Eternal Huntress

Chapter 30

The tension in the room was palpable. Elias stood awkwardly in the living room, looking out of place and more vulnerable than I'd ever seen him. I couldn't help but feel a pang of bitterness. Just days ago, he had been one of us, someone we trusted. Now he was a broken man, a traitor whose apology felt like it barely scratched the surface of his betrayal.

Alex appeared in the doorway, his eyes immediately narrowing when they landed on Elias. The silence between them was deafening, a void filled with all the words that hadn't yet been spoken. I could see Alex's jaw tense, his hands balling into fists at his sides.

"What is he doing here?" Alex's voice was low, filled with barely restrained anger.

"He came to talk," I said softly, trying to keep my voice steady, though I knew this wasn't going to go well. "He says he wants to help us."

Alex took a step forward, his eyes burning into Elias with the kind of intensity that made the air feel heavier. "Help us? After everything he's done? After he sold us out to Gabriel?" He turned his glare toward me, the betrayal in his eyes almost too much to bear. "Helena, he nearly got us killed."

"I know," I replied, my voice trembling slightly as I tried to explain. "But he says there's more going on—others who are planning something. Gabriel wasn't the only one."

Elias, who had been standing silently through the confrontation, spoke up then, his voice strained but determined. "Alex, I know I don't deserve your trust. I know I messed up. But I didn't come here to make excuses. I came here to try and fix things."

Alex's laugh was cold, bitter. "Fix things? You think you can just walk in here and 'fix things'? You betrayed us, Elias. You betrayed her." He gestured toward me, his voice breaking slightly at the last word. "Do you know what that did to her?"

Elias flinched as if the words had physically struck him, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "I know. And I'll never forgive myself for that. But I can help you now. I know things—things about the others, about what they're planning."

Alex's hands were shaking now, his emotions barely contained. "And we're just supposed to believe you? After everything?"

I stepped forward, placing a hand on Alex's arm, trying to calm him. "Alex, please. I don't trust him either, but we need to think about this. If there really are others out there, we can't afford to ignore it."

He looked at me, the anger in his eyes softening, but only slightly. "You're willing to risk it? After everything he's done?"

I took a deep breath, my gaze shifting between Alex and Elias. "It's not about trusting him. It's about stopping whatever is coming. If there's even a chance that he's telling the truth, we have to take it. We've come too far to let this go."

For a long moment, Alex didn't say anything, his gaze flickering between me and Elias as if weighing the consequences. Finally, with a frustrated sigh, he turned his back on Elias and walked toward the window, staring out at the city below.

"You'd better be telling the truth," Alex said, his voice low but laced with a threat. "Because if you're lying, I swear—"

"I'm not lying," Elias interrupted, his tone solemn. "I'm not asking for forgiveness. I'm asking for a chance to help. Gabriel's death left a power vacuum, and there are others who want to fill it. And believe me, they're worse than he was."

I crossed my arms, my eyes narrowing as I regarded Elias. "Who are these others?"

Elias hesitated, as if weighing how much to reveal, but then he spoke, his voice steady. "They're older, stronger than Gabriel ever was. He was only a pawn in their game, a means to an end. These vampires have been waiting in the shadows, biding their time. They want to rewrite the rules—tear down the fragile peace we've managed to maintain between humans and vampires."

I felt a chill run down my spine at his words. "What do they want?"

Elias's face darkened, his expression grim. "Total domination. They want to make humans nothing more than cattle, and they'll stop at nothing to see that vision come to life. Gabriel was supposed to be the first step, a way to consolidate power. But now that he's gone, they'll be looking for someone else to take his place."

"And you were going to be that someone?" Alex asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Elias shook his head. "No. I was never part of their endgame. I was just a tool to them, just like Gabriel. But I know how they operate. I can help you stop them before they put their plan into motion."

I exchanged a glance with Alex, the weight of the situation sinking in. If Elias was telling the truth, this wasn't over. Gabriel's death had only been the beginning, and something far worse was on the horizon.

"What do we need to do?" I asked, my voice resolute.

Elias exhaled, relieved that we were at least willing to hear him out. "There's a meeting happening tomorrow night—one of their inner circle. I can get us in. If we can take them out before they organize, we might have a chance to stop this before it starts."

Alex turned from the window, his expression unreadable. "And what's your role in all of this, Elias? Are you going to stab us in the back the moment we walk into that room?"

Elias's jaw tightened. "No. I'm in this, Alex. I'm done with their games. I'm done with the lies. I want to end this, just like you do."

Alex stared at him for a long moment, and I could see the struggle in his eyes. He wanted to believe him. We both did. But trust was something Elias had shattered, and it wasn't going to be repaired easily.

Finally, Alex gave a curt nod. "Fine. We'll do this your way. But if you so much as flinch in the wrong direction, I'll make sure you regret it."

Elias nodded solemnly. "Understood."

The room fell into a heavy silence, the air thick with unresolved tension. I could feel the weight of what we were about to do pressing down on all of us, the uncertainty of the future hanging like a dark cloud over our heads.

"I need some air," Alex muttered, brushing past us as he headed for the door. The moment it closed behind him, the room seemed to exhale with relief.

Elias sat down on the couch, rubbing his temples as if the burden of everything had finally caught up with him. "Thank you for giving me a chance, Helena. I know I don't deserve it, but I'm grateful."

I didn't respond right away, unsure of what to say. My emotions were still too raw, too conflicted. After a moment, I sat down across from him, my eyes meeting his.

"I don't forgive you," I said, my voice cold but honest. "And I don't trust you. But I'm willing to do whatever it takes to stop what's coming. Just know that if you betray us again, I won't hesitate to kill you."

Elias nodded, his expression grim. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

We sat in silence after that, the gravity of the situation settling in. Tomorrow would bring another battle, another test of our strength and resolve. And this time, we would have to rely on the man who had once been our greatest enemy.

I just hoped we were ready.