Forbidden ~ after unlocked

Chapter 40 - Keefe

Sophie.

"She's that girl from the newspaper right? The one you told me about... Sophie?"

Keefe saw that Evren was speaking, noticed her mouth moving, but he could barely hear her over the roaring in his ears.

Because it was her.

Sophie.

The girl he couldn't stop thinking about since the moment he left. The girl who was haunting his dreams and consuming nearly every waking thought. The girl who probably hated him, even though his love for her was so strong.

The shock of seeing her reverberated through his body, and he had to remind himself to breathe. It felt like his chest was collapsing in on itself, a crushing sensation making his heart beat faster and ache even worse.

The rush of emotions he felt was fire, hers and his. All his days and nights spent worrying and crying and double guessing himself, all those times when he regretted everything he'd done, just so he could go back and see her again. Now suddenly she was there.

Here. In a Neverseen hideout.

With that realization came the drowning cold ice. Drenching him in the fact that she shouldn't be here. Why was she here? How was she here? How long had she been here?

Keefe felt helpless as several tears slipped loose. But he didn't try to hide them. Barely holding back sobs, Keefe tried to recollect the millions of thoughts fighting for dominance in his mind.

Yet only one remained.

His voice broke like glass. "Sophie."

Keefe rushed towards her, more stray tears falling from his eyes. "Who did this to you?" he whispered.

Kneeling down to Sophie's level, he grabbed her shoulders, trying to shake her awake, but the instant his hands made contact with her skin, every single one of her emotions flooded his senses like an emotional hurricane.

Panic. Anger. Confusion. Frustration. Agony. Worry. Fear. Hatred.

Keefe jerked his hand back, scooting away as his mind and soul drowned in feelings. They were so powerful, so intense. Black started to rim his vision. The sensory overload was almost too much to handle. He hadn't felt so much, so strongly since... the first time he'd used a command.

The monster roared in his throat.

No.

Panic rushed through him, whether it was Sophie's or his he wasn't sure. He couldn't let the monster out now. Not now. Please not now.

The awful ability inside of him dragged its claws and called to be let free. Keefe had to lean against the wall, closing his eyes to take several deep breaths.

No.

This was why he left in the first place.

This was why he hadn't gone back.

But seemingly from nowhere, a newfound burst of determination ignited inside of him.

He wasn't going to let the monster control him now. He had to fight back against this awful power. Otherwise he was going to hurt everyone he cared about.

With every ounce of energy he had left, Keefe pushed down the command on the edge of his tongue. It left his throat feeling like fire, but he would suffer if it meant keeping Sophie safe.

Reopening his eyes, Keefe fixed his gaze back on Sophie. His stomach sunk even deeper. How was he supposed to help if he couldn't even touch her?

Keefe crouched back in front of Sophie. More tentatively this time, he reached his hand out, laying it gently on her arm.