Chapter 89

Soren

It pains me not to be able to look at Celia. I know that she is crying, I know that she is an immense emotional pain because of me and it's slowly killing me on the inside. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see the way her body has doubled over, and I can hear the way her cries echo and bounce off of the walls of the abandoned home.

I keep my eyes focused on Bianca. I cannot let her think that this is a deception, needing her to be solely on my side instead of picking up on the plan that I have formed in my mind. Just outside of these walls sits the Dukes men, their soldiers already having taken out the rogue werewolves that protected the home.

Bianca's smile makes me feel uneasy. It just fuels my hatred more knowing that she finds pleasure in Celia and I’s pain, finding pleasure in dominating the woman she has hated ever since she came back into my pack.

Staring at the woman before me, I cannot bring myself to think about the good times that Bianca and I share together. Looking at her, I can no longer see the nice and confident girl that I once knew in our shared childhood. I can no longer see the beauty in her eyes, the way she treated everybody with respect before she left all of those years ago.

Bianca came back, yes, but she came back completely changed. It is like she was corrupted by the shady politicians and nobles in the Lycan pack. This whole time, it has felt like Bianca has been working for herself for for someone else, her actions never lining up with the way she was when we were children.

I suppose, though, that times change and people do too.

“I really appreciated you sending me the box,” I force a smile onto my face as I pass it back to Bianca. “It showed me exactly what I needed to see. It made me realize that I love you and you alone, nobody else.”

The smile on Bianca's face grows. She opens up the box and finds the mementos that she has tucked away from me, slowly bringing them out one by one as if she is reliving every single memory as I once did. The only difference is that she finds immense pleasure and happiness in these items, whereas I only felt dread and loathing towards it.

“I knew you would come around, Soren,” Bianca says.

She placed the items back in the box and passes it to a soldier who stands by her side. She extends her hand out to me and I take it, allowing her to move me up the last few steps. From behind her, I can see Celia lying on the ground, the chain still remained on her body.

My heart breaks at the sight. My wolf screams and howls at me to end this charade, to get our revenge on Bianca as soon as we can so we can bring Celia back into the safety of our arms.

I have to remain patient though. One quick move can destroy all of the trust that I have just built with Bianca and everybody in this room can die in a matter of seconds. Bianca's temper is the most dangerous weapon in the game right now and I have to keep it off of the board for as long as I can.

“Come,” Bianca coos, “let us end this once and for all.”

Bianca drops my hand and turns away from me. I looked down at Celia for the split second, taking in her appearance, the way she shakes and sobs on the ground. It destroys my heart, my conscience feeling so guilty and so dirty for making a plan like this, but in order to make a believable, Celia truly has to think that I am abandoning her in this moment.

“I have finally seen the error in my ways. Celia was just away from me to enact on my lust whereas with you, I was able to truly fully love somebody,” I speak, adding to the layers of my deception.

Bianca turns around. She has a knife in her hand, the metal blade slightly rusted from lack of care. She crosses the distance back to me and hold out the blade. I stare at the Hill then I look back at her, raising an eyebrow.

“If you truly love me, Soren, then you will kill Celia for us, for our future happiness together,” her voice is deceptively sweet. It is truly terrifying to watch and listen to.

I take the blade in my hand, the knife feeling heavy, despite its lightweight appearance. I turn and look at Celia, feeling Bianca rest her hands on my shoulders, guiding me towards the vulnerable woman.

“Go on,” Bianca whispers into my ear like the temptress she is, “do it and we will be happy. I will make you happy…”

Celia looks up at me and shakes her head no. I stepped towards her and out of Bianca's grasp, mouthing to Celia that everything will be okay. I raised the knife up into the air and look down at Celia, unable to get the look of fear and terror that she wears on her face out of my head.

Without wasting another second, I plunged the knife down, spinning on my heel, watching as the dagger makes itself at home inside of Bianca's chest. Look of pain flashes across her face, her eyes meeting mine, betrayal written all over her face.

I take a step back. Protecting Celia as much as I can, as Bianca removes the dagger from her chest. She sways back-and-forth, staggering around before falling to the ground, the knife clattering to the side.

I dropped down to the floor, just as I hear the first bullet ring out, protecting Celia's body from any stray gunfire that may come near us. She clings to my body, her sobs and cries loud in my ear as the Dukes men begin to take out the werewolf soldiers.

Celia's grip tightens on my shirt, her tears staining my chest and clothing. I hold the back of her head, rubbing slow circles up and down her spine. I move my lips to her ear, quietly whispering to her that everything is going to be okay, that she is safe in my arms.

The gunfire quickly dies down as soon as it begins, a calculated strike that the Duke planned. I listen as men enter the residence and slowly pull away from Celia, looking around. The Duke’s men enter the home and begin to search for any left over rogue werewolf soldiers to take care of.

I slowly sit up and bring Celia with me. I stare at the chains that remain connected to her body and gesture to a solider to find the key. I look down at the woman and peel her face away from my chest, holding her face between my hands. I wipe away her tears, allowing her to put her full weight into my touch.

“You came,” Celia cries out, her voice tired and hoarse.

“Of course I did,” my voice shakes, “I had to find you. I love you, Celia.”

Celia breaks out into more tears as the chains are removed from her body. She clings to me as I pick her up into my arms, carrying her down the stairs. She weeps into my neck as I walk us towards a car.

“It’s okay,” I murmur to her, trying to calm her down, “you’re safe now. I got you. You will never be hurt ever again, I promise.”