Page 90 of The Order

“Your mother said you would forget Fallan so long as you never found your connection with him. We thought making you hate him would be enough this time. Hours in her medical clinic, utilizing the full extent of your chip’s capabilities to lock away those memories, all of which are reduced to a few files on a computer. Why couldn't you just leave it all alone?” he says, glancing at the screen.

“What are you doing, Dad?” I question, stepping back as he raises the device toward me.

“Any world in which you believe he is alive won't work. I can't protect him, or you if I let your connection grow. Each day, you seem to get closer to a reality I cannot protect you from. An hour in your mother’s clinic, and we can properly ensure you get the help you need to save you both,” he continues.

I back into the study's door, jiggling the lock that won't budge. My father stands before me, pressing the device to the side of my head. I stare him down. His brows are furrowed in frustration as he waits for the blinking light, indicating the connection to my chip that will never come because of what I did.

“Why? Why make me forget him?” I question shakily, watching his eyes pass over my own with despair.

“You wake a sleeping giant within one another, a giant that they will come looking for,” my father says, the smell of alcohol brushing against my nose. “If they find you, I’ll have failed you both,” he says, my throat burning with fear.

“Who are 'they' Dad?” I question, unsure if I want the response.

“They won’t find you,” he says. His words roll off his tongue with ease.

“No chips matching, Forest Blackburn,”the device announces robotically.

My dad’s eyes fly up to me, touching the space behind my ear with wide eyes. I take the moment of his confusion to shove him away, forcing my back against the door and using my legs to get him as far away from me as possible. He drops the device, letting it hit the floor with a thud. My hand encloses around the small device, shakily looking over its confusing screen, seeing the broad list of chips nearby. I see Kai and Adam quickly deleting my brother's name from the list of favorites. I point the device at my father, watching his name pop up on the screen. His chip blinks slowly as it begins to pair. He rises to his feet, holding his hands up in surrender.

“You removed your chip?” he questions, his voice shaky.

“I removed their poison,” I correct him, lowering my eyes at him in anger.

“H-how are you not dead?" my father questions, his eyes seem hopeful I have an answer.

“Maybe I didn’t do it alone,” I say, reflecting on the Shifter from last night, urging me to set myself free.

I click my father’s name, watching the worry pass over his face. I see the code now, waiting for me to type my first command.

“If you make me forget this, Forest, there is no guarantee I can protect you. The Marked-” he begins, I cut him off.

“The Marked are not the threat,” I whisper, typing in my commands.

“I know,” my father begins, undoing the buttons on his arms as he begins to work on moving up his sleeves.

Forget the footage you’ve seen of your daughter and Fallan Markswood. Delete all evidence and do not investigate what happened.

I type in, watching him move in my peripheral.

“The Marked roam among us in plain sight,” my father says shakily, trying to pull me away from my focus.

“Me included,” he whispers.

My head snaps up, almost dropping the device once he holds his wrist up for me to see. A mark as clear as day coats his skin, the same mark that paints my upper hip. I feel my hand lower the device to my side, my mouth hanging open. A flood of questions begins to enter my mind, ready to make me implode.

“Your mother and I thought we could protect your secret,” he says, squeezing his eyes shut as he speaks. “We thought we could protect you from him,” he finishes, making a thought pass over my mind.

“Who’s him? Fallan?” I question, feeling nauseous once he shakes his head no.

“There's so much you don’t know-”

“Will you keep coming after them?” I cut him off, watching his brows drop, “Will you keep coming after Fallan and all of the other innocent Marked and Unfortunates?” I question, watching his frown drop.

“It's not my call-”

“Will you?” I question again, feeling my emotions threaten to explode from me.

He pauses, both of us aware of an answer neither wants to say out loud.

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