Fury of Affliction (Dragonfury 2.0)

4

He’d been the cause of it all. Amanda’s pain and suffering. His son’s brutal death. Had he been more disciplined, less malleable, none of it would’ve happened.

His mate scowled. “I know what you’re thinking, Sloan. And I’m telling you to stop it.”

“Theo—”

“You didn’t murder her. Or kill your son. Get that out of your head,” she said, planting her hands flat on his chest to punctuate her point. “What happened was tragic. Awful. You did all you could for Amanda and Simeon.”

“I never should’ve slept with her.”

“Did you rape her?”

“No!” The denial exploded from his chest. “Never. I would never?—”

“Did you lie to her?”

He shook his head. “She knew I was Dragonkind. I told her about energy-fuse and what it meant. She believed we’d forged that connection, and I was too young to know the difference. We were best friends. I loved her. I thought that would be enough, and the Meridian would prove that true at the realignment.”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, tone full of tenderness.

Another round of pain hit him, making it difficult to breathe. “Me too.”

“I need you to hear me, Sloan. Listen. Really take it in.” Raising her hands, she cupped his face and drew him closer. Nose-to-nose with him, her gaze bore into his. “Free will, honey. Amanda wanted you. Even knowing the risks, she chose you. I don’t blame her. All that is you…the beauty you bring…even without the bond we share, I would’ve risked it too.”

His throat clogged. “Fuck, baby.”

“I know it’s heavy. I know you can’t forget. I don’t want you to deny the loss, and the grief you feel because of it. Amanda’s a part of you, so honor her by accepting her choice and forgiving yourself for letting her make it. By doing that, you cherish the life you made together. And Simeon deserves that kind of reverence from his father.”

“Shit.”

“Yeah,” she whispered. “Can’t change it, handsome. Can’t go back, gotta move forward. They’re your family, Sloan. You need to bring them here where you can be close to them.”

He drew a shaky breath. “No one knows. I haven’t told the pack.”

“Time to do that, then. You’re gonna need their help bringing Simeon and Amanda home.”

Another tear tipped over his bottom lashes.

She wiped it away. “All right?”

He nodded.

“Good.” Approval in her eyes, she kissed him softly. Gently. With so much feeling, the heartache that always plagued him lessened. Not a lot. A tiny bit, but the relief gave him hope, along with place to start. “Now…you wanna go help our daughter pick raspberries?”

“She’s awake?”

“Daimler’s in the greenhouse with her.”

One hand in her hair, the other still cupping her bare ass-cheek, he gave her a squeeze. “You going to put on pants?”

“Do you want me to?”

“No, I love your ass. Watching it’s one of my favorite pastimes, but the pack’s stirring,” he murmured, sensing movement in the lair as his brothers rolled out of bed to start the day. “They’ll appreciate you covering up since the instant any of them stare at your legs, I’ll be force to retaliate.”

“How?”

“By ripping their faces off.”

She grinned. “I’ll put on pants.”

“Appreciated.”

“Conjure me some?”

He smiled, enjoying the fact his mate loved when he used magic. Abilities that ranged from end-of-the-world destructive to charmingly innocuous. One of which included conjuring clothes out from thin air. Taking his hand out of her boy shorts, he murmured his wishes. Heat flowed like liquid fire through his veins. Calm settled deep, smoothing over jagged lines of grief as his mental vault opened. A pair of soft sweatpants the color of her eyes appeared in his hand.

She gasped in wonder.

His smile turned into a grin as he stepped back and handed them to her. Delight in her eyes, she accepted the dark green joggers, then hopped into the pair one leg at a time while he enjoyed the show.

With a sharp tug, she tied the drawstring. “All good. I like this brand. They’re super soft.”

“Good,” he said, watching her adjust the waistband. “Ready to go find Vivi?”

“In a minute.” Finished tucking the string under, she glanced up. Her gaze collided with his, making him brace. “One last thing.”

He raised a brow in question.

“I don’t care how ugly it is, your chair stays. You held Simeon for the first and last time in it. Sang him a lullaby in it. We’re never letting it go.”

Sloan closed his eyes. Fucking hell. His mate. She was beyond beautiful. Exactly what he needed, all he’d ever wanted, a gift he didn’t deserve.

Theodora understood without him having to explain. The chair he sat in every day was his only connection to the past. To his son and the female who loved him so much, she gave her life to give Sloan a family. And even though Theodora was right—Amanda had made her own choices, gone in with her eyes wide open—he still should’ve known better.

But then, hindsight was twenty-twenty.

He couldn’t have known then what he knew now, and as Theodora took his hand and led him out of the Hub, Sloan knew he must to find a way to forgive himself. Otherwise, he’d remain mired in the past, unable to move forward, diminishing the memory of Amanda and his son. He needed to honor them in the way of his kind. Both deserved to be here, with him at Black Diamond. To be known by the warriors he called brothers. Males who loved him, and he loved in return. Hiding his past dimmed their importance to him, making a mockery of the family he found when he joined the Nightfury pack.

It had taken time, but now, Theodora’s message came through loud and clear.

Burdens weren’t meant to be carried alone.

Lacing his fingers with hers, Sloan tugged her closer and dipped his head. His mouth touched down on the top of her head. “Thank you for setting me straight.”

“Anytime, honey.” Wrapping her free hand around his biceps, she pressed her forehead into the side of his shoulder. “I have your back. Always and forever.”

Always and forever.

Sounded exactly right.

“I love you, Theodora.”

“I love you too, Sloan.”

And just like that, the last of his sorrow washed away. It would come again. It always did, but as his world tilted upright on its axis, he embraced the truth. Nothing was ever perfect, but with Theodora in his life, he could cope. Could hold out hope. One day the grief would lessen. One day the good memories he and Amanda made before it went wrong would resurface. One day, he’d forgive himself for the loss of his son. Until then, he had a daughter to spoil and raspberries to pick.

Read more of Sloan and Theodora’s story in FURY OF AGGRESSION.