Chapter 298: Chapter 298 Grief
The night air was cold, sharper than usual, and it stung against my cheeks as I stepped outside. The moon hung high, pale and distant, bathing the garden in silver light. Every instinct told me not to go there. Damon’s words still echoed in my head like a warning I shouldn’t heed. If you were really Ember...
I should have stopped but my feet didn’t listen. They moved on their own, carrying me down the stone path that stretched behind the castle. Each step sounded too loud in the silence. My heart thudded with the rhythm of guilt, fear, and something else I couldn’t name.
Maybe he was testing me. Maybe he was waiting in the shadows, watching to see if I’d reveal myself. I knew it, and still, I couldn’t stop. If what he said was true, if Caroline and Lydia really were buried there, then walking away would have been the cruelest thing I could ever do.
The faint scent of damp earth reached me before I saw the place. The garden looked different. The flowers that once bloomed beautifully were wilted, their petals curling like old memories.
I stopped a few steps from the tree line, my fingers trembling as I brushed the tears from my face.
A cold breeze swept through, rustling the leaves, and I followed it deeper into the garden until I reached a small clearing. The ground was uneven, the soil slightly raised.
Two graves.
The moment my eyes caught the faint outlines, my knees gave out. I fell forward, my palms digging into the cold earth. My breath hitched, my chest tightening until I could barely breathe.
"Lydia, Caroline..." I whispered under my breath, my voice barely audible. Saying it out loud made it worse. My tears fell freely, soaking into the dirt as though the earth could drink my grief.
I crawled forward, pressing my hand against one of the graves, my fingers trembling. "I’m sorry," I whispered. "You deserved better... all of you did."
The memories of that night played in the edge of my mind in slow motion, how they were there for me when the world was against me... how they saved me and protected me... giving their lives for me.
I bowed my head lower. "I’m sorry... I’m sorry for being useless and powerless... I’m sorry for being so weak... If only I could turn back time, I would’ve saved you." My throat burned, my words breaking apart. "I’m so sorry, I have inflicted my curse on you."
I clenched my chest, as it felt like it was being stabbed multiple times by a hot searing knife. I had thought they would survive... that they would be imprisoned for protecting me... I fell off the cliff to save their lives... yet they were still killed.
I wailed, my back arched backward. They were the only family I knew, yet they were taken from me... How can I forgive the werewolves?
My shoulders shook, and my heart squeezed like a cloth. "See I came back stronger now, I can do magic now, I can protect you now... why don’t you wake up and see how cool I am now? No one will be able to look down on you as lowly Omega again... huh, wake up please... please?"
My words came out lower each time they left my lips.
I lowered my head, my hair covering my face, and I placed my hands on my knees. I didn’t know how long I was there, staring mindlessly at the graves.
I no longer know what is right or wrong... I was never given a choice to choose how I’ll live... if I was given a choice I’d rather stay dead... maybe if I didn’t have any encounters with them, they would still be alive.
A drop of rain fell on my hand, its cold pulling me out of my trancelike state. I weakly tilted my head up, staring at the dark sky.
As if the sky could feel my pain, it began to pour down, wailing along with me, the pit pat of the rain was the only comfort I had.
I closed my eyes, letting the rain wash away my pain... if only it could.
I slowly swirled my finger, the golden light forming translucent monarch butterflies. They flew around the graveyard, and they changed colour with every drop of rain.
Tears trickled down my cheeks carried away by the rain. "Isn’t it beautiful Caroline? You always wanted to play with butterflies... look they are here..." I broke into sobs again.
One thing was certain, there was no way I could forget them... or move past this pain. They say time is the best healer, but I doubt it could ease the pain and bitterness in my heart.
Snap.
I snapped my head to the sound of twigs breaking. A figure hid behind a tree.
I turned to face the grave again, watching the butterflies fly around. I couldn’t care less about whoever the person was. My drenched body shuddered from the cold, my palms cold as ice.
Cough. Cough.
My body jerked as blood sputtered from my mouth, I wiped my mouth with my wet sleeve.
’Don’t worry sisters, I’ll join you very soon. This life was a loan after all.’ A bitter smile curved on my lips.
Footsteps patting the water on the ground echoed in my ear, but I remained in my spot.
Then, a warm coat was draped over me. I looked up only to find Damon staring down on me. His raven black hair clung to his face, with a few strands falling over his face.
He wore a black shirt, his physique visible as the clothes clung to him. His expression contorted with pain, a line of worry forming on his forehead.
The look on his face almost made it seem like I could confide in him... but that was too good to be true.
He lowered himself, pulling me into his arms. I pushed him away, but he pulled me deeper into his embrace.
"Shhhh." His voice wasn’t harsh, more like a soothing hush.
My body leaned into his embrace, I was tired of everything, tired of fighting... I just wanted to rest, maybe comforted... if I deserved that.
My hands clenched his shoulders, burying my head into his embrace.
No words were exchanged between us, the sound of the rain was like soothing music to our souls. The butterflies flew scattered around us, and I let myself cry in his arms.