Page 47 of Royal Beast (Royals of the Underworld #1)

DARCY

I blink a few times, trying to focus as I reach for my buzzing phone. The moment I see the number, my stomach tightens. It’s the hospital.

A flicker of dread passes through me as I answer. “Hello?”

“Mrs. Brannagan, it’s Dr. Milton.” The familiar voice comes through the line, calm but grave.

“Dr. Milton,” I say, my voice catching as I sit up straight. Dr. Milton is the person overseeing my father’s care. “What’s wrong?”

There’s a brief pause, and then, “It’s your father. His condition has deteriorated significantly. If you want the chance to say goodbye, I recommend that you come now.”

The words hit me like a physical blow, my breath catching in my throat. “I’ll be right there,” I say, my voice a whisper in the dark.

I lower the phone, staring at the screen in disbelief. Kellan’s hand is already on my arm, his touch grounding me.

“That was Dr. Milton,” I whisper, looking at him. “It’s about Dad. They don’t think he’s going to make it.”

Kellan doesn’t waste a second. “We’ll go,” he says, throwing back the covers.

Moving on autopilot, I get dressed quickly, my hands trembling as I pull on a sweater and jeans. Kellan does the same, grabbing his phone as we move toward Rose’s room.

She’s fast asleep, her tiny form curled under the blankets, clutching her stuffed bunny. Guilt twists in my chest as I gently lift her into my arms, careful not to wake her. Kellan grabs her blanket and drapes it over her before we head out the door.

By the time we’re in the car, Kellan is already making calls. First he calls for Alannah. “Sorry to wake you,” he says, his voice apologetic. “I need you to meet us at the hospital. Rose is with us, but we need someone to stay with her while Darcy says goodbye to Max.”

I can’t hear her response, but he nods sharply. “Thank you. I’ll send Brody or Miles to help you out once we’re there.”

He makes a series of quick calls as we drive, the flurry of activity keeping my mind distracted, but as we pull into the hospital parking lot, reality crashes over me again. My father is dying.

Kellan parks the car, and we walk into the hospital together. Rose stirs in my arms, her little fist clutching the front of my sweater. I kiss the top of her head as we step into the brightly lit lobby, the smell of antiseptic making my stomach churn.

Kellan keeps a steady hand on the small of my back, guiding me toward the waiting room. Rose stirs again, her sleepy murmurs a quiet reminder of everything still worth fighting for.

“You go to him,” Kellan says softly, his voice grounding me. “I’ll wait here for Alannah and the others.”

I nod, though my legs feel like lead as I force myself to keep walking. The hallway to Max’s room feels endless, every step echoing louder than the last. When I finally reach the door, I hesitate, my hand hovering over the handle.

Taking a shaky breath, I push it open.

Inside, the room is quiet except for the faint hum of machines and the raspy sound of Max’s breathing. He looks so small in the bed, so frail, so pale, and nothing like the larger-than-life man who raised me.

His eyes flutter open, and for a moment, he just stares at me as if trying to figure out who I am, but then he cracks a small smile. “Darcy,” he says, his voice weak but sounding happy to see me.

I pull the chair closer to his bedside and sit, swallowing back the lump in my throat. “Hi, Papa.”

He smiles faintly, though it’s tinged with sadness. “You shouldn’t have come, but I’m glad you did.”

“Of course I came,” I whisper, reaching for his hand. His skin is cold and paper-thin, a stark reminder of how little time we have left.

For a moment, we just sit in silence. Then he breaks it with a wheezy chuckle. “You always were stubborn.”

A sad laugh escapes me. “I wonder where I got that from.”

Max’s frail fingers twitch slightly against mine, his gaze soft but full of emotion. He lets out a shaky breath.

“I’ve been a damn fool, Darcy,” he says finally. “I thought I was doing what was best for you. I thought keeping you away from Kellan would protect you. I told myself he wasn’t good enough, that he’d drag you into a life you didn’t deserve.”

I swallow hard, my heart aching at the raw honesty in his tone.

“But the truth is… I was afraid of losing you,” he continues. “Of seeing you hurt, or worse, because of me. I thought pushing you away from him would somehow keep you safe. And in the process, I nearly lost you anyway.” His voice cracks on the last word, and I grip his hand tighter.

“You never lost me,” I whisper, tears threatening to spill over.

His lips quirk in a weak smile, but his eyes are glassy. “I almost did. And that’s on me. I see now that you’re happier when you’re with him. I fought so hard to keep you apart because I thought it was for the best, but I was wrong.”

A deep breath rattles in his chest, and his expression grows even more earnest. “Darcy, I don’t have much time left, and I can’t change the past. But I can do this for you.

I can tell you that if Kellan is who makes you happy, then that’s all that matters to me now.

I don’t care what mistakes he’s made or what life he’s lived.

If he loves you—and I can see that he does—then he has my blessing. You have my blessing.”

Tears blur my vision as I shake my head, overwhelmed. “Papa…”

He squeezes my hand with surprising strength. “All I’ve ever wanted was for you to be happy, sweetheart. I love you, even if I didn’t always show it in the right way. You’re my whole world, kiddo. And I want you to have the life you deserve with whoever you choose.”

I let out a quiet sob, leaning forward to press my forehead to our joined hands. “Thank you,” I whisper.

Max exhales, his shoulders sinking into the bed as if a weight has been lifted. He gazes at me, his face a mix of sadness and pride.

“When you were born, you were so tiny,” he begins, looking out the window as he speaks. “But you had these big, fiery eyes, like you already knew you were meant to take on the world. I used to sit by your crib and wonder how I got so lucky, what I’d done to deserve you.”

His breath hitches, and he takes a moment to collect himself. “I wasn’t always a good father. I know that. I let my demons get the better of me too many times. But even without my help, you grew into this incredible woman. Better than I ever could have dreamed.”

I can’t stop the tears from falling now.

“I’m proud of you, Darcy,” he says, his voice thick with emotion. “So damn proud. And I’m sorry I didn’t say it enough when I had the chance.”

“You were there for me, Dad,” I manage, my voice shaking. “Even when you weren’t perfect, you were still my dad. You taught me how to fight, how to stand my ground. That’s part of why I’m here today. You didn’t fail me.”

He closes his eyes for a moment, a single tear slipping down his cheek. “Thank you,” he whispers.

The room falls quiet, but it’s a peaceful silence. I just sit there, holding his hand, memorizing every line of his face, every breath he takes, knowing this might be the last time I ever get to.

As I hold his hand, Kellan steps into the room. His eyes meet mine for a moment before shifting to Max. The tension in the air is thick, but Max doesn’t hesitate.

“Kellan,” he says, his voice rough. “I owe you an apology.”

Kellan stands still, his gaze softening. “You don’t owe me anything.”

Max’s breath hitches, but he pushes through. “I’m sorry for what I did. I know now that you’ve always been there for her when I wasn’t. I want you to look after her when I’m gone, okay?”

Kellan nods, his voice quiet but firm. “I’ll take care of her. I promise.”

Max looks at him with a rare sincerity. “Thank you for everything you’ve done. You’re a good man, Kellan. I know about how you paid off my debts, about paying for the hospital bills.” He pauses, gathering strength. “You’re a better man than I’ve ever been. I misjudged you. I’m sorry.”

Kellan’s gaze drops briefly, then meets Max’s with deep respect. “Thank you.”

He breathes in, the sound rattling and harsh, and then closes his eyes. I grab his hand and bring it to my mouth to kiss it.

“I love you. Say goodbye to Rose for me,” he whispers. Then he takes his last breath and suddenly, he’s gone.

An icy cold numbness spreads over me and I feel myself choking back tears, Kellan gathering me in his arms as I start to sob. I can’t believe it’s over. He’s gone. My father is gone.

My papa is dead.

I sob for a while, the torrent of emotions flooding me as I process everything. Once I’ve quieted down, I realize that Kellan has me sitting in his lap, the two of us perched on the hospital room’s chair together.

Looking up at him, I take a deep, shaky breath. “When I was young…” I pause, the memory coming back unbidden. “Max tried to make this luxury pet fashion line. He didn’t know jack shit about fashion, or animals, and it fizzled out fast. He was always full of those dumb get-rich-quick schemes.”

I close my eyes, a ghost of a smile on my face. “But when I was in high school, he came up with something that I actually thought could work. It was an all-natural cleaning product. You might have heard of it. He called it MaxFresh.”

Kellan’s eyes widen in surprise and he nods.

I sniffle. “Anyway, I convinced him to patent it, and he made a pitch with one of the big box stores and they bought it, and he made a ton of money. Enough to buy the house that we were in.”

Taking a deep breath, I continue. “I think he realized how much of a useless bum he’d been while I was growing up, how much money he wasted chasing his dreams, and maybe that’s why he started gambling around that time.

He wanted to make up for lost time, make sure we’d never feel the sting of poverty again. ”

Kellan nods and strokes my back, just listening. “I wish it were different,” I say, balling my hands into fists. “But I know now why he did it. Doesn’t make it right, but I understand.”

The tears start up again and Kellan holds me close, letting me cry. His eyes mist over, and knowing I’m not alone in my grief helps the tears slow down.

Dr. Milton politely knocks on the door and enters. “It’s time,” he says, giving me a soft, sad smile.

I nod, reaching out to take Kellan’s hand as we stand up.

“We have to tell Rose,” I say, my voice tight.

“She deserves to know,” he agrees, wrapping an arm around me as we leave the room.