Chapter 19
Few hours later,
"Are you sure you have to do this now?" his mother asked as she watched him slip on a shirt.
"I have to address the situation," Rafael answered her.
He ignored the pain in his chest and back where the scars the forsaken vampire gave him still hurt. But more than the pain, his mind was racing, trying to think of the consequences of what had just happened.
A vampire attack, just outside his pack.
What could this mean? Didn't the vampires want the treaty? Or had Lord Viktor just been toying with him that night while harboring bad intentions? Goddess, and he'd been so easily led...
"Your mate is very worried about you," his mother said.
His hand faltered on a button. Yes, the raw concern on Julian's face was pretty obvious.
It warmed him deeply to have his mate care for him, so Rafael nodded in reply then remembered he had not told his mother that Julian was an Omega.
What would she think if she knew? He would tell her later. Now he had more pressing matters to attend to.
Speaking of Julian...
"Mother, please keep him company during my meeting. I would have asked Maxinne, but she is doing important research for me," Rafael spoke.
His mother fixed a stare on him.
"Rafe, you speak as if your mate is a child you're asking me to babysit," she said.
"No, it's just—" Rafael was cut off.
"I will do as you ask... but Rafael, remember Julian is to be your future Luna. You should treat him as such."
With that, she stood and left the room.
Rafael looked in the mirror as he considered her words. By normal standards, Julian should be beside him in this meeting, maybe even speak for him while he recovered. But Julian was new to all this. He looked too fragile for it too.
"Maybe you should teach him, guide him, not hide him," his mother scolded in his head.
She was probably right, and yet there was this urge he couldn't explain the urge to take Julian and hide away his mate from even a bit of stress. That was probably unhealthy.
He sighed. He would deal with his thoughts later.
He walked out of his room, making his way to the hall.
"Goddess help me," he muttered beneath his breath.
---
"At ease, child."
Normally, Julian would have obeyed Rafael's mother immediately. But today his nerves were a mess, and his body refused to listen to his own commands. So he continued pacing, continued fidgeting.
"Rafael will handle it. He always does," she said again.
Her words were like a trigger. They echoed in his head.
Rafael will handle it. He always does.
The words, uttered just hours after Rafael had been brutally injured by a vampire. Rafael's state...bloody and unconscious flashed in his mind. Nobody would ever know what that image awakened in him that day.
A cruel reminder that despite how powerful and untouchable Rafael was, he was still mortal.
And even in pain, he was still expected to be strong?
"But he's injured... he's in pain."
Julian turned to face her. His tone wasn't anxious or worried. It was cold. Strange.
Rafael's mom raised her gaze to Julian's face in surprise. The look on his face chilled her and had her heart racing. She felt like she had to defend herself.
"Yes... yes, but he can... he is strong—" her words trailed off.
Julian straightened. She could no longer read his face.
"I think I'd like to be on my own, please."
"O-Okay."
She was surprised at the tremor in her voice. She stood up immediately, like she couldn't even control herself. She hazarded a look at him, but she couldn't read him. He did not look like that weak, sniveling pup again.
The change in demeanor shook her. She left the room.
Alone, Julian's tight hold on himself cracked.
He had just found his mate, found someone kind to him after all these years of wishing and hoping. He would not allow anyone or anything to take Rafael away. Not even Rafael's duty to his pack.
The thought surprised Julian. He didn't understand what was happening just that there was a darkness blooming slowly in his head.
All he could think of were the words echoing inside him: he would not lose the warmth he had just found.