Broken

Lake

I stand over the Omega’s form, the realization of what I just did flooding through me.

Lynne was so furious at the Omega...for fooling my mate into thinking she was me. For taking refuge in his arms. And after all the torture I’ve endured today, I didn’t have the energy to stop Lynne from taking matters into her own hands.

She ended the Omega’s life.

But now, the sight of Derrick mourning over the Omega’s form, still thinking that it’s ~me~ who dies, is enough to send Lynne into shock.

This allows me to take control again and shift back into my human form.

“Derrick, I’m sorry.” I cry, “I don’t know what possessed Lynne to do that.”

Derrick does nothing but continue to stare at me. His eyes are void of anything but murderous intent for me and me alone.

I’ve never seen a look like this in the eyes of my mate...the man who is supposed to be my protector, not my attacker.

“Derrick?” I ask as my mate gets closer to me, “It’s me! Lake! Don’t you recognize your own mate?”

~Nothing.

~

Blood covers my entire body. It’s from the Omega and from my own tears. That female did nothing to me but seeing the image of my mate seeking comfort in her instead of me, was just too much. My wolf needed to be rid of her.

~Just as Derrick seeks to be rid of me now.

~

“Derrick, please,” I beg. “Remember me, before it’s too late. It’s me. Your Firefly.”

For an instant, I see a flicker of recognition in his eyes, but just as quickly it’s gone.

The guards and a handful of Ferals start to descend on us. They reach Sylas first and he starts to fight with them. I pray that he can hold his own and keep them away from us for a few moments longer.

My eyes return to meet Derrick’s. A throbbing comes over my mark, and I can’t help but cover it with my hand. As if to protect it from my own mate.

As if to say, ‘Anything but this,’ to the one who I loved first.

I back up and trip over the lost limb of the Omega...her last revenge upon me, I suppose.

Derrick follows me and climbs on top of me. His eyes glow just as a cat’s would in the moonlight.

His hair is longer than it was when we were separated and his muscles seem to be larger as well. That stupid hair I’ve always begged him to manage with conditioner and those muscles he used to flash to me after every bath we took together.

“Derrick…” My mate puts his hands around my throat before I can plead again.

“You’re too fucking loud.” He growls, “Let’s fix that.”

I struggle against his grip.

Tears flood my vision as the throbbing over my chest grows larger and larger.

My crystal suddenly becomes painfully hot. Derrick’s shares the overwhelmingly bright red light. I can feel the heat radiating off of it.

“No. Please,” I cry out.

But it’s too late.

My mate squeezes harder, and like a bomb, the crystals shatter, creating a loud and huge concussive force that pushes Derrick off of me, leaving me on the ground, shattered and broken, filled with dread as Oliver’s words ring in my mind.

~“If you two were to ever weaken your bond for whatever reason,” she said, “these crystals will shatter, making your bond so weak that you can’t ever come back to it.”~

I cry out in pain, knowing that what’s done is done.

There might be no going back to how things were before.

Derrick

I feel myself flying, being thrown back through the air.

And then suddenly I land with a hard thud on the floor.

The force of impact does something to my mind—as if releasing it from a heavy fog.

I can’t remember where I am or what just happened. All I know is that my body is shaking, my head is throbbing, and my heart has sunk into my stomach.

I look around and am relieved to see Lucy’s figure rushing over to me.

“Derrick!” she cries, “Are you okay?”

My sister checks my entire body for injuries before cradling my head in her hands. Her warm touch soothes me and gives me the strength I need to speak.

“Where am I?” I ask, “What’s happened?”

“Kjarni!” I look beyond Lucy to see a male rushing over and embracing Lake.

~My mate.~

~She’s here.

And she’s injured.~

I’ll kill whoever did this.

I get up and start to rush over to her.

As I get closer, taking in the scene, memories start flooding back.

I look over to the Omega’s scattered body, and I suddenly understand. Evin and his gang tortured and manipulated my wolf until I thought that this she-wolf was my mate.

I shudder at the thought.

My mate is my whole world.

The light of my life.

My Firefly.

How could I have smelled some Omega and thought it was her?

As I get closer to Lake, I see claw marks running along her neck, and another memory rushes in that sends a chill down my spine.

Lucy looks at me with a knowing look and nods, confirming my fear.

I put violent hands on my own mate. An act I always promised myself I would never commit.

“No…” I tear up, “I didn’t… I would never…”

“Shh…” Lucy wipes a tear from my eye with her thumb. “It’ll be okay. We’re here now.”

But how will it be okay?

How will I ever forgive myself?

I reach to my chest, looking for my crystal. A jagged piece of rock meets my palm instead. I look and find the broken crystal is all that’s left of our bond.

I did it. I shattered the crystal and now there’s no telling what will become of us.

When Lake looks up at me and our eyes meet, I see deep fear and sadness in her eyes.

~Oh, Lake.~

~What have I done?~

~Have I really lost you forever?~