Page 22 of I Replaced His Husband
"Yeah? What happened?"
He paused, and when he finally spoke, it was in a hushed voice. I could tell it took everything he had to say it.
"Storm got arrested. Tom accused him of violence, abuse… even rape. And it looks bad. Apparently, there are witnesses, and he was medically examined. They found bruises, maybe more."
I froze.
Storm was just a year and a half younger than me. He was the onlypurple alphaamong us. Of all eight brothers, he was the one I got along with the least, and the rest of us mostly felt the same.
He’d always been kind of an outlier. I never knew if it was his blunt, arrogant personality that made him that way, or if we were all just a little jealous of his rare status. Maybe he could sense it, and that tension kept him at a distance from us.
I figured he’d married Tom because of his light, seemingly sunny personality. Storm was intense, a little rough around the edges. Tom’s cheerfulness probably balanced that out. It was a classic opposites-attract kind of thing.
But a chill ran through me now, because a part of me believed he might actually be guilty. He’d always been more violent than the rest of us, more aggressive, his alien heritage stronger, more prominent. There were times when he seemed barely restrained, like something wild was lurking just under his skin.
"Do you think he really did it?" I asked, my voice just a whisper. I hated even saying it. Storm had always seemed like Dad’s favorite in some unspoken way. He never said it, never showed it outright, but we all kind of felt it. I had a hunch the others sensed it too. Maybe that’s where some of the old resentment came from?
"I don’t believe that, Rain. I just don’t. I know how I raised him. Storm knows my past, what I went through. He’d never treat any omega like that."
His voice carried that deep, unwavering certainty only a parent could have about a son he loves with all his heart.
But I wasn’t so sure. I remembered my fights with Storm all too well. Even though I was a year and a half older, once we hit adolescence, I’d often walk away from those skirmishes bruised and embarrassed that my younger brother could take me down so easily.
Maybe he really did do it? Maybe there was some truth to it. He was always quicker to anger. If Tom had done something, like cheat, for instance, who knew how Storm would react?
Still, for Dad’s sake, I decided to take Storm’s side.
"Tom was always kind of sketchy. I never liked him much. And during the last holiday get-together, I swear he was trying to flirt with me."
Dad let out a huff. "Yeah, Tom was never exactly right for Storm. Even if they were Half Mates."
"Totally self-absorbed. And fake as hell."
Dad didn’t comment. He just sighed.
"Call Storm when you get a chance."
My body tensed instinctively.
"Uh… but didn’t you say he’s been arrested?"
"He’s getting out on bail tomorrow. I’m sure he’d really appreciate a little support from the family."
No way around it. I sighed.
"You know he and I probably got along the least out of all of us. I doubt he’s sitting there hoping I’ll call."
Dad gave a short, impatient snort.
"Skye said the same thing. And Sun. And Bay. And Winter."
"Why am I not surprised? Storm was always a bully!"
Dad went quiet. I could feel the weight of it, the pain of a parent knowing one of his sons had become so isolated. Maybe it made him feel like he’d failed us somehow, raising a kid the rest of us had turned our backs on. I already knew how much he blamed himself for River, the only omega among us, who cut off contact with the family years ago. And now this? Another one drifting out of reach?
"I’ll think about it," I muttered, jaw clenched.
Silence again.
