Sophia’s POV
I was nervous as hell.
I kept pacing around the living room and biting the skin around my nails.
Would his parents like me? Would they approve of me? What if they told him to reject me because of my darkness? Would he change his mind? Would he listen to them? What if he did end up rejecting me?
My heart was going a mile a minute. My palms were sweating and my breaths were short and fast.
Not being able to sleep last night didn’t help at all. The darkness was too much. It kept taunting me and trying to get me to use it. There was a weird feeling in my stomach. It was like hunger, but dull and persistent. It wasn’t the kind of hunger that could be satisfied with food. It was a hunger for magic.
“Calm down, Fia,” Lex sighed. “You are driving me crazy.”
I ignored him completely. I couldn’t stop pacing around. My magic would come out if I did. I had to keep moving.
“Goddess, Fia, what’s wrong with you?” Lex asked me.
I ignored him again.
I could feel my heartbeat in my throat. I tried to swallow, but I couldn’t. My lungs started to hurt. I couldn’t get enough air into my lungs.
I was a dark and dangerous creature. What if his family didn’t accept me? What if they feared me? What if Hunter started to fear me too?
I could feel tears in the corners of my eyes.
He would end up rejecting me, wouldn’t he? He would tell me that he changed his mind and that he couldn’t be with me. He would tell me that I was too dangerous and unpredictable.
Would he find another mate? He would. Of course he would. He would find another mate. He would mark her and she would be his Luna.
I could feel the darkness spreading around my heart. It was cold and it hurt. My chest hurt.
Someone grabbed my shoulders.
“Holy fuck, Fia, what’s wrong?” Lex asked, getting into my face.
He studied my face worriedly.
“Are you in pain again?” he asked, squeezing my shoulders tightly. “What the hell is going on?”
I nodded because I couldn’t speak.
I was in pain. The darkness reached my stomach and I wanted to scream.
“Fuck,” Lex mumbled as he wrapped his arms around me.
I leaned into him. I was tired. I couldn’t even stand on my feet anymore.
“Try to take a deep breath, Fia,” Lex said softly as he kissed the top of my head. “Focus on my arms around you. Focus on the warmth, okay? Try to find the light.”
I closed my eyes and tried to do what he told me. We’ve done this so many times before. I already knew what I needed to do, but I still needed his soothing voice to guide me through.
“Where is the darkness, Fia?” Lex asked softly as he rubbed my back.
“My chest,” I managed to mumble quietly.
“Okay,” Lex mumbled as he continued to rub my back gently. “Focus on me, Fia. Push it back. You can do it.”
I could hear footsteps behind me, but I couldn’t turn around. I knew it was my parents.
I forced myself to stop thinking about how cold my chest felt. I forced myself to focus on my brother. I focused on his arms around me. I focused on his steady breathing. I could hear his heartbeat as well. It was much steadier than mine. It was much slower than mine. I gritted my teeth and counted his heartbeats.
One.
I focused on the edges of the darkness in my chest. It spread. It was now cowering my whole upper body.
Two.
I started with my throat. I pushed it down a little so I could breathe.
Three.
It was fighting back. It didn’t want to leave. It didn’t want to go back.
Four.
I tried to swallow. It was hard. The darkness was still there.
Five.
It moved to my stomach. I needed to get it out of there because the feeling in my stomach was making my knees weak. If Lex wasn’t holding me, I would surely fall. It was a feeling of hopelessness and pain. It was intense and it scared me.
Six.
The darkness was fighting back. It tried to spread again.
Seven.
I couldn’t let it do that. I couldn’t let it win. I pushed back harder.
Eight.
“You are doing great, Fia,” Lex said softly. “Just a little bit more.”
Nine.
I pushed back. I had to push back. Hunter would be here soon. I couldn’t let him see me in that state.
Ten.
“Take a deep breath,” Lex said. “You can do it now, Fia. I can feel it.”
Eleven.
I listened to him. I inhaled slowly. It was still hard, but it was easier than before.
Twelve.
“There we go,” Lex said. “It will be okay. Take another deep breath.”
Thirteen.
I focused on the edges again. The darkness was only around my chest now. I could feel a little spark of my light magic. I used it to push the darkness back.
Fourteen.
I took another deep breath. I could do it now. It wasn’t as hard as it was before.
Fifteen.
I could feel my heart rate slow down. The warmth from Lex’s skin transferred to mine. I wasn’t as cold anymore.
Sixteen.
“There we go,” Lex mumbled as he kissed my temple. “You did it. I am so proud of you.”
Seventeen.
I gripped the back of his hoodie with my frozen fingers. I could still feel a spot of darkness in my chest.
Eighteen.
I heard footsteps approaching us. I felt my parents’ arms wrap around me and Lex.
Nineteen.
“Oh, my princess,” my dad mumbled as he kissed the top of my head. “We are here. Your family is here. You are not alone.”
Twenty.
I opened my eyes and looked up at my brother. He smiled at me, but I could see the worry in his eyes. I felt my mom’s fingers in my hair.
“What happened, honey?” my mom asked. “Where did your mind go before it happened?”
I looked at her and gulped. I couldn’t even say it out loud.
“Was it something about Hunter?” my mom asked as she kissed my cheek.
I nodded.
“Oh, princess,” my dad mumbled as he tightened his arms around me.
I was completely wrapped up in their arms and I was so grateful for that. I couldn’t do this alone.
“You will always have us, Fia,” Lex mumbled quietly. “No matter what happens with Hunter, we will always be here.”
I looked up at him and smiled.
“Thank you,” I said. “I love you all so much.”
“We love you too, honey,” mom said as she caressed my cheek.
My dad placed another kiss on the top of my head and Lex smiled at me.
I heard footsteps approaching the house. I could feel the faint scent of my mate.
My heart raced again.
