“That doesn’t sound rage-inducing at all,” Loch muttered.
“Maybe if you hadn’t turned your back on all of us, it would be easier for you,” Keller shot back.
Loch released the fork in his hands. It landed on the marble countertop with a clatter.
“Turn my back?” Anger rose up inside him until he tasted it on his tongue. “Turn my back?” His hands clenched into fists. He was getting ready to throw a punch when Holly rushed into the kitchen.
A shirtless Johnny followed close behind her.
“What the hell is going on?” she cried.
“We’re just getting Loch up to speed on how things work in the house,” Keller explained. “Obviously, he’s taking it well.”
“Loch?” Holly looked at him with concern.
“What?” he snapped without meaning to.
Her hazel eyes hardened. She looked away from him.
Loch let out a frustrated sigh. “Thanks for breakfast,” he said to Garret. “Excuse me.”
He pushed away from the island and stormed out of the kitchen. He wasn’t sure where to go. It’d been a while since he’d set foot in this house. He sure as hell wasn’t going to leave. If he wanted a chance with Holly, a real chance, he couldn’t leave now.
Forget about the King crap. He didn’t care about that. He was falling in love with Holly more and more every day. She barely liked him. He needed to find a way to change that before they lost their chance forever. He didn’t care if he had to play Bear Shifter Bachelor with the others. He’d do it for her.
Now, he just had to find a way to tell her that.
He entered the study. It was the only place in the house that made sense to him at that moment. He stood in the center of the room, gazing at the family trees. He found his own portrait, linked to the portraits of his long-gone parents.
He stared at his mother’s face. She was only twenty-eight when she had died. Just thinking about it made him feel sick to his stomach.
A knock on the door drew his attention away.
“What?” he said.
“Can I come in?” came Holly’s gentle voice.
Loch rushed to open the study door. “Of course,” he said with a soft smile. “It’s your house. You don’t technically need permission.”
Holly stepped into the study with her arms wrapped around her small frame. “That’s what’s so crazy about all of this,” she said.
“That you own the house?”
“No.” She laughed. “That while we figure out how to stop a shifter uprising, I still have to make time to call Pearl’s lawyer. There’s a lot of paperwork involved. It was sent over a few days ago, but obviously, I was tied up in other affairs.”
“Literally,” Loch snorted. “I didn’t realize they had put enchanted cuffs on you until Elise got rid of them.”
“Me, either.” Holly shook her head.
“Can I ask you something?”
“I bet you have a lot of questions.” Holly offered a half-smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
“Definitely.” He forced a laugh. “But I’ll ask the one that’s a little more time-sensitive. Did you tell them about Trevor?”
Holly’s face went white as she lowered her gaze to the floor. “No.”
“Why?”
“It’ll sound crazy if I try to explain it.” She ran her fingers through her hair.
“What about this mess isn’t crazy?”
“It’ll get crazier.” Holly began to pace.
Only now did Loch notice the deep shadows under her eyes. “No sleep?” he asked.
“What?” She stopped, mid-step. “No.”
“Your bed-buddy didn’t help with that?” he said before he could stop himself.
She narrowed her eyes. “I didn’t want to sleep alone. I kept having nightmares.”
Loch bit his bottom lip. “You see the bars when you close your eyes, don’t you?”
Holly cocked her head.
“I see them too,” he admitted. “I still feel the fairy glass digging into my skin.” He rubbed his wrists, both of which were ringed with thin, white scars.
Holly closed her eyes and sighed. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “Can I do anything to help?”
“I’m supposed to be the one helping you.” He chuckled. “I do need you to tell me the deal with Trevor. I don’t want to say something I shouldn’t and ruin whatever plan you’re cooking up.”
“Plan?” Holly drew her brows together. “I’m so flattered you think I’ve pulled myself together enough to have a plan.”
“I know the first day after being held in captivity for a week isn’t when your brain is in its top form, but you need to give yourself more credit.”
“Thanks,” Holly scoffed. “Maybe I’ll sign up for that crash course in…I can’t even think of what it’d be called.”
“Let me sleep for a few hours, then I’ll get back to you. Stop stalling.” He fixed her with a knowing gaze.
“Fine.” Holly pouted as she took up her pacing again. “The Maiden spoke to me about Trevor.”
“She wants you to kill him, I hope.”
“Not quite.” She winced. “She says he’s lost.”
“Lost?” Loch’s brows drew together. “What do you mean, lost?”
“I don’t know. He’s a firstborn, you know. He’s not supposed to want to return to the dark ways, let alone lead the bastards who want to make it happen.”
“And he deserves to rot with them,” Loch spat.
“Unless I’m supposed to find him,” Holly blurted.
“What the hell does that even mean?”
“Is that what you’re supposed to do with lost things? Find them?”
“If you’re looking for a beloved doll from your childhood or a priceless heirloom, sure!” Loch threw his hands in the air. “But do you have any idea how much pain those who would return to the dark ways have caused this community?”
“The community? They held us captive for a week. I have a damn good idea of the pain they’ve caused me.”
“Yet, you’d spare Trevor from justice.”
“I didn’t say
