\[Rosco's POV\]
I lead my mother out of the pack house and toward her waiting car. After my blowup earlier in the night, the atmosphere between us was tense, and I knew that she was most likely wanting to ask what exactly happened but also didn't want to pry.
When we reach her car, she turns and takes me in with sad eyes.
“Your father would fall in love at first sight with Serenity.” She says, her voice quiet as she treads dangerous waters. “You should really...”
“What?” I ask, trying to keep my temper in check. It was her fault that my father and I were currently like this, and there wasn't any reason for me to take anything out on her. “Give him a call when he hasn't bothered calling.”
“You know him,” she tries now, but stops as I let out a growl of warning.
“He shouldn't put you up to trying to guilt me.” I hiss through gritted teeth. “And I have no intention to apologize. He was the one who made the decision to remove me from the pack due to false allegations against my mate. He is the reason we are like this, and he is the one who should be trying to fix it, not me.”
As the words leave my lips, my mother’s expression shifts more and more until the tears begin to prick in her eyes. Dammit. This was that bastard’s fault, but in a way, it was also mine.
“Don’t cry,” I sigh, reaching out and grabbing her hand. “I understand that you don’t want us fighting, but this is something he needs to do.”
Nodding, my mother brushes away a stray tear before pulling open the door to her car.
“Please, just think about reaching out to him.” She says, beginning to get in. “Time is precious, and you never know when it will end.”
With that, she closes the door, and I watch until she is pulling off and disappearing down the street.
Sighing, I pull out my cigarettes and light one while her words play again and again in my head.
Of course, time was precious, and I knew that better than anyone else. How many times in the past year and a half did I feel like it would all come to an end in the blink of an eye because of Nadia and Alexander's schemes?
Lighting my cigarette, I push away the unpleasant feelings that come with memories of all the fucking times I damn near lost Denali. That was all in the past, and I should only be looking toward the present, but before that, there was still some unfinished business.
First, we needed to properly trial and condemn Roger after everything he did to Denali and all those other women and children who lived day in and day out waiting for their execution. Who knew that bastard had such a dark heart, and my mate... My mate had to live with that fucker and his scheming wife for so long.
Growling, I try to contain the rage that begins to boil hot within me as memories of our return from Italy hit like a ton of bricks, and with it the images of Roger’s contorted face as he finally showed his true colors.
Never did I imagine that he was truly like that beneath the fake facade that he kept for his entire pack. And he even attempted to hurt Denali when he realized that she had found the will that was left behind by his deceased wife.
It took all I had back then to not kill him where he stood, but I knew that whatever punishment he would receive when his trial came would be better than letting him off easily with death.
“Soon,” I murmur, finishing my cigarette and outting it. “Just another week, and he will get what he deserves.”
'Once that's completed, we can deal with Harold.' Fabian murmurs, reminding me of yet another loose end that still needs to be dealt with. ‘He promised to ruin Emerald Moon.’
‘Right,’ I huff, feeling a headache coming on.
If it wasn’t one fucking thing, it was another, thanks to the mess that his daughter caused. Along with losing my relationship, or what was left of one, with my father, I also lost a business collaboration and relationship with Harold due to Nadia’s death. Even now, he was still trying to find the one responsible for causing it while I kept Marty’s involvement hidden.
‘We will deal with each thing as it comes, one step at a time.’ I promise Fabian, while turning and heading back into the pack house. ‘For now, our only focus is making sure Denali gets plenty of rest so that she can properly heal from giving birth to our daughter.’
‘Mhm.’
The next day, I wake up early to the sound of Serenity crying, and before Denali can even attempt to get up, I’m moving. For most of the night, I tossed and turned while my frustrations got the better of me, and having something to do now was a welcome relief.
“I can do it,” Denali insists, when I press a hand against her shoulder and make her relax. “You don’t have to baby me.”
“I know,” I chuckle, giving her a quick kiss. “But you went through a lot bringing her into this world yesterday, so this is the least I can do.”
As I speak, I get up and make my way to Serenity’s crib so that I can lift her up and find that her diaper is soaked.
“Seems you need a change,” I murmur, carrying her to her changing table and putting her down. “Now, be good and let me just...”
The rest of my words stop as I look down at Serenity’s arm and find a mark that looks like a dark serpent twisting around her wrist and arm.
“What?” I hiss, trying to remember if it was there before. “What is this?”
At my words, Denali is moving, stumbling out of bed, and limping toward me.
“What is it?” She demands going on alert. “What’s wrong?”
“Is this a birth mark?” I ask, holding up Serenity’s arm. “Was it there when she was born?”
“I don’t…” Denali murmurs, leaning in closer to examine the mark. “I don’t remember this.”
Her words are like ice-cold water pouring over me as a chill races up my spine and my blood turns cold. I didn’t know why, but I just knew deep down that whatever this mark was, it wasn’t good, and it meant trouble for our family. And when this thought hits, so do Elise’s words from the previous night.
“Stay here,” I hiss, knowing who would have an explanation for what the mark on Serenity was. “I’m going to find your sister.”