Destined for Vengeance ✔️

Chapter 25

"I don't know how to be vulnerable," Ryleigh said.

Jade's head snapped back to Ryleigh. She was still lying unmoving, stretched like a starfish across the mattress. Her eyes were open, following the spaces between the boards of the ceiling. Jade wished there was something she could to do teach her that it was not just alright but normal to feel.

Corbin had always been extra hard on Ryleigh, since she was the oldest. He had done everything he could to shape her in his image. It had always been Jade's worst fear that Ryleigh was going to end up just like him – angry and broken. And she had. But lately, for the first time in years, she'd seen something of the old Ryleigh. Of the child she'd been before the massacre, kind-hearted and lively. Ryleigh was good at hiding her away, but every once in a while Jade saw her, and it was all she needed to believe that Ryleigh could still change things around. And if Ryleigh could, then so could their pack.

"You'll learn," she said.

Ryleigh shook her head, but didn't make eye-contact. Jade watched her a moment, wondering how long it would take for her to fade away completely, then turned back to the window. From her guestroom, she had a good view of the front of the mansion. When he arrived – if he did – she'd see him.

"Do you think revenge is more important than anything else?" she asked. She kept her eyes on the clearing. She didn't want to see Ryleigh's undoubtedly scrutinising gaze.

"What?"

She sighed. It was hard enough breaching the subject once. "I mean, is vengeance more important than moving on, than being happy, than making a new life?" She turned around then, curiosity winning from concern. She had to look at Ryleigh for this, needed Ryleigh to look at her. She leant against the window-sill, studying her. When it came to Ryleigh, Jade had learnt to read the micro-expressions on her face as much – if not more – as her words. Ryleigh's mouth was a liar, but her body spoke truth.

"I can't decide that for you," Ryleigh said. She sat up, shuffling backwards until she hit the headboard. She pulled her legs up.

"Father thinks it's the most important thing."

"Yes."

"What about you? Is killing Alder still your objective?"

Ryleigh wrapped her arms around her knees. Her eyes flitted to Jade, and besides determination, there was an overwhelming pain in there. "Yes."

"Even if that means losing Austin – losing your life, even?"

"I don't know, Jade. Why are you asking?"

She shrugged. "I guess I'm just wondering if maybe there are things more important than revenge. Like life, love, fate."

"You've only met your mate two days ago and you're already talking about giving up everything we've worked towards the past fourteen years?" Ryleigh quirked her brows. "Must've been a damn good conversation yesterday."

"I've been thinking about this for a long time."

Ryleigh's brows inched together – only the tiniest bit, but Jade caught it.

"Being here has made me realise some things about our pack," Jade said. "There's only darkness there. We don't have fun. We never have light. There's only hate and anger and darkness, and it's suffocating."

"We have fun."

"No, we don't. Look at the people here. They've suffered tragedy too, and yet they're laughing. They have fun. They're moving on."

Ryleigh tilted her head, and Jade knew this conversation was lost on her. Or at least, she knew that's what Ryleigh wanted her to think. Jade suspected Ryleigh understood her better than she'd ever let on.

"They haven't lost as much as we have," Ryleigh said.

"I know. But still. I never knew it was alright."

Ryleigh's brows scooted further down. "What's alright?"

"To live. To look forward rather than back. To move on. What if I want to move on?" She glanced out the window – still nothing – and then fixed her eyes on Ryleigh again.

"Move on how?"

"I don't know. Not go home. Get to know Prince Aaron. Forgive."

"Forgive? Forgive whom? Alder?" Her tone had taken on a dangerous quality and Jade knew she was tiptoeing a line.

"Not for his sake, but for mine. Yes. Maybe. I don't think I can live in darkness anymore. It's suffocating me. And it's suffocating you too. If you insist on killing Alder, it's going to be the death of you. Look at what you can have." She nodded around her. "Austin, the friends you've made here, the safety this pack provides. A fresh start."

"I am our father's heir." She dug her nails into her knees. "I'm never going to give that up. I'm never going to join Midnight Moon. I am the Shadow Walker's next alpha and I will die before I give that up."

"If you kill Alder, you will. You do realise that, don't you? And then what becomes of the rest of us? If you get yourself killed, what is our future?"

Ryleigh shook her head. "This isn't fair. Someone needs to pay for what happened to us."

"I get that. I do. But right now, the only ones paying for what happened to us, are we."

"Your mate is messing with your head." She stretched out her legs, then drew them under her. "What are you going to do? Mate him? And then what? Are you going to accept Alder as your king – as your father, even?"

"Of course not."

"You'd have to. You'd be part of his family. You'll be one of them."

Her chest contracted, squeezing her lungs shut. She held onto the windowsill. "I barely know Aaron. No one's talking about mating. I'm just saying that should I want to, I don't know why I should feel so guilty about it."

"Because revenge is not the most important thing," Ryleigh said. "Duty is." 

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A/N: Another sisterly talk. I dare say Ryleigh isn't as happy with Jade's mate as Jade is. 

Thank you for reading!