Chapter 49

Toby’s POV.

Xavier sleeps with his head on Annie’s arm as they’re laid out on the bench. She’s asleep, but still holds him to her, his T-rex between them. “We’re going to land soon. Maybe we should wake her up now.” Jeremiah advises. I look at him and nod.

I kneel beside the bench seat. “Annie. Annie, it’s time to wake up. We’re here.” She hums then blinks her eyes open and looks around. “We’re here. The plane is about to land,” I tell her again.

She kisses Xavier’s forehead. “Wake up little guy.” Xavier’s bright blue eyes open and he hugs Annie. “We’re almost there. We need to get our seatbelts on.” They sit up and she helps him into his belt. I take my seat and buckle up.

Chloe waits for us in Jeremiah’s SUV. As soon as she sees us, she hops out of the vehicle and Jeremiah picks her up to kiss her passionately. I look at Annie, but she’s looking down and away. The couple pulls apart and Jeremiah opens the door for her to get into her seat. I open the door closest to me. “Xavier, you first, buddy.” I help him in then look back to my sweet Annie. “Annie.” She slides in avoiding touching me and I want to scream in frustration. Closing my eyes as I shut her door, I take a quick second to regain my composure before rounding to the other side of the vehicle.

Annie watches out the window the whole ride to the palace, I know because I watch her the entire time. “She’ll get better. It just takes time.”

“I know. I just want to comfort her, but I’m apprehensive to touch her.”

“I think when she sees Giselle, it’ll help.”

“I hope so.” In reality, I hope seeing me would make her feel better.

Aunt Giselle and Gilbert are waiting at the entryway when we arrive. Annie closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. She turns to get Xavier out of his booster seat before opening the door. “Come on, little guy.” She says with a soft smile. She takes his hand and helps him hop out of the car.

Xavier sees Gilbert and runs to him. Gilbert picks him up and holds him out like he’s Superman. He spins in a slow circle, then sets him to his feet. Giselle and I watch on surprised by their familiarity. Gilbert kneels beside him. “Hey, little guy. I’ve missed you.”

“I missed you too, Gilbert. Annie was taken but I watched my family like I promised.”

Gilbert looks to Annie for a quick second then does a double take. “Annie. What happened to you, kiddo?”

Annie worries her bottom lip as she moves closer to the group. I speak up so she doesn’t have to. “We can talk about that later. We should get inside. Where’s Grandmother? I need to talk to her.”

Aunt Giselle wipes her eyes. “Grandmother passed this morning. I can see there’s much to talk about. Let’s go inside and eat, then we can let the little ones play while we talk.” I’m shocked. Grandmother has been a permanent fixture all my life. She’s gone, just like that?

Aunt Giselle looks at Annie and opens her arms to her. Annie wipes tears from her eyes, then leans into Auntie’s embrace. Auntie pulls back to have a closer look at her neck then looks into her eyes. Annie loses all of her restraint and falls back into Aunties embrace. “I’m here for you. We’ll work it out, hon.” She whispers. Jeremiah nods to me then he and Chloe leave for their home.

There’s a somber mood over the table as we quietly eat dinner. Mother adores Xavier and he seems to have taken to her easily. Aria and Annie both move the food around their plates, neither having much of an appetite. Giselle watches Xavier and I can tell she wants to reach out to him but doesn’t know where to begin, just like me with Annie. Father and Gilbert chat while they eat, but their voices are low and their conversation is about a topic no one else cares to join.

Mother and Father take Callie and Xavier to their respective rooms for bath time and a story before bed. Aria offers to help leaving the rest of us with Giselle nursing Callen. “What happened here?” I ask to break the tension.

“Matilda showed up,” Gilbert answers. He looks at Annie. “That’s Callie’s mother. We all thought she was dead, but she was hiding out.” Annie nods and he continues. “When we arrived, Lucinda was already dead in the entryway. Matilda stole her power then took her life.” I swallow as my heart breaks over the loss of my dear great-grandmother. My chin quivers as I hold back tears. Annie’s tiny hand reaches for mine. I squeeze her gently then look up at her still-beautiful face. Her eyes convey my sorrow and I’m grateful she’s here.

“Callie battled her, but Matilda was pretty strong, especially after stealing Lucinda’s power. Bells joined in the battle, but in the end, I sneaked up behind her and broke her neck. Aria was protecting little Callie and saw the whole thing so she’s a mess now too.” I rub a hand down my face. “Now,” Gilbert continues. “What happened on your end? Julian called me with the intent to challenge you. I talked him down, but he’s pretty pissed.”

Annie swallows. “That’s my fault.”

“It’s not your fault, Annie. You did nothing wrong.” I give her hand a small squeeze and she lets me go, locking her fingers in her lap. Gilbert looks between us. “Annie. Do you want to tell them, or would you prefer I do it?” I ask.

She takes a deep breath then looks up. “Julian is my mate.”

“What?” Gilbert gets to his feet with a growl and Annie ducks her head, flinching away from him. “Annie, what did he do to you?”

Her jaw quivers and she looks up to him with tear-filled eyes. “Everything,” she barely audibly whispers.

“I’m going to kill him!” Gilbert paces the room, his anger seething. I’m right there with him, but I’m barely keeping my seat.

“Gilbert.” Aunt Giselle speaks up. She lays Callen down, steadying him with pillows. She looks at Annie. “I’m so sorry, Annie, I didn’t know.” She says as she looks up toward the ceiling with tears in her eyes and her jaw trembling. She sniffs and wipes at her eyes then looks back at Annie. “He threatened to hurt Callie and kill Gilbert. I didn’t have a choice. You’re not his mate, it’s only a spell.” Her voice breaks. “A spell I created.” Annie breaks down sobbing into her hands. “I’m so sorry, I’m so, so sorry.” Giselle continues to weep and wipe her tears away.

“He threatened to kill me?” Gilbert asks after the cries begin to die down.

“He threatened to kill my mate, not you personally,” Giselle answers. She looks back at Annie who still hasn’t stopped crying. “Annie, your mate will know when he meets you, he can break the spell. I know it doesn’t make up for what I’ve done.”

Annie snaps her head up. “Nothing can make up for what you’ve done. My mate? What mate would want me now? I’m like a chewed-up piece of gum on a sidewalk. I’m used, broken, and spit out.” She abruptly gets to her feet. “He marked me! He raped me over and over again. You want to know the worst part? While my head, my heart, and my mouth said no, my body said yes.” She shakes her head at a broken-hearted Giselle. “That was all bad enough, but knowing you did this to me kills my soul even more than he did.” Annie steps back from her tirade, then turns and rushes out of the room.

“I’ll go after her and make sure she doesn’t hurt herself. Gilbert, if you want to kill him, you’ll have to get in line. Annie is my mate and I will destroy him for what he did to her.” With that, I follow Annie’s scent to her room.

“Annie?” I knock on her door. “I know you want to be alone right now, but I need to talk to you. It’s important. Please let me in. It’s just me. No one else is here.”

Her door slowly opens and I squeeze through the space she made then close the door behind me. “What’s so important, Toby?” She asks with her head down as she rubs her arms. “Don’t defend her. I can’t take it right now.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it. What I have to say is just between the two of us. Will you sit down, please?” Annie looks up for just a moment then sits in the vanity chair. I kneel in front of her so she’s not looking up at me. “Your mate will want you.” She closes her eyes and tilts her head away. “Annie, listen. I know he’ll want you because I’m your mate.”

She gasps and opens her eyes to look at me, her mouth slightly open. She looks back and forth between my eyes then shakes her head and closes her eyes. “Reject me. I don’t want to tarnish you.”

I shake my head. “That’s not going to happen. I’ve loved you from the first day I met you. You’re what I think about when I wake up and before I go to sleep. I dream about you. I know that what happened was against your will. It’s not your fault and I don’t blame you. I can free you from him. Even if you don’t want me, let me at least free you from his hold on you.”

“I do want you. More than anything. I’ve had a crush on you since I met you.” She softly giggles, but it quickly dies away. “I’m not good enough for you, Toby. You need a queen, not a broken ragdoll.”

“I need you, Annie. No one else is going to take your place, I don’t care if I have to wait fifty years. I will. Regardless of my feelings or yours, do you want me to break his hold on you? I know what to do to break the spell.”

She nods. “Yes, please. I don’t want any part of him.”

“We have to kiss,” I bluntly tell her. Annie touches her fingers to her lips. “I understand that you’re scared. Keep your eyes open so you know it’s me and you don’t slip into that dark place.” She presses her lips together then nods. I hold my hand out, palm up for her to take. She looks at my hand then back to my eyes. “It’s me, Annie. I won't press more than just to break the spell, but you have to kiss me back. Kisses aren’t one-sided.”

She slowly places her shaking hand in mine. I look up from our hands as she does. “Eyes open.” I remind her then lean forward. Her breath quickens then I press my lips to hers. Oh goddess, her lips. I’m struggling to not devour her, but her eyes watch mine and she presses in to kiss me back. With a soft hum her eyes close as do mine. Our bond snaps into place like a rubber band and the connection is magnetic. I don’t ever want to pull away from her.

Her tongue caresses my lips and a primal groan escapes me. Her scent is floral, more heady than any flower I’ve ever come across. Her touch sets my skin on fire but cools the burn at the same time. I’ve never felt anything like this. My tongue touches her lips and her hands glide up my arms to my shoulders. I get to my feet, pulling her up with me, my hands holding her tiny waist. Don’t push her, Toby, I repeat in my mind over and over, but my control is seriously waning. Our tongues collide at the juncture of our slightly opened mouths. My hand slides up her back to hold her head and she hums. I tilt my head to press into her mouth and she reciprocates.

I bring my hand forward to touch her face, but my pinky finger touches the mark on her neck. She gasps and abruptly pulls away. I stay staring into her eyes and they’re the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen, like warm honey, golden and smooth. “I’m sorry. I was holding back as much as possible. You’re incredible.”

Her eyes sparkle as more moisture pools within their depths. “Please go, Toby. I want to be alone.”

I nod and step back, reluctant to let go of her. She has yet to remove her hands too. “You’re not so broken that you can’t be mended. Please let me try to put the pieces back together.” I take her hand from my arm and watch her eyes as I place a feather-light kiss on the back of it. “I had Xavier set up across the hall from you,” I inform her and she nods. Gently I place her hand at her side then force myself to leave. It’s what Annie wants, and if Annie wants anything, she shall have it.

Too ramped up to sleep, I decide to visit Grandmother. She looks peaceful lying in her bed as if asleep. We’ll hold her services tomorrow. My emotions overwhelm me as I sit beside her bed like I’ve done countless times in the past. I take a deep breath then let it out. “You knew she needed me. I should’ve gone sooner, but other trivial things, that seemed important at the time, kept me away from her. I’ve loved her for years and I had no idea the depth of my affection until I saw the emptiness in her eyes. It might have been our mate bond, but she didn’t feel the connection. I should’ve been there for her. I know, grandmother, I’m here for her now, but this could’ve been prevented. Her innocence could’ve been preserved. She didn’t have to suffer.”

“I know, I know, all things must come to pass in their own way. But, Grandmother, it’s Annie. You knew her and loved her as we all had. Of course, I don’t blame you. I don’t blame Aunt Giselle either. I just wish I could go back in time and fix this. I know, grandmother, she’ll mend, but it takes time and patience. But there’s one thing it takes that I have no control over. It takes her willingness to heal, and I’m not sure she is. You know she told me she tried to kill herself. Not want to, but tried to. I’m afraid she might try again. What if she does, but this time there’s no one there to stop her? I can’t live without her, she’s too precious to my heart. I need her, grandmother. I know it’s selfish of me to think of my needs when she requires so much more, but I think it’s safe to assume she needs me just as much.”

I run a hand down my face. “I love her, grandmother.” I close my eyes as a tear slips out. I’ve been keeping my emotions in check and I can’t hold them back any longer. Leaning forward, I rest my head in my hands. “You’re gone,” I whisper and the floodgates open. I don’t know how long I cry, but the tears keep on coming until my body is exhausted and there’s nothing left in me. “I love you, grandmother.” Pulling her blanket higher, I tuck her in then look around the room one last time. “I’ll miss you.”

A hot shower does nothing to calm my frayed nerves and I’m too tired to sleep. I pay a quick visit to the garden, then I spend the rest of my pent up energy in the music room. Playing the piano alone in the middle of the night is not uncommon for me. The keys provide comfort as each resonant note fills the room at my will. It’s in this way I fill my solitude, hoping tomorrow brings to pass a more forgiving day.