Morgrim.
Donovan despised being called by his surname. It had always unsettled him, though he couldn't explain why. The name Morgrim seemed to carry an invisible weight, and like a shadow, it followed him wherever he went.
But now, he understood.
The Morgrim lineage was always tainted. His father wasn't the only monster it had produced, and perhaps, there were others, forgotten and hidden within the recesses of his family's history. What other horrors had his bloodline birthed? It made sense why his father never spoke of having relatives, not even his own parents.
"Don!"
Esme's voice cut through his brooding thoughts like a blade, leaving him startled. He instinctively raised his head, half-convinced he must have misheard, but her presence… he felt it more than ever, and it was as real as the ache in his chest.