“Clean this mess up, I’m taking her home,” she says before pulling me toward her car. I can hear Theo and Tobias growl, but they don’t argue back at her. I honestly think they are too scared to. Caroline, I can tell, is the sort of mother who would give them a dose of their own medicine if they defied her. She squeezes my shoulder softly.
“I’m sorry about them, Imogen. They shouldn’t have carried on like that. I’m not defending their behavior, but they became quite panicked when they realized you managed to get past the wards,” she says.
“Did Percy let you out?” she asks, curious. I shake my head. “Well, that is interesting,” she adds, thoughtfully. She opens the rear car door and I climb in.
Josiah looks in the rear-view mirror at me, his eyes crinkled slightly, and I can tell he is smiling. “Remind me to never let you borrow my car,” he says with a wink.
I can’t help but chuckle. Their car is totaled now; especially after Theo destroyed the front end. Josiah pulls away, driving around the wrecked car. I can see Tobias is on the phone and see Theo arguing with him, both throwing their hands in the air, obviously arguing with each other. Theo steps closer, indicating for Josiah to roll down the window.
“Drop her off at home we won’t be long,” he says, sending a glare my way in the back.
I cringe back, pushing myself into the seat.
“I won’t be leaving if I feel you are a threat to the girl in anyway, Theo. You made this mess, you clean it,” she says, leaning over her husband and glaring at her son.
He stands up straight before giving his mother a nod and turning away from the car.
“Hungry dear? We will grab dinner on the way home,” she says.
I nod, feeling a little awkward. Why is she being so nice? And even Josiah? We stop by a Chinese place on the way home. When we pull up Theo and Tobias are sitting on the step out the front. I can feel their guilt through the bond, but I ignore it, they don’t deserve forgiveness after that.
They told me she is dead, let me believe she isn’t an issue and now, she just decided my fate. As if finding out they lied isn’t enough, she got the last laugh. I never did anything to her, yet she can choose my death. I wipe a stray tear as it falls running down my cheek. Opening the car door, I grab my bag and walk past them into the house, ignoring their pleas to let them explain.
No amount of pleading will make me forgive them this time; I want the truth. But even then, will it be the truth coming from them or just another lie, another excuse? We all sit awkwardly at the dining table, eating.
Tobias and Theo’s eyes never leave me. When Caroline announces that they will be leaving, my heart skips a beat. I don’t want to be left alone with them. I don’t want to be around them.
Seeing my panic, Caroline stands up, placing a hand on my shoulder. “I will be back tomorrow,” she says.
“We have work tomorrow, you will have to come to the office,” Tobias says, his eyes never leaving my face.
“I’m not going, you can go by yourself.” I spit at him, not even bothering to look at him. I hear him growl but one look from his mother makes him shut up.
“I will come over first thing in the morning, okay?” She says, looking down at me.
I can feel through the bond Theo and Tobias don’t want me anywhere they aren’t. Well, they are going to have to suck it up. I have no intention of spending more time than necessary with them. Caroline and Josiah eventually leave, leaving me alone with my mates. When I can’t handle their stares anymore or the awkward silence, I get up and walk upstairs.
I grab my pajamas and head for the shower, I don’t care for their excuses. While showering, Tobias and Theo walk in. I’m currently finishing my hair. I turn my back to them when I hear the door open. “Let us explain Imogen,” Theo speaks first.
“Save it. I don’t trust you and how am I supposed to know it isn’t more lies? Seems to be the only thing you know how to do.”
I hear the door lock click and turn to see that Tobias has locked the bathroom door. I glare at him before turning around.
“You will listen.” I roll my eyes at his tone.
“Let’s hear it then, get it over with so I can leave.” I’m annoyed, I’m not stepping one foot out of this shower. I know they want to touch me and if they do, I will turn to putty in their hands because of a stupid mate bond I have no control over.
“I never lied when I said I killed her. We caught her in bed with Alaric, he bolted when we found out. I grabbed her in anger when we realized she had played us all along. What I didn’t know was that Theo had given her blood the night before and it was still her system. I thought I killed her, and Theo was too slow to react to stop me. Only after I snapped her neck and her body fell limp on the floor, did Theo realize what I had done. A few minutes later she woke up and started laughing before walking out. She knew we couldn’t touch her now without the council’s permission, that was her plan all along. She wanted us to kill her so she could be with him. Alaric couldn’t change her; his parents would never allow him to be with a non-supernatural. So, he had us do it.”
“Did you love her?” I ask.
“We thought we did. We refused to find another female until we saw you. I felt an instant pull to you. I ignored it, but Theo couldn’t. We agreed not to act on it. We didn’t want to be involved with another human. But the mate bond just got stronger, the pull to you got stronger, to the point I couldn’t ignore it anymore.” Tobias explains.
I shake my head. They only want me because some invisible bond makes them.
“That’s not true, Imogen. We love you and not just because of the bond. Don’t think that,” Theo says with a growl.