They Came In Hoodies

Chapter 34: You Stupid Girl

Gray's POV

As soon as my father opened the door, I saw Stella on the floor with white foam coming from her mouth.

My father said something, but I couldn't hear it as I ran to Stella's side. Instinctively, I held her in my arms. Her body was icy to the touch. She was barely breathing and as I felt her pulse; it was barely present. It caused my heart to nearly stop.

My father told me he wouldn't kill her, but that was a lie. He was only a liar. I knew this. She was dying, and it was at his hands.

"Stella, breathe. Open your eyes. Come on!" I begged as I shook her lightly, urging her awake.

A lump appeared in my throat as I tried to choke it down. I couldn't lose her. There were too many people I had lost. But she was the most important one to me. There was no way I could live without her.

"Stella! Please," I begged again as Graywick came to my side to watch.

I locked eyes with him for a moment before turning back to Stella. I saw worry in them. He feared what she did or if she was actually dead. But he didn't care about her. All he wanted was the monster within.

A Darkling roared as it ran into the room, but I refused to move. I knew it wouldn't attack me. It wasn't interested in us.

Using the element of surprise, it bit Graywick and pulled him away from us.

He screamed in pain as he tried to push the monster off of him. But he was unsuccessful as another Darkling came bounding in, also sinking its teeth into my father.

"Grayson, help me!" my father pleaded to me.

I shook my head as I watched another Darkling come in. After all he had done, he didn't deserve my help. Churchwell deserved better, and it wasn't my father. If the Darklings finished him, then I wouldn't have to. I wanted the Darklings to kill.

As my father struggled against them by himself, my attention turned back to Stella. I shook her again as words failed to come to me.

"I think she tried to stop the Umbra Mortine herself," Birch said as she knelt beside me and showed the empty bag in her hands.

I scowled at the thought of that. How could she have done something so reckless? How could she have been so brave? There was so much I wanted to say to that, but I couldn't until I knew she was alright.

Just as I was about to feel her pulse again, Stella sucked in and flung open her eyes.

My breath caught in my throat as I blinked the tears from my eyes and held her closer.

She coughed violently but held onto me.

"There you go. Breathe. Everything is ok," I cooed as I held onto tighter. This time, I promised myself I would not let her go. I never would.

From the corner of my eye, I saw as the Darklings filed out of the room as if whatever mission called them here was complete.

Deep down, this is how I knew the Umbra Mortine was finished. I had a feeling that it was controlling them, causing them to attack my father. But without the Umbra Mortine, the Darklings had no reason to attack him.

Stella held onto me as she took deep breaths. She was silent for a moment until she cleared her thoat. "I did it. The Umbra Mortine is no more," Stella breathed. "I killed it."

"No! I was so close!" my father shouted, tearing me from giving Stella all of my attention.

My head snapped over to see my father's bloodied and torn body struggle to get up from the ground.