life. I tasted your blood in my mouth.” He lowered his head. “I almost killed you.”
This was pure insanity. After more than a year, he still blamed himself? I had to put an end to this. “You were under my mother’s control.” Marcus wouldn’t look at me. “I watched you try to fight back. I don’t blame you for any of it.”
“You don’t get it, Rowan,” he said, voice louder than usual. “It’s much easier to forget when something is done to you. But when you inflict pain on someone you care about, it’s impossible to forgive yourself.”
His refusal to let go was making me angry. The tension in my shoulders started to burn. “Actually Marcus, you did cause me pain. But not the way you think.”
“What are you talking about?” he asked, eyebrows furrowed.
“The greatest pain I ever felt came when I read your letter. A letter explaining why my best friend couldn’t stand to be around me. A letter asking me not to look for you because you wanted to be by yourself.” He started to walk away, and I grabbed him by the forearm. “I would have rather died from my wounds than lose your friendship.”
We both stood silent.
Marcus took an exaggerated breath. “I’m sorry about the letter. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but clearly it wasn’t. I should’ve talked it out with you.”
I hadn’t realized how angry I was over the letter until the words came out. I had always assumed it was about the loss of my wings. But in reality, it was about Marcus walking away from me, and the year I spent wondering if we would ever speak again. “We’re both idiots.”
“Pretty much.” He agreed.
“But you can still be my wingman.” I said, smirking.
Marcus waved his hands. “No way, you can be my wingman.”
I crossed my arms. “It’s so obvious I’m Batman and you’re Robin.”
Marcus chuckled. “Aren’t you forgetting I’m older and stronger than you? I am clearly Batman.”
“Okay, okay, Batman and Robin is a bad analogy. But I’m definitely He-Man.” I started laughing. “And you’re Battle Cat.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You wish you were He-Man.”
“Don’t get your fur in a bundle over it.” I patted him on the back. “Battle Cat is just as important as He-Man.”
The corner of his mouth curled. “I’m starting to understand why no one likes you.”
I pretended to wipe sweat from my brow. “Being a hero comes with many burdens.”
Marcus rolled his eyes. “I think I liked you better when you were unconscious.”
By the time we reached the edge of the abandoned city, the sky had darkened into night. It had become difficult to see much farther than a couple of yards in front of us. About a block away, I noticed some activity in front of a large brick building. It wasn’t in the best condition—most of the windows were shattered and there was a large hole on the side of the exterior. As we got closer, a few hounds made their way outside. Most were in their mortal form, except one.
“Be cautious with your words, Rowan. It’s easy to set them off.” Marcus warned.
This wasn’t my first time dealing with the hounds. I was well aware of the dangers. “I know what I’m doing.”
“That’s what concerns me.”
Darius stepped out of the building, pausing when he noticed us. Even in his mortal form, he stood above his pack. He wore a pair of jeans and a sleeveless white shirt that showed off his massive biceps. His muscles made most professional athletes look like horse jockeys. I glanced over at Marcus. His back was straight with his hands clenched at his sides. There was no doubt that he wasn’t expecting this meeting to go well.
My own thoughts were pretty close to his, but I couldn’t show fear. The hounds had to see me as a leader—their king. Otherwise, they’d never side with me. Rather than wait for Darius to make a move, I headed straight for him. I didn’t stop until I was right in front of him. Marcus wasn’t far behind. “I
This was pure insanity. After more than a year, he still blamed himself? I had to put an end to this. “You were under my mother’s control.” Marcus wouldn’t look at me. “I watched you try to fight back. I don’t blame you for any of it.”
“You don’t get it, Rowan,” he said, voice louder than usual. “It’s much easier to forget when something is done to you. But when you inflict pain on someone you care about, it’s impossible to forgive yourself.”
His refusal to let go was making me angry. The tension in my shoulders started to burn. “Actually Marcus, you did cause me pain. But not the way you think.”
“What are you talking about?” he asked, eyebrows furrowed.
“The greatest pain I ever felt came when I read your letter. A letter explaining why my best friend couldn’t stand to be around me. A letter asking me not to look for you because you wanted to be by yourself.” He started to walk away, and I grabbed him by the forearm. “I would have rather died from my wounds than lose your friendship.”
We both stood silent.
Marcus took an exaggerated breath. “I’m sorry about the letter. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but clearly it wasn’t. I should’ve talked it out with you.”
I hadn’t realized how angry I was over the letter until the words came out. I had always assumed it was about the loss of my wings. But in reality, it was about Marcus walking away from me, and the year I spent wondering if we would ever speak again. “We’re both idiots.”
“Pretty much.” He agreed.
“But you can still be my wingman.” I said, smirking.
Marcus waved his hands. “No way, you can be my wingman.”
I crossed my arms. “It’s so obvious I’m Batman and you’re Robin.”
Marcus chuckled. “Aren’t you forgetting I’m older and stronger than you? I am clearly Batman.”
“Okay, okay, Batman and Robin is a bad analogy. But I’m definitely He-Man.” I started laughing. “And you’re Battle Cat.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You wish you were He-Man.”
“Don’t get your fur in a bundle over it.” I patted him on the back. “Battle Cat is just as important as He-Man.”
The corner of his mouth curled. “I’m starting to understand why no one likes you.”
I pretended to wipe sweat from my brow. “Being a hero comes with many burdens.”
Marcus rolled his eyes. “I think I liked you better when you were unconscious.”
By the time we reached the edge of the abandoned city, the sky had darkened into night. It had become difficult to see much farther than a couple of yards in front of us. About a block away, I noticed some activity in front of a large brick building. It wasn’t in the best condition—most of the windows were shattered and there was a large hole on the side of the exterior. As we got closer, a few hounds made their way outside. Most were in their mortal form, except one.
“Be cautious with your words, Rowan. It’s easy to set them off.” Marcus warned.
This wasn’t my first time dealing with the hounds. I was well aware of the dangers. “I know what I’m doing.”
“That’s what concerns me.”
Darius stepped out of the building, pausing when he noticed us. Even in his mortal form, he stood above his pack. He wore a pair of jeans and a sleeveless white shirt that showed off his massive biceps. His muscles made most professional athletes look like horse jockeys. I glanced over at Marcus. His back was straight with his hands clenched at his sides. There was no doubt that he wasn’t expecting this meeting to go well.
My own thoughts were pretty close to his, but I couldn’t show fear. The hounds had to see me as a leader—their king. Otherwise, they’d never side with me. Rather than wait for Darius to make a move, I headed straight for him. I didn’t stop until I was right in front of him. Marcus wasn’t far behind. “I
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