Page 18 of Broken Bonds

He gives me a clipped nod and moves over to the other bed in the room. Forde finds a place to relax on the unattractive green couch in the living room, making himself comfortable while he tries to doze.

We were fortunate enough to get the biggest room they have, which contains a living area, kitchen, bathroom, and a room with two queen beds. The carpet in the various rooms is a dingy beige color while the walls feature old-fashioned wallpaper. The furniture is dated, but sturdy and really, I don’t much give a damn about how the room itself looks. It’s just where I’m going to lay my head until I watch my brother be laid to rest.

I finally conclude that it would be better to sit up and do something instead of lying there, listening to the never-ending array of questions in my head. I dig my phone out of my pocket and unlock it. At the top of my call log is the number the lawyer called me from, which was the last call I’d received.

I hesitate for only a brief moment before I finally give in and allow my thumb to press down on the number. The line rings twice before it clicks.

“Roberts and Sanderson’s Law. How may I help you?” A cheery voice echoes down through the speakers.

I clear my throat. “Uh, can I speak to Mr. Roberts, please?”

“Who may I tell him is calling?”

“Link Drevet.”

“Hold please.”

The line clicks before classical music fills the void. I blow out a breath when I notice Forde and Rion crowd around me, sitting on the bed, jostling me.

Nosy fuckers.

I listen to the gods awful classical music for two minutes before the line clicks again — finally — and Mr. Robert’s voice echoes through the speaker.

“Mr. Drevet? I only spoke to you a few hours ago. What can I do for you? I’m afraid there’s no news from their omega yet. It only happened yesterday evening.”

So, I was right. My brother had gotten himself a pack. And they all left behind an omega.

Fuck.

“Yes, I know. You said you’d call when you knew the funeral date so I could come down. Thing is, I’m already in Crystalwood. I came straight down from Ariel Cove after your call. I was wondering if it would be possible for me to know my brother’s address. It’d be nice to meet his omega before everything happens.” My throat constricts, but I push past it. “I’d also like to know about Lake’s life.”

It’s silent on the other end for so long, I worry I may have dropped the call or something. I pull the phone back and check just in case, but no. Still connected.

“Mr. Roberts?” I call out when I don’t get a response.

He clears his throat. “Uh, well. You see, Mr. Drevet.” He sighs. “Honestly, Omega Daniels doesn’t know about you from what I know. At least, that’s the impression I got when Alpha Daniels met with me the last time he did. Actually, none of them had any family. Their pack was it. Aside from you, of course. From my understanding, Lake never told her about you.”

It feels like a punch to the gut.

“But he and I look just alike!” I burst out. “I have his face, Mr. Roberts. You don’t think this omega deserves a warning before she sees me at the funeral?”

“Of course!” he sputters out before getting himself under control. “But I also don’t think she needs to see you today. Especially today, actually. I received a call from her friend earlier that she’d gone to the morgue to identify the bodies this afternoon. She’s in a very fragile state already, but today really upset her from what Miss Jillian said, so she told me it would be a few days before they got back to me with funeral arrangements. Seeing you after she just saw him like that may not be in her best interest.”

It feels like a stone sinks in my gut as I try to suck in a deep breath.

She went and identified his body today.

I don’t want to remember him like that, but I can’t help but wonder if I would be allowed to see him.

No.

That’s not a good idea. I don’t need that image branded in my head for the rest of eternity.

Dammit.

“Okay. I won’t go see her today. Could I just get the address so I can go before the funeral, so she won’t be surprised?” I ask finally.

He relents, rattling off an address about thirty minutes from where we are now, deep in the mountains and woods based on what Forde shows me with the map on his phone. They lived off the grid, it seems. Away from civilization. Or at least, far enough away they wouldn’t be bothered with the day-to-day grind of city living.

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