Chapter Fifteen

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"So when did you realise Dante was missing?" Ocie asked she walked in step with Kastor, Reign and Shade following at her heel.

"Less than an hour ago," Kastor murmured bitterly, "I haven't been home in a while."

"Why? Because of what Dante said to you in the gallery?" Kastor cocked an eyebrow and Ocie simpered, "shit, I probably wasn't supposed to know that, Fi told me," Kastor chuckled softly as the four broke the tree line and the Isamar mansion came into view.

"No, it's actually a long story," Kastor spotted Elik stood nervously on the porch, "Elik? My father is on a business trip, what is it you want?" Elik flinched and turned, he was still very young and Kastor had a gift of being able to move in almost complete silence.

"Oh, um, I tried calling him, sir. He won't answer," Elik stammered, avoiding eye contact with Kastor just as the coven did with his father.

"I know he asked you to watch me, Elik. That is no longer required, though if you could keep an eye on Venice for me I would appreciate it dearly," Elik seemed happier to have something to do.

"Of course, sir, I can do that. Where would she be now?"

"At work. Oh, and please know that simply standing across the street trying to look nonchalant is not an effective way to watch someone. Ven will be fine whilst she's at work, she gets off at five. Until then, talk to Barrett, he can help you with being inconspicuous. Call me if you notice anything out of the ordinary," Elik nodded curtly and darted away.

"Venice? That's your girlfriend?" Ocie asked politely, "Fi tells me a lot."

"Yes, Venice is my girlfriend. I doubt she's in any danger since she's human but it puts my mind somewhat at ease," Kastor led the three wolves into the house.

"Woah, Fi's scent is everywhere in here," Reign marvelled as he closed the door behind him.

"How long was Fi here for, Kastor?" Ocie questioned as she followed the vampire into the kitchen. The wolves sat at the breakfast bar and Kastor stood at the other side, glowering down at the floor.

"Five days," Nya chimed in, lingering in the doorway with Sev, "all of which were willing and he was given the opportunity to leave multiple times," she added quickly.

"What was the last thing you heard from Fionn?" Kastor asked, finally making eye contact with Ocie.

"He called me at like 6:30 in the morning over a week ago, said he was going away for a couple days with some friends. I thought nothing of it, I've been pestering him to take some time to himself for months now. I assumed he was just taking my advice," Ocie looked meek, at least Kastor wasn't the only one feeling guilty.

"That must have been the morning of the-"

"Sev," Nya interrupted her husband, shaking her head lightly.

"The morning of what?" Shade asked but kept his gaze directed at Kastor rather than looking toward Nya and Sev.

"I should start from the beginning," Kastor said with a sigh, "the day Fionn was meeting with a client on our land, do you remember that?" the wolves nodded in unison, "it was hunters. They shot him in the leg but my father saved him. He was brought back here and healed. When he awoke later that night my father offered for him to stay until the morning. He came down at about 5 in the morning because he couldn't sleep and sat with me and my father."

"Why were you up at 5 am?" Reign queried, bemusement in his expression.

"We don't sleep," the wolf nodded slowly and Kastor continued, "Fionn fell asleep whilst my father read to me. An hour later I could hear someone at the door, my father was clearly ignoring it, he would have heard long before me. He left me with Fionn and went to answer the door. Now, you have to understand, you cannot repeat this to anyone, I know my father would be extremely displeased with me if many found out."

"We won't, Kastor, don't worry. Whatever you tell us will stay in this room, I promise," Ocie gave a small smile, one that was clearly trying to convey reassurance but was considerably weak.

"My father's ex, Cristobal, he, um..." Kastor couldn't bring himself to say it, hated the pure thought.

"Cristobal bit Dante," Nya moved around to stand next to Kastor, seeing his eyes grow watery, "he was addicted to Dante's blood, had been since they had broken up. Dante tried to fight him but he had only recently gotten through an addiction to his bite," Kastor's hands trembled, he didn't want to listen anymore, didn't want to look at the place where his father had been attacked, "Fionn somehow got Cristobal to leave and he got Dante some blood so he could heal," Kastor caught sight of the shards of glass on the floor from the vase he had thrown. His father hadn't even had the chance to clean it up. Rage burned his chest, he had to leave before he hurt someone.

"Kas, calm down," Sev had taken Nya's place once it had become apparent that Kastor's anger was surfacing. The eyes on him only made it flourish. He slammed a fist down on the marble countertop, sending a large crack through it before stalking from the room, slamming the front door so hard the wood splintered.

The few coven members that were roaming the woods near the house scattered at the sight of Kastor. They knew not to approach him when he was in that state. He had a poisonous temper.

"He's going to be fine," Kastor spun on his heel at the delicate voice from behind him. Ocie stood a few feet from him, a sympathetic smile on her face. Reign and Shade were watching from the kitchen window with Nya and Sev. One move toward the beta and Kastor would most likely start a war.

"You should go inside," Kastor seethed through gritted teeth. He never knew how his father had managed to quell the anger within himself for all those years, he drowned it in at least once every few months.

"You're not going to hurt me, Kastor, I don't think you're like that. Dante isn't, that's why Fionn has so much trust in him. I think you're very much like Dante. You're kind and you're intelligent and you're thoughtful. You won't hurt me," Kastor chuckled bitterly, a sound that dripped with venom.

"I'm a vampire, wolf, a drainer as your kind so enjoys to label us. I am a dead man walking who feeds on the blood of living beings to prolong its own pathetic existence. I am not kind," Kastor hissed, feeling the familiar burning ache behind his eyes as they almost glowed in the morning light. He clenched and unclenched his fists, hoping that the motion would help him regain his grip on his control.

"I think you're kind, Kastor," Ocie was very gradually closing the distance between the two creatures, "you were very kind to my sister, so much so that she is eager to come and see you again. I don't think you give yourself the credit you deserve," Ocie reached out to touch the vampire but he recoiled away, not wanting to hurt the wolf.

"I'll hurt you," Kastor murmured, tensing as Ocie placed a hand on his arm.

"No you won't, I'm not afraid of you, Kastor," an instinctual response clicked in Kastor's mind, he wanted to be feared. Kastor gripped a fistful of Ocie's hair, wrenching her head back to expose her throat, his other hand holding both her wrists together as he ran his fangs over her skin.

"Are you afraid now?" Kastor growled, feeling the wolf tremble in his hands. Reign and Shade were now stood on the porch, frozen in position with Nya and Sev behind them. Ocie was no doubt telling them she was fine in her head, reassuring them of her safety.

"N-No, Kastor," she whispered, though the tear dripping down her cheek spoke otherwise, "you're not going to hurt me. Dante wouldn't," Kastor's anger flared.

"I'm not my father," he muttered, the tips of his fangs cutting into Ocie's flesh.

"Cicero!" a deep voice echoed through forest and Kastor froze. He suddenly felt numb, numb and utterly terrified.

"Let go of the girl, Cicero, or I will remove those pesky little fangs from you and watch you choke on your own venom," the gruff voice sounded exasperated but Kastor knew, unlike his father's, the threats were not empty. He instantly released his grip on Ocie, lifting his eyes to meet the man's.

"Bring her inside," Nya's voice was distant, muffled, as Kastor focused only on the vampire walking toward him. His knees buckled as emotions consumed him. He broke down.

"Who the hell is that?" Ocie's trembling voice was the first Kastor heard as he re-entered the house with the man at his heel. Nya and Sev had taken the wolves into the living room and all eyes landed on Kastor when he entered the room.

"I don't have the words to express my apologies to you, Ocie. I have been told many times over the years I have a fatal temper," Ocie smiled weakly, holding some paper towels to her neck.

"It's fine. We all lose it sometimes. I'm OK, I can take a vampire when I need to," Reign and Shade rose to their feet when the man stepped forward. They were growling softly, blocking Ocie from his view.

"You'd do well to show some respect," Sev hissed under his breath.

"You're lucky we're not declaring war after what that drainer did to Ocie. Respect isn't even an-" Reign's speech cut off as the man wrapped his hand around the wolf's throat, cutting off the airway.

"Watch your mouth, that is my grandson you're speaking of," the man hissed, rage blazing in his dark eyes.

"This is my father's maker, Isidro Montessori."

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