Page 12 of Beast: Part Two

Yesterday, we were finally able to move Summer from Doc’s to the ghost house. The pain meds she’s on have her in and out. She sleeps most of the day.

Lucien and I both turn to the kitchen door at the sound of footsteps. Maksim walks in. He’s wearing a black tank top and basketball shorts. It’s a bit weird how much he and Beast favor. It isn’t just their looks that are so much alike. Yes, they share the same eyes, but it’s more of their demeanor that is alike. He even walks the same way Beast does. However, one thing is completely different, Maksim isn’t as standoffish as his brother.

“How’s Summer?” I ask.

Even though Beast has not shown up, Maksim has proudly taken his brother’s place at Summer’s side. He sits with her every day, talking and reading to her.

“Same as the day before,” he says in his accent. “Doc says he will wean her off the meds tomorrow. She’s going to be asking for him.”

He doesn’t have to explain whoheis.

“She’s still calling out his name in her sleep?” I ask.

It is the most heartbreaking thing to witness. She cries for him and he’s not there to console her.

“Yes. More frequently now,” Maksim says grabbing a water bottle out of the fridge. He twists off the top before guzzling the liquid down.

I understood Beast’s need to be away from us. Whatever is in his head wants to kill us. It was made clear at Doc’s when he nearly stabbed me. I know he’s keeping his distance for our safety. But I also know that he needs to be here. His family needs him.

“I feel like we need to be doing something,” Lucien says pushing his laptop away from him.

“So far, we can’t find Beast and you haven’t been able to get in contact with Robert. I feel like we’re just twiddling our thumbs.”

“We are being smart, Twin. Rushing out there now with no plan and no idea what we’re up against is stupid. We’re smarter than that.”

“Yeah, well you don’t have a pregnant wife that needs to see her OBGYN.” I turn at the sound of Hawk’s voice.

He, Many, and Zel are at the entrance of the kitchen.

“He’s right, Priest. Malia and Ari both need to see their doctors too. Malia is in her second trimester and Ari isn’t far behind,” Lucien adds.

“Not until we figure out what we are up against.”

The guys sigh, letting out their frustration.

“Look, in all honesty…” Lucien’s words get cut off when my phone rings in my pocket.

I quickly pull the device out and hold it up to my ear.

“This is Priest.”

“Well, hello, young Nathaniel. It’s been a while.” Robert’s voice comes through the phone.

“Where the hell have you been?” I say through clenched teeth.

He chuckles. “I was out of the country. I’m assuming you’re about to cash in one of those favors.”

“You bet your ass. We need to talk about—"

“Not over the phone.” He cuts me off abruptly. “My flight just landed. Meet me at the house in Boxwood in an hour.”

The phone goes dead, letting me know he’s disconnected. Placing my phone back in my pocket, I turn to the boys,

“You want action, we got it. Suit up, we’re going out.”

We were out of the house in twenty minutes. Hawk and Many stayed home with the women. Even though Albany, Ari, and Ms. Reese are highly trained, I still didn’t trust leaving them alone at the house. As I told the boys, we still have no idea what we are up against.

Exactly an hour after getting off the phone with Robert, we pulled up to his Tudor style mansion in the suburbs not far outside of NYC.

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