Chapter 58: Brother.

John’s pov.

“So…” Bella whispered, her eyes looked sad as she looked up to me.

“So,” I whispered back, knowing I had to go. Even if she didn’t want me to.

“You’re leaving?” She asked, her voice breaking slightly, small tears falling from the corners of her eyes.

I wiped them away quickly before pulling her into a hug, running my hand down her hair.

“It’s okay, I’ll be back. I’m only going to be gone two weeks, I’ll be back before your… ceremony. I’ll be there, no matter what,” I said softly, my heart felt like it was slowly going to break in my chest.

“But I feel like I just got you back,” she chuckled over her tears, her glassy eyes looking up at mine.

I laughed with her. Trying to stay calm. For her. For myself.

I kissed her forehead gently before pulling back, my hands sliding down her arms to her hands before I let go… following my brother to my car.

“I’ll be back!” I called out to her, watching as she turned around to look at me one last time, “two weeks, Bella. I promise!”

I got into my car slowly, almost not wanting to close the door, I didn’t want to go, I didn’t want to leave her yet.

“Let’s go, brother,” Karl said impatiently, rolling his eyes at the glare I shot towards him.

I closed the door reluctantly. Looking out the window and catching one last glimpse of her before she disappeared through the pack house.

“Did you have to come with me?” I asked my brother, feeling like being alone right now, not pestered and annoyed.

“Yes, I did. I wasn’t riding with Angel. I don’t even know what to do with her anymore, not after what I found out. I wish you would’ve told me. I wouldn’t have taken her as a mate. I can promise you that, I don’t even know why I accepted her, my memories are foggy there. Surely, you’ll help me, right?” He rambled on, my brain basically turned off on its own, knowing how much he talks, “there’s no way I will be keeping her as the queen. I don’t need her, and the kingdom doesn’t need her either. She never helped with anything, she never planned anything for us or the kingdom. She was basically a useless queen anyways. I’d be better off without her. Oh! Before I forget, now that we are alone. Angel… she doesn’t have a wolf anymore.”

My body tensed at his words, not knowing how I should react. I don’t think he should know what Bella and I did. The deal we made…

Not yet. Not until he’s no longer with Angel.

“Why?” I asked, keeping my expression neutral as I steered my car through the winding roads.

“We don’t really know yet. She just… couldn’t speak to her wolf, Brin, or feel her. She was just gone one day, her presence completely gone. As if she was never there in the first place,” he replied, his voice filled with wonder.

“That’s odd,” I mumbled, keeping my eyes on the road.

Not wanting him to notice anything.

“Anyways, I think father will be glad to see you. He hasn’t stopped talking about you lately. He’s worried… that after he died we won’t be a part of each other's lives anymore,” he confessed, making me open my mouth in shock.

“I don’t know what to say to that… I guess maybe he was right?” I said slowly, “I’ve never been back to the kingdom in seven years, who knows when I would’ve returned.”

“True, true. I wasn’t happy at first when father told me I was the one to come get you. I don’t really know why I was so mad, I just… was?” He chuckled, “I guess as we aged we both drifted in different directions. And when I became king, that’s really when our relationship started to turn to shit. I feel like we could’ve been closer, I wish we could’ve been. I actually missed you, little brother. As much as I hate to admit it. I’m glad you are here now.”

I smiled a little, not remembering this side of my brother. But happy to be able to see him this way for once.

I didn’t say anything at first, I just drove the familiar roads, to the one place I never thought I’d go back to.

“It’s her fault,” he blurted out suddenly, making me look at him from the corner of my eye, seeing his face look so angry, “Angel. If it wasn’t for her, we’d have been closer. It’s all her fault… I will make her pay.”

I cleared my throat as his words processed in my head.

“Is that wise? She’s still your chosen mate, the queen. You should just let her go. She won’t survive on her own,” I said, knowing that the kingdom probably wouldn’t be too happy with the king killing someone, let alone his ‘mate’.

“I don’t care if it’s wise!” He shouted, his fists clenched tightly, “I’m so angry right now! I can’t believe I was manipulated, deceived… she’ll pay, I promise that.”

I shook my head, letting him bask in his anger.

We still had a long drive ahead of us. Hopefully I can make it there without a headache.

“Why aren’t you saying anything, John? I’m talking to you!” He said while punching my arm, his voice making me even more annoyed.

“Karl. I’m trying to drive! Do not do that again. I’m not in the mood to talk right now, okay? I… I wanted to be alone. But I got stuck driving with you so the least you could do for me is be quiet for an hour or two, got it?” I said through gritted teeth, Titan also getting annoyed in my head.

“Uh, yeah, got it,” he grumbled before turning his head to look out the window, my first second of peace.

I sighed, finally able to think clearly.

I don’t know what I’m supposed to do or say when I see my father. I know he’s dying. And a part of me is sad.

But there’s also a part of me that’s… not sad? Almost at peace with the idea?

Whatever it is, I just hope the goddess can put him to rest.