Walker

Chapter 15

It was a quiet, unremarkable day. Walker sat at the worn wooden table, eyes fixed on his hands resting in front of him, faint tremors running through his fingers. His face was pale, shadows pooling under his eyes, giving him a gaunt, hollow look. It had become harder and harder for him to hold himself together; each day, he felt his strength waning, slipping through his fingers like sand. The bitter substance he relied on had dulled his instincts, staving off the hunger within him, but it wasn't enough anymore.

The small glimmers of humanity he'd clung to were fading. He could feel it, that inner line blurring, his grip on control slipping further. The creature beneath his skin, the one that clawed and raged to be free, was growing louder, more insistent. He hadn't crossed the line—hadn't given in to that primal urge to kill—but it was there, bubbling beneath the surface, gnawing at him with every breath.

Lena moved around the kitchen, her steps quiet as she poured him a glass of tea. The sunlight cast a soft glow across her, and for a moment, he watched her, feeling a strange ache, a reminder of what he couldn't have. But the sight of her, calm and so completely herself, only fueled the frustration within him. He felt distant from her, not just physically, but in a way he couldn't name. It was as if there was an invisible line separating them, one he could never hope to cross.

Lena brought the steaming mug over, setting it down before him. She offered a quiet, polite smile before stepping back, not pressing him for conversation. They'd both fallen into this silence, an unspoken truce of sorts, each aware of the other's distance.

But as she set the mug down, her hand slipped, and a few drops of hot tea splashed onto his hand.

" Oops sorry!" she gasped, quickly reaching to brush it away.

Walker's control shattered in an instant. He jerked his hand back, his eyes flashing dangerously as a snarl ripped from his throat. For a split second, his face contorted, sharp teeth flashing, his eyes dark and inhuman. " You.."

Lena froze, her face draining of color as she stepped back, her own hand flying to her mouth.

He felt the change and quickly forced himself to calm down, clenching his fists, feeling the sharpness of his claws retracting, the monstrous urge pulling back beneath his skin. But he'd seen her face, the fear that had flooded her eyes. She wasn't looking at him; she was staring at the monster he couldn't hide.

"Lena..." His voice came out rough, torn between regret and shame, but she didn't respond. She just stood there, frozen, before she took a shaky breath, her gaze flicking down to her feet as she mumbled, "I'm going to my room."

Without another word, she turned and walked away, leaving him standing alone in the silence. He felt hollow, a sense of shame washing over him. He knew he was losing himself, that he was a danger to her, to everyone around him. He couldn't force himself to be something he wasn't. No matter how much he wanted to be normal, the truth gnawed at him: he wasn't human. He didn't belong in her world, and every day, it was becoming harder to pretend otherwise.

The walls felt like they were closing in on him. His mind was unraveling, slipping toward something darker, something he couldn't pull himself back from. He couldn't take it anymore. He had to get out.

In a rush, Walker shoved the door open and ran, his footsteps fading into the cold night.

After a while, Lena came out of her room, the tension in her chest finally easing enough for her to breathe. But when she looked around, the house was silent, empty. Walker was gone. She stood there in the middle of the living room, the eerie quiet settling around her, her mind racing.

Was he human at all? she wondered, her stomach twisting. The question lingered, heavy and unsettling. She had seen something in him that didn't belong to this world, something that reminded her just how fragile this arrangement was. Why was she even doing this? This wasn't normal; she wasn't safe. She'd put herself in a situation she didn't understand, with someone who was barely holding himself together.