Chapter 263

The Unwanted Bride Of Atticus Fawn Chapter 263 Book 3 Chapter 98 ~WILLOW~

“He has Caroline!” Winter screams. “He has my sister!”

I hugged her tightly as the tears came rushing down. Caroline had sacrificed herself for me. She’d taken my place. It was the only way to save the rest of us from him.

We weren’t prepared for him. He was much stronger than any of us anticipated.

“I’ve failed.” She gasps. “I couldn’t kill him.”

“You didn’t fail,” I assure her. “You tried your best. Everyone did. We know exactly what we’re up against now. We can take him down but not now. We can find Caroline and bring her back safely. He still doesn’t have what he wanted when he came here. He doesn’t have Autumn and Clarissa. He will keep Caroline alive for another trade, I’m sure of it.”

“This was the f*****g scariest night of my existence.” Griffin hissed. “What the f**k is that psychopath?”

“Our brother.” Autumn gasps. “The son of Azai Reign. A sorcerer. And sadly, a monster. He’s just like Winter described. He’s just like our father.”

I can hear the hurt in her voice from admitting that her brother had turned into a monster. It must be hard for Autumn and Clarissa. They were hoping that they could change him. They were hoping that love could bring him back.

He was too lost for any of that to happen. All he wanted was power, just like his father was obsessed with it.

“How are we nothing like him?” Clarissa whispers. “Are we one day going to turn into a monster as well?”

“Of course not!” I assure her. “You and Autumn are nothing like your brother or father. You’re kind, sweet, gentle. I’ve never met kinder people than you two. There is no way that you’ll ever turn into someone like him.”

I was trying to be strong for everyone, but the truth was that I was terrified inside after what happened today. Cassius was unlike anyone I’ve ever met. He was terrifying, and he wanted to kill us all to gain what he wanted.

“I don’t know about you guys, but I want to get home quickly after tonight,” Lucy whispers. “I can’t wait to see my baby. I thought I wouldn’t be able to see him again after what we just had to witness.”

“I’m right there with you.” Isabella agrees with her.

“Thank you for being with us today.” I thank them. “You didn’t have to come here and risk your lives, but you still did. Thank you so much.”

Gabriella and Maya both hug me at the same time. “We’re always here if you need us. And we will help search for your sister also. We don’t know where Cassius has taken her, but we will find her. She risked her life for all of us today. We need to find a way to repay her kindness.”

I could feel the tears in my eyes at their words. I was terrified of losing Caroline. Winter was almost inconsolable. Our mother was by her side, but she didn’t seem good at comforting her. I’m sure she blamed me for this. I was the one that encouraged them to leave the safety of their home so that I could help Dante.

If I hadn’t made that decision, they would still be safe. But how long would I have stayed hidden for? And I had to get to Dante; I was scared he would have gotten himself killed.

I look for him in the crowd, and I can see him staring straight at me. He was still a bit dizzy but his eyes were focused on me. We had plenty to talk about after what just happened.

I’m still shocked that he didn’t choose the shapeshifter pretending to be Anya over me. Did this mean that Anya was certainly in his past? Or was he aware that she was a shapeshifter from the start?

I would love nothing more than to know Dante loved me back. It’s all I’ve ever wanted.

After an hour of talking, we all said our goodbyes; I was surprised that Dante didn’t try to speak to me yet.

He hugged me tightly when he found me earlier, but that was it. Nothing else. He didn’t say a single thing to me except that he was happy that I was alive.

Why wasn’t he saying anything?

He begged me to stay with him the last time he saw me; why wasn’t he doing it now? Did seeing Anya again make him change his mind about us?

I tried to push that thought out of my head. I needed to be there for my sister. She was the one in the most pain.

When we returned to the house, I spent the next few hours comforting Winter while Dante and his brothers went out one last time to see if they could find Caroline.

It was the next day when they returned. None of us had gotten any sleep. We were all exhausted.

I was still waiting for a chance to get Dante alone.

The second he walks through the door, his eyes immediately search for me. When they find me, he doesn’t think twice before moving towards me like he’d waited years to see me even though we’d seen each other a few hours ago.

I stay completely still until he stops right in front of me.

I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out.

“We need to talk, Willow.”