The Wicked Luna

Thirty Two

"Brother?" I echo the word weakly. The word is bitter on my tongue.

It tastes of vomit and vinegar.

Ryder had known my mate was his brother the whole time? The question disturbs me deeply and I have to grab onto a book shelf to steady myself. I hear pairs of feet shuffle toward me but I growl.

"My mate," I spit "is your fucking brother?" Hostility pours from my tone like an open wound.

Ryder has a harsh scowl on his face. The dainty female behind him is piecing together what I'm saying. Her eyebrows clash together and her lips purse in distaste. Sweat finds its way to my palms and I find myself repeatedly wiping them on my shirt. From the broken window a cool, damp wind blows through the library. The wind blows through the pages of books and soft swishing noses fills the tension.

"Yes," Ryder says carefully "now tell me where he is."
"Why?" My eyes knit in suspicion.
"I'm not able to disclose that information with-..." he begins.
"Then no."

Outside a crack of lightning erupts in the sky. I jump slightly but manage to calm myself. A light drizzle of rain falls onto the trees. I hear the droplets crashing on the leaves. I also hear someone's racing heart. My own.

"Fine," Ryder growls "this regards his safety."

I want to believe him but the glint in his eyes tells another story. Ryder is a mass manipulator and chronicle liar. To hand my mate over to him would be a rash decision.

"Your lying," I press "because that's what you do. You lie."

Ryder runs his hands through his hair frantically. He sighs and tries to step forward. I extract my claws as a warning. He heeds the warning and steps back with his hands up. The girl behind him although does not care. She steps forward dodging Ryder's attempts to pull her back.

"I'll kill you," I snarl at her.
"Please hear me out," she begs "the beast is coming and he's coming for blood."

She takes another step forward and my defense spikes. I'm about to swiftly slit her throat but Ryder steps between us.

"If you hurt her I swear you won't live to see tomorrow," his pupils dilate in anger "you have no idea what kind of monster I keep hidden."

Our eyes lock in an intense stare. His anger represents a different form of Caysons anger. The hostilely and coldness bite harshly. But Ryder's rage reeks of something darker and more dangerous.

I flinch when the small female places her hand on my shoulder. Her doe eyes are gentle and as soft as fur. She mouths a please to me.

"Let us explain at least," she pleads.
"You have 15 minutes," is all I can manage to say.

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I wait for them but Ryder seems so uncomfortable that he's consistently pacing. The little female is glaring at him and those brown eyes are now as sharp as rocks. She seems to know the demons that drag Ryder down but she gives him the chance to tell the story.

"Look if your not going to explain then-.." I begin harshly but Ryder snaps at me.
"This all begins with my and your family, your mother actually."

I did not like that he was dragging my mother into this. She was harmless and always made sure to take good care of both my father and I. I dig my nails into my palm and ignore the pain it brung.

"My father loved your mother," he said "that was his ruin."

What did that have anything to do with Caysons safety? Sure I knew my mother was majestically beautiful and a bit of a player before my father but that doesn't matter. What does matter is that Ryder tells me why Cayson is in danger.

"What does that even have to do with Cayson?" I sigh and cross my arms over my chest.

The paint on my back is uncomfortably dry. I would give anything to wash it off. Now was not the time or place.

"It has everything to do with Cayson because it has to do with you."
"What?" My eyebrows clash together and I run my hand through my hair both confused and irritated.

He takes a deep intake of breathe and squeezes his eyes shut. Ryder bites his knuckles for a brief moment. Something inside me dreads what he is going to say. Something inside me knows that what he's going to say will break me.

"My father was a broken man when he met my mother. I was conceived and then my little brother. He swore to eliminate everyone from your family."

Puzzle pieces in my brain click together. Ryder knew who the beast was. His father most likely hired the person to eliminate my mother, my father. Me. Visualizes of blood splattered over the walls. I remember walking out of my parents closet to see my father face down in a pool of his own blood. His organs were sprawled around him. Blood was splattered like an artists work on their white blankets.

"You know who he is," I growl standing up.

Tears cling to my waterline. I bite my tongue so hard that blood gushes in my mouth. The outside wind hollers loudly. A crack of lightning breaks out into the night. The rain outside begins to pound into the earth.

"You and Cayson know the beast," I cry out in pain and stand. I run my hands through my hair.
"Yes," he mumbles. Ryder seems to be as miserable as I.

I take a glass vase and throw it right next to Ryder. He doesn't flinch or even move. I sit back down and burry my face in my hands. I wish Ryder would stop talking but he doesn't.

"Look we were forced into this ever since we were kids. When we didn't do what he said we were traumatized," his words make me look up.

I remember all the times Cayson was afraid of water. I remember thinking that he was being silly. I remember pressuring him into getting into the water. My hands begin to tremble terribly. I open my mouth to speak but nothing comes out. It feels like a bag of sand has been dumped into my throat and Im now disabled.

I feel even worse when I ask my next question.

"Who is your father?"

It's the final blow to my heart. I might as well crawl into a grave and be buried alive. Ryder flinches and takes a sharp intake of breathe.

"The beast."

Happy Fourth of July to my fellow Americans!

I was shook writing this hbu?

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Have a lovely day <3