A/N: Sorry for the wait, it's finally here. Hope y'all enjoy, and let me know what you think. I struggled a lot writing this and needed the help of some of my dear friends on discord. They'll probably hate me for this chapter but hehe. <3 love you guys, and feel free to vote, follow, comment (hate comments and all XD), etc. I've also changed the book cover, as I feel it's time for a major facelift <3

Chapter 57

Song: Say It Now by Nick Wilson (linked above)

Tether Me by Galleaux/Heart by Sleeping at Last (these songs are nice to listen to too <3)

Simon's POV

It had been foolish on my part to come here alone, but I needed clarification. Despite the shock, chaos, and slight fear I felt earlier, I couldn't help shake the feeling that something was amiss.

It had been the way I had seen Vince's eyes changed, the gold replacing blue; his wolf breaking through for just a moment. The way his eyes welled up from the unshed tears, the way he had seen the blood, and the feeling of anguish that rolled over him. That and the words the pack members had mumbled hadn't just impacted him. Hearing him be called those awful names, the very ones used against me back then was like a punch to the gut.

It had been the way I had seen Michael showed him something that had sparked it. And from where I was standing, I had seen the faintest shimmer of the ring dangling from that chain.

Michael had set him off somehow. And I was going to find that out.

Because Vince wasn't what the others said he was. He had his faults, but so had I. Whatever Michael had said must've been a personal jab.

"What did you tell him?" I leaned over the edge of the hospital bed, my knuckles turning white from how tightly I held the footboard. Michael's face was heavily bandaged, especially around the eyes and ear. There was a smaller bandage near his mouth, but that didn't stop that eerie smirk of his.

"Be a doll and hand me my phone," he said offhandedly, extending his hand out expectantly. This wasn't the same Michael I had spent lunch with before today, nor had it been the one that was determined to help bring me and Vince together. "It's rather sore to reach it myself, dear."

I clenched my jaw, sending him a glare. "What did you say to him?"

"I merely told him what he needed to hear." He scoffed before gesturing to the phone. Reluctantly, I handed it to him. "He's a fool who doesn't know shit."

I could feel the rage fester and bubble, my wolf growling at the back of my mind. "Why? What are you trying to accomplish?"

"All I did was expose my brother to this goddess-forsaken pack for what he really is." Michael's face darkened, and if I hadn't seen the drastic change from this morning, it probably would've sent shivers down my spine. "A fucking monster. Someone who thinks he can just murder people for nothing and get away with it."

"And how are you any better," I snarled, my wolf threatening to come forward. "You have some nerve after what you did. After what you have been doing. Threatening me, threatening Vince. Who knows what else you've been up to."

He chuffed before glancing down at his phone before glaring back at me. "And he's a saint? Someone who murdered your family? He's the real monster here."

"No, you're wrong." I squeezed the edge of the bed before stepping away. "He's not a monster."

He rolled his eyes before looking out the window. "Yeah, keep telling yourself that."

---

I leaned against the wall next to our door, letting everything they said sink in. From what Vince had seen about my past, to what Xavier was expected to do. From what Michael said to Vince to that damn necklace he had dangled in front of him. To the fact that Michael had been the very one who murdered their father.

If something happens to me, whether they exile me or...

No.

...you'll look out for him. Protect him.

Don't say that. Don't think like that.

I leaned my head against the wall, trying to steady my breathing. I counted to ten, timing my breaths in and out deeply to steady the nerves I was feeling, but it didn't help that I could sense Vince's nervous energy from here. The door opened, Xavier stepping out first with a soft smile, followed by Vince who stopped dead in his tracks.

"Si-" His eyes widened like he had seen a ghost before averting his gaze away from me. "H-how much did you hear?"

Enough, I found it hard to speak.

Vince sighed. "I can explain. I-I didn't mean-"

"I know what he told you, I know what Michael did," I informed him. "You don't have to explain."

"Simon-"

"No," I interjected, before taking a deep breath in and out. "I'll convince the council. I'll tell them everything. I'll tell them about the threats he made, tell them of what he did earlier, of the necklace. What he did to your father. Everything."

He shook his head before placing a tentative hand on my shoulder. "No, you don't have to."

"I will," I told him, running a hand through my hair. "I will, Vince. And if it means I have to share all the details or lie to get them to believe us, I'd do it."

"I will not have you lie and defend me for something that is long overdue." He huffed in frustration, his hands balling into fists at his side. They'll think you had a part of this too."

"Overdue?"

He gulped, before looking past me. "Surely, they will bring up what happened with your family."

"That's ridiculous," I gripped his arm firmly. "It's been years, Vince. Sixteen years! Th-this has nothing to do with them!"

"It doesn't excuse what I did to Michael, what I did to your family, and what I did to the pack." He sighed, rubbing his temples. He groaned before raising his voice, "they'll use it against me, I'm sure of it. You heard what they said, what they called me. They won't let it go, Simon. It doesn't matter what we say!"

"Vince."

He squeezed my shoulders, lowering his tone with a shaky breath. "Please. The council probably already has a decision, and I will not let them tear you apart too. I won't let them. I owe you that much."

"Vince," Xavier interrupted, gesturing at his phone. His face was more solemn than I had ever seen it. "We need to go."

I scoffed, whirling on Xavier. "Seriously, what are you-"

"We need to go now," he informed Vince, not even sparing me a glance.

"Wha-" Before I could finish, Vince gripped my upper arm, dragging me down the hall. I tried yanking my arm out of his grip but he only tightened his grip, the two herding me into the council room. Xavier ushered us inside, standing guard at the door, as Vince led me inside. "Vince?"

"Stay here," Vince stressed. "Don't open the door for anyone."

I pried his hands off my arms, demanding, "what the hell is going on?"

He gulped, but Xavier answered for him. "Rogues are attacking, it appears they are organizing. This morning's attack was just a precursor."

"An attack?"

Vince stepped back, before adding on warily, "we think someone leaked information to them. Someone who knew our territory's weaknesses. Someone who had contact with them."

I blinked, looking between the two before it clicked into place. "Michael."

Vince looked away, before mumbling, "it's just a speculation, we're...not totally sure-"

"It was Michael," I assured him. "I believe you, Vince."

He looked up at me with a half-smile, almost as if in disbelief. I hadn't been able to say it to him earlier, but I believed him. I still did. But if he had planned this attack, if Michael had organized this, I wasn't just going to sit in this room.

"I'm going with you," I told them.

"No," they said in unison. Vince sighed before gritting out, "stay here."

I scoffed. "I'm not going to stand here and let this pack, my home be attacked because of him. I'm coming with you."

"No, you're staying here. It's safer here. If Michael sets these rogues here, he'll likely target you. I won't let them get to you. It's too risky."

"Risky?" I chuffed. "Vince, can you even shift? It was painful the last time you shifted. Let me help you."

"Just stay here," he pleaded, a desperate look in his eyes. "I said I would protect you. This is the least I could do. I can't let them hurt you. Not again."

"Vince." I shook my head, the urge to punch, hug and yell at him at the same time growing. "If you want me by your side if I were to be your luna, that I'd be out there fighting by your side. I should be out there with you, defending you, defending this pack. Not hiding away in this room."

"I can't let you go out there."

I bit my lip before shaking my head at him. "Do you not want that? Me by your side?"

"I do," he said firmly before looking away nervously like he hadn't meant to blurt it out. He sighed frustratedly before running a hand through his hair, his eyes squeezed shut. "I really do."

"You do?" I closed the gap between us, looking up at him, hoping he could just look at me properly.

"I-I want that more than anything. I do want you by my side, Simon," he stammered out, his eyes filled with unshed tears. "It scares me how much I do. How much I want this."

"Then stay here," I told him, wrapping my around his waist, the warmth enveloping us as I let his scent calm my nerves. And hopefully, my scent had helped him too. "Stay here and hide with me."

"No."

"If you really wanted this, you'd stay," I mumbled into his chest, pressing my hand against his back firmly. Despite the jacket, I could hear the pounding of his heart, feel the slight tremors as he let out shaky breaths. "Or at least take me with you."

"I-" He tensed before hesitantly placing his arms around me, his hands placed between my shoulder blades, as delicate as a feather. "I-I can't."

I pulled away from his embrace, feeling the warmth between us slowly subside. My wolf whining from his hand falling away at my back, missing the feeling of our mate's touch. His head was downcast as I reached my hand up, tracing the contour of his jaw before gently lifting it upwards so our eyes could meet. "Vince?"

His gaze seemed so distant despite how close we were standing. How could someone so close feel so far? I muttered his name again, lifting my other hand to the other side of his face in hopes of him looking at me, opposed to past me. His eyes wavered before they finally met mines, an unreadable expression as I studied him.

I had seen him up close before, but this felt entirely different like I was finally seeing him for the first time. The way his dark hair flopped over more widely on one side, or the way his stubble framed his face. But it went beyond seeing his physical traits. I was seeing all of his emotions, his doubts, and his vulnerability. I was finally seeing the real Vince. Not the alpha he was meant to be, not the monster people painted him as. Not as someone who hurt me in so many ways. No, this was the real Vince, my mate behind all the stress and expectations of who everyone wanted him to be.

I was finally seeing my mate for the first time, truly seeing him. And I think something clicked as I saw the faintest flash of gold of his wolf's eyes underneath the blue.

But it wasn't like that other night. His wolf didn't take over, this was Vince. A hundred percent him, and my goddess this feeling was like no other.

There were so many things I wanted to say, so many things I thought I could say to him in case something like this ever were to happen. But I truly hadn't fathomed it, hadn't believed it to be possible at all.

I wasn't sure if I even could breathe as he leaned into my touch, taking a step closer to me, leaning his head forward until our foreheads touched. The faintest of breaths escaped us as the feeling of the bond intensified with our proximity.

We looked at each other as if in a trance, drowning into each other as blue eyes met brown. After all, with our eyes a mere few centimeters away from his eyes, blue was the only thing I could see. His hands found mine, holding them as tenderly as he had while hugging me. His blue eyes stared downward as if mesmerized by my lips, before glancing back up at me expectantly.

My wolf was ecstatic, but I needed to know. Was this really what he wanted? Or was his wolf pushing for this?

Moving a hand to his chest, I pursed my lips, giving him a stern look. "Vince? Are you su-"

I couldn't finish, his lips crashing into mine, and my chest burned. His hands left mine before cupping my face gently.

It was tender, the faintest press of our lips as he hesitantly relaxed into it. I let him go at his pace, letting him press further into it when he was ready. As he seemed to find his pace, I playfully pushed back, leaning into him as well. He stiffened at my forwardness before letting me take the lead, almost smiling against my lips as we paused to take a breath before he settled his lips on my bottom lips, pressing it between his before I pulled back slightly before I cheekily bit the bottom of his lips.

It sent chills down my spine, my lips burning at the sensation even as awkward and clumsy as it was. Just knowing that it was with my mate had been an exhilarating feeling.

It was like some kind of euphoric high I had never experienced before.

It felt different than that other time with his wolf. Different from any other kiss I shared whether I had enjoyed it or not. This was completely different. It just felt right. Like this had been the thing we needed to finally let go, to finally rid ourselves of the fears, of the past, or any of the doubts we had. It hadn't mattered that we were on the brink of a massive attack, whether the council would try to tear us apart, or even the fact that Xavier was here in the very room. All that mattered was that we were here, together.

And as our eyes fluttered open, a sense of relief rushed through me.

Blue. It was still Vince. That alone nearly took my breath away, let alone the kiss. He leaned his forehead against mine again as our breathing settled. I couldn't help but stare at the way his eyes seemed brighter, his face void of tension and stress. He glanced up at me, catching me awkwardly gawking at his face. The corners of his lips lifted as we both let out a chuckle, one that I wished I could hear more from him.

"Vince," I breathed against his lips, the spot where our skin touched burned. My lips still tingled from the sensation a moment ago. But the situation outside wasn't something we could simply ignore and kiss away, as tempting as it sounded. "Please, stay."

The feeling of his fingertips on the side of my face disappeared as I could feel another bout of nervousness running through him. His body tensed as he pulled away from me, yet again. The doubts and fears of his came rushing back, and everything that had just transpired seemed to have vanished. The Vince I had kissed wasn't there, instead, it was his insecure and fearful self.

"I-I'm sorry," he whispered before glancing up to meet my eyes. There was a pained look in those blue orbs, but an unreadable emotion lurked beneath it. "I need to go. The rogue attacks."

"Vince," I said pointlessly. It had only been a second, but he turned away, following behind Xavier toward the exit. I could've stopped him, reached my hand out, and pulled him back. I could've forced him and Xavier to stay here. I even could've leached onto them so they'd have no choice but to drag me with them. But he made his choice. And if leaving me here was what he wanted then I'd let him.

Before he shut the council doors, he turned around to give me one last apologetic look before mind-linking me, that was me. It wasn't my wolf, it was me. And the time before too.

And with the sound of the door closing, my knees buckled, my chest burning as feverish as the flame his lips left on mine.