Page 113 of His Atonement

I get to my knees, lay Frankie at the base of the altar, position her as I did both Tolan and Ellida many years ago, then go against what was taught to me and kiss her for the absolute final time.

"What the fuck is this?" Allie screams, her voice echoing off the walls. "What did you do to my cousin?"

I stand, never take my eyes off of Frankie then take one single step back. "I did nothing but love her completely."

"Bullshit! Bullshit, you demon seed motherfucker. You did this to her, didn't you? Your evil, fucked up soul is what did this to her!"

Allie comes flying into my peripheral vision, tries to get to my mate but the eldest dragon—my brother— practically clotheslines her around the waist, wraps her in his arms tightly and begins whispering in her ear. "You cannot touch her,rose môjho srdca. This is not the demon’s doing, but you cannot touch her."

"The fuck I can't. Look at her!" Allie sobs. "She needs help. She can't just lay there like that! We have to help her. I have to help her."

"She cannot be helped, Allie,” Andrej whispers. "Frankie is already gone."

"No! No. Fuck that. She is not gone." Allie fights against her mate hard. "She's right fucking there and she is not gone!"

"Allie, honey.” Grace steps between the hysterical female fighting her mate and myself. "Honey, she's gone. We can feel it, smell it. Frankie is gone, honey, and you absolutely cannot touch her now."

"She can't be gone!" Allie sobs as her body finally gives up the fight. "My cousin can't be gone. We were supposed to celebrate our first Thanksgiving without Granny together, do Christmas pictures of the kids…" Tears stream down her face. "We were supposed to give thirty-seven a big fuck you because age doesn't matter anymore… we were… she can't be gone."

A small hand slips into mine as a warm cheek presses against my arm. "Zan… Zan, I am so sorry.” Cora releases a shaky breath as she squeezes my hand. "I am so fucking sorry."

I barely squeeze her hand back and have no time to respond at all because Allie gets a second wind and wiggles out of Andrej's grip.

"Don't you fucking apologize to this bastard." She screams as she winds up and slaps me in the face. “It’s his fucking fault Frankie is gone! She was fine until she mated him and now she's gone and—"

“Enough!” Kai barks into the cave as he comforts his crying mate. "Enough of this before you do or say something else you shall regret. You will not insult their bond, not while he is clearly mourning his mate, and you will get your shit under control so we can find out what the fuck happened."

Allie stares daggers at me as Andrej ushers her away, but not without clapping me on the back with a look that speaks volumes, the unshed tears in his eyes clearly conveying it for him.

"I want the core clan in the dining room immediately,” Kai says firmly. "This calls for a serious meeting, one I'm sure no one wants to have but will all the same.” Then he steps beside me, and places a hand on my shoulder. ”Do you need more time with her?"

I shake my head when I want to screamyes.Yes, I want more fucking time with my mate, I want all the fucking time in the world with her alive and breathing, living with me forever in our bond. I want to scream at this fucker that there is no more time, none to be spent the way I want it to, but I can't fucking change that so he and everyone else can get fucked and leave us the hell alone.

But no, I say none of that and just shake my fucking head.

"Dining room as soon as you're ready then.” Kai nods, squeezes my shoulder one more time, but as he turns I stop him.

"The living room,” I whisper, eyes still locked on my mate.

Kai pauses. "The living room?"

"Yes. We should meet in the living room. It will be easier."

He arches a dark black brow but says nothing.

"All will be explained soon enough. Just call your meeting in the living room."

"Consider it done."

Then it's just me, my sister, and my mate.

"I'm sorry, Zan.” Cora sniffles. "For this, for your pain and heartache. For the way Allie went bananas and slapped you."

A small smile pulls at my lips. "It did not hurt. The dragon needs to better teach his mate in hand-to-hand combat."

Cora chuckles softly. "I know. Her form was all wrong."

"That it was." Must be a shared family trait. "Let us join the others, you need to get off your no doubt swollen feet."