Page 67 of Tangled Fates

“This is different, the pull will be different, and if he’s around her more, the bond is going to be impossible to ignore,” he explained.

I smiled as a plan started forming in my head.

“Then we don’t give him a chance to leave,” I said.

Soren laughed. “I was just thinking the same thing brother.”

We sat in silence again before he sighed.

“I did love her,” Soren whispered. “I loved her even though I knew my best friend loved her. Now that I think about it, though, I don’t know if I ever truly loved her like she deserved.”

“No, I guess we couldn’t love her like we should have,” I said standing up. “It doesn’t hurt less though, and I hate that she knew this was going to happen to her.”

“Something weird is going on with that spell and those wolves,” Soren said, looking at the tower again. “I feel like her mother is tied to it too.”

“Come on, we've spent enough time away from her,” I said, pushing him with my shoulder. “Maybe she can ease our sadness with her sunshine.”

“I need her sunshine like I need air to breathe and the blood that keeps me alive,” Soren said as we walked to the door of the tower.

I grinned at my twin. “I like to see you soft like this.”

“I’m not fucking soft,” He shoved me before he opened the door.

I chuckled.

“Whatever you say, brother,” I teased, as we walked up the stairs hearing loud stomping.

Ryder was coming down the stairs quickly, looking even more angry. He also smelled like Sunshine which instantly made me nervous.

“What happened?” Soren snapped, getting in Ryder's way.

His eyes flashed yellow.

“I thought I could come inside, but I was wrong,” he snarled. “I can smell her everywhere.”

He was shaking like he was losing control again.

“It’s ok to want her, Ryder,” I said softly, really hoping he didn’t wolf out on us.

“I just lost the love of my life, I don’t need this shit,” he growled through gritted teeth.

“Ryder,” I said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

“I thought maybe it was fate that brought us back together.” He looked up. “That this was our chance to be together; I thought I had fucking time. This is all fucked up because of her.”

He looked back up the stairs and I had to tell myself that it was his grief talking.

“No, it's no one's fault except the Belladonnas for putting that stupid spell on those wolves and involving generations of people who had nothing to do with their feud,” Soren said angrily. “You need to be mad at the right people because we wouldn’t be here if we didn’t have to help Serena and in turn, Serena wouldn’t be dead.”

Ryder didn’t respond, pushing past us and stomping down the stairs.

My gut twisted, feeling like this was the beginning of the end as partners and friends. It hurt to think that this might tear us apart.

“He just needs time,” Soren said. “Once his grief isn’t so dominant, I’m really hoping he comes back to us.”

God, this would be the best-case scenario, but I wasn’t going to hold my breath.

Soren and I went upstairs stopping by the workshop to see if she was still there. The room was overwhelmingly saturated in the scent of Oria. The place was clean, but the jugs that used to be lined up along the wall were gone and it looked like she had made more vials.

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