Page 77 of Her Reborn Mate

“Please, for as long as you live, never scare me like that again. For those brief moments when I saw the explosion, my entire world shattered around me. I didn’t even know who I was anymore. Without you, I am nothing,” Will said, holding my body close to him. I wrapped my arms around him tightly, getting as much heat from his body as I could. Who knew the sea would be so cold?

While the rest of the pack dispersed, each of them going to their cars, bikes, and trucks, Will and I stood by his Jeep. He helped me get in, then closed the door. I immediately turned the heater on and turned the knob to maximum. Once the hot air started coming from the ducts, I felt myself returning to normal. Well, as close to normal as I could get. I was severely tired.

Will got inside the car. He was troubled, I could tell.

“What happened, my love?” I asked.

“Fred’s dead,” he said.

Somehow, I knew that this would happen. That Fred and Will would confront each other, and only one of them would make it. It was inevitable.

“I don’t know what to say. Do I say I’m sorry for your loss? Do I celebrate? It’s all so complicated,” I said.

He looked at me with relief in his eyes. “I was afraid I was the only one thinking this. I am so glad you said this. I am so conflicted right now. On the one hand, he was my brother, my only living relative. And on the other hand, he was possibly the biggest villain this town has ever seen. Do I mourn him, or do I cherish the fact that I ended his reign of terror?”

“It’s always complicated when it’s family. I am not at liberty to say that I understand what you’re going through. Do you know who can tell you how that feels? Vincent. His father was the epitome of evil. He somehow coped with it. He can tell you how that feels.”

“I don’t want to hear it from him. I’d rather hear it from my mate. What do you think I should do?”

“I think that you should mourn your brother. Whatever he was, whatever he did, at the end of the day, he was your brother, your blood. We can talk later about how vanquishing him was the right thing to do. Right now, you have to mourn him,” I said.

“It was so unbelievable, seeing his body fall on the cliffs like that,” Will said. Then he told me everything that had happened, including Fred revealing his motives for being against Will from the start and how Fred had tried to attack him but failed.

I placed my hand on his hand. “I think the right thing to do would be to recover his body and bury it.”

“Aren’t you cold? I thought we were headed straight home,” Will asked.

“No, Will. This is more important. Besides, the car’s heater has done plenty for me. I’m all right. Do you know where Fred’s body might be?”

“The last I saw of it was down by the rocks at the base of the cliff. We can make it to the rocks through Fiddler’s Cove. Do you think it’s a good idea to go and get his body?”

I could tell that Will really wanted to retrieve Fred’s body and bury it. We could hold off going back to the commune for a little while longer.

“Yes, Will. I think we should do that,” I said, kissing him on the cheek.

***

I did not let him go into the cove alone. Not after what had happened to me the last time I was here. Maurice had kidnapped me and imprisoned me for days.

Will followed me as I led him down the other end of the cove and down to the rocks. He needed me right now. I knew that he wouldn’t have been able to come here and retrieve the body by himself. It would have been too emotional for him to do so.

“Look,” I pointed at the far edge of the rocks.

Fred’s body, severely battered, was trapped between the rocks.

“Oh, god,” Will called. “My brother.”

“Don’t go feeling too sorry for him. Remember what he did. We’re only coming here to bury him as a courtesy because he’s your brother. Other than that, he’s been an entirely chaotic person. Or do you disagree?”

“It’s not about what’s right or wrong. It’s just…overwhelming to see the last of the Grimms there in the water, dead,” Will said.

“But he’s not the last of the Grimms. You are. And you won’t be for long. We’ll start a family, we’ll have kids, and they’ll carry on the Grimm line. Don’t you despair for one second, my love. This is not the end of the line for the Grimm family. I’m your family. I love you,” I said, holding him tightly and kissing him on his lips.

After I was done consoling him, Will bravely climbed down the rocks and came back with Fred’s dead body flung over his shoulder.

“I think it’s best if we buried him here by the sea,” I said.

“Why’s that?”

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