Anthony's POV

My eyes are firmly glued to Carla's. She is staring at me with her lovely grey eyes. I've always loved her eyes. They're so beautiful. Just like her.

I gently brush away the blonde locks obstructing her face and lean down to kiss the top of her head.

While doing so, dark crimson liquid coates my fingers.

I freeze.

I don't dare to look at the wound in her neck or the probable gashing cut. But that doesn't prevent me from having the view of the puddle of blood pooling around her.

There's so much blood. . .

But she'll be fine. She will be, right? She has to. She can't leave me. She can't. Nothing will happen to her. I'm sure of it. She had survived once. She will do it again. I know that.

I gaze down at her adoringly, "I love you, you know. Even when I was acting before, a part of me always loved you. And before I knew it, I was whipped. I fell for you so hard that it terrified me."

Hollow grey eyes peered into mine, unblinking.

"You love me too, don't you?" I asked softly, "Ofcourse, you just said you did. I'm so forgetful." A chuckle eluded my lips.

"Anthony. . ." I could hear a faint voice calling me. Who it is, I couldn't really understand.

Or was it an illusion?

I can't see anyone. I can't feel anything. Everything seems numb-empty. The only thing I could feel is Carla's cold body pressed up against mine. That's a good thing, right?

Just her and me.

"Anthony." I heard that voice again, maybe firmer this time?

But it felt so far away. As if someone was speaking through a tunnel.

I gazed back at Carla, "I love you." I murmured again because I don't know what else to say.

She looks so angelic that it hurts my heart in all the right way. It feels like a hallucination.

"Anthony!" I'm suddenly jerked by my shoulder.

It's not until then that I realize I'm shaking. Tremendously. My whole body and soul.

Kaitlyn is staring at me with horror in her eyes and shaking me a lot. As if to snap me out of something. What, I don't know.

"Oh my God, he's having a panic attack." She was yelling, "Anthony, look at me. You have to control this. I know your powers ascended at the wrongest of times but you can't let them consume you!"

Ugh. Why is she suddenly so loud? And control what powers?

"Tone down the fire." She yelled again, "Snap out of it!"

My ears drummed at the high tone of her voice. For the love of God, can't she just shut up? I want to remain all alone with Carla just like few moments ago. Where did Kaitlyn even come from?

My eyes narrowed when I turned to look around. She wasn't alone?

Why are there so many people? And why is there so much of blue flames? I don't know what is happening.

Just then, two large hands grab my face and I'm staring right into Valerian's dark green eyes.

"Listen," I can see his eye-colour changing and suddenly I'm drifting to a hazy state, "St-"

"Valerian, no!" Kate pushes him away from me snapping me out of the haze, "You can't compel him to get over his emotions. It'll only make it worse. He'll always feel empty. He can do this. Trust me."

Valerian accesses his wife's words for a second before something akin to pride shines in his orbs as he nods.

Kaitlyn turns to me.

Then ever so softly, she grabs my chin and tilts it up so I'm peering directly into her grey-blue eyes, "Hey, I know this is all terrible and you're confused and heartbroken and feeling so many things all at the same time. I know you just want to be left on your own and don't want anyone around you right now. But believe me, brother, that will only make it worse. We're here for you. I know mother wasn't particularly a good family to you but right now, right here, you have your family. You have all of us. You have Anne and Me. And even if hell breaks loose, we'll be there for you. You can't let your powers overpower and destroy everything. I know you don't want that. We wouldn't want that. And. . .Carla wouldn't either. So, brother, let your emotions free. Don't bottle them in and let the fire down. Please. For Carla."

Something in the gentleness in her voice and the way each of her words sent a wave of pain in my heart has my eyes tearing up involuntarily.

The fire around me which somehow isn't affecting Kaitlyn and the others but is tremendously spreading and effecting the witches starts dimming. Little by little. Until there's no fire.

The first strains of the unshed tears drop from my eyes. One by one. Until my vision is getting blurry.

Kaitlyn's arms wrap around me in a comforting manner and soon enough I feel another pair of hands-which I realise is Anne's-embrace me.

It reminds me of when I had pulled Carla into my arms and the way she'd comforted me the day I found out about my being a demonic witch/ lycan hybrid. Just being in her arms had made me feel at peace. And now I can't ever get that feeling again.

"Carla. . .she. . .I. . ." My voice gets choked as the tears continue to pour down.

"I know." Kaitlyn says softly, rubbing my back. And Anne tightens her arms around me. I can hear little sniffles coming from her too. It just breaks me all the more.

Carla is her bestfriend. Was.

It cracks my resolute. I don't dare to look Carla's way. I know I won't be able to take it.

My eyes moves to Zander. She was his bestfriend too. He's staring at the form beside me-Carla's form. His eyes have unshed tears himself. It reminds me of who I lost.

The whimpers turn into sobs as I clutch to my sisters for dear life. I don't know how long they both keep holding me as I cry like a baby.

No one speaks.

Everything feels so horrible. Everyone's lost her. All because of mother.

At that very moment, something snaps inside of me. I gently pull away from Kaitlyn and Anne who look at me alarmingly but they don't stop me.

They don't stop me even when I stand up, brush my tears away and walk towards where my mother is in three long strides.

Charlotte is hissing profusely at the burns she might have got from the blue flames earlier. She looks up when I approach her.

For the first time in my life, I see horror in her eyes. Horror inflicted by me. It makes me feel better. Powerful.

Something inside me died when Carla sliced that dagger through her neck. When Charlotte let Carla do it. When she ignored all my begging.

The littlest of love in the shady corner of my heart I had for my mother evaporated on that very moment.

Maybe that is why when my hand grips Charlotte's neck, I feel nothing. Even when they tighten choking her, even when she curses profanities, even when her initial anger turns into utter horror and then fear for her dear life, I don't feel a thing.

I bring my other hand and place it on the side of her face. She seems to realize what I'm about to do. Her eyes are on alarm warning me, begging me to not do it.

But it doesn't faze me. I had begged her to not let Carla die. She hadn't listened. She hadn't paid a heed to my suffering. Why should I?

With that determination, I twist Charlotte's neck in a quick, sharp movement.

She falls to the ground-motionless. Dead.

I don't turn to look at anyone as I stride out the entrance. I feel so numb that nothing makes sense anymore.

I stop on my tracks when something clicks in my head.

The next minute, I'm running back into the throne room with my heart in my throat. Everyone glances my way in shock. Maybe because of my disheveled state. But I don't care.

I run until I'm in front of Carla. Falling down on my knees, I tuck my hand under her back and pull her towards my chest. She's so cold.

But I can fix it. She'll be fine.

Gently brushing away the blonde strands from her face, I lean down to kiss the crown of her head. Then with careful precision, I place my trembling hand on the harsh cut on her neck.

I can feel the energy seeping through my veins as they spread over to my palm. The palm that is placed on Carla's neck.

The wound is external. I can heal it. She'll be fine.

The angry gash starts closing up, escalating the hope in me. She'll be fine.

Seconds pass into minutes and minutes into a hour but nothing happens except the wound closing up. Carla doesn't move. She doesn't wake up. No one dares utter a word.

The little hope inside me dies breaking something in me. My heart? My soul? I'm not sure.

My vision starts darkening around the edges. I knew over-exerting myself wasn't good but I hadn't cared. All my focus was on healing Carla. But it didn't work. . .

The tears brim my eyes yet again as the pounding in my head increases. I had drained myself way too much. It could even cause my death.

And somehow. . . Somehow it seems like the best option.

So as my eyes shut on their own accord, I pray to the moon goddess to take me away. . .

To Carla.

__________

Ohmigosh! This chapter was so emotional😢

What do you think will happen next?

There are like 4-5 chapters left👀

Also, I added Charlotte and Zander's face claim in the 'Face claims' chapter. Do let me know what you think about them👀

I'm using this weekend holiday as my chance to update. So, next chapter will be updated tomorrow:)

Until then, Bubye!
Have a nice day!