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.
his words, making him glance down
mean, I did nothing
I
your keeper, of course,
I didn’t expect it to feel as strong as Darius’s and Tobias’s power, you may be a keeper, but you are supposed to pass and share our energy amongst us, so we are all the same strength,
D
it is the bond,”
I bet it is playing havoc with my magic out of your system and Darius’s. Although it makes me wonder what you would be capable of if you shared all our power along
touched Darius’s
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 keeper shares power the first time, your bond will crave it for
keeping me defenseless, so of course, I feel like
to be this way,” Lycus told me. Lycus went to say
him, but Tobias was too busy staring
Tobias shook himself before he
“Huh?”
where did
Lycus growled before
know it’s not you, but I just copped it off, Darius. I don’t need you starting
just checking on Kalen. I
fine as you can see, I won’t leave him alone
as anger rippled through me. They both stared at me, stunned and honestly, I was surprised I voiced those words because I didn’t mean
then,” I rolled my eyes, and Tobias was on top of me within seconds, his
what are you doing?” Lycus snapped at him and
glare at Lycus, who
run again?” Tobias asked me, and I felt my heart
me. What kind
place, would you stay?”
enough to run from my mates. I wouldn’t risk
o catch me lying, Tobias, now let me go,” The noise that left him made goosebumps rise on my skin before
won’t hurt him?” He asked
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