He grabbed her by the throat and she was cut short, I will break your fucking neck if you ever talk about her again, and unlike us, you won’t be recovering from it, he threatened.
Her expression fell and for the first time in my life, I saw pure fear in her eyes. It didn’t last, however. She happened to glance in my direction, her fear vanishing, and I knew right away she saw me watching.
Do it, she began smiling deviously, her eyes averting to stare up at him and his expression faltered in shock, you are a true killer, Moretti. Show me who you really are, Alpha. Do it, she jeered, her eyes burning into him while she begged for death.
My heart raced and I squeezed the wall, confused as to what she was trying to achieve and afraid of what I was potentially about to witness. In spite of that, I had no desire to stop it.
A minute passed and he randomly released her, looking over and catching me hiding behind the doorway. His eyes faded into their original silver color and he looked absolutely horrified by my presence.
I blushed, slowly stepping out and looking down at my feet after the both of them spotted me.
My mother suddenly sprung up and lunged. I looked up and widened my eyes, but the chain around her biceps yanked her to a stop mere inches from me.
She screeched in frustration and I stood in front of her, unmoving, and somehow unfazed by her attempt to attack me. She narrowed her slightly swollen, reddened eyes at me and stopped fighting the restraints.
The light revealed the tear lines on her cheeks and I couldn’t help but feel as though I was looking into a mirror of the past, seeing myself in her current state.
Why do you hate me ? I asked, my voice barely above a whisper in order to prevent myself from crying in front of her. I can’t bear hearing anymore of her insults.
All I want is an answer.
It’s all I’ve ever wanted.
Her hateful glare lightened the longer she stared at me and her rigid body slumped, her eyes softening as we shared gazes. It was the first time I’ve looked her in the eyes since the day she burned my sight away, and it was by far the longest we’ve held eye contact since I was a toddler.
I don’t, she responded, her voice delicate compared to what I was used to and I felt my eyes water.
How could she say that after everything ?
Axel grabbed my waist and started to pull me toward the exit, except that’s when she started speaking.
I made you unloveable so you’d never know how it feels, she added in a rush, almost like she was trying to stop us from leaving.
We turned back and looked at her silently. He kept his arm around my waist and pulled me closer. A low growl rumbled in his chest and she swallowed visibly, the shackles clinging due to her quaking figure.
I wanted to make sure you never found happiness, so you were never devastated, she exhaled, blinking rapidly and shifting her gaze to stare at the doorway, the pain your father left me in nearly drove me to suicide and I couldn’t risk that happening to you, she paused, sucking in a shaky breath.
I was willing to sacrifice any relationship we could’ve had to stop you from making the same mistakes, Angelica…
*
Don’t bring her into this, Jade, she had nothing to do with it. She’s only nine !
If not because of her, then why’d you do it ?
You want the truth ? That woman wasn’t just a fling. I love her, I just didn’t realize until after you fell pregnant. I didn’t want it to be like this.
You couldn’t tell me that you were seeing someone else before knocking me up ? I had to catch you two fucking in our bed, now you’re leaving to be with her ? I know you don’t give a fuck about how this makes me feel, but do you even care how this makes our daughter feel ?
Yes, and that’s why I’m taking her with-
The fuck you are ! I refuse to let her be raised by pieces of filth who’ll teach her to be a home-wrecking whore ! I’ll make sure she never even comes close ! If she can’t trust her own mom, then she’ll surely avoid strangers !
Are you fucking crazy ? You’re not thinking, Jade, just leave her the fuck out of it ! You’ll ruin her !
*
Angel, he said with warning as if he sensed what I was about to do by my expression, yet I brushed him off and slipped completely free from his grasp anyway.
My mother watched me approach and started to smile. I stopped in front of her and analyzed her face, feeling so much anger and pain start to resurface. Her smile was so foreign to me that it feels mocking.
I don’t forgive you, my voice wobbled and I frowned, reaching out and wiping away her tears softly, but I still love you, mama.
My heart ached and I finally grew the strength to suppress the urge to fall at her feet begging for comfort, understanding now that she will never cherish me again.
That woman is gone.
I turned away from her with a new feeling of fulfillment, walking back to Axel and taking his hand with a sad smile, after we leave, I don’t want those doors opened ever again.
He appeared shocked by my request and my mother panicked, rattling the chains as she yanked against them and screamed at me. I ignored her, pulling Axel with me up the stairs and out of the cellar without another glance back.
And so is that little girl.
We stopped in front of the doors and I looked up at him, feeling the negative void in my chest that I couldn’t ever quite fix suddenly fill with warmth.
My line of sight fell onto the cellar where her screams echoed off of the walls, reminding me of my own during those painful years she had confined me inside a tiny crate.
I love him, too, I muttered, allowing my gaze to linger on the stairs a moment longer before I grabbed the doors and pulled them closed.
You don’t control me anymore, Jade.
Are you sure you want this ? He asked. I stared at the wooden doors, hearing her faint screams emit from the dirty cellar. She begged and fought, but she wasn’t breaking free, only reminding me of the hell she put me through.
You closed countless doors on me.
It’s my turn to close the door on you.
A smile lifted the corners of my lips and I nodded, turning my body to face him and admiring the way the moon defined his already sculpted face.