Chapter 26
Aleera POV
Hushed voices woke me. They sounded angry as I opened my eyes. The last thing I remembered was choking on the shadows and Darius grabbing me; I felt myself dying and, in some ways, I even prayed for death. At least I wouldn’t feel like this. I felt hollow. I had tasted only briefly their magic before they took it from me. My bond screamed angrily, writhing within me for it back.
“Darius, just leave him be. I am right here with them.”
“Anything happens to him, and it is on you. It will be your fault,” Darius growled before I heard the door slam. I jumped a t the sound and my eyes opened to find Kalen beside me asleep. He looked so peaceful, and I gently brushed his cheek with my fingertips. His stubble was rough and scratchy when I felt the bed dip behind me, and I glanced over my shoulder to see Lycus sit next to me.
“You are awake,” He states, and I turn back to face Kalen. I tried not to let his emotionless tone upset me. He didn’t seem too pleased that I was awake.
“Thank you,” Lycus murmured, and I chewed my lip and nodded at his words. It actually sounded like it physically hurt him to say it.
“Why did you give it back?” He asked. I wondered briefly the same thing. It was clear that even with me helping Kalen, nothing would change and I just tossed my only opportunity o fescape out the window. Yet the thought of Kalen being the way he was, I knew I would have done it again.
“Darius is angry,” I stated, ignoring his question.
“He always is,” Lycus stated before he leaned against the bedhead of my tiny bed.
“Kalen struggles to cope. He hasn’t had an episode like that for a while. It has made Darius more anxious,”
“He blames me for it?”
“We all do. He has been fine for almost a year, then you show u p, and he backtracks,” Lycus growls before he sighs.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to snap at you,”
“How many times,” I asked Lycus, rolling onto my back to look at him.
“How many times he had tried to kill himself, or do you mean how many times he successfully did before were brought him back?” I swallowed.
“Brought back, 8 times, lost count of how many suicides attempts he has had,” Lycus answers and my heart sank. Kalen was far from alright.
to my magic,” Lycus says, and my heart quickens at his words, making him glance down at me. He watched me
mean, I did nothing
different, stronger,” I let
of
you are supposed to pass and share our energy amongst us, so we are all
D
it, it is the bond,” I tell him, and
with my magic out of your system and Darius’s. Although it makes me wonder what you would
Darius’s magic,” I tell
and tried t o clean it from your blood. His saliva has magic in it, but he couldn’t take it all. Darius flooded you with his power, so I bet you feel pretty uncomfortable now. Once a
on keeping me defenseless, so
need to be this way,” Lycus told me. Lycus went to
Darius?” Lycus asked him, but Tobias was too
himself
“Huh?”
where did
think?” Tobias snapped at him. Lycus
just copped it off, Darius. I don’t need you starting
I wasn’t here to argue,” Tobias
is fine as you can see, I won’t leave him alone with
going to hurt him,” I snapped as anger rippled through me. They both
Fine, answer me this then,” I rolled my eyes, and Tobias was on top
Lycus snapped at
said she won’t hurt him. Let’s see how true it is,” Tobias said, sending a glare at Lycus, who shrugged. Tobias’s fingers dug painfully into my
asked me, and I
and Lycus sat up more, looking down at me. What kind of question is that? What answer did
were in my place, would you stay?” I
be stupid enough to run from my mates. I wouldn’t
now let me go,” The noise that left him made goosebumps rise on my
think she won’t hurt him?” He asked Lycus. Lycus
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