Fight With Me

Chapter 28

Hope's POV

The air crackled with tension as Lizzie, still in her demon form, stalked toward them with deadly intent. Her eyes glowed a furious red, and dark energy radiated from her body, distorting the space around her. Hope could feel the weight of Lizzie's power pressing down on them like a suffocating fog. She stepped in front of Josie, her instincts screaming at her to protect her.

"Lizzie, don't do this," Hope said, her voice steady despite the chaos surging through her. "This isn't you. You can fight this."

But Lizzie's laugh was sharp and twisted, dripping with venom. "You don't get to talk about fighting anything, Hope," she hissed. "This is all because of you. You took everything from me, and now you're standing there pretending like you care?"

Without warning, Lizzie flung a bolt of dark magic directly at Hope. It crackled with malice, but Hope was ready. She raised her hand, creating a barrier of light that absorbed the attack, sending sparks flying in all directions. The force of it sent a shockwave through the courtyard.

"Lizzie, stop!" Hope shouted, but it was clear Lizzie wasn't listening anymore. She lunged forward, her claws extended, aiming directly for Josie. Hope's heart clenched with fear—Lizzie was going for the kill.

Summoning every ounce of her power, Hope pushed Josie back with a gust of wind and sent a surge of magic toward Lizzie, slamming her into the ground. The impact cracked the stone beneath her, and for a moment, the courtyard fell silent.

Lizzie lay there, dazed and weakened, her demon form fading as her normal self began to resurface. But even as the dark magic ebbed from her body, the hatred in her eyes remained.

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

Josie's POV

Josie's breath caught in her throat as she stared at her sister, the words cutting deep. "Lizzie, how can you say that? I never chose Hope over you! You're my sister—I've always tried to help you!"

Lizzie's expression twisted into something cruel. "Help me? You've done nothing but cower behind her, like the weak little girl you are. You were supposed to be my sister, Josie, and you abandoned me for her."

Tears welled in Josie's eyes as Lizzie's words lashed out at her like whips. The pain of it was unbearable, but her anger rose to meet it, burning hotter than ever before. "You don't get to do this, Lizzie! You don't get to blame me and treat me like this!"

Hope stepped forward, her hand resting protectively on Josie's shoulder, but Josie shook it off. "No, Hope, I need to say this." She looked at Lizzie, her voice trembling 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 like that's okay!"

Alaric's POV

Alaric burst into the compound with Caroline right behind him, just in time to see Josie confronting Lizzie. His heart sank at the sight of Lizzie—bruised, broken, and defeated, yet still so full of anger. Without thinking, he rushed to Lizzie's side.

"Josie, that's enough!" Alaric said sternly, his voice filled with urgency. "Lizzie's going through something none of us can understand. You need to have some compassion!"

Josie whirled around, her eyes blazing. "Compassion? She tried to kill me, Dad! And now you're defending her?"

Alaric's face tightened. "She's your sister, Josie. You don't know what she's been through. You have to—"

"Have to what? Keep letting her hurt me over and over again?" Josie snapped, her voice breaking. "When is enough enough, Dad? When do I get to stand up for myself?"

Caroline placed a gentle hand on Alaric's arm, pulling him back. "Let's give them space," she whispered, though her eyes were full of worry.

Freya's POV

Freya stepped forward, her voice calm but commanding. "That's enough," she said firmly, her eyes locking on Alaric and Caroline. With a wave of her hand, a barrier of shimmering magic appeared between Lizzie and Josie. "This needs to end now."

Alaric started to protest, but Freya raised a hand to silence him. "Lizzie needs time to cool down. You all do. Leave now, before this gets worse."

Reluctantly, Alaric and Caroline backed away, casting one last glance at their daughters before Freya's magic nudged them out the door. The moment they were gone, Freya lowered the barrier and turned to Josie, her expression softening.

"Josie," Freya said gently, "you're not alone in this. Lizzie's hurting, but that doesn't mean what she said is true. None of this is your fault."

Hope's POV

Hope stood by Josie, feeling the tension between them slowly ease. She stepped closer, her voice soft but full of reassurance. "She's wrong, Josie. You're not weak. You've been stronger than anyone could ever understand."

Josie wiped her eyes, leaning into Hope's embrace. "I just... I feel like I've lost her."

Hope hugged her tighter. "You haven't lost her. Lizzie's still in there somewhere, but she's got a lot to figure out.

Before Josie could respond, the doors creaked open, and Rebekah stepped inside. Her eyes took in the scene—the tension, the pain—and softened when they landed on Hope.

Rebekah's POV

Rebekah walked over, her heart heavy with guilt.She wanted to give Hope time to cool off after yesterdays events but she knew she needed to apologize. Seeing Hope standing there so strong, despite everything, stirred something deep within her.

"I'm sorry," Rebekah said quietly, stepping closer to Hope. "For everything. For trying to kill your father, for the things I did back then. I wasn't thinking straight,and I robbed you of the childhood you deserved."

Hope blinked, surprised by the apology, but after a moment, she smiled. "It's okay. We've all made mistakes."

Rebekah let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, and her lips curved into a small, relieved smile. "We're family, Hope. No matter what happens, we always come back to each other Always and Forever."

Hope nodded, her smile growing. "Always and Forever ."

Freya, watching the moment unfold, stepped closer, her voice soft and warm. "We protect each other. Always."

For the first time that night, the weight lifted, and despite the chaos around them, Hope felt something she hadn't in a long time: peace. With her family by her side, she knew they could face anything that came their way.