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"Rosie, look, I get it," Kao said. "Don't forget, I've dealt with this far longer than you have, and yes, it sucks. It hurts me to see him like this too."
"Oh, really?" Rosie glared at Kao. "It hurts you to see him like this, but that doesn't stop you from getting your dick wet while Kai's going feral in who knows where every year, right?"
"Rosalinda," Joaquin growled in warning, but I could already see that the damage was done. The look on my twin's face. The anguish I felt from him.
Kao took a step back like he'd been slapped.
"I can't believe you," he whispered. "You think I enjoy seeing my brother losing himself every Blood Moon like this? You think it's easy for me to ignore how much pain he's in for a quick lay?"
Rosie's face paled the second she knew she fucked up. Regret slowly began to eat at her. "Kao..."
Kao refused to look at her. Instead, he turned to Joaquin. "Do you mind taking the first watch for me?" Kao's voice cracked slightly.
Joaquin frowned but nodded, which left Kao to run up the stairs.
"Kao, wait!" Rosie meant to chase after him, but Joaquin held out his hands to stop her.
"Leave him alone. Let him cool down. You can talk to him later." To Rowan, Joaquin added, "Rowan, take Rosie out of here. Help her with her training. Byron, Kao and I will watch over Kai."
Rowan, who was silent during the entire altercation, stepped forward and held out his hand for Rosie to take. "Shall we, milady?"
Rosie stood there for a long moment, but reluctantly surrendered and took Rowan's offered hand. The two left the basement, which left Joaquin there to watch over me curled up in a ball, writhing and covered in sweat.
"K-Kao... Rosie," I managed to say weakly.
"They'll be okay," Joaquin replied. "They're stressed out, but they love each other. They'll make up, I guarantee it."
I hoped so, because if we stood any chance of defending our home, we all needed to come together. Not fighting with each other. With that last thought in mind, my vision darkened, and the berserker rage pulled me into the veil of crimson.
16
JOAQUIN
It was amazing how fast things could fall apart. Rosie and Kao were on bad terms, and Kai was in full Berserker Wolf mode, fully shifted and pacing the cellar, itching to find a way to break out. Meanwhile I stood there, unable to do anything to help glue this family back together. What could I do when I still felt like a fish out of water. The twins spent the most time with Rosie, no thanks to me being captured. Their bonds with her are much stronger. I'm doing all I can to make up for lost time with my mate, but this war that was looming over our heads and all the preparation that came with it, weren't doing me any favors.
Everything was about training and preparing now. Sure, we've managed to squeeze in some alone time, which included amazing sex, but there was still so much about Rosie and her life that I wanted to know about. And I wanted her to know me as well. I spent so much time avoiding her and our attraction before we got together and spent so little time since then. I hardly felt worthy to call myself her mate.
I wasn't sure how much time passed but judging from how agitated Kai's Berserker Wolf acted in the cellar, it was safe to assume the Blood Moon was fully up.
My own wolf seemed ready to want to run and enjoy the full moon, but I quelled him down, reminding him that Kai needed us. I was so out of it that I didn't notice Byron coming down until he grabbed my shoulder and lightly shook me.
"Joaquin, did you hear me?" Byron's voice broke through.
I shook my head and looked up at him. "What was that?"
"I said you head back up. I'll take over from here."
"Oh." I muttered a thanks and stood up from the chair I was sitting on.
"Hey, any idea what's wrong with Kao? He didn't come down for dinner, and when someone went up to check on him, apparently Kao snapped."
I grimaced at that. "Yeah, Rosie and Kao got into it down here. Needless to say, Rosie struck a nerve that really hurt him."
Byron whistled. "Damn. You think they'll be okay?"
"Oh, I have no doubt about it. Rosie and the twins had an instant bond from the moment they met one another. Something like this wouldn't tear them apart."
"I hope so. Rosie and you guys seem good together. I'd hate to see you all distance yourselves from each other over an argument."
