Secrets

Chapter 20 - Confusion...

Mia leaned against the wall outside, her chest heaving as she struggled to catch her breath. The night air was cool against her flushed skin, but it did little to calm the storm raging inside her. Her hands trembled as she pressed them to her face, trying to block out the vivid image of the shadow attacking Matt.

What had she done? What was she becoming?

The sound of the door creaking open behind her made her stiffen. She didn't turn, didn't move, her pulse quickening as footsteps approached. Part of her hoped it was Matt, ready to unleash his fury so she could take it—she deserved it, after all. But when the voice came, it was Alex's, calm and steady as always.

"Mia," he said softly, stopping a few feet away from her. "Are you okay?"

She didn't respond immediately, her hands dropping from her face as she stared ahead, her jaw tightening.

"Why are you here?" she asked finally, her voice flat and brittle. "Shouldn't you be checking on Matt?"

"Eliza's with him," Alex said, stepping closer but keeping enough distance to avoid crowding her.

"And he'll be fine. You, on the other hand..." He trailed off, his eyes scanning her carefully. "You're not okay."

"No, I'm not," she admitted bitterly, her voice cracking. "I just... I don't even know what happened in there, Alex. I didn't mean for that to happen. I didn't mean to—"

"You don't have to explain," Alex interrupted gently, his tone soothing. "I heard enough to know it wasn't intentional. But you need to talk about this. You need to figure out what's happening to you before it happens again."

Mia turned to face him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"What if I can't?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "What if I lose control completely? What if next time, it's worse?"

Alex held her gaze, his expression calm but resolute.

"Then we figure it out," he said simply. "Together. You're not in this alone, Mia. No matter what Matt says or how he acts, none of us are walking away from this. From you."

His words hit her harder than she expected, a crack forming in the wall of guilt and fear she'd built around herself. She looked away, her arms wrapping around herself as she fought to steady her breathing.

"Matt hates me," she said finally, her voice barely audible.

Alex shook his head.

"Matt's angry," he corrected. "But he doesn't hate you. He's scared, Mia. We all are. But that doesn't mean we're giving up on you. You're not the only one struggling with this."

Mia swallowed hard, her throat tight as she processed his words.

"It felt like... it wasn't just me in there," she admitted, her voice shaking. "It was like something else took over, and I couldn't stop it."

Alex's brows furrowed slightly, his expression thoughtful.

"The shadow," he said quietly. "Whatever that thing is, it's connected to you now. And it's feeding off something—your anger, your fear. Maybe even the elixir."

She nodded, her hands trembling as she pressed them to her sides. "It's not just the shadow, Alex. It's everything. I feel like I'm losing myself, piece by piece. And I don't know how to stop it."

Alex hesitated, then stepped closer, his hand resting lightly on her shoulder. His gaze softened, but there was an edge of honesty in his voice that made her pause.

"You're not lost yet," he said firmly. "And if I'm being honest, Matt had it coming. He's been acting like a dick lately—pushing too hard, crossing lines. I know you didn't mean for any of this to happen, Mia, and with the things he's done... I'm not damning you for what happened tonight."