26. Just like autumn

His back crashed against the wall.

Tyler held Ethan by the collar, teeth bared, hazel eyes dark with rage.

"I like this suit without holes, you know." Ethan said calmly

"Why did you not tell me?" The beta growled

"I didn't think it was necessary." Ethan shrugged a shoulder, which, mind you, is hard when you're back is digging into solid concrete

His eyes darkened further still, violence brimming in them "This tower is under my authority before yours. I'm the one who deals with everything concerning it."

"You were preoccupied." Ethan said, purposely not taking him seriously "Besides, this matter had nothing to do with you."

The Alpha took the beta's hands off himself harshly.

"Victoria is a member of my pack," Ethan said "So it's my responsibility to deal with trouble that comes looking for her. But for you? She shouldn't be of any concern."

Ethan wished he was the sort of man who would sit down and explain all his reasons to Tyler plainly and honestly, and Tyler was the kind to listen and understand.

But in this world, neither of them were that.

"What are you trying to say?" Tyler asked gruffly

Ethan smiled then, the one that was usually reserved for outsiders, and put his hands in his pockets.

"Isn't it obvious?" A part of him loathed doing this, but he was too far gone right now

He'd faked this persona until he'd made it his own.

Just because it wasn't used against people close to him, didn't mean it couldn't be.

"I'm saying you have no right to do anything for Victoria." Ethan said

"Like hell I do," Tyler growled lowly "I'm—

"What?" Ethan chuckled "Her friend? Another member of the inner circle?"

He walked around the beta, and took a seat at the meeting table again.

"In reality, Anderson, those things amount for nothing." He stated "You are just an outsider in her life."

Tyler said nothing, from the corner of his eyes, Ethan saw how tightly he clenched his fists, enough for droplets of blood to drip down on the floor. He didn't seem to care.

"What do you plan to do, Alpha?" Tyler's voice was dead of emotion

Ethan could tell he was simmering with anger, but he could no longer tell who it was directed at.

The Alpha drummed his fingers on the meeting table, the sound grating in the cold room.

"I'm going to let Victoria meet him."

He anticipated the bloody hand that thudded on the table beside him, clattering the utilities atop it.

"You won't." Tyler's voice was calm with killing intent

"Don't be dramatic," Ethan grabbed his coffee cup once more

It was cold now, but he gulped down the bitter drink anyways.

"You know what that son of a bitch did." The beta was glaring at the table with such ferocity, Ethan was surprised it hadn't caught fire yet

Of course he knew.

Lucas had married three months after he'd rejected Victoria.

"And still you let him go. Still you can say—

"The ceremony didn't work." Ethan's voice cut clean through Tyler's

Tyler's gaze flew up to his, caught off guard "What?"

"Lucas got married," Ethan set his cup aside "But it didn't work for him. His mark on his partner, and his partner's mark on him faded away in a few months. Then he couldn't bear to even touch her."

Ethan looked at Tyler seriously.

"The same thing happened in his second marriage. Then the third."

His beta looked at him in disbelief. Ethan had told Victoria everything, of course, but he knew Tyler and Vincent would only be outraged to hear Lucas was going on a wedding spree.

"Maybe the same thing will happen to Victoria."

Tyler staggered back, his face completely blank.

Ethan interlocked his fingers over the table, looking down.

"That's why I insisted on trying." Ethan said quietly "But after today, I'm not sure anymore. It's possible it will only make this worse."

He took a deep, deep breath and straightened his posture.

"So I will let Victoria meet him." The Alpha stated "It's up to her to decide whether to give him a chance or not. They are soulmates, after all."

Tyler didn't move a muscle, wide eyes trained on the floor. Ethan almost felt bad for him, almost.

He'd brought this upon himself.

"Are you assuming I'll agree to that?"

Ethan's eyes flew up, and in the doorway, he found Victoria glaring at them. In comparison, her twin looked rather harmless right now.

Both Ethan and Tyler stood from their seats.

"Tory," Ethan started calmly "I don't mean—

The rest of his words shattered with a punch to the gut, the breath knocked out from his lungs. Ethan held onto the edge of the table, clutching his stomach.

"Decide one more thing on my behalf," Victoria said, her tone chilling "I'm daring you."

Ethan wondered what sort of masochist would ever want to be so right about everything they anticipated.

"I think you broke my rib." He groaned, he was definitely losing his Lycan strength

"I can break a few more, I'll just treat them later."

"And people are terrified of me." Ethan frowned at her "Did you hear everything?"

"All of it." Victoria crossed her arms across her chest "The door was open."

Ethan looked at Tyler "This is your fault."

"Easy, tiger." Vincent put a hand on Victoria's shoulder "That was a good punch, though. Perfect delivery."

Ethan gave him an offended look. The Gamma flashed him a wolfish grin "What? You should've seen your face."

Before Ethan could say anything, Tyler cut him off. He stepped in front of Victoria, hands going to hold her shoulders.

"You don't want to meet him?" He asked, a hint of fear in his voice

Victoria scowled "I'd rather live my whole life alone than give that bastard a chance."

The beta relaxed visibly, only now noticing what he was doing. He gently let go of Victoria, taking a step back with a nod.

"You heard Ethan though," Vincent sighed, leaned back against the table "What are we going to do if you can never move on? Literally?"

"You think I need a relationship to continue living?" Victoria scoffed

"Of course you don't, you're my sister." Vincent said fiercely, then he lowered his head, dark hair falling in his eyes "But I want you to be happy. I want you to have all the happiness in the world."

Silence filled the room, submerging them in a cold that wasn't external.

"I'm not scared."

All of them turned their attention to Victoria. She smiled a little, her anger gone.

"There has to be some way," She said "If only we look, we'll find some sort of solution. And, well, even if we don't I'll be okay."

"But, Tory, you—

"I knew," Victoria cut Tyler off "From the moment I accepted the rejection, that I might never be able to settle with someone else. It was always a possibility, but,"

She chuckled lightly "Coming here, becoming a healer, helping this pack, it makes me happy. Even if I can't find the happiness of being with someone, I'm content. This, right here, is more than what I could ask for."

For a moment, all of them let her words sink in. Ethan shook his head, trying and failing to hide his smile.

"You're a weirdo, you know?" He said to the head healer "The normal reaction is being outrageous and terrified."

"Well, I do live with you all." Victoria flipped her hair over her shoulder

She jabbed a finger at his shoulder "But I'm serious. If you make just one more decision on my behalf, I won't hold back."

Ethan held his hands up in universal surrender "Understood."

"Good," Victoria sighed in relief "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting at the healer's complex."

Vincent groaned "Seriously, you're always nagging at us to take care of ourselves, but you're running off when you should be resting. That's hypocritical."

"Relax," Victoria waved a dismissive hand "I'm still going to be at a hospital, no?"

"She makes a good argument." Ethan nodded

"I'll see you guys later." Victoria said, starting towards the door

She stopped suddenly, and turned to Ethan "Oh, give Angelina my thanks. It was smart to knock me out, it would've been bad if I started having a seizure. I'll give her my personal thanks when I see her."

Ethan nodded "Someone here has to apologize as well."

Her brows furrowed in confusion. The one towards whom Ethan had directed the statement caught the meaning though. Tyler's jaw tightened, but he said nothing.

"I don't really get it, but sure." Victoria said "See you at lunch."

She left the office, the sound of her footsteps fading.

"This conversation isn't over." Tyler said, before he too, left

Ethan had a feeling he was going to loom over Victoria until she was back home.

"So," Vincent said "You scared the shit out of him with the crazy talk?"

"Totally."

They fist bumped.

"Now that you're here, help me get these dishes back home." Ethan told him

"What?" Vincent was offended "You're going to waste my talents on collecting plates?"

Ethan's brows furrowed "You have talents?"

Vincent gave him a sour look, when Ethan paid him no mind, he sighed and started collecting the dishes on the table, grumbling about how ungrateful Ethan was.

When the two of them neared the house, he heard a familiar voice.

In the garden, Angelina was talking to someone.

For some reason, Ethan had expected a middle aged, brooding man who'd come to deliver some important message from the Alpha Supreme.

Instead, he found himself looking at a man that could hardly be in his early twenties, with pale blond hair caught in a short ponytail, smiling all too amicably at their ambassador.

"Looks like we stumbled on a private meeting," Vincent said quietly, as though not to be noticed by them

"Seems we did." Ethan said dispassionately "I wasn't expecting that."

"For real? It's not surprising though," Vincent said

Ethan gave him a look, he shrugged a shoulder nonchalantly.

"The ambassador is pretty easy on the eyes, isn't she? She probably has quite a few admirers." He stated simply

Ethan looked back at the two.

Angelina was beautiful, he couldn't deny that. She had always been, even two years ago. With red hair that cascaded down her back like a waterfall, and bright green eyes, she was easily eye catching.

Beautiful like autumn, he thought. And just as cold.

Her guest, Silas, laughed at something. Angelina smiled at him softly.

A real smile.

"Vincent, hold this." Ethan pushed the dishes in his hands into the Gamma's

"Hey, what—

Before Vincent had a chance to complete that sentence, Ethan was already walking, despite his better judgment, straight towards the two people sitting in the garden.