Chapter 81

Lionel’s POV

I had finally atoned for my actions.

It took time. There was no easy way out. I had damaged almost every ounce of trust between us.

But I did not give up. I bore Nan’s disdain and anger as gracefully as I could. Allowing myself to embrace the consequences of my actions.

It took the final piece of the puzzle from the ancient text to put things into perspective for me. And hadn’t that been a punch to my gut? All of Nan’s struggles became crystal clear.

No wonder she had lied to me. Looking back at my disgusted reaction at her true status and everything she had been through simply by her low-born connections…I finally understood her.

Now I am finally bearing the fruits of my labors.

I had been surrounded by her warm and happy scent all day. The barely hidden grin peeking out behind a thoughtful facade at my expense. The liquid silver her eyes lightened into at our daughter’s defense of her.

It had been perfect.

Of course, my brother’s unwelcome voice shattered my contentment.

“What are you doing here?” I say icily.

“So welcoming, oh brother of mine.” He teases. Either unaware or ignoring my cold reception.

‘He knows very well just how displeased I am,’ I think. His habit of pushing my boundaries only pushes the bounds of my temper.

“It’s hard to be welcoming to someone who just barges into your house without any notice.” I reply scathingly.

“Since when did family need an invite?” He asks.

“When family stabbed me in the back and went against my will.” I growl.

I had punished my mother in her role. Joseph on the other hand…he was slippery. Hard to call out his role in events when he stayed ambiguous.

Insulting Nan? He could argue they were truths or a certain perspective. He could toe the edge of the line…but never crossed it.

Helping my mother humiliate Nan? He would say he was only acting under our mother’s orders. That he never directly ordered her humiliation.

Joseph was just careful enough not to get involved in that fraud mess either. No…mother acted on her own in that. I could not pin that one on him.

So I have no reasonable grounds to expel him from my house. To deny him access to myself or his nieces. It is infuriating.

That did not mean I would pretend to be friendly with him.

“Little brother. When have I ever stabbed you in the back?” He asks in false cheer.

Yet I sense a hint of anger in his voice. It throws me off. What does he have to be angry about?

I purse my lips. “Why are you here?” I repeat.

“I’m just here to see my little brother.” He answers.

I glare at him. He smiles back. Teeth nearly bared.

Tension settles in the air. Neither of us are backing down. My wolf lurking beneath my skin.

“It’s a bit late for a visit. It’s been a long day for everyone.” Nan’s voice cuts in.

Joseph looks away first. It does not feel as though I have won. Not when his gaze is focused so purposefully on her.

“Nan. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.” He says to her.

“Joseph.” She acknowledges.

The reservation in her response pleases me. There is not an ounce of kindness to her voice. None of the warmth she has shown me.

‘Good.’ My wolf growls. ‘Her smiles should only be aimed at me and our daughters.’

But Joseph does not take the hint. No. Her coolness seems to spur him on.

“You look great. Practically radiant.” He compliments.

“Thanks.” She says flatly.

I growl lowly. The slight flash of Joseph’s eyes tell me he has heard me. I know from the toothiness to his smile that he will not back down.

He steps closer. Nan moves back slightly.

“Joseph.” I bark out warningly.

“Look at those pretty rosy cheeks.” He leers.

My jealousy is acid on my tongue. I still had not mastered it. Not when it comes to Nan.

“Is that for me?” He says softly.

“No.” Nan bites out.

Her hands ball into a fist. The defiance in her expression daring him to move closer. Joseph does not get the message.

He reaches his hand to run his fingertips along her cheeks. “I’m sure I could bring even more color to your face. Give it a shot.”

I am hanging onto my temper by a fraying thread. Nan has no such restraint. She pulls her arm back and thrust her fist forward.

The flesh beneath her hand gives way with a crunch. Joseph staggers back and curses. Blood streaming out of his now broken nose.

He glared wrathfully at her. I smirked. I sensed the shift in his body before he ever moved.

His entire body tensed and he lunged at her. The last of my temper snapped. I was moving on pure instinct.

I roared. ‘HE TRIED TO HURT HER,’ My wolf was feral. ‘MAKE HIM BLEED.’

I grabbed him by his throat and slammed him to the floor. He tried to get out of my grip. His legs kicked out and hit my stomach brutally.

But I was too enraged to feel the pain. He had pushed me to far this time. My fists slammed into his body without restraint.

His grunts of pain are nothing to me. His feeble attempts to strike back are weak compared to my forceful bows. It is not a fight…it is a beating.

I knew in the back of my mind that I should be holding back. That I had been too stressed and on edge to be dealing with Joseph’s insolence. My wolf had already been on edge from the anniversary of Katya’s death looming so close.

I couldn’t begin to unburden myself. Not to Nan. I did not want to involved her in the darkness that lays there.

“…enough! LIONEL ENOUGH!” Nan shouted.

It broke my angry haze. I blinked down at my bloodied brother. His body a mess of blood and bruises.

I slowly stand up. Nan reaches her hand out to steady me. Her silent support settling some of my still churning rage.

Joseph stands on unsteady feet. He looks pathetic. But even now there is no ounce of remorse or submission for his alpha.

It wipes away any guilt I might have felt at losing my temper.

“You will pay for this.” He snarls at me.

‘He heckled us until we both lost our tempers,’ I think in outrage. ‘Yet he still has the nerve to play the wronged victim.’

I scoff. “If you dare to defy me again…I will have you exiled from the pack.” I threaten.

Josephs freezes. I glare back. Letting him know I am deathly serious about this.

Joseph finally bares his neck. I only smirk back coldly. My wolf baying for blood still.

“Get out.” I order.

Nan’s POV

I have a bad feeling that this is far from over.

I did not know Joseph well. I had no desire to. But I knew proud, insecure men like him.

I saw the little tick in his jaw. The resentful fire in his eyes just before he lowered them. His clenched fist as he bared his neck in false submission.

No…this was far from over. I looked over at Lionel’s smug face. Yet I had more pressing concerns.

I thought I had recognized a strange quality to his behavior. Something brewing beneath the surface. But I had not broached the subject to him in fear of rocking the boat when I had only just gotten settled.

From the violence of his reaction…the unhinged anger…I knew I had waited too long.

“What the hell was that?” I turn to Lionel.

“I’m sorry about him. That should keep him quiet for a while.” Lionel smiles at me.

‘Doubt that,’ I think. But I do not comment out loud on it.

“I’ve seen you like that. What’s wrong?” I continue.

“I was just defending you.” He argues.

“No…you were beating him.” I throw back.

“He insulted and attacked you!”

“He’s said worse before. I defended myself.” I say.

“All you had to do was prevent his attack. Instead you…” I trail off.

The unspoken words ‘savagely beat’ lingering between us.

“I’m just worried about you.” I finish. Imploring him to open up to me.

I see the struggle in his eyes. “It’s just stress.” He finally claims.

“Let’s go check on the girls. I want to make sure my idiot brother did not wake them.” He chuckles half-heartedly.

I quietly follow. Thinking. Considering.

Entirely convinced of his excuse.