Much Worse Than Retaliation
When Raphael held out his hand for me, I took it, holstering the gun in my right hand. This man was going to bat for me in a way that he had never done before and to say that I appreciated it was an understatement.
That was what it meant to be mated to someone, to know that they always had your back, no matter what.
"We have told you what you should do," said Raphael, pulling me closer to his body. Everyone's eyes were on us as he spoke. "It is up to you whether you choose to do it or not. However, let there be no mistake or misunderstandings; if you choose not to, then I will wash my hands of you."
He escorted me to the door carefully, like I was the most important person in the room. The rest of my mates fell into line behind us, their footsteps echoing in the quiet room. This meeting felt like a giant waste of time, but it was necessary.