REIKA

FIVE

The blistering pain wouldn't stop stinging in my chest as the cold rain continued to pour over me. As much as I tried to will my body to stand, I couldn't pull myself up from the muddy ground, where he had left me. The unbearable pain worsened with each passing second and I cried out my suffering until I lost my voice. My heart slowly ripped into pieces inside of me, and it felt worse than dying. Death would have been a relief. I would have begged for death.

For a long while, the woods were filled with the sound of my cries of pain, but soon it turned quiet. I trembled on the wet cold ground for hours knowing my heart had just been snatched out of my chest, thrown on the ground and spat on.

—Why? Why?...

I asked over, and over, and over, but Jules never replied, he couldn't do anything but whimper.

The tears that fell from my eyes mixed with the rain and I couldn't tell them apart. Digging my nails on my chest, I tried to feel anything else other than this sorrow. I wished I knew his name so I could curse him, but even something as simple as that was denied to me. No matter how hard it rained, how much water was poured over me, I couldn't stop feeling dirty.

My body was still too weak for me to stand. Each time I attempted to do so, I fell. I tried to crawl but never moved further than a step. A puddle of mud had formed around me, and, at moments, I wished I could fucking drown in it.

Naïve. That was one of the ways I could describe my actions, besides being foolish and moronic. A stupid, immature girl with useless dreams. A fucking idiot that fell easily for his lies. A fool that put all her trust in him without even knowing him, and lost it all.

Never again. Arden was right. Never trust. I could never trust in anyone again.

I remained there, shaking on the ground for what felt like forever. No voice, no strength, no heart, that was gone. It was as if the pain had burned a part of me away from my chest and all I had left was an empty void. As I fist the wet dirt beneath my hand, I grinded my teeth and knew what would fill it.

Hate.

I fought the pain with the same intensity I hated him. With all my might. I hated that bastard. If I ever got my hands on him again, I wouldn't stop squeezing him until I saw his life leave his body, and even after that, I wouldn't stop. I would take pleasure in ripping his body piece by piece. Maybe then we would be even.

The worried voices of both of my brothers appeared in the link, desperately calling for me, but I couldn't distinguish what they said. Jules mind linked them to guide them to where I was. In the distance I saw the shapes of two brown wolves running towards me at full speed. Not even the sight of the people I love the most in this world could cheer me.

It all happened in a blur. Arden shifted and dropped to the ground, rapidly holding me in his arms. Emmett's wolf stopped for a second but darted into the woods immediately after.

"What did he do to you?" Arden screamed in pain but I couldn't fathom words.

—It hurts!

Was all I could mindlink to him.

"What the fuck did he do, Reika!" Arden tugged on my ripped shirt, trying to cover me and held me closer. I could feel the rage in his voice.

—It hurts. It hurts.

"Answer me, fuck! Answer, Reika, what did he do to you?" He screamed and began to cry. Arden held me tighter and kissed my forehead. His hands were shaking as he moved my hair away from my face. "I'm gonna kill him, Reik, I swear I'm going to fucking kill him," Arden promised. He rocked with me in his arms as I shooked and I found comfort in his warm embrace. He moved a hand over me, trying to warm me up and my body's trembling softened. I was still unable to speak. Part of me didn't want to. I was too embarrassed.