Fight With Me

Chapter 28

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Hope's POV

The air crackled with tension as Lizzie stalked toward them, her movements sharp and unnatural, power rolling off her in violent waves. Her eyes burned an angry red, magic leaking from her skin and warping the space around her. Hope could feel it pressing down on her chest, heavy and suffocating. Lizzie wasn't herself. And she was incredibly dangerous.

Hope stepped in front of Josie without thinking, her body reacting before her mind could catch up.

"Lizzie, don't do this," Hope said, forcing her voice to stay steady despite the chaos surging around them. "This isn't you. You can fight it."

Lizzie let out a harsh, broken laugh, the sound sharp enough to sting. "You don't get to talk to me about fighting anything, Hope," she hissed. "This is because of you. You took everything from me, and now you're standing there pretending you care?"

Without warning, Lizzie hurled a bolt of dark magic straight at her. It crackled with pure malice, but Hope reacted instantly, throwing up a barrier of light. The spell shattered against it, sparks exploding outward as a shockwave rippled through the courtyard.

"Lizzie, stop!" Hope shouted, but it was already too late.

Lizzie lunged forward, claws of magic forming around her hands as she aimed straight for Josie.

Hope's heart seized. She shoved Josie back with a powerful gust of wind and sent a surge of magic crashing into Lizzie, slamming her into the stone ground. The impact cracked the courtyard beneath her, the sound echoing as everything fell eerily silent.

Lizzie groaned, struggling as the wild magic around her sputtered and began to fade. Her body trembled as control slipped back in, her breathing ragged. But even as the power receded, the hatred in her eyes didn't.

"You think you've won?" Lizzie rasped, forcing herself upright. Her voice was raw, dripping with bitterness. "This is your fault, Hope. If you hadn't stolen Josie from me, none of this would have happened."

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Josie's POV

Josie's breath caught painfully in her chest. The words felt like knives.

"Lizzie, how can you say that?" she cried. "I never chose Hope over you. You're my sister. I've always tried to help you."

Lizzie's expression twisted, cruel and sharp. "Help me? You hid behind her like a coward. You were supposed to be my sister, Josie, and you abandoned me for her."

Tears burned in Josie's eyes, but anger rose to meet them, hotter and stronger than the hurt. "You don't get to do this," she snapped. "You don't get to blame me for everything and treat me like this."

Hope reached for her, resting a hand on her shoulder, but Josie shrugged it off.

"No, Hope. I need to say this."

She faced Lizzie fully, her voice shaking with rage and heartbreak. "You've always made everything about you. It's never been about me or anyone else. You're selfish, Lizzie, and I can't keep pretending that's okay."

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Alaric's POV

Alaric rushed into the compound with Caroline close behind, stopping short at the sight in front of him. Lizzie was bruised, shaking, barely holding herself together, yet still burning with fury.

He didn't think. He just moved.

"Josie, that's enough," Alaric said sharply, stepping in front of Lizzie. "Lizzie isn't herself right now. She's going through something none of us fully understand. You need to have some compassion."

Josie spun around, disbelief blazing in her eyes. "Compassion? She tried to kill me, Dad. And you're defending her?"

"She's your sister," Alaric insisted, his jaw tight. "You don't know what she's been dealing with. You have to—"

"Have to what?" Josie cut in, her voice breaking. "Keep letting her hurt me? Over and over again? When do I matter? When do I get to stand up for myself?"

Caroline gently grabbed Alaric's arm, pulling him back. "Let's give them space," she whispered, though her eyes were filled with fear.

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Freya's POV

Freya stepped forward, her presence immediately commanding the space.

"That's enough," she said firmly.

With a flick of her wrist, a shimmering barrier rose between Lizzie and Josie, humming with controlled power.

Alaric opened his mouth to argue, but Freya raised a hand, silencing him instantly. "Lizzie needs time to stabilize. You all do. Leave now, before this becomes irreversible."

Reluctantly, Alaric and Caroline backed away, casting one last, pained look at their daughters before Freya's magic ushered them out.

When the doors finally shut, Freya lowered the barrier and turned to Josie, her expression softening.

"You are not alone," Freya said gently. "Lizzie is hurting, but that does not make her words true. None of this is your fault."

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Hope's POV

Hope stayed close to Josie as the tension slowly loosened its grip. She stepped in, her voice low and certain.

"She's wrong," Hope said. "You're not weak. You've been strong in ways most people never have to be."

Josie wiped her eyes and leaned into her. "I just... I feel like I've lost her."

Hope held her tighter. "You haven't. She's still in there. She just has a lot to face."

Before Josie could answer, the doors creaked open.

Rebekah stepped inside.

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Rebekah's POV

Rebekah took in the aftermath in silence, guilt heavy in her chest. She'd wanted to give Hope space after everything that had been revealed, but she knew she couldn't leave things unsaid.

She approached slowly. "I'm sorry," Rebekah said softly. "For everything. For imprisoning your father. For the choices I made. I robbed you of a childhood you deserved."

Hope blinked, surprised, then exhaled. "It's okay. We've all made mistakes."

Relief flooded Rebekah's expression. "We're family," she said quietly. "No matter what happens, we come back to each other. Always and Forever."

Hope smiled. "Always and Forever."

Freya stepped closer, her voice warm. "We protect our own. Always."

For the first time that night, the weight lifted from Hope's chest. Surrounded by her family, she finally felt something she hadn't in a long time.

Peace.

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