Sophia’s POV
I was lying in my bed staring at the ceiling.
I couldn’t sleep.
I was nervous and excited at the same time. I had to start packing tomorrow. I would go back to Hunter’s pack with him and his family in two days.
I was excited to start my life with my mate, but I was nervous to leave my family.
I would miss my mom and my dad. I would miss my uncle and my aunt. I would miss my grandma and my cousins.
Most of all, I would miss my brother. I couldn’t even imagine not seeing him every day. What would that even feel like? It hadn’t been a day in my life when I didn’t see Lex. We did everything together. We went everywhere together. How would I go a day without him?
The thought scared me. Lex was a part of me. I never really thought about leaving him. I never thought that there would come a day when I wouldn’t see him.
I missed him already.
Lex? I tried to mind-link him, but I could tell that he was already asleep.
I sighed and closed my eyes, trying to relax so I could fall asleep.
It was hard. My emotions were a mess and I was still exhausted from what happened this morning.
It was the worst episode I had so far. I’ve never had to try so hard to stop the darkness from spreading.
At least Hunter’s parents seemed to like me. His mom was so gentle and loving and it made meeting them so much easier. His dad was very nice too. He had this peaceful aura around him. I liked him from the moment I saw him, and I couldn’t believe that was the man who hurt my family. It was very obvious that he had changed so much.
“Sophia,” I heard my brother’s quiet voice.
I opened my eyes and furrowed my eyebrows.
“Lex?” I called his name as I lifted myself on my elbows.
How the hell did he get inside my room? I didn’t hear him come in. I thought that he was asleep. And why the hell did he call me by my full name again?
“Sophia,” he called me again, making me reach out and turn on the lamp on my nightstand.
I couldn’t see him.
“What the hell, Lex?” I mumbled as I turned around and searched for him.
I still couldn’t see him. My room was empty.
“Alex?” I called him, my voice trembling.
“Help me, Sophia,” he said, his voice laced with pain.
My heart stopped beating. Was Lex hurt?
I jumped out of bed, but I didn’t know where to go or what to do. It didn’t seem like his voice was coming from his bedroom. It seemed like it was coming from the outside.
I rushed to the window and opened it.
“Lex?” I called him. “Where are you?”
The night was cold and the air was crisp and biting. The stars twinkled like diamonds in the sky. The night was so still that not even a leaf rustled, and the silence was almost palpable. Despite the lack of wind, a chill lingered in the air, causing my breath to steam with each exhale.
I could see him anywhere.
‘Where is he, Stella?’ I asked my wolf. ‘Can you talk to Axel? Get him to tell you where he is.’
I started climbing down my window. I didn’t want to go through my house and wake my parents up. I didn’t want to worry them.
Stella didn’t respond. I couldn’t even feel her.
What the hell was going on?
I used the oak tree in our backyard to get down. Lex and I used to climb it all the time. I knew every branch and I already knew where to step so I wouldn’t fall.
“Alex?!” I called my brother again as my feet touched the cold ground.
The ground was hard and unyielding beneath my feet, and the crunch of frozen grass echoed through the stillness. I was worried it would wake my parents up so I tried to walk around softly.
“Alex?!” I whisper-yelled. “Where are you? What happened? If this is like that time you fell and twisted your ankle, I will kick your ass.”
When we were about 13 years old, Alex snuck out to go to a lake with Mason. He twisted his ankle jumping over some fallen tree and called me for help because he knew our parents would ground him.
If he did something stupid like that again, I would fry his ass for worrying me.
Why the hell did he leave the house in the middle of the night anyway?
“Sophia,” Alex cried out again, making my heart stop beating.
His voice was coming from the forest behind our house.
I started running toward his voice. I needed to help him. I needed to save him.
‘Stella!’ I screamed at my wolf.‘ Where is he?!’
She didn’t respond.
My heart raced. What the hell was wrong with her? Where was she?
What if Lex was hurt so badly that she retreated to be with Axel?
I started running faster. My lungs hurt.
I wanted to use my magic, but I was afraid after what happened today. One wrong move and I could release the darkness.
“Alex!” I screamed as I stopped running and looked around.
The forest was thick and I could barely see anything. I couldn’t even see the stars anymore.
“Sophia!” he called me again.
His voice sounded like he was tortured. My heart stopped beating.
“Alex!” I screamed again as I ran deeper into the forest.
Did someone hurt him? Oh, Goddess.
I didn’t hear him leave the house! How did they get to him?!
“Alex!” I screamed as a sob broke through my lips.
I felt the darkness in my chest grow. I felt it consuming me. I couldn’t breathe anymore.
“Sophia!” he screamed again, making my legs move faster.
“I am coming, Alex!” I screamed through my tears. “I am coming!”
I couldn’t see where I was going. My tears blurred my vision completely. The darkness had reached my heart and I could feel it choking me.
I couldn’t breathe.
I stumbled and fell on the cold ground.
No!
I had to get up!
“Alex…” I mumbled as I tried to lift my body from the ground.
I was in pain. I was in so much pain. The darkness was now squeezing my heart. I could feel it in my stomach.
My body convulsed and I screamed.
My mind was a complete mess. I couldn’t see anything. I couldn’t breathe anymore.
I felt a hand on my shoulder.
Someone flipped me to my back.
Was it Alex?
“Alex…” I mumbled as I tried to reach for him.
Was he okay? He had to be okay.
“Hello, Sophia,” I heard an unfamiliar voice. “It is nice to finally meet you.”
Who was that? Where was Alex?
I never got my answer because my eyes rolled to the back of my head and all I could see was darkness.
