Chapter 25

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((Cover on the side made by Meral (send me your UN so I can dedicate this to you). Thanks so much!

So many of you have sent me covers, and I’ll try to display them in the order they were sent to me. Just be patient, I appreciate all of your wonderful artwork, but I can only put up one at a time!

The song is best listened to at the beginning of the chapter. It is quite depressing and kinda ballad-y, but I think it’s so pretty. And I’m obsessed with Christina Perri. Obviously.

Thanks to Belle for editing this for me!))

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I stood there, completely mute, as the reality of Eva’s words sank in and the pain rushed over me like a tidal wave. My hands curled into tight fists, my fingernails cutting into my skin, and in the back of my mind I registered my Wolf’s painful howls as she realized what the redhead’s words entailed. Gabriel had slept with someone else before me. He had given the most intimate part of himself away to another she-wolf.

Gritting my teeth to fight against a sudden bout of nausea, my eyes found Gabriel’s. The guilt and self-loathing were burning so brightly in his eyes I could nearly feel the sentiments myself. Perhaps I was feeling an echo of his raging emotions. I couldn’t help the surge of betrayal that emerged. How could he do something like that? With her of all people?

Gabriel moved to take a step forward, but I instantly took one backwards to get away from him. Every inch of me felt repulsed. Dimly, I became aware that Eva’s eyes were boring into the side of my head. My eyes flicked to her and my rage only intensified at the look on her face. While she was trying to appear indifferent, I could see the smug smirk hovering at the corners of her red lips.

And that’s when I realized: this was what Eva wanted. She wanted me to feel the pain, to grow enraged, to break down and cry like I was dangerously close to doing. She was attempting to elicit this reaction out of me to prove her superiority. Despite the painful knot of emotions in my chest, I felt a prick of determination. I may be ‘insecure’ and ‘weak’ to her, but right now I was going to prove her wrong. The best way to get to Eva now was to not react the way she planned.

With a herculean effort, I straightened my spine and tilted my chin defiantly. I may be a pushover sometimes, but I had a proud streak like every Wolf did. There was no denying the nearly overwhelming pain blossoming in my chest; judging by the look on Gabriel’s face and the thick tension between us, he could feel it, too. I couldn’t take back Eva’s words. But I could at least attempt to stay strong and beat her at her own game. My Wolf was whimpering in pain, and with every ounce of force I had at hand, I pushed her to the deepest corner of my consciousness. I couldn’t have her agony distracting me now.

Seizing on this burst of determination, I mentally tried to erect barriers around my consciousness, barring out as much of the pain as I could. I already felt humiliated in front of Gabriel and broadcasting my feelings, clear as day, would only worsen things. I tried to force the hurt away and maintain a cool façade as I spoke.

“Wow, Gabriel, sleeping with her must have been quite….underwhelming for you.” To my pleasant surprise, my words came out just as icily as I’d hoped. Gabriel’s expression had shifted to one of confusion as he continued to stare at me. I turned my head and focused on Eva. “After all, she is not, and will never be your true Mate. She’ll never satisfy you the way I can.”

As I finished speaking, Eva’s expression contorted from smugness into one of pure rage. I felt a brief moment of pure satisfaction at the look on her face. Her pale cheeks reddened with anger and she took a few steps towards me.

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