Page 41 of Scent of Sanctuary
A sob tears from my throat as I glare at Callum for answers.
“Sweetheart, I don’t know. I really don’t know why Jonah went to the lengths he did but that last fire I helped out with… it was scheduled. Somehow, he knew I’d be close enough to jump in. I wasn’t supposed to get there so quickly, though.”
Jonah just kept taking. And taking. And taking. He took my brother. He tried to kill me and then Callum? All because I was supposed to be his?
“None of this makes any sense!”
Ambrose tugs me into his lap, brushing his nose across my temple. “Angel, Jonah doesn’t have to make sense. I’m just glad they were able to wriggle a confession out of him. He gave up the Alphas he hired but that won’t lessen the other stuff they’ve got on him. He’s going away, Fi. For a good long fucking time.”
I’m still trying to wrap my head around everything. “Do you think he would have tried…” My brows furrow as I try to explain away the reason he set my apartment on fire.
Lyle shushes me, placing a hand on my thigh. “We’re not going to think about what ifs. Chief Monroe isn't giving us much more but Jonah thought he'd be the first one to save you, to steal you away. He hadn't really planned for the three of us to still be around as much as we had or that you'd trust us like you did—like you do."
Jonah almost killed me to have me? He's such a bastard. The problem is that I still don't know how everything happened as fast it did. No one had been in my apartment between the evening before and that morning. Except for my shower, I had always been present somewhere where I would have seen someone. Which means that Jonah knew my routine. He had been watching me longer than the day he stepped back into town.
"The only thing I want you to think about is the fact that there’s nothing stopping you from being who you want to be.”
I drop my hands to my belly, breathing out a sigh of relief because despite everything, Jonah is no longer out there terrify me. Unfortunately, he’s also the reason I no longer have my brother. I can’t believe I ever gave him the time of day.
My gaze moves to Felix’s picture over the TV, his wide, goofy smile staring back at me. Jonah stolethatfrom me. He stole a life that I can never get back, a happiness that I can never truly recreate.
“I hope he rots in prison,” I push out. “I hope he gets hurt and he reflects on his actions and then tries to apologize.” My Alphas stiffen, a little confused before I continue. “So, I can spit in his face and reject it. He doesn’t get to move on. But I will. I’m going to make my brother proud of me, of how far I come.” Words I should have said long ago finally spill from my lips. “Jonah didn’t break me. He won’t break me. He won’t win.”
Callum arches an eyebrow. “No, he won’t sweetheart. He can’t take that light from you.”
I know I’m still going to be angry for a long time, angry that I didn’t have to lose my brother the way I did but as long as Jonah rots in jail, it’ll be a start to the healing I’ve pushed off. One step toward letting myself bloom again.
“Angel, do youwantto talk to him? We didn’t think you would.”
“No, I don’t want to give him the satisfaction. The only day he’ll see my face is when I reject the apology I know he’s going to try and give me. Until then, I’m going to focus on my family and keeping Felix’s memory alive. That’s all that matters. I’m going to bring our baby girls into a world that I’m proud of, into a world that I’m no longer scared of. I promise you that.”
Silence falls as I realize I said something they haven’t heard yet. A surprise I was waiting to share and hope I haven’t ruined. Ambrose gasps. “We’re having girls?”
I don’t even get to respond as he drags me into a full kiss, his laughter bubbling up against mine. Callum adds even more chaos when he mentions what I said last night about becoming theirs completely, bonds and all.
Now, Lyle’s sucking on the back of my neck, eager with that idea as if he’s already getting a head start. Ambrose pulls back just enough to meet my eyes, a grin breaking across his face. “When, now? Fuck, here or a different nest? Shit, I’m ready anytime at all, baby.”
I giggle, his enthusiasm chasing the shadows of the previous moment away. “As much as I want that,” I muse, “Victoria said that since my hormones are still out of whack, that a bond could throw me into a pseudo heat, which could harm our baby girls.”
He lets out a little growl, dragging me into another kiss. “How long do we have to wait? Four months? Five months? God, I can’t wait to make you mine.”
Our small town works fast, putting Jonah in front of a judge within a week and the sentencing a few days after, a day I’ve been waiting for. I’ve gotten three collect calls in that time, all from Jonah, but I’m not falling for that. I’m focused on seeing his demise because he tried to steal everything from me and hefailed.And now, I’m curled up in Ambrose’s lap, waiting for the good news. I grabbed another picture of Felix to set beside us so that he could watch too and do a little jig as well.
I can’t help but open up theChattedapp while I’m waiting, scrolling through our messages to debrief my friends on everything that’s happened since.
Razorfox – she’s alive!
ClassyO – finally. Jesus, girl, where do you keep going?
Strawberrybubbles – outside.
Suddenly there’s a flurry of texts and emojis that I can’t keep up with, a smile tugging at my lips. Ambrose leans over my shoulder, his chin settling on my shoulder. “Pretty girl, what’s got you smiling. Oh, are those the elusive friends we haven’t met yet?”
“Kind of?”
“Well, I love that they make you smile. Are you sure you want to watch the court ruling?”
“Yes. I need the closure. I need to see him behind bars. If I can’t have his head on a stick, I need to know that he’ll die in jail.”
