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"Don't blame yourself. You can only help the willing," I told my brother. The same thought had hit me before I stopped it. There was no way I was blaming myself for his mistakes. I could care and be here for him without holding that weight.
Support and responsibility were two different things.
"Evrin, you asshole, you've got to get your life together," Amos ground out. He was grabbing the railing on the bed like a lifeline, barely holding it together. Jackson took a chair, unsure how to approach this, and I went to my brother's other side.
"Nothing is worth all this. Imagine all you're missing out on," I told him.
"She was never meant for you," Amos said. "She never did any of what you said. The videos were fake."
"He can't hear you." Jackson's reminder wasn't needed. Amos needed to talk this through and I was going to let him. We could have the same conversation again when he was sober and healthy.
"You'll never find a mate looking like life kicked you in the teeth. Your hair is ridiculous," Amos continued as angry tears threatened to fall. "She's our mate. We met her during the investigation. She's ours and I'm so mad that you treated her that way, that you let me believe it, too. The resentment isn't easy to let go of but I have to. I won't end up like this and you better not, either. This is your one fucking chance to have a life. Don't ruin it."
He pushed off the railing and stormed out, leaving us stunned. I hadn't realized just how angry my brother had grown, how much he put on Serenity. That shift in thinking would be a challenge. He knew the truth now, though Evrin didn't.
"Come on, you guys need to eat," Jackson said. "We can't do anything here."
He walked out, leaving me alone for a moment.
"Evrin, we want our brother back. We love you but I can't watch you do this to yourself. Especially not over a mistake you made. Own it and move on, come back to us." I gave his hand a squeeze before following them out.
"Are you alright?" Amos asked but he just nodded when I shook my head. Evrin had hit rock bottom and if we hadn't come here for this conversation, he would have been dead. No one would have found him for weeks. That was no life.
We were silent as we made our way to the cafe down the road. The waitress seated us, seeming to pick up on our mood and letting her chipper voice dim down a bit. We put in a quick order and sat in silence.
The longer I sat, the harder it was to hold back until I gave in and pulled out my phone.
Silas: I know you don't want updates, but we might be here a bit longer. He's in the hospital.
Serenity: I'm sorry. You guys doing alright?
Silas: We will be. I just needed to talk to you.
The incoming call was almost instant and I stepped away to answer.
"Hey." My voice was hollow and quiet which had her worried.
"Hey. Is there anything I can do?"
"This is enough," I admitted. "I'm sorry, I know you wanted no part of this."
"Well, it seems we're tied together. If you need me, I'm not going to stick my head in the sand."
"We found him in the lake. He barely made it there. There's a psych hold but I doubt we will stay through all of it. We can't," I explained.
"That had to be terrifying," she said. "I never wanted that for him."
"None of us did, but he's got to want to fix himself at this point," I sighed. Saying it all out loud had my head clearing some. "We'll stay until he wakes and say our piece. The rest is up to him."
"Knowing you're there for him will help," she said. "I'm not sure finding out that we're mates will help."
"Amos told him but he was unconscious," I said with a chuckle. "He had to let a lot out. We'll have a real conversation when he's ready. Tell me about your day."
"It was good. I went to the lake to clear my head and my dad showed up," she said.
"I bet it went better than his last conversation with me," I snorted, making her laugh, too.
"He's honestly a sweetheart. You'll get another chance," she promised. "He invited the Sulley Pack, so we spent the afternoon by the water. Isaac had a rough conversation with his dad so we snuck away for a drink and we're having dinner."
