Chapter 27
Chapter 27
Across the clearing stood the remnants of the Shadowborn.
And with them- Darius.
Last time he had escaped. But this time, I won’t let him go.
Kael tensed beside me. “He shouldn’t be here.”
I nodded once. “We end this today.”
“Oh look who’s here.” Darius taunted noticing our presence.
“How did you let a queen like this slip between your fingers Damien? I must say, my son really takes after me but he’s still too gullible.” He sighed in frustration.
“Kael is nothing like you.” I said through gritted teeth.
“Damien, are you still going to trust him?” I turned to him and his eyes was already on me.
“Alice, come over to me and I promise you I will make sure Darius is punished. Kael is a rogue it’s dangerous to be with him.” Alpha Damien said.
“And you think it’s safe with you?”
“At least I’m not a son to a murderer.” Kael wanted to step forward and I held him back silentl pleading with him not to act yet.
“If you don’t know, Kael is my mate. I hope you know what that means. I can never be like Helena and that’s what you want.”
“I don’t care about that anymore, just come to me.”
I glanced at Kael, pausing for a while I let go of his hands and looked at Damien.
“I rather burn, than come back to you.” I spat and stared at Kael with a smile.
At that moment, Darius suddenly raised a blade of dark silver. It was aimed at me.
When I noticed it was too late.
Kael spun in front of me, taking the blow with a sickening crack. The blade buried itself in his
side.
Time broke.
“KAEL!”
He hit the ground hard, blood spilling beneath him.
My head spun, my body engulfed in rage.
“Ka… Kael.” I called my voice shaking.
The blade was laced with silver, there was no time to save him. Nothing can at this point, he was already losing blood.
“I’m sorry, I hid things from you in the past. Ever since I betrayed you, I’ve not really been myself.” Blood came out of his mouth as he speak.
Damien stood watching, no sign of remorse in his eyes. Just like when he watched me burn.
“He can’t make it again, Alice. You should come with me.” Damien said.
I stood up and shifted mid-run, my bones snapping, fur bursting forth, my mark glowing
white-hot.
I didn’t remember moving. I only remembered the way Darius face looked before I tore it off.
He barely had time to scream.
I didn’t stop at one blow. I didn’t stop at ten.
I ripped him apart-limb by limb, bone by bone-until there was nothing left but blood.
Damien had splashes of blood on him. He watched unable to say a word. He looked stunned and shaking by my sight. He stepped back slowly in fright and I caught him.
I growled loudly going after him, I kicked him hard sending him flying high and hitting the ground.
But that wasn’t enough. I held my head screaming, I wanted it to stop but I couldn’t. I destroyec everything in my path.
Beta Zane tried to reach me, no one could.
Because I wasn’t Alice anymore. I was what they always feared I’d become.
I heard someone scream, “Get back! She’ll kill us all!”
And maybe they were right.
Because at that moment, I didn’t want to stop. Tears trickled down my cheeks.
I wanted to burn.
But then I heard a voice I never thought I’d hear again.
“Alice…”
I turned.
It was Kael, faintly breathing and barely alive.
He was on one knee, hand pressed to his wound, his face pale.
“Alice,” he whispered again. “It’s me. I’m here.”
My rage faltered.
He took one step, then another.
And I saw him. I really saw him.
The man who chose me-again and again-even when I couldn’t choose myself.
And I shifted back.
Falling to the ground, trembling, human again.
I crawled toward him and he collapsed in my arms.
Beta Zane quickly came to cover me with a cloth.
But this time… I knew.
This time, he was really dying.
His head rested in my lap.
Chapter 27
His breathing-shallow. Slower with every second.
“Kael,” I choked. “No. No, no, no.”
His eyes fluttered open. Barely.
“Alice…”
“I’m here,” I whispered. “I’ve got you. Just hold on.”
“I’m sorry,” he rasped.
“For what?” My fingers gripped his shirt like I could keep him tethered. “You didn’t do this. You saved me.”
“I didn’t want it to end this way.”
“It’s not ending.”
He smiled.
And moon goddess, it broke me. It was the same smile he gave me the night we first met in tha cave. The same one from the first time he called me “mine.”
“Tell me something,” he whispered.
“Anything.”
“If you could do it all again… would you still choose me?”
Tears slid down my cheeks, landing on his face.
“I’d choose you every damn time.”
But then his eyes rolled back.
His body went still.
“No.” I shook him. “No. Stay with me. Please. Please, don’t go.”
4:20 pm
