Chapter Twenty-Six #2
But there's no reaching him. The male I loved is gone, replaced by this creature of hatred and disgust. His fire rains down, and I fight back with everything I have. The apartment erupts in flames around us as we tear into each other.
The final blow comes when I hesitate, still unable to truly hurt him. His hand closes around my throat, squeezing as he slams me into the wall. “I'll cleanse this taint from our house.”
Something in me snaps. My power surges, wild and desperate. The explosion throws him across the room. I don't wait to see if he gets up. I run.
My voice comes out broken, barely audible as I force the words past the lump in my throat. “He tried to kill me.”
Dohwan goes utterly still. The temperature in the room spikes as his power flares in response to his rage. Beside him, Eunho's usual warmth has turned to ice, his expression promising violence.
The room falls deadly silent after my confession. I watch emotions play across Eunho's face—sorrow, outrage, protectiveness all warring for dominance. But it's Dohwan's reaction that makes my blood run cold.
His expression smooths out completely, becoming a mask of frightening calm. Without a word, he turns on his heel and strides toward the door with deadly purpose.
“Dohwan?” Panic claws up my throat as I lunge after him, my shorter legs working double-time to catch up. I throw myself between him and the door, pressing my palms against his chest. “Where are you going?”
He doesn't even slow down, forcing me to backpedal. “I'm going to hunt down that piece of shit and turn him into a walking bonfire.” His voice emerges as a guttural growl that raises the hair on my arms.
“You can't!” I dig my heels in, trying to shoulder him back, but it's like trying to stop a freight train. Dohwan simply wraps his large hands around my waist and lifts me off my feet, setting me behind him like I weigh nothing.
“I damn well can.” When he looks at me, his irises glow with feral light, power crackling around him in waves of scorching heat. “It's my right as your mate to pulverize anyone who mistreats you.”
He gets a few more feet toward the door before I recover enough from the shock of those words to speak up.
“I can fight my own battles.”
He whirls, stalking back toward me, fire that seems to always flicker inside of him sparking in his eyes.
“You’re right. You can. So are you going to go pummel that prick into hamburger meat or not?”
I hesitate, my hands fisted at my sides shaking slightly.
His lips twitch, not with humor. “Right. So then, it’s not your battle since you’re not fighting.
Consider it mine.” He leans closer, and his voice has a dangerous edge.
“I’m going to break every bone in his legs.
Let him go, wait for him to heal, then hunt him down so that I can snap them all over again. ”
I stare at Dohwan's fierce expression, my heart pounding as his words sink in. He looks over my head, his voice dropping to that dangerous growl that makes my insides quiver.
“You coming or not?”
“Hell fucking yeah, I am.” Eunho's usually playful tone has an edge of steel to it.
“What? No!” I gasp, whirling to face Eunho. “You're supposed to be the reasonable one!”
Eunho's face softens for a moment as he looks at me, but there's no give in his expression. He shakes his head as he steps around me, his shoulder brushing mine.
“Not this time, darling. That male is long overdue for some fae justice. Can't talk us out of this one.”
My mouth opens and closes as I watch them both stalk toward the door, their long strides eating up the distance. The door clicks shut behind them with a finality that leaves me frozen in place.
Soot nudges my hand with his cold nose, bringing me back to myself. I look down at his glowing coal eyes, seeing my own confusion reflected there.
Part of me wants to run after them, to stop this testosterone-fueled crusade. Another part remembers the terror and betrayal, the searing pain of Yeosang's flames against my skin. That part whispers that maybe he deserves whatever Dohwan and Eunho have planned.
My chest tightens with conflicting emotions. Pride and gratitude war with lingering traces of feelings I once had for Yeosang. Anger bubbles up—at Yeosang for his betrayal, at myself for still caring what happens to him, at my mates for their caveman display.
I sink down onto my couch, running my fingers through Soot's fur as he lays his head in my lap. “What am I supposed to do with those two?” I mutter.
I lie in bed, staring at my phone screen for what feels like the hundredth time.
No messages. No calls. Nothing but silence since they stormed out hours ago.
My eyes dart to the door, then back to the cityscape outside my window where lights twinkle against the darkness.
Soot's warm weight against my side offers little comfort as anxiety gnaws at my stomach.
What if they got caught? What if they're in trouble? What if—
Soot's ears suddenly prick forward. He leaps off the bed just as I hear the electronic beep of my door lock. Two sets of footsteps approach—one heavier, more purposeful than the other.
Dohwan appears first, his face set in hard lines as he strides straight to the bathroom without sparing me a glance. Eunho follows close behind, flashing me an apologetic smile before slipping in after him.
I throw off my blankets and dart across the room, my heart pounding.
When I reach the bathroom doorway, I gasp.
Dohwan stands bent over the sink, viciously scrubbing at his forearms as crimson-tinted water swirls down the drain.
Behind him, Eunho strips off blood-soaked clothes and steps directly into the shower.
“What did you do?” I demand, my voice higher than usual.
Dohwan's lips twitch slightly as he continues scrubbing. “Probably better if you don't know.”
“You didn't kill him, did you?” I groan, running my hands through my hair.