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Chapter 13

POV Felis

The cold night air clung to me as I stepped into the house, Orion trailing just behind. The warmth inside hit like a wall, but it wasn’t comforting it was suffocating. The tension in the room was palpable. My brothers were already gathered, their faces tight with expectation.

Atlas stood near the kitchen counter, arms crossed over his chest, his usual calm demeanor betrayed by the way his shoulders were set. Caelum was sprawled across the couch, but even his casual posture couldn’t hide the nervous tapping of his foot against the table. Leo sat by the window, staring out into the darkness as if the answers were somewhere out there. And Nash, Nash was pacing, back and forth, like a caged animal desperate for an escape.

Sophia caught my eye from where she was seated near the kitchen, her presence grounding me in a way I hadn’t realized I needed. She gave me a small, reassuring nod, and I took a breath, steadying myself. Beside her sat Amalie, Orion’s fiancée, her hands folded in her lap.

“Well?” Nash’s voice cut through the silence, sharp and impatient. “How did it go?”

I hesitated, looking at Orion, hoping he’d start, but he stayed quiet, his jaw tight. That left me. I ran a hand through my hair, buying myself a moment. “It was... intense” I said finally. My voice sounded heavier than I wanted it to, but there was no point sugarcoating it. “She came. She listened. But it wasn’t easy.”

“That’s a good sign, though” Atlas said, his voice steady but cautious. He was always the measured one, always trying to see the best in things, even when the rest of us couldn’t.

Orion stepped forward then, his expression a mix of guilt and exhaustion. “It’s a good sign, yeah, but it was hard for her. She asked us why why we left her, why we thought disappearing was better. And honestly? We gave her the truth or at least as much of it as we could.”

Caelum straightened slightly, his sharp eyes locking on Orion. “And what’s the truth, Orion? Why did we leave?”

The question hit like a blow, but I knew it was coming. I sat down beside Sophia, feeling the weight of her presence beside me as I forced myself to speak. “We were cowards” I admitted, the words tasting bitter. “We thought we were protecting her. We thought leaving was the answer. But really, we were running away from Mom, from our own problems, from everything. And we left her to figure it all out alone.”

The silence that followed was suffocating. Nash stopped pacing, turning to look at me, frustration etched into every line of his face. “So, what? We admitted we were terrible siblings and just hoped she’d forgive us?”

“Not exactly” Orion cut in before I could respond. His voice was calm, but I could hear the tension beneath it. “She’s not ready to forgive us, and I don’t blame her. But she said she’s open to trying. That’s more than I expected.”

Sophia spoke then, her voice steady, the calm in the storm. “That’s a big step. For her to even say she’s open to trying, after everything? It means she still cares, even if she doesn’t trust you yet.”

“She doesn’t trust us at all” I added, my voice quieter now. “And she shouldn’t. But she’s willing to see if we can earn it.”

Leo leaned forward, finally breaking his silence. His face was serious, his arms still crossed tightly over his chest. “Did she say anything about how she felt all these years? About us?”

I hesitated, my hands tightening into fists. I didn’t want to say it out loud, didn’t want to make it real. But I had to. “She told us she spent years thinking it was her fault” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “That she wasn’t good enough for us to stay.”

The words hung in the air like a weight, pressing down on all of us. I saw Leo’s jaw tighten, Caelum’s foot stop tapping, Nash’s shoulders slump.

“She didn’t deserve that” I said, the guilt thick in my voice. “We failed her. We thought leaving was the answer, but we just abandoned her. And now, we’re trying to undo the damage. But it’s not going to be easy.”

“It shouldn’t be easy” Caelum said, shaking his head. His voice was steady, but there was a hard edge to it. “We put her through hell. The least we can do is be there for her now, even if it takes years.”

I nodded, grateful for his resolve. “And she’s not alone anymore,” Orion said then, his voice softer. “She has Noah now.”

The mention of Noah pulled me out of my thoughts.

“Little Noah from next door?” Leo asked, raising an eyebrow.

I nodded, crossing my arms over my chest. “Noah’s a good man. We’ve known him since he was six. I never thought he’d end up with her, but… it makes sense.”

“It does” Orion agreed. “He didn’t push us away, either. He was there for her, but he wasn’t trying to stop her from hearing us out. He’s protective, but not controlling.”

I felt a flicker of something I hadn’t felt in years hope. Estella had someone solid by her side, someone we all knew and trusted. Maybe, just maybe, that would be enough to help her through thisnto help all of us through this.

“I never imagined he’d end up being so important to her” I said quietly. “But I’m glad it’s him. He’s steady. He’s the kind of person she needs.”

Sophia’s hand brushed against mine again, and I looked at her, finding reassurance in her eyes. She didn’t have to say anything. She was there, and that was enough.

The room fell into silence again, but it wasn’t the same as before. It wasn’t just tension or guilt. It was determination. We had a long road ahead of us, but for the first time in a long time, it felt like we were all walking in the same direction. Together.