Epilogue
Scarlett
I can’t remember a time where I’ve felt so at peace with my life.
It’s winter break, and Sophia and I decided to go away for the weekend.
We didn’t want to go too far, so we opted for Harrison and Stirling’s cottage.
Naturally, the boys followed us here. It’s become the place where the five of us go when we need time away from reality.
The bond that I’ve formed with Harrison and Stirling feels like I’ve gained the brothers I’ve always wanted.
They say that the people who you surround yourself with become a reflection of yourself. I’m not naive to the fact that the five of us aren’t perfect, but we sure as hell are strong.
The cool breeze pushes through the sliding door, masking the tension that remains under my surface. The only thing we know how to do is carry on. The smell of Italian spices comes from the stove. When we’re here, we always take turns cooking dinner. Tonight, Sophia is cooking shrimp stir-fry.
The Aldens and my very own Mr. Mercer are amazing cooks. They made pasta last night, and even though I’ve never been to Italy, I would plead that it was some of the best pasta ever made.
Tonight, they are going to teach me to play the card game ‘Euchre’. Apparently, it’s not hard once you figure it out, but I’ll be the judge of that.
Even though we all try to unwind, I can tell that the guys are still tense.
It’s no secret that they are plotting something within The Society.
Callum hasn’t told me all of it, but I know that there’s been a shift and they are planning to change it.
He says the less I know the better. I can tell by the way that he acts and talks about it that the stakes are high.
I can’t imagine how hard everything is on him, and I’d wait forever trying to understand.
As I chop veggies, hands snake around my waist from behind.
“Um, she’s working!” Sophia yells at Callum and points her knife at him.
“Alright, alright, I’m just saying hi.” He puts his hands up and backs away.
“Jeez, the guy can’t leave you alone for ten minutes.”
Dinner was amazing, as usual. The guys are on dish duty while I go over to the wine rack in the pantry and grab another bottle of wine. Harrison and Callum won’t have more than a glass with us, but Stirling is always up to split a bottle.
Stirling puts away the last of the dishes while Harrison and Callum hang up the dish towels, then walk outside to the back deck.
“Everything okay?” I ask Stirling.
“Yeah, just Society stuff.” He replies.
It seems like more than that.
“Have you seen Sophia?” He asks as he looks down the hall.
“Yeah, I think she just went to change.”
He follows her around like a lost puppy most days, but lately something has been different between them—something more real. I hope she knows she can always talk to me about it.
I go to one of the guest rooms Callum and I are staying in and throw a sweater on. I look out the sliding door. Callum’s back faces me while Harrison leans against the railing.
It looks like they’ve stopped talking, so I open the door and go outside.
“What are you guys doing out here? It’s freezing!” I rub the sides of my arms and cross them.
Callum smiles at me like I’m the only thing that matters.
“Hey, you.” I say and walk over to him. He wraps his arms around me and the noise in my mind fades.
“I’ve been wanting to talk to you.” His voice shifts.
“Oh?” I can’t help but worry.
“There’s been a change within The Society, something we didn’t see coming.” His face scrunches, almost like he’s in pain. “Victor Roberts is the new silent leader.”
I gasp. “What does that mean?”
He looks down at me. “It means that your safety is guaranteed and that’s all that matters.” His jaw stiffens.
I know there’s more that he isn’t saying.
“Callum, what does that mean for you?” I watch his face for any reaction.
“It means that we’re going to have to change the plan. We’re going to be closely watched now.”
“Oh.” Their original plan was to bring The Society down from the inside and change the direction it’s headed. His face remains stoic.
“Callum, what aren’t you telling me?”
“It means that they own me, Angel. It means that I have to play by their rules, for now.”
I rub his arm. Callum can’t be tamed, but he will suffer to make things work.
He’s not only doing this for himself, he’s doing it for everyone that they’ve hurt.
All the women that have been abused, all the lives that they’ve taken.
I grab his hand in mine, and we walk back inside.
Everyone sits at the table. Callum’s words replay in my head.
He’s lived through the trenches of hell, and now he needs to go against everything he’s been trying so hard to change. Callum needs me now more than ever, and I’m not going anywhere.
Although we’ve already survived a war, something worse is coming, I can feel it.
I look to Sophia, who looks over her shoulder at Stirling, he’s already lost in her eyes.
The darkest battles are always fought in the shadows… and some shadows never fade.
The End.