A faint rapid tap brought Poseidon's attention away from the stack of documents in front of him to the doors of his office. "Come in." He called out. When one of the maids peaked nervously around the corner of the thick frame, he arched a brow as he pushed his chair away from the desk. "What is it, dear?" He watched her fidget anxiously with her hands as she stepped into the room. He let out a heavy sigh as he reached across his desk for the decanter and a glass. "Well, spit it out already, dear." Impatience echoed in his voice as he took a sip from the glass.
Her eyes darted nervously from him to the wall of east-facing windows. "Y-your son just arrived, sir…"
He followed her gaze toward the windows with a knowing nod. "Please have housekeeping remove all the fragile valuables from the halls leading to and from the office."
The wide-eyed maid quickly recovered with a hard swallow and a bow. "Y-yes sir." Her eyes darted to the windows one last time before turning to leave the room.
Poseidon swirled the crimson liquid in his glass as he pulled in a large breath and blew it out slowly through his mouth. He downed the glass before refilling it and walking to the windows. He looked out just in time to catch a glimpse of auburn hair storming toward the east entrance of the palace. He turned away from the windows with a heavy sigh as he heard the slam of the exterior doors below and heavy footsteps storming past his office. He took a large sip from his glass as Arei's yells reverberated through the halls. He stared down into the nearly empty glass. "I shall become an alcoholic at this rate…" He murmured to himself with a sigh as he made his way back to his desk. The sound of heavy footsteps echoing down the hall toward the office caused a vein in his temple to pulse. He didn't take his focus off the glass as the door burst open.
"Where is she?!" Panic reflected in Arei's words as his eyes shot around the room.
Poseidon swallowed down his own emotions as his eyes roamed over his son. Arei stood there in nothing but unbuttoned, ripped jeans riding low on his thick hips. His bare feet were dirty from running through the back lawn. He moved his focus back to the glass in his hand. "She's not here."
"I can see as much, where is she? I have to talk to her!" Arei's wild gaze moved down to his bare feet as he ran his hands roughly through his wind-blown hair. "I… I may have unintentionally hurt her earlier." His pleading eyes lifted to his father. "I… I have to clear things up before…" He swallowed past the lump forming in his throat.
Poseidon forced a stoic mask into place as he reached for the other glass and filled it. "She's not here, son."
Arei gritted his teeth. "Obviously! I'm asking where she is-" His words trailed off, his gaze locked on Poseidon as he stalked toward the desk. His feet slapped noisily against the hardwood flooring only growing quieter as they tracked across the antique Persian rug. "Where is she? Where have you taken her, father?!" He bit out through clenched teeth as he slammed his hands down on the hard mahogany.
Poseidon filled the second glass and pushed it toward Arei as he nodded to the chairs Arei stood between. "Have a seat, son."
Arei shoved the glass back toward Poseidon angrily. "I don't what to sit, and I don't want a fucking drink. Where is she?!"
Poseidon nodded toward the chair once again as he pulled a folded piece of paper from his back pocket. He stepped around the desk and clasped Arei's shoulder. "Sit down, son." He murmured softly as he pressed the letter against Arei's wide chest. He watched as anger faded to confusion when Arei's eyes landed on Jos's handwriting.
"What is this?" Arei asked as he gripped the letter between shaking hands, apprehension settling deep in his chest as he noted the dried splotches splattered across it, smudging the ink.
"What do you think it is?" Poseidon asked sadly as he stepped away from his son. He retrieved his glass from the desk and began to step away but stopped. He grabbed the decanter and gave Arei a slight nod as he moved toward the door. "I'll give you some privacy as you read it."
Arei stood in stunned silence, his eyes trained on the beautiful, feminine sweep of his name across the paper as the door quietly opened and closed. He swallowed hard as he settled into one of the chairs and turned the letter over in his palms. He couldn't control the tremble of his hands as he carefully unfolded it.
Tears burned his eyes as his own breaths scorched his lungs. His heart slammed against the walls of his chest. The paper felt heavy in his grasp as his greatest fears danced from the tear-streaked page and around his tormented mind.
"Arei, I love you. I love you more than anything in this cold, dark world we live in. I know it isn't fair for me to begin this letter this way, but I cannot do what I must without you knowing how much you mean to me. For as long as I can remember, I've always yearned for a family of my own. Every time a happy couple passes by, I couldn't help but think of how much I wanted that as well. Then I met you, and my life changed. I didn't fall in love with you at first sight. My feeling has always stemmed from a place much deeper than simple romance. It is that which makes you, you. The very essence of Areion that has always drawn me in. I love the person you are. The person who would stand out among a hundred men who look exactly the same as you. You captivated my very soul with each playful wink, carefree smile, and teasing touch. I have never imagined sharing the darkest part of myself, my life with anyone other than you. Every time I've closed my eyes to dream over the past 520 odd years it has always been of you. Parting with you once nearly killed me. The only thing that hurt more was finding out you went through the same torture… but…"
Arei struggled against the tears blurring his own vision as he tried to make out the streaked words that were sure to drive the final nails into the tight confines of his eternal coffin.
"As much as it destroys me to do so, I have to take a step back once again, to put us both through the torment of being separated again. I have to reevaluate what it is I want most, as you've made it clear what you want. You have told me countless times how you feel about things, yet I still allowed myself to dream of a what-if scenario where I swell larger by the day with your child, where you smile affectionately down as I hold our child and he or she reaches out for your finger… I dreamed of a world where a beautiful, powerful child brightens the world with its auburn hair and aqua eyes. I'm sorry for this, but it isn't something I can let go of so easily. And until I can, I think it best I keep my distance. I can't continue to lay in your arms each night while being teased and tormented by the dreams that shall never come true… And if you love me as much as I know you must then I beg you to give me the time I need. The time to reevaluate my desires, to discover the true me, to fully process all that I am and all that I've been through. As much as it pains me to repeat these words, I beg that you don't try to find me until I'm ready. I know it is unfair of me to ask this of you after everything I've put you through, but… I… can not face you right now…"
Hot tears streamed down Arei's face as he screamed out his frustration and pain. Her last sentence mocked him.
"I love you with my entire heart. Together or apart, forever yours; Joslyn"
He crushed the page in one hand as he shot to his feet hooking the corner of the desk in one wide, open palm and flipping the heavy mahogany with one upward thrust.
Poseidon released a heavy sigh as he rested against the wall outside his office doors. "Have someone sent up for cleanup in a bit… also have someone prepare one of the other offices for a while." He added with a frown as the sound of shelves being knocked over and books and glass scattering across the floor echoed through the door. He tucked the decanter under his arm as he pulled his phone from his pocket with a shake of his head. He pressed one of the programmed numbers and waited as the phone rang. When a sleepy hello sounded across the line, he replied. "I'm going to need you to calm your brother down."
Ry pushed up from his bed and forced his eyes to focus on the screen of his phone. "You're kidding me, right? It's already after eleven."
Poseidon lifted an eyebrow toward the phone. "Have you become such an old man that you become bitchy if you're not to bed with the birds?"
Ry moaned in growing irritation. "No, but it is nice to catch up on some sleep after all the chaos that has taken place over the past several months. You can't fault me for that."
Poseidon was quiet for a few moments as he listened to his office be ripped apart from the inside. "No, I suppose not… unless I myself am currently dealing with an eruption of chaos like the world… nor my office has ever seen before." He frowned toward the door when he heard glass shatter against it, involuntarily tightening his hold on the decanter as he scowled.
Ry groaned. "Call Peg, he's better at dealing with his bullshit."
"Peg has had his feel dealing with your bullshit of late, or have you already forgotten your little drunken night?"
Ry let out another groan as he flopped back against the mattress. "Fine, bring him here then."
Poseidon arched a brow at the door. "I'm not sure bringing him around the kid would be the best idea at this very moment."
Ry set up with a new interest. "What do you mean? What happened exactly?" He pushed up from the bed and pulled on a pair of sweats he'd left beside the bed as he listened to his father's quick retailing of the past few hours. Ry couldn't help the rapid blink of his eyes as he stared down at the phone in shock. "Damn, I wouldn't have expected that…" He walked down the quiet hallway. "Bring him to the training area here. I'll let him work out some of his frustrations then I'm sure he'll be alright." He glanced around the halls. "I'm sure the kid is asleep or busy holed up in the library or study avoiding his own problems."
Poseidon sucked in a large breath and blew it out in a loud groan as he turned toward the door just in time to hear more class shatter against it. He arched a brow and pursed his lips. "On second thought..." He handed the now-empty decanter and glass over to the maid and then vanished.
He reappeared in his destroyed office. With a frown and shake of his head, he reached out and touched Arei's shoulder before Arei had even realized he'd come in. Poseidon released his hold on Arei and backed away from the now silent, confused man as he looked around the werewolf training area. Poseidon held up his hands as he caught sight of Ry standing up from the shadowed bench. "He's all yours. I must return home and take inventory of the damages."
Ry's eyes moved from where his father had been standing to his brother. "I would ask if you wanted to talk about it... but I know you well enough..." He said as he walked toward Arei, pulling his shirt off as he did. "All I ask is not face or ball blows this time, please..." He tossed his shirt to the ground and began stretching out his shoulders one at a time. He bent his head side to side causing his neck to pop and crack as he did. He arched his brow when Arei didn't advance or even acknowledge his presence. He glanced overhead at the storm clouds rolling in. "You know, I really don't like fighting in the rain..." He walked over and placed a hand on Arei's bare shoulder as the first droplets of rain began to fall and the sounds of thunder echoed in the distance. "Are we doing this or not?"
Ry's eyes bugged as a powerful fist connected with his sternum. He smiled at his brother, noting the vacant expression that now masked the turbulent emotions raging behind Arei's red, swollen eyes. "That's more like it!" Ry huffed out breathlessly as he moved to avoid another punch. Soon, their sparring became as violent and unpredictable as the storm that raged around them. Each man slipped and glided across the rain-drenched courtyard, using the elements and their influence over it to their advantage.
***
Russ gasped awake as trembling hands continued to shake him. His wide eyes found Jaden standing there in the faint light of the lamp he'd placed on the nearby table. "What is it? What's the matter?" Pain ran from his stiff neck all the way down his cramped legs. He rolled his shoulder and flexed his numb fingers as he sat up from the cramped window seat he'd fallen asleep in. Jaden's anxious eyes didn't leave his as she pointed toward the window with a shaky finger.
"They're fighting! Really fighting!" A bomb of thunder made her jump and a bolt of lightning illuminated her terrified face. "It... it's like they can control the weather or something! I swear the storm just keeps getting worse the longer they're out there!"
Russ glanced out the window as he pulled Jaden into his arms. "It's alright, I'm sure they're training or something..." He stroked her back soothingly as he tugged her into the window seat with him.
She clung to his shirt nervously as another clap of thunder was followed closely by another bright bolt of lightning. "But they're really hurting each other! And the storm!"
He nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure it's one of them that's controlling it or at least causing it." He thought it over as he adjusted their positions in the seat. "I've only seen it twice and both times were from Arei, but I assume Ry can do the same... You'd be surprised at the things they're capable of. I've seen their tattoos glow and be used to summon ocean water several hundred miles away from the closest salt water." He continued rubbing her back as she began to relax against him. His brows furrowed as he watched the rain pelt against the window. {Come to think of it the only times I've ever seen storms like this have always involved something happening to Jos...} Guilt battled worry for Jos as he silently debated going down to the courtyard to find out what had happened.
Jaden snaked her arm around his waist as she rested her head against his chest. Her eyes were trained on his reflection in the window, and she could see the emotions battling across his handsome face. {What was he thinking right now? Is he thinking of her? Do I even have a right to be jealous?} She snuggled into a tighter ball against him as she whispered. "Are you worried for one of them?"
His mind automatically went to Jos. "Yes... I suppose I am worried..." He took his focus off the rain and placed a light kiss on the top of her head. "You should head back to bed. I'll go down and check on them in a bit if they haven't stopped by then."