Chapter 27

A hand cradles my face as I wake up. My eyes flutter open to find Zade, asleep. He's on his back and I'm resting on his chest. The sound of his heart beating awakens me. It's loud. He does have a heart after.

He looks innocent in his sleep, not the powerful, bloodthirsty hybrid I know him to be. I trace a finger over his brow, my heart heavy.

It's still night, nearing morning.

My insides are aching, sore, but it isn't the bad kind of pain. It's somewhat good. His lips, now soft and relaxed are parted slightly as he breathes. I remember them against mine, the feel of them between my legs, his tongue at my nub—

I stop my mind from running wild.

It was passionate, good but now it's over. He's still who he is and I'm still who I'm. Nothing of that is going to change. One night isn't going to make him better or take away the fact that he doesn't feel any remorse or sympathy for anyone. Not even me.

He's still cold, just like he's meant to be.

I slide off the bed, my legs wobbling a little as my body adjusts to the after-effect of taking his cock. I move softly across the room, wincing as a small wave of pain shoots through my lower body. I clench my teeth and press on.

When I look back, I still find Zade sleeping after all my movements. He's deep asleep. This is my only chance. One I'm not going to get ever again. I don't want to be trapped here for eternity, not like this.

I've to take the chance.

I can't forget what he said about my mother. I've to know how she is doing, whether she is even alive after Zade gave his blood. I don't trust him. I've to know myself.

My eyes stay glued on him as I reach down, under the bed. My fingers fumble around until they find the piece of wood I had kept earlier. I take it into my hand and drag it out from under the bed before standing back up straight.

He's still unhinged, asleep.

As I stand there, stake in hand, a surge of emotions washes over me. The man lying on the bed seems so different from the monster I want to run from. The vulnerability in his sleep tugs at my heart, planting seeds of doubt.

He seems harmless, his chest rising and falling with each breath he takes. His face is softened in sleep, the sharp cheekbones less intimidating, less monstrous.

But I know better. I know what he's capable of. What he is.

I grip the stake tighter, my knuckles turning white. I'm not killing him. I'm not. I tell myself that but it's so far from reality. I'm taking his life, only for a moment.

Estella's going to be awake by morning and she'll give him blood, she will bring him back to life, and in the meantime, I'll be gone, far away from him. He can haunt me all he wants to but I won't come back, I won't return here.

But what if it doesn't work? I stare at the stake and wonder. What if he doesn't go into hibernation? What if he wakes up? I'm doomed then.

I release the breath I've been holding before going onto the bed. The bed creaks a little as I near him and point the sharp end of the stake to his chest. My hands tremble. I look like a monster.

What if he fights back?

What if this kills him for good?

I don't want to kill him. He's my mate and it's not in me to kill anyone.

He's immortal, he'll survive. I know he will. He can't die with a stake, he's a creature of two kinds. He cannot be easily killed.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath, trying to ease the storm brewing inside me. I need to be calm. I need to do this right.

With a final breath, I plunge the stake into his chest. The action is swift sure. It takes all of my strength to actually pierce through his thick flesh. I aim for where his heart should be and when it's inches deep, I scramble away as quickly as I can, not knowing what's going to happen.

It happens quickly. His skin begins to dry up like a flower withering in the cold. His veins darken, creeping out from under his skin like crawling branches.

My chest raises and drops. I move further back on the bed while still on my knees. What have I done?

I force myself to look away, knowing I can't handle seeing my own mate desiccating. I've done what I had to do, to escape. He's a monster, I remind myself, a monster who had claimed me, possessed me. There's no kind of future I can have with a monster no matter how hard I hope to.

I may have given a part of myself, and I don't regret that, but there's nothing more I can give to him.

The room feels smaller as I stand on my feet. My heart hammers in my chest as I reach for the doorknob. Turning it, I step into the hallway without looking back. I can't. I hate what I've done, but it had to be done. He wasn't going to let me leave while he was alive.

The house is as still as a tomb. There's an eerie calm, quietness that tells me that I've got little time before the storm awakens. I have to escape, now.

Swiftly, I rush down the hallway, my bare feet making no sound on the cold, wooden flooring. My heart pumps furiously in my chest as I move. My head clouds with different thoughts and questions and it takes me out of focus.

Focus, Aurora.

I tell myself while reaching the foyer. Estella's asleep, Zade's gone and there's no one else here to stop me from leaving. No one.

My fingers tremble as I reach for one of the large drawers in the foyer. Inside, I look for anything that can help me out of here. When I don't find anything, I look at the top of the drawers and find a basket of keys. I grab one of them and try it on the main door.

It forms a click sound as it unlocks.

A sigh of relief leaves my lips as I open the large door. It's heavy and reaches high up to the ceiling of the ground floor. I leave the door open before rushing back to where the drawers are. Tipping on my toes, I look into the bundle of keys and grab a car key that's resting between the others.

He did have a car and yet made me run in the ice cold with a group of male wolves.

That was only the beginning of his torment.

I should've never left with him, I should've stayed with my mother than coming here.

I reach back into the drawers and find a bundle of cash just sitting there. Grabbing some of it, I quickly rush out before wasting any more time.

Just as I'm out of the house, cold air hits me and I freeze. It's too cold. And most of my body is bare. I'm only wearing a T-shirt that barely covers anything.

Shit.

I run back into the house with my heart thudding in my throat. My eyes scan the dimly lit foyer and I find the coat hanger positioned behind the grand staircase. I dart towards it, snatching up the first one I reach. It's a heavy leather coat, the material worn and soft to the touch.

And it smells like my mate.

The scent washes over me and I take a deep breath. No return. I tell myself as the coat swallows me up, falling past my knees and the sleeves cover my hands. I ignore the ache in my heart and head back towards the door while holding the cash and key in my hand.

Before I leave, I glance over my shoulder one last time.

The hideous dark mansion stands silent under the moonlight with no one inside but the monster who lives in it. I wrap the coat tighter around myself and turn away.

I look for the car around the area and find it parked a short distance away, with several others. Beeping on the button on the key, I step closer to the one which responds to the signal.

It's a sleek, mahogany-colored car. I tug on the handle, holding my breath. It swings open, silent, and smooth until I start the engine.

I flinch at the sound of the engine roaring in the middle of the night. It surely is loud enough to wake up anyone in the distance. Anyone.

Before anyone catches me, I press down on the accelerator, and the car thrusts forward but doesn't move. I put it on reverse and it quickly lurches back before slamming into a small tree.

"Shit," I curse before shifting the gears again and driving forward. "Get a grip." I tell myself while moving down the dirt road that leads straight out.

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