Next D 648

Chapter 648 

I collapsed against his chest. A chest that no longer rose. “Baby.” My mother’s choked voice called to me, but I shook my head. I felt her hands tug at me, and I shook her off again. 

“NO!” I screamed. I sat back and stared at everyone staring at me with pity in their eyes. “No.” I shook my head. My chin trembled as I threaded my fingers through Rowan’s. “How is this fair?” I slapped the tears on my face away. I turned to my father. “I did everything I was supposed to do. Everything you made me do.” I felt anger build in my chest. “I listened to you while you puppeteered from behind the scenes.” 

“Ladybug.” He tried to step close, but I glared at him. 

“I wasted three years with my fucking mate because of you.” A sob broke free. I felt like I was choking on all the pain. “Three years.” I turned back to Rowan. My hand cupped his cheek. “Goddess, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have listened.” I collapsed against his chest again. “I shouldn’t have listened to you.” 

“Baby.” My mother’s hand trailed up my back. But I could hear the reproach in her voice, and that pissed me off 

more. 

I turned on her. “You think I’m being mean. That he doesn’t deserve my anger?” I could see it in her eyes that I was right. “You still have a mate that you get to love. Get to have more pups if that’s what you choose. Yes, I know these last twenty years have been horrible, but he is still alive. Still here. You don’t get to condemn me because I’m angry that my fucking mate died.” She reeled back as if I had hit her. “I gave everything for this fucking world. I lost my first pup. I fucking died, only to come back and lose everything.” My hand clutched at my stomach. “You don’t get to be mad. You don’t get to look at me like that. Not when I spent years sacrificing everything for this moment.” I turned away from her. 

“That’s not-” She tried to fight, but I whipped back around. 

“That’s exactly what you were doing.” I bared my teeth at her, tears still coursing down my face. “You might be fine with him pulling your strings, but I’m not. Not when it cost me three years of love. Three years of safety. Three years of happiness. You don’t get to fucking play like he’s the greatest man alive when my mate is growing cold at my feet.” She stumbled away from me. 

Good. Fuck them. Fuck everyone. 

“My sweet girl.” Her voice trembled as she slid next to me. 

“Grandma.” My voice caught. I turned to her, my voice horse. “He’s gone.” 

She pulled me into her arms, and I broke. My tears came faster. Sobs were ripped from my chest. “It’s okay, my love.” She tightened her arms around me. Her hand tracing circles against me. 

I pulled back, stunned. “How?” 

She smiled at me as she wiped the tears from my face. “I called in a favor.” 

“I can’t lose him.” My hand tightened in his. I heard tiny footsteps, but I wasn’t fast enough. 

“DADDY RO!” Carly’s broken sob had my head dropping. I watched my tears land on my grandmother’s dress as Carly dove against Rowan’s chest. “No.” 

I had to take a moment before I turned to her. “Sweetheart.” I stumbled over the word. I turned to her, and she looked up at me with broken eyes. 

“He can’t be gone.” She shook her head, sending her little pigtails flying. “He promised to teach me how to ride a bike.” Her little hands wrapped in his blood–soaked shirt. “He promised to teach me how to fight. I wanted to 

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Chapter 639 

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protect you. He said we would protect you together.” 

I licked my trembling lips as I tried to think of something to say. “I know.” I blew out a breath. “He did protect me. He protected everyone.” I closed my eyes, and I heard others start to break. 

“Amy.” Wendy and Toya stepped out of the crowd. 

I looked up at my friends, and I shook my head. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now.” 

My dad dropped to his knees. “Baby, please.” He crawled towards Rowan. “Forgive me.” 

“STOP!” I screamed at him. “I might learn how to forgive you, but it’s not going to be today.” I leaned against my grandmother. “I know I’m not thinking clearly. And that hating you isn’t fair, but it’s all I have left.” He paled. “I have nothing left. I have nothing but this hate burning inside of me, and if I didn’t have Carly, or if I knew that the spell I just created would hold after I died, I would join him. But I don’t know, and I am not selfish enough to condemn thousands of souls to torture or worse at the hands of humans.” I looked down at my mate. “So you will have to forgive me when I say this. But the only thing keeping me on this earth is the burning hatred I have for you right now. The fact that you repeatedly kept me away from my goddess–given mate for your own agenda has created a red–hot hatred that I am going to allow to burn until I remember what it’s like to survive again.” 

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