Haunted

Ten

By the time Kore actually comes back he has to let himself in because I'm stuck in place. I'm still sitting in the same place as I was before, the phone still sitting in my hand, screen black as I stare at it wishing I had thought to take a picture of the man who had lit up my entire afternoon before he slipped so swiftly from my grasp. I'm not even sure exactly how long it's been since we were on the phone together... Exactly how long ago the afternoon actually was. I just keep focusing on the fact that Casper had tossed my affections aside, the emotions poured into that letter addressed to him still sitting on the cold cement of the front porch not enough to express to him how important he really is... And then he got lost... The center of my universe had driven off with tears in his eyes and hadn't ever made it home after leaving my side. I don't think any man has ever felt as crushed as I do under all the weight still sitting on my shoulders.

"Liam..I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner. I know we didn't talk about it but you haven't gone into shock or anything or Cassie running off on you... Have you?" The concern in Kore's voice isn't unfounded. Getting rejected by a mate has been known to send shifters into shock... Feeling the pain of it in my chest I can understand why.

It would have been easy to let the feeling of numbness that had been weighing heavy in my stomach consume my entire being, but just because I've been rejected doesn't mean I get to skip out on my duties... Especially with Silas as my Alpha. It was either keep myself just on the verge of breaking down the best I can or deal with the consequences of unleashing that grumpy bastard onto the unknowing pack members who just think he's the strong but silent type who prefers to keep to himself that they all admire.

"Liam?" Kore's hand finds itself on my shoulder and makes me jump, finally pulling me completely from my spiraling thoughts.

I didn't even realize that I had zoned out again, but as a hot mug of tea gets placed in front of me served with a tepid smile I know that maybe... Just maybe... I am just a little bit in shock over the happenings of the day.

Kore pulls his own cup fo tea from the microwave once it starts beeping and then proceeds to settle himself down in front of me, blowing on the steaming mug for a few minutes before taking a hesitant sip to clear his throat before saying, "Its been a really long day, Liam. And I'm sorry Uncle Cassie dipped out the way he did. The family and I think maybe it's best if I go ahead and tell you what he can't just so everyone is on the same page."

"I... I don't see what the point of telling me would be." Casper has made it very clear time and time again that he doesn't want to accept me or my love... If he would rather not be bothered or is too uncomfortable to try letting me make him happy I'm not going to force him... I won't push myself into his life any more than I've already tried, "He doesn't want me. Hearing the details of his life isn't going to make it any easier to let him go."

"I don't think he actually wants you to let him go-"

"Stop it, Kore-"

"No, Liam- Listen! I've never seen him calm down so fast as he did today when you held him-"

I- "I don't want to hear this-"

"He never lets anyone touch him for as long as you touched him today! He always blushes and smiles for hours after you try and see hi-"

"Stop it!" My hands slam down on the table so hard that it rattles, tea slopping out of the cups as I stand abruptly to stop the onslaught of words pouring out of Kore's mouth, "Stop it... Please, Kore. If Casper doesn't want me- and he's made it clear that he doesn't- he doesn't want me. We can't force him to accept me. I'm glad you found him but I don't know why you bothered coming over."

I run my now sore palms over my face and then up through my hair, pulling at some of the knots that had formed from tugging on it in my distress before turning away from him and walking over to the sink. I try and keep myself as emotionally distant as I can, forcing my eyes to pick a spot to focus on in the backyard through the window over the kitchen sink... I try and breathe and look at all of the things that hadn't changed even though my world feels so thoroughly rocked.

"I came because the moment he realized it was you I was on the phone with in the car he perked up just a bit trying to hear the sound of your voice. When I tucked him in he managed to ask if I was really coming to see you and when I said yes he asked me to tell you that he's sorry and that it isn't your fault. Casper wants to love you so bad, but he's afraid that he might hurt you. If you understand why he's so afraid it'll make it easier for him to open up to you." Kore sounds so earnest... So genuine in his firmness over what he thinks is best, "You need to not give up on him. He needs this. He needs someone like you who will love him unconditionally and with you're whole heart because he deserves it. Our family has put him through So. Much. Crap. He needs someone who looks at him and just sees him for him and not what he is or what he's done."

"How would he hurt me?" He doesn't look like he could hurt a fly... He looks every bit the shy sweet florist that he is.

"Well for one, he's got a curse trapped in his bad leg. I touched it exactly once over a month ago and I still haven't fully recovered. It's why he doesn't like being touched... Well... One of the reasons."

I had asked about the cane that had been in every glimpse of him I could steal and featured in every photo I had been gifted from Kore and his other caring descendants... But none of them had felt comfortable answering me, "He got cursed in the war?"

"Actually no... One of my great-great-great-Grandfathers started a fight with another coven when we were still stationed in Salem. Someone from the other coven ended up dying in the spat... At the time the punishment for something like that was an eye for an eye. We had to offer up someone to accept punishment via the curse that had done the initial harm... It should have been Grandpa Patrick since he's the one who started the scuffle... But he and his wife begged and pleaded and eventually the coven turned to Casper... After all... The Council said someone had to accept the curse... Not that they too had to die from it. Cassie being a warlock meant he could take the curse and live... So..."

"So they asked him? To take a curse?" I can't keep the disbelief from my voice... I cannot imagine ever being that level of altruistic to say yes to someone else very much deserved punishment just to spare a family member.

"No. He's struggled off and on with his mental health and apparently was in a dark place at the time so they didn't even bother to ask. Everyone assumed that if the curse worked and killed him it would at least put him out of his misery. They asked him to meet them all in the square and offered him to the other coven the moment he arrived. Can you start to imagine why he has issues extending trust? He's only just started to trust our coven again and it been over a century since that happened... Not that I really blame him."

The gasp that leaves my mouth is well earned, my stomach churning with the new information as I turn around to face Kore who's grim face has gone pale, "They did not."

"They did. Now come sit down and I'll start from the beginning. How much did he actually tell you this morning?"