Fight For My Loves

Chapter 4: Broken Hearted

Artemis POV

“Hello, Mate”, I said as I began to move around him. Circling, waiting to see what he does, how he reacts. What his tells are. I don’t want to doubt our mate, but…he is hiding something from us. “How long have you been awake?” I stare directly into his eyes, guilt flits across for only a second, and then it’s gone. “Why are you feeling guilty? Just answer the questions. Where have you been, and how long have you been awake?” I smiled at him. Pretty sure it looks absolutely psychotic, but I need him slightly afraid.

“I’ve been roaming the world.” He pauses, looking between Ed and Apollo, and me. They know something. Closing my eyes, I open the link with my brother, Apollo.

'What do you know, big brother?'

'He’ll tell. Keep quiet and listen, sister.'

'I promised my human he wouldn’t hurt us again, and if he did, I would take the brunt of it. What if he hurts us?'

'Then you take the brunt of it, and we tell Eleanora together. All four of us. We will support you and be there, always. We’re twins, even in our human forms.'

Opening my eyes, I looked back at my mate. “How. Long.” It didn’t even come out as a question anymore. I just wanted him to be straight forward. I wanted him to be honest.

“Seventy-five years.” He looked down at the floor, hopefully in shame.

“Keep going.” Ed said, I looked at our twin. I was in shock. Had he known where he was the whole time? What had he been doing? Adrian kept his eyes glued to the floor like it was the most fascinating thing in the world right now. “Or I tell her.”

“Artemis…” Adrian looked at me, pleadingly. I couldn’t stop. I needed to know. For me and my human. We had trust issues thanks to him. He probably just gave us more. And Ed and Apollo? Did they betray our trust too?

'We just found out, Artemis. I had Jason send word to the Vampire Royal palace. They told us.'

Looking at his pleading eyes, I had to harden myself for what he was about to say. “Keep. Going.” Enunciating each word clearly. He closed his eyes, and I felt Ed wrap his hand around ours. Oh goddess. It’s going to be bad.

“I met someone. She was a struggling single mother. I helped her out financially, and with child care at first. She also would let me feed from her. She knew I’m a vampire. She meant nothing, I swear it. I never marked her as mine.”

Ed shook his head. “I told you. To. Tell. Her. Since you can’t, I will.” He glared at Adrian, and Adrian’s face went even more pale, if possible. Ed turned to me, and I let Elle out of the box. She needed to know.

'Elle, I need you to put the shield around us. Ed and Apollo are going to be completely honest with us. Adrian was giving us just bits and pieces.'

---

Edwin POV

Grabbing my sister's hand, I waited only a few seconds before her shield went around both of us. No one could get in or out, and no one could hear what we said within the shield. Deep breath, and be honest.

“He met this woman through a little café he stopped in. The child had been there, and went up to him, asking Adrian to play. The woman apologized and, at first, it was only financial help he offered. She couldn’t pay him back, but she’d seen him worked up one night and offered to be a source of blood for him. As you know, once you feed off someone for so long, feelings can develop. That’s why in every text we’ve read and every vampire we ourselves have talked to says, 'Don’t feed on anyone but your beloved. It could end badly.' I squeeze her hands as they tighten in my hands. She’s starting to piece it together.

“We’ll be okay. We need to know. Please tell us, Ed.”

“After about five years, they married. They had two children. Both of whom are no longer living. One died of cancer, the other was killed in action. His wife has just died. Three weeks ago. That’s why he’s here now. He’s alone in the world. After losing his family, he finally decided to come find you.” She just stares into my chest. Not moving, not blinking, and taking the most shallow of breaths.

“So…he was alive? Awake? For 75 years? He helped a woman out as a nice gesture, and ends up married to her and being the father of two of her children?”

“Yes.”

She looks up at me. Artemis in one eye, Elle in the other. I let Apollo come through, so his sisters know he’s there for them too. They aren’t alone. They have us. Both of them have both of us. They look shattered. Again. Possibly more devastated than before. This time, he could have found her. He could have ascended the throne and set the vampires straight. They could have been together. Their eyes fill with tears as Apollo and I pull them into us.

‘We should have hit him harder.’ My wolf was always in favor of hitting harder. Ever the fan for more violence.

‘Yeah. Probably. But there’s more coming for him soon, buddy. Remember, the goddess said we need to be here for her. We cannot let them by themselves.’

All of a sudden, I am pushed back. The shield pushes me out. “No.”

I start pounding on the outside of the shield. f**k! This was not good! “NO!”

Just as quickly as the shield was protecting only Elle, it pushed Adrian through the door and into the hall. Then the shield dropped. Elle smiled, stumbled and fainted. She almost hit the floor, but I grabbed her right before she hit. Her head just lulled in my arms, a single tear going down her cheek. Glaring at Adrian trying to get up, I icily said, “Get. Out.”

“You cannot keep me from my beloved!” He shouted back angrily at me. Apollo growled, coming forward. We would do whatever we needed to keep our sister safe.

“We will keep you from her when she pushes you out herself. She literally shoved you through the door. Through the door! Elle closed herself off again! This is on you!” I picked my sister up, and began to head to the pack hospital. “Stay away until she is ready to see you.”

“When will that be?”

“She could finally stand hearing your name without crying, within the last 50 to 100 years. I have no idea how long this time will be. That was the worst reaction I've ever seen! It was worse than when she thought she'd never see you again.” I walked away from him. I needed to do everything I could to protect her. Hopefully she wakes up soon. I think she needs to hurry back to her safe place at home. In Montana.

"JASON!"

"Yes, Master Edwin?"

"Please show our guest out," I grumbled on my way towards the pack hospital. Since he's a vampire, he's only permitted on what is still considered "ours", or "the Knight family home". He's going to have to turn around and leave.