Lief Pov
The screams of terror are part of my daily life and provide me with some comfort, but
sometimes even that isn't enough to assuage my anger or calm my anxiety, the anxiety
generated by being condemned to remain alive. I could choose not to, but then the world
wouldn't be punished enough, I couldn't get anyone to understand my pain, a pain I had to
deal with alone because Kael gave in to agony and left this cruel world.
My purpose in life is to be crueler than him.
1 keep running in my wolf form. Pain courses through my body, and my thirst is relentless,
but I don't stop. I don't want to hear any more human murmurs, the ones I'lI one day destroy. I need to stop listening, feeling, thinking.
want to pretend I'm alone on this planet.
Finally, I reach the top of the mountain and lie down. The snow falls on me, melting as it touches my skin.
From where I stand, I can see the result of my anger: villages completely destroyed, reduced to nothing.
Why can't the satisfaction of achieving all this last?
I don't need Kael to answer that question: I still need her.
Raisa no longer exists, there is no connection, but I still cling to her memory, to how much I need her to live fully again.
Suddenly, I hear a strong, vigorous heartbeat. It's not human, so I immediately go on alert, though I don't return to my human form.
" know you're there, Leif, says Eden, whom I haven't seen in a long time.
I turn my head to the right, where the sound is coming from. He's in his human form, and I notice he's cut his hair.
"So you've come to contemplate all your destruction," he says bitterly. "I heard rumors it was because of the loss of someone important."
I snarl back. He's not telling me anything new. By now, it's common knowledge that losing my partner has killed me in life.
"No, they're not rúmors, are they?" He smiles sadly. "It's your terrible reality, one you deserve for being so reckless.
Eden doesn't flinch when my face is just inches from hers, but she can't fool me: her heart is pounding with fear.
-You don't deserve anything, Leif. You don't deserve the power they gave you; you're just a selfish being, incapable of taking care of what's so precious to you.
"I don't have anything valuable anymore, I reply silently.
Eden seems to sense the answer in my gaze, so she smiles in a strange way.
-No, I'm lying. What you had, the most valuable thing you had, you lost. I tried, I swear, but everything went horribly wrong.
I take a few steps back, trying to understand what she's talking about. Not caring that I hadn't brought a change of clothes with me, I return to my human form. Eden remains
impassive, her gaze filled with sadness.
You have to do things right, Leif. You can't keep going like this. Eden, I'm doing things right. Everyone has to pay.for this. What are you talking about?
Did you know where I was?
-Yes, Leif, I knew it, but.
"Tell me where!" I shout, trying to advance on Eden, but she sobs and quickly transforms
before running away.
She's a coward.
"Eden!" | shout, running almost without energy, so I end up falling onto the icy grass,
shivering.
"She's gone, she's really gone, I whisper, devastated. "So why couldn't I go with her?"