For Me,There Is Only You |18+|

15. Enlightenment

(Improvised version)

My tears felt endless, as if they could go on forever. But now, an overwhelming emptiness swallowed me whole, leaving me numb and hollow.

Hours had passed since the chaos downstairs, and Ashley had dragged me back to my room in the middle of it all. I wasn't sure what happened afterward, but I'd overheard bits of her and Nate's conversation.

Zev had left.

I still couldn't wrap my head around how close he had come to killing two people because of me. Well, almost—Hactor was still alive, though barely, in critical condition. They had rushed him to the hospital.

Was I a bad person for not feeling even a shred of pity for Hactor?

The terror Zev had instilled in everyone was palpable. No one had dared to step in. But where did he go?

I stared blankly around the room, still perched on the edge of my bed. Hours had slipped by, and I hadn't moved an inch. My body felt heavy, as if weighed down by the confusion and exhaustion tangled inside me.

The sound of approaching footsteps pulled me from my thoughts.

Ashley stood in the doorway, hesitating as if weighing her next move. I couldn't find the words to ask the thousand questions swirling in my mind, so I stayed quiet.

She looked equally torn, her eyes flicking away from mine. After a deep breath, she finally stepped inside.

"You look exhausted, Neev. You should get some sleep," she said softly. Of all the things I expected to hear, that wasn't one of them.

I didn't reply. My silence hung in the air between us.

Sighing heavily, she crossed the room, opening my closet and pulling out a pair of clothes. She held them out to me. "Take a hot shower, then get some rest. You'll feel better."

Her tone was gentle, but I could sense the strain behind it.

She seemed more focused on practicalities than giving me the answers I desperately needed. Her eyes wouldn't meet mine, as if she couldn't bear to look at me directly.

"What is a mate?" I croaked, my voice rough and broken.

"Not now, Neev," she muttered, her voice tightening.

"Why does he keep calling me his mate?" I pressed, my frustration rising.

"Because he's insane, that's why! He's a liar. You are his nothing," she snapped, raising her voice. "Now, go take a shower. We'll talk in the morning."

Yes, he was insane. He had almost killed two people because of me.

I could feel my patience slipping away. "Instead of giving me explanations, you're more concerned about a damn shower," I muttered, my voice breaking.

The pity in her eyes infuriated me. I didn't want her sympathy—not from her. "Don't look at me like that, Ashley. I don't need your sympathy; I need answers," I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended.

"What am I supposed to do, Neev? I can't even bear to look at you when you still reek of him. Your scent is a constant reminder that he claimed you," she replied, her voice trembling.

Her words made my blood boil. "Well, I'm sorry, Ashley, for being so weak," I shot back. "I couldn't stop him when he touched me against my will. If you had warned me sooner, maybe none of this would have happened."

Guilt washed over her face like a dark shadow. "I was trying to protect you," she muttered, her tone almost pleading.

"Protect me?" I scoffed, my anger bubbling up again. "How? By keeping me in the dark?"