Brothers 3

Chapter 31

It was a few hours before Mikey appeared back at the house. James was sitting in the living room staring at the open windows, chewing his thumb nail. Breezes wafted his face, but he hardly felt them. Lily was dead. It was his fault. Mikey would hate him. He might leave. But that would mean leaving Ella behind. Surely he wouldn't do that. How selfish can you be, his mind railed at him, someone has died, and you are worried about whether or not it will make you lose your chance at freedom. But it was more than that. If Mikey left, if he took Ella with him after breaking the spell then James would be truly alone. Skylar might even leave him given what he had done. She warned him it was a bad idea to mess with a witch and he hadn't listened. No one wanted to tie themselves to a ship that was sinking. Of course, his father would say he didn't need them, that it was for the best. They were making him weak. His heart stuttered at the thought of being alone. It hurt how much he missed Orlando. If he had to miss someone else it might break him open.

The front door creaked open, and James was on his feet before he could blink. Mikey was sweaty and his hands were covered in dirt. There was a vacancy to his eyes that sent a shiver up James's spine and he took a long inhale before he raised his gaze to meet James's.

James wanted to say something reassuring but his tongue suddenly felt massive.

"Emmet and Evan are leaving," Mikey said. Moving around James he went to where a glass of warm whiskey was sitting on the coffee table. James had poured it for himself but had been too caught up in his own thoughts to drink it. Downing it in one, Mikey cringed as the liquid hit the back of his throat.

"Are you going with them?" James's mouth was dry as he spoke.

Mikey shook his head. "They killed one of my own. I need to do something about it."

James nodded. "I see. Why not make the others stay and help with that? She was part of the pack. They owe her..."

James didn't get to finish before Mikey pinned him with a sharp look. "Don't."

James put his hands in his pockets and took a seat. "You could make them stay." James knew that an alpha could command his pack, take away their freewill. He didn't know how often they did it and it didn't sound like fun, but it was possible. Maybe this kind of situation called for drastic measures.

Mikey scraped his hands down his face. "I would never do that. This is going to be dangerous. I brought them into this to start with, it has to be their choice if they want to stay or not."

James almost snarled with frustration. The more help they had the better. If the brothers stayed with their alpha they would be protecting him. He clenched his fists into tight balls.

"You might need them."

Mikey chuckled without humour. "I would be willing to bet I will."

"Then call them back." James was struggling to keep his tone level. It made no sense to let an advantage slip away.

"I can't control them like that."

"You can! You are the alpha."

"I am, but I can decide what kind of alpha I am. I won't be the kind that imposes my will on them or tries to control them."

James deflated. It didn't matter what he said. The alpha's mind was made up. While he didn't understand his way of thinking he had no choice but to accept it.

"We need a plan," James said.

Mikey sat in the chair and leaned his head back, sighing deeply. There were rings under his eyes, and he looked like he hadn't slept in a week.

James hated the feeling of guilt that it roused inside him. It was probably hard to sleep outside. Maybe if he had a bed he would be on top form. He at least deserved some kindness after today. It was the least James could do.

"I will have Mrs Greene ready some of the guest rooms for you and your sister." James didn't look at Mikey as he spoke, but he felt the alpha's attention swap to him.

"I appreciate that."

There was that word again. James wasn't sure if Mikey meant it but for once he didn't care. If the wolf had plans to betray him then it made no sense sticking around after what just happened.

A silence extended between the men and James was surprised that it didn't feel awkward. They sat in each other's company, the sun streaming through the window in wide beams, and sipped at whiskey. There was something about Mikey that put people at ease. It was a similar air about him that James knew Robert had. He suddenly wished his older brother was here. He shook off the thought. This was his mess, and he would clean it up. Morris men didn't make others reverse their mistakes.

"James."

James lifted his eyes to Mrs Greene. She was standing at the end of the sofa with her hands clasped in front of her and her apron pristine white. Meeting his eyes, she sighed.

"What is it?" James hoped to god it wasn't more bad news but the look on her face said she didn't have something good to say.

"James, I will help you with this situation in whatever way I can. You know I would go to the end of the earth for you and your brothers." She took a heavy breath. "But I cannot keep Bonnie here. She is in danger every second she is in this house."

James almost smirked imagining her reaction to being protected like this. The stubborn little vampire had always insisted that anything James could do she could. Yet here was her mother removing her from harm's way. Although he needed all the help he could get he could hardly argue with Mrs Greene. He had gotten them all into a fight they hadn't asked for and her daughter was the most important thing in the world to her.

"You're right," James said.

A small smile broke across Mrs Greene's face and she nodded. "You are a good boy James."

James tensed. Although as a child he would have loved the compliment he wasn't a boy anymore. Mrs Greene must have noticed his change in posture because she sighed and changed it to. "You are a good man." She considered him for a moment before adding, "So much like your mother."

James's throat closed and he managed a stiff nod at her before she left the room. All through his life he had heard Robert compared to their mother. He didn't know if it was true or if there was any of her in him. To know that he would have had to have met her. Still, the idea that he was like her at all made his heart stutter. Robert was the best man James knew so his mother must have been amazing. James doubted he was as good as either of them, but the notion of a link between him and his mother was enough to steal the breath from his lungs.

"Was she a good person?" Mikey asked.

James took a long gulp of whiskey, the liquid warming his chest. "I hear she was."