The Huntress

Chapter 42

(Jade's POV)
I struggle to my feet, ignoring the almost blinding pain in my head. I take out a knife and hold it at the ready just in case. Then I walk in the rough direction of the voice. Everyone else is too submerged in the battle to notice I'm gone.

"Jade?" The voice calls out to me again, sending tingles down my spine.

"Who are you? What do you want?" I yell, spinning in circles.

And there I saw him. Slumped against a tree in front of me, Ryder sat, looking bedraggled and forgotten, like he had just been through hell and back. His face was a spiderweb of cuts and bruises, his mouth disfigured and bleeding slightly at the side. His hair was knotted in clumps, the usual short sides messy and long. His nose-crooked and broken, sat slightly to the left of where it should be. But his eyes were the worst. Discoloured and empty, they resembled a shell of the man that I once knew.

"Ryder?" I whisper, my voice broken, tears leaking out the corners of my blue eyes.

"S-save me..?" He stutters, a tear leaking out of his eye. "Kill me, Jade, please. Allow me to rest in peace. Please, only you can do it. Please?" Ryder begs me desperately, his suffering evident within the cracking of his voice.

"I can't."

"Please! Please Jade, end my torment. For me, please." He crawls over to me, desperately dragging himself across the ground, and this time, without hesitating, I turn and throw my silver knife into his throat.

Ryder smiles, a true smile, broken yes, but still true. "Thank you Jade. I-I Love-" His voice was cut short as he passed away, his eyes flickering shut as he slumped, dead, in front of me.

I cry out, and run to him. Cradling him in my arms, I rocked him gently, sobbing.

"What have I done? Oh Goddess, what have I done?" I cry out, so loud that Sam hears and comes running towards me, Niamh and Sarah trailing behind him.

"Jade?" He asks, tenderly, like he can sense I'm about to break. He wraps his arms around me, trying to pull me off of Ryder's body.

"No!" I scream, clutching Ryder to me, tears streaming down my face. "I will not leave him!" I yell hysterically, truly broken in that moment.

"He's dead Jade. C'mon, he's dead." Sam pulls me off of him successfully this time, and I sob into his chest, my once ice-cold heart shattering into tiny shards.

Sarah and Niamh walk slowly behind us, looking forlorn and lost.

"No! Don't leave him! Please don't leave him!" I yell, pulling and tugging at Sam's shirt.

"He's dead." He says shortly, his voice completely emotionless.

I turn and stare at him in absolute bewilderment, my tears stopping for a brief moment. It was then I realise what I was putting him through. His mate, his soulmate, the one destined to be with him was crying, was hysterical over some other guy. I bite back another sob, and chew my lip anxiously as I try to calm myself down.

"I am truly sorry Sam. It's just he was my mate, and I-I-" I start crying again, but my eyes remain dry and I just make those dry, hiccup like sounds as I sob wordlessly.

"I know. Hush baby, I understand. I know, I really do, but I'm here to fix the past and secure our future." He smiles at me, a smile so broken in so many different ways that I wonder what his past was, and more importantly what his present is, and what his future will be.

It was then I realise. Everyone has a story, good or bad it's a story. And different people come out of it in different ways. I smile, only a small smile, and chuckle half-heartedly as Sam's eyes light up when he sees me smiling.

"I, Jade, accept you, Sam, as my beloved." I say quietly, and my heart leaps as his whole face lifts up, and he leans down and kisses me, right there, in his arms.

I smile against the kiss, and come to a conclusion. Sometimes, you just gotta find happiness where you can. Even if it's in the middle of a monumental war, or just in your street at home. Happiness is everywhere, if you know where to look for it of course.

~The End~

Authors Note
So, people. That's it. The end of The Huntress. I may, however be writing a sequel of Sam and Jade's daughter in fifteen years time. When I have everything ready, I will post the prologue in this book and on my profile, so go follow me for updates. It's been a long ride, my shadow army, and we are at the end of my first official book. Anyway, Peace out.
-Zella