"Cause whatever I do, it's just got to be you. My life has just begun, I finally found someone."
~ Barbra Streisand & Bryan Adams, I Finally Found Someone
⨠Author's note â¨
For those confused, this book isn't over! I typically update this book once a week, most of the time on weekends. Sometimes, if I'm inspired and wrote a lot during the week, I post early. Sometimes, if I had a busy or hard week, I post a little late. All this to say, you don't need to worry whether or not this book will have an ending. I promise it will! However, please do not demand updates. Like when people just comment, "update," I think that's very rude. It's okay to ask when the next one will be or to say you're excited for the next chapter, but remember I'm a person with a real life outside this. I write on this app for free and for fun. It takes a lot of my time, but I do it because I love it and I love that you all get to enjoy it too! Anyway, I love you all and I'm so thankful for you! ð©· I hope this clears up the scheduling I kinda have for this book lol!
A few weeks had passed and Cillian's physical injuries had healed nicely. Being a lycanthrope, his healing process was far quicker than any human. However, the mental and emotional injuries were still there. While he had made tons of progress and had been more trusting with Sophie, one person in particular was still weary.
"No, not until he's incident free for at least a month." Sully gruffly brushed Sophie off.
She had suggested Cillian leaving his cell/hospital room now that he was recovered, but her brother in-law was having none of it. At the very least, she thought he could release him of his handcuffs, but even with that he wouldn't budge.
She scoffed and caught up to him when he tried to leave. "You can't just say that!" She exclaimed, struggling to keep up with his long strides. "He hasn't hurt me since he got here!"
"Yeah, because he's been restrained ever since." Sully reminded her. "And while he may have not with his hands, he still has his moments with his words. What if he's waiting for the right opportunity to pounce?"
"Sully, we've been sleeping together in his hospital bed every night for the past few weeks. Restraints or not, he has enough wiggle room to hurt me if he wanted to- especially when I'm unconscious on his chest. What's the difference between us sleeping there and back home?"
"There's a million reasons why he would wait." He retaliated. "Timing, opportunity, the cameras we have in the hospital room, the guards always around, I could keep going."
"Why are you so determined he's trying to kill me!?"
Sully came to a screeching halt and spun around on his heel to face her. "Why are you so determined to throw yourself in harms way when I'm trying to be a decent person for once and protect you!?"
Her jaw snapped shut.
He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Look, short stack. There are some things that aren't adding up. The chip in his head? It's gone. Why in the world would they do that? Oh, that's right! We don't know because Cillian still refuses to speak of who took over after he killed General Hoppers."
"Probably because he's still scared to and you come barging in like a bull in a china shop whenever you visit, asking loads of so many traumatizing questions!" She snapped. "What if he can't progress because he's been stuck in a cell for weeks now? He deserves at least a little freedom."
His tongue in his cheek, he eyed the small human, attempting to boss him around like she owns the place. "I deserve to have a break for once! I've had nothing but problems since you two got here!"
"Excuse me?" Her tone was agitated with a hint of bewildered.
"You heard me." He growled, pacing as if he were a caged animal. Maybe he was... maybe he barely contained animalistic anger; simmering beneath his rough exterior.
"Who do you think you are? Don't talk to me like that! Don't you dare put all of this on me!" She sneered, an accusing finger pointed at his face. "I didn't ask for this life!"
"You think you're special or something?" He huffed a laugh, though there was no amusement to his tone. "You think that just because you're married to my long lost brother, that means I can't get mad at you?"
"You're not mad! There's mad and then there's... this!" She gestured to all of him.
"You started this!" He reminded her, inhaling sharply in a poor attempt to maintain composure. "I told you no, you didn't like my answer, thus further provoking me to this. I'm tired of this!"
"Of what?"
"You! Cillian! Trying to protect people who I didn't even know existed until recently! Oh, and mourning the death of my father on top of it!"
"I didn't kill your dad, Sully, so stop acting like I did!"
Everything went quiet.
She could see the sheer rage, bubbling inside him, just waiting to burst out like a volcano. The look on his face alone had her taking a step back and she hoped he wouldn't notice. His two steps towards her in retaliation told her he did.
"Who do you think you are?" His voice was hoarse, breaking the silence so suddenly that she flinched. Her gaze glued to his hulkish figure, she couldn't help but shiver when he straightened up.
She should stop talking. She should turn and leave while she can and stop prodding at the big, bad wolf, but she didn't. Instead, she blurted, "I asked you that already and you didn't answer me."
"You want me to answer that then?" His head tilted as his eyes bore into hers with a heat that made her instincts scream at her one thing: run.
"You know exactly who I am." He started, his tone still sharp, his voice quiet and deep. "You know I have a short fuse to my temper. I'm sure you assume I think more with my fist than I do my head. Probably explains why your heart rate spikes whenever I enter a room and why it's nearly hammering out of your chest now."
She swallowed hard and took another step, and another. With every step she took, he took a bigger one, until she had no where else to go, her back against a table.
"Now, I have this new sister in-law. She talks pretty big for someone who's half my size." He ground his teeth, his jaw ticking as he did. "Came onto our land and screwed our whole lives over. Still, I do what I can to protect her because I know it's what my late father would have wanted."
"Sully..." her stomach lurked at their proximity, his canines and predatory eyes way more apparent being this close to him.
"Oh, and if you're wondering who died and left me in charge? Let me remind you," he ducked his head, his breath fanning her face. His expression morphed from pure fiery rage to completely devastation, his eyes drained of all hope, his posture deflated as if the weight of the world was resting on his shoulders. "It was my dad."
A single tear trailed down her cheek and Sully took a step back.
"I'm just trying to do the right thing. I'm trying to do what my dad would have." His tone had an edge to it, but it was far quieter than it was before. "He wouldn't want you to get hurt." With that, he left.
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Later that day, Sophie sat on the edge of Cillian's bed, their fingers intertwined. He noticed she had been more quiet today, her mind elsewhere.
"Hey," he called, softly, waiting for her to meet his gaze. "What's going on?"
"Hmm?" She hummed in reply, her head elsewhere.
"Exactly," he chuckled, softly. "Where are you? What are you thinking about?"
With a sigh, her gaze dropped to their intertwined fingers. She stared at their hands, memorizing every detail, how different they both were. His hands were far larger, rougher, more calloused, and littered in scars. Her hands were dainty, small, more bony than his.
In a small, breathy voice, she asked, "why won't you tell us who took over after Hoppers?"
His whole body stiffened, his thumb that was running across her knuckles came to a stop on her wedding ring. His eyes flickered up to meet hers. "I don't want to talk about him."
She scooted closer to him, tightening her hold on his hand, bringing their intertwined hands to her chest. "Will you tell me why?"
A shudder ran down his spine, his eyes glazed over. "He said he'll know."
Her eyebrows furrowed together. "Know what?"
"He always knows. I don't know how, but he does."
"Who, Cillian?" She urged, gently.
"General Rumlow," he mumbled, lowly, his eyes not daring to meet hers. "He'll be here soon."
Her eyes widened to the size of saucers and a pit formed in her stomach. She gasped and stood to her feet, her hand dropping his.
Angie peeked her head in the door. "Sophie, can I speak with you?"
She took one last glance at Cillian, a pleading look on his face. She turned back to Angie, "yeah, I'm... I'm coming."
Once the pair was outside his door, Sophie panicked. "Angie, something isn't right. Cillian just... he just-" she sucked in a sharp breath. "He said he'll be here soon."
"Who?" Angie wondered, her senses on high alert.
"He said his name is General Rumlow. He's the one that did this to Cillian. When he talked about him i-it was like he was programmed to say it. The look on his face..."
Angie quietly gasped, dialing her youngest son's number. "I fear he might be right. Do you know a Darcy Hopkins by any chance?"
Sophie's heart sunk. "I do, she is... was my best friend. Why? Is she okay?"
"Well," she sighed, her hands on her hips. "She was brought here by someone by the name of Carlos Garcia."
"They're here!?" She exclaimed.
"Both of them, yes. Carlos is in custody. I'm having Sully come here to speak with Cillian."
"I'm gonna wring Carlos's neck!" Sophie exclaimed, marching down the hall.
"Other way, dear! Last door on the right!"
Sophie spun around on her heel and went in the correct direction. "Now I'm really gonna wring his neck!"
She marched down the hall, following her mother in law's directions, having dark, murderous thoughts the whole way there. She was granted access by the guards waiting outside his door, ready to strangle the sorry of excuse of a man, only to find him in a far different situation than she expected.
"Carlos?" She exasperated, taking a tentative step towards his hospital bed.
He wheezed a pained laugh, carefully adjusting himself on his bed. "Surprise shwatyyy." His voice tiredly drawled.
"What..." her voice trailed off, taking in his beat up appearance.
His face was littered with bruises and cuts, as well as various other parts of him. "I know, I know... my hair looks terrible, doesn't it?"
"What are you doing here?" She seethed.
"Saving your best friend from what would have been certain death." He deadpanned, his head lolling to the side. "You're welcome, by the way."
"Why?"
He gave her a look. "Would you prefer she were in this situation instead?" He sassed, gesturing to his various injuries.
She narrowed her eyes at him.
He relented with an irritable sigh. "Fine... I wanted out. I was seeking protection in return for saving her."
She scoffed a laugh.
"I know you have no reason to believe me-"
"You're right, I don't." She snapped.
"I know, but listen." He urged, his eyes more pleading. "I didn't... I didn't realize how corrupt my work was. I was just doing as I was told, thinking it was for the greater good. But when I saw the lycan-" he cut himself off. "When I saw Cillian with you, he seemed so human. I saw him as more than a weapon. I didn't realize- I just... I'm sorry."
With her head held high, she remained silent, and stormed out of his room. She was sure Sully would have a meeting later, deciding what Carlos's fate would be.
No sooner than she left his room, a body slammed into hers, arms wrapping around her.
"Soph, I am so sorry!" Darcy exclaimed, holding her close.
Sophie sighed a breath in relief, hugging her back. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine." She away to place her hands on her shoulders. "I'm so sorry, I-I had no idea, Angie explained everything to me about the military and Cillian, and if I had known-"
"Your life would have been in more danger." Sophie politely cut off her off, smiling gently at her. "It's okay. I probably would have reacted the same way as you. So... I'm forgiven?"
Darcy chuckled and hugged her once more. "There's nothing to be sorry for. This isn't your fault."
Sophie returned the hug, relieved to have her friend back, and safe and sound.
She pulled away, a smirk on her lips. "So... werewolves, huh? That's hot."
Sophie rolled her eyes.
"What? You know I was team Jacob!"
With a laugh, Sophie tugged her friend along. "C'mon. I need to go find Sully and find out what his plan is."
The two humans stepped into Cillian's room, one more confidently than the other. The lycanthrope brothers immediately stopped talking when the door opened.
Darcy trailed behind Sophie, awkwardly fiddling with her fingers. "So... this is awkward." She drawled, eyeing Cillian. The first time they met, she may have been a little... a lot.
Cillian raised a brow.
"He doesn't remember everything. It's, uh... complicated. I'll explain later." Sophie told her.
"Oh, well in that case, hi! I'm Darcy." She nodded in greeting. "We've totally never met before or anything!"
He nodded back, a tad uneasy with the new human.
Sophie turned to Sully. "Oh, sorry. Darcy, this is Sully. Sully, this is, Darcy!" She introduced the two.
Uncharacteristically, Sully immediately malfunctioned. His eyes went as wide as saucers, he visibly gulped, and although they thankfully couldn't hear it (besides Cillian), his heart was nearly pumping out of his chest. "Darcy- you, I am, you are, I'm um..." he cleared his throat and sucked in an unnecessarily deep breath. "Hi."
Sophie whispered out of the corner of her mouth to her husband, "what just happened? Did we just break Sully?"
A smug grin stretched across Cillian's lips, clearly picking up on something she didn't.
"Nice to meet you, Sully." Darcy greeted with a grin, shaking his hand. "Is Sully short for something?"
His mouth agape like a fish, he nodded.
Her head tilted. "You... gonna tell me what it's short for?"
He shook his head to clear his thoughts and blurted, "Solomon. It's short for Solomon."
"Solomon." Darcy mimicked and pursed her lips. "I like it."
Then the most incredible, unbelievable, crazy, rarest thing ever happened... Sully smiled. It was small, hardly noticeable, but it was enough for Cillian and Sophie's jaws to drop.
Unfortunately, Darcy noticed. "What's wrong with y'all?"
The couple immediately sobered, innocent looks on their faces. "Nothin!" Sophie chirped, smiling wide, making Sully's usual scowl to return.
Sully cleared his throat and said, "Darcy, I need you- wait. I mean Darcy and Sophie, we need you back at the house."
"He needs her alright." Cillian mumbled under his breath, just loud enough for Sophie to hear.
With his hearing, Sully heard it too, making him growl.
Darcy's eyes widened. "That was hot." She whispered, blissfully unaware of the lycanthropes' advanced hearing.
Sophie smiled and slung an arm over her friend's shoulders to lead her outside. "I'm happy for you, Darcy."
"Huh?"
"You may just have your Jacob."
Yes, indeed... Sully had found his mate.
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Please don't forget to comment, follow, and vote!! Thank you so much for 122,000 reads!!
Carlos and Darcy are back! ð what do y'all think?
Question of the chapter: what do you think of Sully now compared to when he was first introduced?
P.S. Sully is similar to the character that will be in my new werewolf book I'm working on ;) His name is Alfie in the snippet I wrote a couple chapters ago if you want to check it out!