The Omega Princess

Chapter 25

Night had finally fallen, the sky a midnight blanket which was dusted with the most precious gems to grace the universe. As I looked up at the sky I found myself unable to appreciate its beauty, all I could think about was Pietro. Their fit had lasted for another two hours, until finally both brothers were flat on the floor, looking like violently shaken rag dolls. There had been so much blood but what was so disturbing was it didn’t belong to them.

No one had spoken since then, Kai and Dale supported each other as they went further into the forests to mourn. Their heartbroken howls remained in my ears, as I regarded the sky. They bled my ears out, swirling unbearably as my heart fell into a sink of sorrow. I couldn’t even answer Cara when she had woken up and asked me what was happening as Dale’s body convulsed on the floor, and now I had left her behind with the others more confused than ever.

I stole glance at Dale who walked without purpose it seemed, stumbling noisily next to the riverbank walking jagged between the tree line and the burbling water. I wanted to say something but there was nothing for me to say. Somehow I felt even worse as I realised this was partly my doing, if I had just given myself up Dale would still have his father but instead I went without any protest and now a man was dead because of me. A man who had taken me in and kept me safe.

“Do not blame yourself” Dale said

I turned to him surprised, his eyes which had suddenly become so heavy, looked at me mournfully, I opened my mouth to protest but he interrupted me.

“He wanted to die for you, it was the only way he thought he could redeem himself”

I shook my head

“He redeemed himself the moment he accepted me into his pack”

Silence blossomed around us again but this time it wasn’t so heavy, I reached out slowly and took Dale’s hand in mine. His cold hand at first lay limply in mine, but as it started to warm up I could feel his grip tighten, until he was holding on as though I was a life line.

“Sorry” he cried apologetically as I winced, his hand loosened and found a comfortable grip.

“We have to make sure he didn’t die in vain”

I looked to Dale, staring into his eyes we had stopped and he had taken hold of both my hands, I nodded at him.

“I promise you” I whispered as he hugged me tightly

Gently he placed a kiss on lips and then we carried on walking a new found determination branding our synchronised steps. The river accompanied us leading the way as we travelled to Cullen’s castle. It was unusual for any to live in castles in our land unless you were royalty of course- after all like the sword that belonged to the land of humans-but Cullen was very eccentric, he desired to live differently to what was expected of him. I had always thought he’d done it to undermine my father, having convinced his father to build it after the death of his last brother but I realised that Cullen genuinely had a taste for things that were a little strange. I could remember him bringing me little trinkets from lands so distant I could hardly believe they existed, the King had always demanded I get rid of them but I had managed to keep one, a gold ring with a bloody red ruby in its heart. I had snuck it into my trinket box without a clue that that was going to be the last trinket I got from him.