give him something that directly links him to either stuff happening recently or in the past.”
I grit my teeth. “It’s not going to be easy.”
She gives me a faint smile. “Anything worthy in life is never easy unless your successes of the past.”
A sigh rips me and I reach out to pull her flush against my body. The feel of having my mate close, to be able to fill my lungs with her scent, is soothing the ache and pain in my bones.
My dragon choses this moment to speak up.She fights alongside of us. She puts the clan first. She is loyal, worthy, and is carrying the future of our breed. Lilliana, the Winged Protector, completes us.
I tip her head back and stare at her gorgeous face and echo the words of my dragon I wholeheartedly agree with, “You complete us.”
“Good.” She gives me a coy grin. “Because you’re the package deal I don’t want to live without.”
Our lips merge and I swoop my tongue in to explore her mouth. A moment of serenity is what I need. Mind, body, and soul reset and recharge to face the next hurdle life has thrown on our path.
A knock on the door breaks the serenity, and we’re back to facing the issues at hand.
“Enter,” I grunt and Leandro steps into the room.
“Ivano was just here. They fixed the gate and he’s put double the guards in place to keep watch. He’s gonna do a final check around the perimeter before he comes back here. Creed is keeping an eye on the prisoner since Nario is still missing. We don’t want him to fuck things up,” Leandro states.
Lilliana snorts. “Too late, he already irrevocably fucked things up.”
“Can you fill him in so I can go talk to your father and properly thank him, and Lucian for their help?” I ask my mate, and she instantly nods.
