Chapter 37 chapter 43 Asher's POV Isaac's words were somewhat a comfort to me. He was hurting just as much as I was, and somehow knowing that made my own pain feel a little less isolating. We sat down on a large stone, side by side. The forest around us was still. The only sound audible was the rustle of leaves in the wind and the distant calls of wolves. I wondered if other members had found know about my parent's death as well. For a while, neither of us spoke. I was a little embarrassed by mw.breakdown earlier A |: 1.- '1 1- M 品 ||| M M 100M W M 品 ww W It was something I had thought about countless times since then, a thorn in my chest that left me haunted even in my dreams. || W ||| W ww W W M M M M W || Hww Tww w W WIL WIXXX W III W W WI WII 1100 || W H ند W ווי M MIIII 111100 || TIM WIXX 1100 I looked at my brother, really looked at him. It struck me how little I actually knew about him. He was chased out of the pack when we were both babies. I didn't even know he existed until recently. We had become strangers. I wanted to bridge that gap, to understand him, to know the person he'd become in all those years we were apart. My father' s words still rang in my ears: my brother and Violet were the only person I could turn to in time of crisis. We needed to stick close to each other. "I want to get to know you, Isaac, something I should do a long time ago," I said, my voice shaky but determined. "I know we've had our differences, but no matter what, our parents loved us both equally. They did what they thought was best for us, even if it doesn't always make sense." Isaac smiled, a small, bittersweet smile, "I know they did. Fuck... Why did I just realize this after they were gone? I...I hate myself for it!" "It's not your fault..." : ww W W || M ww nxx_WIT M E W■ ||| M ww WIT www M M 1000 品 WII WJUL www ||| W 00 W M 品 8 M to make me think he was a brutal murderer. "Are you sure?" I asked, my voice almost a whisper. "He's always been... he's the greatest uncle a kid could ever ask for." Isaac's eyes blazed with anger, his lips curling in a snarl, "That's because you were the heir. You were the golden child, the one everyone loved. I was just the spare, the one in the way! He made sure I knew that. Look what he did to us! He drove us apart and almost got us to war. He is not that perfect as he seems!" I swallowed hard, my throat dry. I didn't want to doubt my uncle, but there was a fire in Isaac's eyes that made me hesitate. Isaac might know more than I did. He might be on to something. "If there's proof, if we can find evidence, then I promise you, Isaac, I'll help you get the justice you want. We'll make this right." I promised him. For a moment, Isaac didn't say anything. He just looked at me, his gaze searching, as if trying to determine whether he could trust me. Then, slowly, he nodded. "Alright," he said. "I'll hold you to that." I sensed his aloofness disappearing. He was offering me his trust. I needed his trust especially at a time like this. I couldn't help the surge of sadness that hit me as I thought about the years we'd spent apart. While I had been enjoying the love and comfort of our parents, my twin brother had been out there on his own, struggling, angry, feeling abandoned. He had every right to be angry at them for giving up on him. The thought of what he'd gone through, while I was safe and loved, made my chest ache. I wished I could go back and change things, but I knew I couldn' him, and let him know he wasn't alone anymore. "Maybe we can start over," I looked over at Isaac and said, "Get to know each other again. I mean, we're twins, right? We should know each other better than anyone else." Isaac let out a chuckle, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. "Yeah, maybe," he said, his lips curving into a smile. "I'd like that." We sat there for a while longer, talking, sharing stories, laughing at the absurdity of some of the things we'd done as kids. He described to me the life as a rogue, something I had never experienced before. It felt good, like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders, like maybe we could finally start to heal. I couldn't believe that there was ever a time when our parents thought we'd put the titles and power above our bond as brothers. Sitting there with Isaac, it seemed impossible that we could have ever been enemies. "Asher-ASHER!!!" "Your mate is here," Isaac said. I turned, my heart skipping a beat when I saw Violet rushing towards me, her eyes wide with worry. I stood up, wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close, and she let out a sigh, leaning into me. "God I was so worried! I couldn't find you anywhere I look!" she tightened her arms around my waist, her voice a mix of relief and frustration. chapter 43 "I'm sorry," I murmured into her hair. "I just... needed some time." She pulled back slightly, her eyes searching my face. "Are you okay?" "I will be," I said. And for the first time since our parents had died, I actually believed it. I had my brother, I had Violet, and I had a promise to keep. It wouldn't be easy, and there was still so much we needed to figure out, but I knew that as long as we were together, we'd find a way. chapter 44