Chapter 80: Chapter 80

Adelie

I marched up to him, my voice laced with fury. “What the hell are you doing?” I demanded.

He just smirked at me, his lips twisted in a cruel smile. “I’ve been searching high and low for her. Every waking moment spent on the hunt.”

“Exactly!” I shot back, my voice echoing off the walls. “You were out there hunting her down while I was here, barely hanging on because you couldn’t stand to be in the same room as me. Ever think about that?”

I paused, catching my breath. “Maybe if you’d stuck around instead of obsessing over her, things wouldn’t be so messed up between us.”

I wasn’t entirely sure I believed that, but I was desperate to stop Kairos from making a terrible mistake.

“Don’t you dare pin this on me,” he spat out, his words sending a chill down my spine. The way he said it, like I was the enemy.

I never thought I’d see the day when he’d speak to me with such venom.

“And don’t you dare pretend that killing her will solve anything!” I retorted.

“Killing never solves anything! But the world would be a hell of a lot better without one more ruthless murderer!” he roared.

“And that makes you just as bad! Just as cold, heartless, and irrational!” I shot back.

“Cold and heartless,” he echoed, a dark chuckle escaping his lips.

“Maybe that’s what I’ve become. Furious at her for stealing your wolf, for stealing my mate.”

“Tell me you’re not more pissed at her than you are at yourself.

“Tell me you don’t feel like complete shit when you look at me. And if you’re wondering how I know that, it’s because I feel the same damn way.

“My heart wants to blame her for everything, but I can’t help but blame myself for being a danger to everyone. And that makes me even angrier.”

I was talking about our love, how twisted it had become.

“Killing her won’t make you feel any better,” I told Kairos. “Just let her go.”

“I handle criminals my own way. You don’t get to tell me how to run my pack!” he snapped.

I couldn’t help but laugh at his words.

“~Our~ pack, Kairos!” I shouted back. “And this time, I ~am~ telling you to let her go!”

He just shook his head, dismissing my words as if they meant nothing. He continued his march towards Esty.

But I couldn’t let him do this.

I couldn’t match him in size or strength, but I had something he didn’t. I had something ~more~. I had ~limitless~ power.

I closed my eyes, letting my powers work their magic in ways he couldn’t even begin to comprehend. I was still discovering the extent of my abilities.

Suddenly, vines sprouted from the concrete beneath me. I could feel the vibrations as they snaked their way towards Kairos, ensnaring him by the ankles.

The vines wrapped around his wrists, resisting his attempts to break free. For every vine he managed to snap, two more took its place.

“Adelie!” Kairos roared, his face flushed with anger and frustration.

I turned to Esty, who was watching from the sidelines. “Get out of here now, or you might not get another chance,” I warned her, annoyed that she hadn’t left already.

“I gave him a chance and he took it. I’m not backing down. I know what I did and I’m ready to face the consequences,” she replied, her voice steady and confident.

But this wasn’t her punishment. Not for her daughter.

Kairos was still struggling against the vines, but he wasn’t shifting. That was odd. He was fighting so hard, yet he wasn’t using his most powerful form.

“I’m asking you to go. I can’t support this killing. And you should at least ~consider~ why I’m not punishing you. I’m offering you an opportunity to leave us in peace.

“I won’t release you again. I’m giving you this opportunity. ~Take~ it!” I yelled over Kairos’ groans.

She glanced at Kairos, then back at me before finally choosing to depart. As she walked past me, I seized her arm. “Stay away from me and my pack ~forever~,” I cautioned her.

She departed, leaving Kairos and me alone in the jail cell.

Once Esty had left, he finally relaxed, staring at the floor in surrender.

I approached him for the first time in what felt like an eternity. I halted at arm’s length, waiting for him to meet my gaze. He didn’t want to.

He even averted his face, but when he realized I wasn’t going anywhere, he slowly lifted his head to meet my gaze.

His eyes were weary with dark circles beneath them. Beads of sweat trickled down his face.

“You don’t have the right to make decisions alone. You don’t have the right to kill at will,’’ I told him. His posture was slouched; he wasn’t even attempting to stand tall anymore.

“You’re not a murderer, Kairos. I won’t let you become one.”

He let out a tired laugh. “She stole your wolf and all you do is…tell her to stay away. As if all she did was insult you. You’re not a child, Adelie.

“You’re an adult but you still believe that karma will take care of things.” His eyes began to shift again.

“You’re foolish if you think villains will just stay away when asked. You’re naïve if you think that she’ll reform now, that she’ll actually better herself.

“Because everyone in this world is so damn virtuous, right?”

“People change,” I murmured.

He shook his head. “Not from evil, they don’t. I don’t believe a soul can cleanse itself. You let her go to continue doing exactly what she’s always done. She’s never had to face the consequences of her actions.”

“I can’t punish her. I can’t let anything happen to her. She’ll keep her distance. And you won’t have to punish anyone.

“Even if you truly believe that your soul’s color is permanent, don’t darken it further,” I said harshly, unafraid to growl as I spoke.

I stepped back, still keeping my gaze on him. In an instant, the vines returned to their place and Kairos fell to the ground.

He looked up at me, silent. I walked away as if nothing had transpired. I left the cell and returned to tend to the Omegas.

They looked at me, sensing that something had occurred.

***

Evening was gradually descending as I returned home. It seemed like Helen hadn’t bothered to illuminate the room.

I strolled through the vacant corridors, admiring the greenery I had cultivated, covering everything with plants. On late nights, it felt as natural as being in a forest. I adored it.

I heard the soft, slow crackling of fire, and I ventured further until I saw a warm glow emanating from the darkness. Kairos sat with his back to me, reclining on the couch.

The only sources of sound and light were the fireplace.

I leaned my head against the door frame. What was he pondering right now? Was he angry? Did he feel anything at all? How could anyone tell?

He didn’t have a close friend to confide in. Raphael was gone. And Raphael was the one who had encouraged him to do better, to express and feel. And to just be~ human~.

I wasn’t there to converse with him, because we weren’t friends at the moment. I didn’t think he knew I was there until he addressed me. “I’m not eating today.”

I wasn’t comfortable eating with him, yet I wasn’t at ease eating without him either. I was unsure of what we were to each other.

In that moment, I contemplated taking a risk. The curiosity was gnawing at me. If only I could muster the courage to approach him and plant a kiss on his lips.

Would I experience the same emotions I used to when he was merely inches away from me? Or would it all be a hazy recollection?

Could I ever feel the same way about him again? Or had I just grown accustomed to his presence? So accustomed that routine was what was driving me away?

He had done so much for me. I would reciprocate in a heartbeat…but was that merely because it felt good to be of help, or because he held significance in my life? Why was it so challenging to decipher our emotions?

I left my cardigan on the dresser. He didn’t stir but he must have heard the rustle of fabric against my skin, or the sound of my footsteps.

The room was eerily quiet.

Yet, I approached him. His face was streaked with dried sweat and…tears. He had been weeping. His hands were resting on his knees as he stared into the fire.

I took a seat next to him, but a considerable distance still separated us. His breathing pattern altered.

I was fixated on him, but I couldn’t help but wonder if he ever thought I was losing my mind, with my heart pounding wildly for daring to sit next to him.

But why? Why this sudden compulsion?

I was observing him, but he continued to stare at the fire. I waited for him to turn towards me.

Did he run out of patience, or was his intuition nagging at him? Whatever the reason, he finally turned to look at me.

His eyes were heavy with fatigue.

Slowly, I moved my hand across the leather material, inching closer to him. His gaze followed my movement.

I raised my hand, offering him the chance to touch my skin for the first time. Just to see how it would feel. And why was I so anxious?

He raised his hand slightly, hovering just above mine, pausing but continuing to look down.

His breathing halted and mine fell in sync with his. His eyes met mine as our hands made contact, skin against skin. For the first time, we dared to touch each other.

Such a simple, friendly touch. The same way anyone else could touch me, and it wouldn’t signify anything.

And now…touching hands held so much meaning. We both felt it. We both knew it when a single tear rolled down his cheek.