The Immortal Cure - Series Three

Chapter Eighteen - Won't

"Then may I ask you to just let it be?" Duke sighed. He was struggling to contain his protective instincts

Gloria seemed to be contemplating it, mulling over her choices as we waited

Duke was right, all I really wanted from her, was for her to let me be, leave me to my choices, without consequences

"It seems that despite my opinion, I feel that you have already made your choice. If I were to disagree, I can already know that I will find it difficult to prevent you from doing this" She began "Therefore, I will grant you my blessing by making this choice on your own accord, but I will reveal you one thing, child" She continued, looking at me as she leaned her petite hands forward on her elbows

"May the other Angels find out, I cannot promise you that they will not attack, I will have no authority to stop them. Yes, I have the ability to overrule their actions, but I will not instruct them to not do what our most absolute law is if there is even ample threat, it will belittle my power, create questions over my position as Queen" She explained

Pushing past my initial shock, I nodded
"I understand"

"Then you have what you came here seeking for" She smiled, holding her hand out towards me, I took it and she gently shook

"I wish you the best of luck Rosalie" Her eyes firmed on mine

"Thank you" I sighed as she let go of my hand "For everything"

"You're very welcome dear" She nodded as Duke and I stood to leave, before she changed her mind.

As we moved through her home for the final time, someone familiar stepped in front of Duke and I, stopping us in our tracks.
He appeared enraged, almost growling.
Duke instinctively rushed a hand out in front of me to protect me from moving any closer.

"You aren't going to become one of them Rosie, I won't let you" Callum spat towards me

"You don't have a choice in the matter" Duke told him

"And neither do you, yet here you are" Callum continued "If you honestly loved her, you wouldn't let her do it, do you really think it's what she wants, that it's what she needs?"

"It is what I need Callum, so back off" I told him, pushing down Duke's arm "It's either that or I die" I tried, angry at his approach

"Do you hear that Duke? It is what she needs, not what she wants" He turned to Duke again, his hair longer than I had last seen, dark circles under his eyes "Doesn't that bother you?"

"I'm not making the choice for her Callum, she knows that" Duke edged towards him

"It doesn't matter what you say, it's the fact that you're there, she only wants it so she can be with you, forever" He growled

"Is that a bad thing, to want to sacrifice a small part of myself for someone I love?" I shot

"Not when you change the entirety of who you are Rosie!" Callum spat as Duke snarled beside me "I don't want you to change into this.. stone cold creature, if you were with me, I wouldn't need you to be anything other than what you already are" He continued, staring at me with a hard gaze

"I.. I don't want to be with you Callum, why can't you understand that?" I stumbled, finding it hard to conflict with him

"I know how you feel inside, and I know that deep down, you know you will be happier with me, rather than with someone who cannot keep you true to yourself, instead turning you into someone.. something like him" He tried, taking a step towards me, ignoring Duke's rising anger