Chapter 123: Shadows of a Broken Vow

Adam POV

I stood in the garden with my back against an old oak, trying my best to calm the pounding in my chest. Dawn had turned the sky into a wash of soft oranges, but none of us felt any serenity from it. The overnight drama and then the issue with Connie had left an acrid taste in my mouth, and I couldn't rid myself of the image of her theatrically crying in Chase's arms while the rest of us hovered in the kitchen.

Kane and Liam drifted a few yards away, close enough that I could hear the occasional shuffle of their feet on the manicured lawn. The atmosphere was raw, quiet, but it was the heavy, suffocating kind of silence that had tension coiled inside it, ready to detonate at the slightest spark. I exhaled. I needed a moment to breathe, to steady my nerves. Instead, I felt my mind tugged in a thousand directions, each memory more painful than the last.

"Chase is only pretending," Kane muttered, his voice tight. "We told him to act like he cares about Connie, to get her talking, to gather info. But… Did you see him holding her? I mean, there was actual concern on his face."

"What if the bond is real? Or if that demon's curse has turned something in him? If that happens, we'll lose him to her side." Liam joined in with a quiet scoff. The mention of losing Chase sent a hot spike of anger through me. I turned away from the tree, crossing my arms over my chest. My mind was already burdened by too many old wounds, and I didn't have the energy to think about the possibility of Chase succumbing to Connie's manipulative charms. 

But I knew the threat was real. 

Astaroth's curses weren't to be underestimated, and Connie… Well, Connie had an uncanny way of twisting men around her finger, even if they hated her. I tried to quell the tension in my voice as I spoke, but the frustration leaked through. 

"Let's not jump ahead. Chase might be annoyingly overconfident, but he's not an idiot. He knows what's on the line." My gut churned, though, as I forced those words out. A small, nagging doubt whispered in the back of my mind: Was I actually sure of that?

"It sure didn't look like he remembered what was on the line in that kitchen." Kane let out a mirthless chuckle. We lapsed into silence again. Over by the gravel path, a bird hopped between patches of grass, pecking for seeds. My eyes fixed on it, just to have something else to focus on, but my chest grew tighter as my thoughts kept returning to Connie. The hatred I felt for her never fully left me. It lurked under my skin, poisoning every breath.

"Adam, you alright?" Liam shot me a curious, sidelong glance.

"Fine," I lied, voice clipped. He didn't look convinced. Then again, neither was I. Something about facing Connie tonight—hearing her shrill accusations, seeing her cling to Chase—stirred up memories I'd have rather let die.

Kane walked closer, resting his forearm against a marble statue near the garden's center. 

"You seem… different," he observed, searching my face. "Worse than usual. This can't just be about her mind games or that fiasco with Lottie. What is it?"

I felt a tremor in my fingers. A swirl of old pain crept up my throat, and for a split second, I considered walking away. They didn't need to know the reasons for my bitterness. This was my burden. But as soon as the thought rose, I shoved it down. These men were my friends, my family, and the plan to neutralize Connie was theirs, too. If we were to stand any chance, I needed them to fully understand how far I'd go to see her crumble—and why.

"Look, if there's something she can exploit against you, we need to know it. That's the whole point, right?" Kane pressed gently, "Being prepared so she doesn't catch us off-guard. We can't help if we don't know your blind spots."

"What happened, Adam?" Liam nodded, crossing his arms. The question clanged in my ears. I swallowed thickly, the recollection already prying open a wound I'd tried to keep closed. My chest rose and fell in a shaky breath.

"Kane… you're not gonna like this," I warned. 

"I'm listening." He spread his hands in a silent invitation, leaning on the statue. A wave of nausea rolled through me. My jaw set tight, and I pushed the words out before I lost my nerve. 

"Connie," I began, "and Lily. Years ago, they attended a camp." I paused, the memory stabbing at me. "My daughter was there, too." I didn't need to see their faces to feel the jolt of surprise that mention caused. Liam's eyes flicked up, startled, while Kane stiffened, posture rigid. We rarely spoke of my daughter. In fact, I'd made it a point never to discuss her in ours or any packhouse.

"She was young. Too young," I continued, hearing my voice crack slightly. I forced my gaze to the ground. "The moment she arrived at that camp, Connie zeroed in on her like a predator. She had Lily at her side—my daughter stood no chance. They tormented her. Day after day, snide remarks, cruel pranks. And it escalated. She'd write me letters, but never with any real detail. She tried to keep me ignorant."

"Not that it matters now." I felt my fist clench at my side. "because eventually, it escalated beyond words. They attacked her—brutally." My voice trembled, shame creeping in. "They cut her face, left her for dead behind the cabin. By the time some random pup found her, she was nearly gone, lost in pain and fear." Liam let out a quiet curse, burying his face in his hand. Kane's jaw dropped, but he said nothing, waiting for me to continue.

"She wrote to me after that and told me not to blame them. Told me it was a misunderstanding. That she'd been clumsy, stumbled on something…" I dragged in a shaky breath. "I knew she was lying, but I played along. I pulled her out of that camp the second I got wind of the truth, though. I confronted the counsellors and demanded an explanation. They had some… bullshit story about a 'dispute among the girls.' Nothing too serious, they claimed." I snorted. "Nothing too serious, but they let my daughter bleed out."

My chest ached as I swallowed the memories down, but they burned all the way. "She made me promise not to do anything," I repeated in a bitter whisper. "She insisted that stooping to their level—Lily and Connie's level—would only rob her of her dignity. She wanted to rise above it, to show them they hadn't broken her." Kane's gaze was molten with anger. 

"I'm so sorry," he rasped. I gave a curt nod, forcing myself to keep going.

"They disfigured her face. The doctors did what they could, but she was scared. A wide slash across her cheek, part of her eyebrow gone. The children back home… They treated her like she was a freak. She withdrew. I tried everything to help her, but she wouldn't let me. She kept saying, 'Don't let them know they hurt me, Dad. Don't give them that satisfaction.' She was so damn strong. Too strong."

Emotions tangled in my throat. For a second, I couldn't speak, only exhale with a trembling breath. Liam stepped closer, placing a hand on my shoulder. I didn't move away—somewhere in the swirl of my anger and sorrow, I needed my brother's contact.

A small breeze swept through the garden, stirring a flurry of leaves. It felt colder than it had a moment ago.

"Whenever I think of Connie's face, I'm reminded of who's behind my daughter's scars. The evil that found joy in tormenting a young girl. Even if Lily was the ringleader for the worst of it, Connie was there, feeding it, fueling it. She's just as responsible."

"Is your daughter better now?" Kane's eyes narrowed. And I felt Liam tense, already knowing my answer. My heart twisted painfully, and I recalled the promise I'd made. The vow never to raise a hand against Connie or Lily. How I'd obeyed that vow only because my daughter had begged me, tears in her eyes, to let it go. Liam's hand tightened gently on my shoulder, and I closed my eyes against the sting of tears.

"She's dead," I said bluntly, forcing the words out, each syllable raking across my throat. "So maybe that promise died with her." I stared at the ground, the memory of her face dancing behind my eyelids.