Chapter 90: A Fresh Shadow and Dawn
Melissa’s POV
Now there was silence on the battlefield. The conflict was over.
My body hurt and my heart felt heavier than ever as I stood among the ruins. The air smelled of death and smoke, and the ground was smeared with blood. The earth itself bore the sacrifices of our men, whose bodies lay strewn about, their eyes empty.
The lump in my throat was swallowed. For me, they had fought. For us. And they were gone now.
My hand met Kane’s. My legs were swaying under me, but his solid hold kept me upright. He was injured, with major cuts on his chest and arms, but he was still alive. The only thing preventing me from utterly disintegrating was that.
“Melissa,” he muttered in a harsh voice, “we must leave. Nothing is left in this place.
Just pain.
I nodded, but I was immobile. My eyes fell upon Darius’s lifeless body. The man who had attempted to shatter me and transform me into something I wasn’t supposed to be was no longer with me. However, why did I feel as though something had shattered inside of me instead?
I balled my fists up. I would take care of it later, whatever it was. We had to go home now.
Whether the feeling of home was still present.
It should have been a relief to be back in the pack. It wasn’t.
I could hardly hear the cheers that people gave us when we arrived. I hardly felt Kane’s presence as he hugged me close. I was lacking something. Although I had won, I had also suffered a loss.
Sitting in my room, I gazed at my image in the mirror. I had the same face, but it was different. My expression was unreadable, and my eyes were darker. Something-someone-should have been there, but there was a silence in my chest that I couldn’t identify.
“Melissa?” I was brought back to reality by Kane’s voice. His expression was filled with worry as he stood at the doorway. “Talk to me.”
I forced a grin as I turned to face him. “I’m all right. Simply exhausted.
He squinted his eyes. “You’re not okay. Melissa, I recognize you. Tell me what’s not right.
I paused. How could I let him know that things didn’t feel right? That I wasn’t free even after Darius left? That my heart was still restless, that my mind was still foggy?
I said in a whisper instead, “I just need time.”
With a groan, Kane nodded. “All right. However, you don’t have to bear this burden alone.
I wanted to think he was real. However, I had a gut feeling that I would have to fight this war alone.
The windows rattled in the howling wind outside. The chill wasn’t simply from the night air, though, so I drew my blanket tightly over me.
I sensed it.
I was being watched by something.
I approached the window and looked out into the night. There was nothing at first. The trees alone, their branches fluttering in the breeze. Then there was motion.
At the edge of the woods, a man was standing.
Covered in darkness, they remained motionless and unblinking. However, they were observing. Observing me.
My breath caught. Inside of me, my wolf shifted uneasily.
Who was that?
Something prevented me from calling for Kane. Rather, I tightened my hands and moved toward the window, aiming my eyes at the invisible figure.
Then they disappeared into the night as swiftly as they had come.
Is it a promise or a warning?
I attempted to go to asleep, but as soon as I closed my eyes, the blackness engulfed me.
Then a voice.
Low, recognizable, and impossible.
Was it your intention to get rid of me?
With a gasp, I shot to my feet. My hands shook as I gripped my chest. Even though the room was deserted, I could still hear the voice.
Darius.
I shook my head and gritted my teeth. No. It wasn’t real. He had left. I had put an end to him. I was victorious.
Why, therefore, did it seem as though the conflict was only getting started?