Chapter 157

He hadn’t opened his mouth since I broke the news about my mother’s death. I can’t even say it’s an oddity for him, not only because of how he’s been lately but because he loved her too.

After all, if it weren’t for my mother showing him kindness as a child, I don’t think Wyatt would have ever experienced what having a real family felt like.

So now he sits, mouth scrunched together, brain going a million miles a minute as he stares at the wall like the kool-aid man is about to pop out of it.

“She asked me something the other day.” He mumbled, still not looking up at me. “I couldn’t understand it then but I think I do now.”

“What did she ask you?” Well now I’m curious.

“She asked me what I did with her family.” Wyatt frowned and shook his head slowly, “I just thought she was crazy at the time but with what you just told me about her being a battery for the monolith? I think that was her way of asking me for help.”

My fists clenched and released.

“And you didn’t think to tell me about any of that until now?” I inquired through clenched teeth.

That was when he looked at me with a still face and sunken in eyes.

“When have I had time to sit down and even think about anything other than this dark cloud still hanging over me like a guillotine, hm? Tell me.”

Be still my beating heart, there was a bit of fire in his veins yet. Still though, damn him for making me sympathize.

“Fine. Past excluded. You have plenty of time now though.”

I flexed my hand towards him and he flinched. I hated that but it’s where we’re at right now. More silence. It’s really getting on my fucking nerves. With a soft whisper, I decided to stop beating around the bush.

“Wyatt…” I sighed and scratched my horns. “Just…just tell me if there is a way I can save them.”

He blinked and then slowly closed his eyes. “There’s a way in theory—”

“Really? Tell me how!” I jumped in, heart racing like it was the last leg of a big race.

“Easy princess. I said it was a theory. But…considering your mother was part synthetic and you can absorb materials, well.” He opened one eye, waiting for me to fill in the blanks.

I knew what he was saying without hearing it and it didn’t sit well in my gut.

“You’re saying I could refurbish them? Build them back better?” It’s a good thing I was standing in front of the cell bars, because my head spun with the idea that I could rebuild my mother and sister like furniture from Ikea.

Ikea. What the fuck is wrong with me?

I leaned my head back against the bars for immediate support.

Wyatt moved two steps closer to me, eager to help steady me like he’d done a million times but of course, he couldn’t. Instead, Wyatt pulled his bed from the wall and turned it long ways, turning it into a makeshift bench for me to sit on.

“You didn’t have to do that.” I said softly with a weak smile.

“Through sickness and in health, right, princess?” It figures he would use my words against me.

A dry chuckle rolled off my lips as I sat down on the surprisingly comfortable mattress. Wyatt sat on the other end, safely out of arm’s reach.

I think he’s making progress and if he is? There might be hope for us after all.

“Bringing them back has to be their choice.” Wyatt mumbled, hands gripping the edge of the bed.

I tilted my head, trying to decipher what he meant.

“Come again?”

“I’m saying,” he let out a shaky breath, “if , and I do mean if you can bring them back, it has to be your mother and sister’s choice. It can’t just be yours.”

I smacked my lips.

“That’s a lot, coming from you.”

“I’m nothing if not a lifelong learner,” he remarked dryly, tilting his head at me with a peculiar gleam in his eye. “Some lessons are just harder to learn than others.”

“Oh, is that right?” I matched his intense gaze and tried my best to ignore my pounding heart.

“Yes.” Wyatt gave one last search into the windows of my soul and then broke off. “You should go to Guy, I’m worried about him too.”

My brows raised so far they nearly kissed my hairline.

“Color me surprised. The cold-hearted genius worries about anyone other than me after all.”

I was expecting a back and forth, our usual flirty banter during tense situations. But his silence spoke the words he never could.

I sighed and turned on my heel, starting my exit down the cold corridor. The word goodbye was stuck in my throat and instead of fighting that bitch, I let her sink into my gut.

The babies already gave me indigestion, what's a little more, right?

“I’ll be back to visit him later this week.” I murmured to Voss on the way out. He grunted his approval and munched on another apple that he must have hidden earlier.

Bastard.

I did stop on the way out after making sure Barbie and Zeke were in separate cells.

“Where is my son?” I asked Voss.

“Solitary confinement. He and Wyatt’s squabbles were becoming too much of a headache…that and he insisted on coming up with new ways to disrespect me.”

Knowing Rupert, I didn’t question it.

I’ll see him and his father at their proper trial

For now, I had other things to worry about.

Like where to place this hyperdimension prison and what to do about my mother and sister…and my biological father.

Stretching my wings back out, in no time at all I was back in front of Guy and Erek.

The looks on their faces told me I looked as bad as I felt. And I felt like shit.

“Darlin’ you should take a break.” Erek cautioned, stepping forward. I flinched at his outstretched palm.

It wasn’t that I thought he would hurt me but every time I saw him, the harsh memory of my mothers broken body hit me like a freight train.

“I have two more things to do and then I’ll take a break.”

They shared a look but the boys agreed with me.

My nerves started dissolving like paper in acid as I turned towards the covered remains of my loved ones and opened my mouth.

“V-Vac” I stuttered and grit my teeth, wiping a tear away…”Vacuum!”