\[Denali’s POV\]
I sit, holding Rosco’s hand, while Naomi quietly rocks Serenity. Hamilton, who sits in the corner, watches the scene with a blank expression, and I can’t help but wonder how he feels seeing his strong son in such a state. I was sure that despite all their anonymity in the past, this was probably hurting both him and Naomi as much as it was hurting me.
“You have to wake up.” I whisper, squeezing Rosco’s hand. “For everyone.”
“He’s strong, honey.” Naomi assures me. “There is no way he will let something like this take him down.”
“I hope so.”
As much faith as I had in Rosco, I still wasn’t sure if this illness could even be beat. After seeing what happened to the three warriors who had already passed, I couldn’t help but fear the worst.
“Don’t speak so negatively.” Hamilton huffs, getting up from his seat. “That boy is stubborn as a mule. He wouldn’t even let the Goddess herself take him from you and Serenity.”
Nodding, I watch as he continues to examine us with that same blank expression until he is turning and making his way toward the room exit.
“Where are you going?” Naomi calls at his retreating form. “I could…”
“No,” Hamilton responds, giving his wife a gentle look that takes me by surprise. “I’m just going to find William and Jaxon. There is something I need to discuss with them. You stay here and keep Denali company; I’ll be back soon.”
“Alright,” Naomi responds, though she seems hesitant about parting with her husband. “Just please don’t start any trouble.”
“You’re speaking as if I’m a child who can’t control himself.” Hamilton huffs ruefully.
“Well,” Naomi giggles.
“I’ll be back soon.”
Giving a wave, Hamilton continues to move, making his way out of the room, so I’m left with Naomi.
Together, we sit in silence, watching Rosco as he remains unmoving aside from random grimaces of pain, showing just what it is that he is going through. Each and every groan and twitch damn near kills me, but I know I have to be strong for him no matter how much I want to break.
“Tell me, honey.” Naomi says, drawing me back to the present. “How have things really been?”
For a moment, I don’t speak as I try to consider what it is that she is asking me. Was she referring to the problems we were currently facing or everything as a whole since Rosco and I found each other?
“I don’t…”
“With the Harold and Naomi thing.” She explains. “Along with the problems with your father and your sister. The world has been quite cruel to you and Harold, and I added to it.”
At her words, I feel a pang of pain shoot through me as I wonder whether or not she has been living with the guilt of not trusting me back then. Honestly, I couldn’t really blame her, given the proof of the video from that time. If I were her, I would have questioned her as well.
“It hasn’t been easy.” I admit, remembering when I came back to this place with my mother’s will and a warrant for my father and stepmother's arrest. “But we’ve managed.”
Closing my eyes, I continue to relive that day when everything that was meant to be mine finally came back to me. It was bittersweet, given the fact that my mother wasn’t there with me to live in that moment of glory.
“I think all the issues Rosco and I faced together only made us stronger as a couple, honestly.”
Nodding, Naomi takes in my words, but the smile she presents me doesn’t reach her eyes.
“Please,” I say, smiling gently. “Don’t pity me. Even if things haven’t been easy, those large bumps in the road brought me so much happiness in the end.”
As I speak, I look to Rosco, who is currently at ease. If my father hadn’t done any of what he did, I never would have met him, and who knows where I would be now?
“That’s good, at least.” Naomi murmurs. “But you’ve still got a ways to go with finding your father and those who are after Serenity.”
“And Anastasia,” I sigh, remembering the woman who currently sat in the cells waiting for her punishment for trying to destroy me.
Rosco and I truly had a mess to unweave, but once that was taken care of, all I could hope for was us finally getting our peace to raise our family.
“It’s almost like trouble follows me.” I say, trying to keep the mood light. “Maybe I…”
I don’t get to finish the rest of my words as Hamilton comes rushing into the room with a look of anger on his face.
“Honey?” Naomi asks, eyeing him. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s Jaxon,” he responds, his voice dripping with venom. “He’s gone.”
“Gone.” Naomi repeats, her eyes growing wide. “Why would that make you like this?”
“I can’t find William.” Hamilton explains. “And I know he wouldn’t go against my orders.”
“Are you saying you think that Jaxon forced William to leave with him?” Naomi asks, causing a shiver to rush through me.
Although I didn’t know Jaxon personally, I remembered Charlie’s words about him being up to no good. Did that mean that he forced William to go with him with a threat, or was it something else?
Frowning, I look to Hamilton as this single thought marinates.
“Honey,” Naomi says, breaking the silence. “You should really calm down. There has to be a reasonable explanation for this. It isn’t like Jaxon would do anything that could…”
“No,” Hamilton hisses, his face darkening, and in that moment, I know that he knows something. If that were the case, could all the animosity be shared with Rosco for his own good? “I need to go back to Crystal Fang.”
“But…” Naomi begins, but stops as Hamilton shakes his head. “You stay here with Denali.”
Immediately, I know that my deduction is correct and that Hamilton does, in fact, know more than he is sharing with us. But if that was it, why didn’t he let Rosco in on this and do something to stop it? Was he trying to wait and see what move Jaxon would make, or was there some other reason?
“You know,” I say slowly, deciding now wasn’t the time to hide things.
“Pardon?” Hamilton says, raising a brow. “What was that?”
“That something is amiss in Crystal Fang.” I explain. “You know, and that is the reason you didn’t fight Rosco harder about leaving his position as alpha at that time.”
As I speak, I feel Hamilton’s gaze burning into me, but I don’t care.
“Was that also the real reason that you wanted him to marry the daughter of Emerald Moon? Because you knew that my bloodline is strong and I would be able to handle whatever came.”
Maybe I was reaching here, but this was the only explanation there could possibly be. He knew, and he kept it from everyone. Because he kept it from everyone, Charlie nearly died, and Rosco was banished. Not to mention, William was now in trouble due to whatever it was that Jaxon was planning.
“Please,” Hamilton says as Naomi’s expression falls and worry flashes in her dark eyes. “Just let me handle this.”
“And if you can’t?” I counter. “Shouldn’t you wait for Rosco to be better so that he can help you? Going back alone is like committing suicide.”
“It’s because of my bad judgment that things have escalated to this.” Hamilton counters. “If my death can end things, then I’m more than willing to make that sacrifice.”
“Honey!” Naomi gasps. “You can’t…”
“Stay here.” Hamilton repeats. “I won’t be able to do what I need if you’re there.”
Opening her mouth, Naomi prepares to argue but stops as Hamilton grabs either of her cheeks.
“You are more important to me than my own life, so please do as I say.” Hamilton pleads, causing a pang of pain to shoot through me as I remember the story of their meeting and how Naomi was all but forced to be with him and banished from her pack. “If something were to happen to you, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”
“Are you that worried Jaxon will do something so horrible?” Naomi asks quietly. “If that’s the case, then we...”
“Me,” Hamilton says sternly. “This is for me to handle, and I don’t plan on being defeated.”