Love in the Chaos

Chapter 22

Rune’s heart swelled with joy as he stepped toward his family’s home, the call echoing in his mind. They wanted to meet him. Maybe they were finally ready to accept him, to embrace his love for Aaron and support his happiness. He held onto that hope as he walked through the familiar halls, his steps light with anticipation.

But as he entered the family’s formal office, his smile faltered. The atmosphere was cold, tense. His family members sat in silence, expressions stern and unforgiving. Shyla stood beside his grandfather, her eyes shadowed with something Rune couldn’t quite place, her gaze locked on him, almost accusatory.

“Rune, sit down,” his grandfather commanded, gesturing to the single empty chair in the center of the room. The air felt heavy, oppressive. Rune hesitated but obeyed, trying to quell the nervous flutter in his stomach.

“Grandpa… I’m glad you called,” Rune started, his voice wavering. “I was hoping we could talk things out. Maybe you could try to understand…”

His grandmother interrupted him with a sad shake of her head. “Rune, you’re making a mistake. We called you here to talk sense into you, to get you to see that this… this relationship is dangerous. You belong with your mate, not with a vampire.”

Rune’s face fell. “Grandma, I love Aaron. He’s… he’s everything to me. I feel safe with him. Doesn’t that matter to you?”

“Rune,” Shyla’s voice cut through the room, sharp and laced with bitterness. “This obsession with Aaron isn’t love. It’s a distraction. You’re abandoning your own kind, your family… me.”

Rune’s gaze snapped to her, hurt flashing in his eyes. “Shyla, you’re my best friend. I thought you’d understand. You’ve known me since we were kids, and you know this isn’t just a fling.”

Shyla crossed her arms, looking down at him with a sneer. “Since we were kids, Rune, I’ve been by your side, watching out for you, caring for you. And now, you throw all of that away for some vampire? He’ll never understand you like I do. He doesn’t belong in your world.”

Rune’s hands clenched at his sides. “He may be different, but he understands me more than anyone. He’s been there for me when you… when all of you turned your backs on me.” His voice broke slightly, and he looked down, struggling to keep his emotions in check.

Shyla scoffed, her voice dripping with disdain. “You’re deluded, Rune. You’ve let that bloodsucker blind you. He’s an outsider, and he’ll never be part of this family, no matter how much you want him to be.”

Rune felt his heart crack at her words. “Shyla, you don’t understand. He’s not just some ‘bloodsucker’ to me. He’s… he’s my home. And I thought, of all people, you’d support me. But here you are, insulting him, trying to tear us apart.”

Shyla stepped closer, her voice low and dangerous. “I’m doing this because I care about you, Rune. You’re meant to be with me, your true mate. Not that creature. You’re throwing away your life, your legacy, for someone who doesn’t even belong in our world.”

Rune’s voice shook with anger and pain. “You say you care about me, but you only care about having me to yourself. This isn’t love, Shyla. This is control. If you really loved me, you’d want me to be happy—even if that means being with Aaron.”

The room fell into tense silence, the weight of his words hanging heavily between them. Rune’s family members exchanged uncomfortable glances, and his grandfather’s face hardened.

“Rune,” his grandfather said sternly, his tone leaving no room for argument. “This infatuation has gone too far. We have tolerated your choices, but this… this relationship with a vampire is unacceptable. You will end it. Now.”

Rune’s breath hitched, feeling as if the walls were closing in on him. “No. I won’t leave him. He’s the one thing that feels right in my life, and I won’t give that up. Not for you, not for anyone.”

His grandmother’s face crumpled with disappointment, and she shook her head. “You’re throwing away your future, Rune. For what? For someone who will only bring you pain and ruin?”

Rune’s voice trembled, but his gaze held firm. “I don’t expect you to understand. I just thought… I thought family meant supporting each other, even when we make different choices.”

Shyla stepped closer, her voice a venomous whisper. “If you walk out of here and back to that monster, you’ll have nothing left here. You’ll lose everything—your family, your friends… even me.”

Rune’s heart broke at her words. Shyla, the one who had been his confidant, his closest friend, was now giving him an ultimatum. His voice cracked as he looked at her, pleading. “Shyla… please. Don’t make me choose.”

But Shyla only turned her back on him, crossing her arms tightly. “Then you’ve already made your choice,” she said coldly.

Rune swallowed the lump in his throat, feeling a surge of betrayal and heartbreak that left him almost numb. He looked at his family one last time, at their hardened faces, at Shyla’s bitter gaze. “I thought you’d be there for me… that you’d want me to be happy. I see now I was wrong.”

With that, Rune turned and walked out, his heart heavy with sorrow. He knew that choosing Aaron meant he was leaving everything else behind. But if this was what his family really thought of him, of the love he had with Aaron, then maybe he had already lost them long ago.