G R A I Z E N
Well shit.
I knew she would be, well confused, but I didn't think she would pass out.
Is she alive?
I poked her cheek, no reaction. My boot lightly nudged her side, as she rolled over. I stared down at her frail body in shock. Jax groaned as he slowly approached me, cracking his neck. My eyes went cold as my brother's footsteps stopped inches from mine. Rage was burning through my veins as I stared into his dark eyes. I felt utter betrayal in my stomach as I clenched my fists at my sides.
"Graizen, I-"
His words were cut off as my fist connected with his jaw. Satisfaction ran through me as pain shot up my hand. He instantly fell back to the ground, his eyes going wide. I felt a wave of adrenaline run through me as I grabbed him by the neck, slamming him against a tree. He let out a gasp as his arms clawed at me. Jax was pleading to me with his eyes as I held him by the throat.
"Your soul mate dies, so you play house with her sister?"
I gripped his throat harder, as blood dripped from my fingertips.
"It's n-not like that, Graizen. You know it's not."
He choked out, blood spilling from his mouth. I threw his body across the road. It violently crashed into the tree behind him, the bark cracking against him. I kicked him in his face with my boot, hearing a crack beneath it. Jax cried out, holding his hands up in defense.
"I'm not going to fight you, brother."
"Good." I smiled wickedly to him. "It'll make it easier to kill you then."
As I approached him again, my body was lifted from the ground. It crashed against the rough road, as my head collided into it. An unfamiliar feeling fell over me as my body collapsed next to Devinthia. Her skin looked fake, resembling a porcelain doll. This girl couldn't be real. She mirrored a fallen angel, a look of pain across her face. I shook the strange feeling away as I pushed her body aside.
"Don't touch her."
Jax weakly stood up from the ground, charging at me. I let out a bored sigh as I punched his windpipe, sending him to the ground. My boot planted itself on his throat, trapping his body onto the ground.
"So, you're in love with her? You're just going to forget about Freya?"
I laughed to myself at the thought.
"It's not like that, Graiz. You know how important she is. Devinthia needs to be protected. It won't be long until they find her and-"
"Do not speak of them. You've been keeping her hidden away all this time. What did you plan to do? Settle down and marry her? You know what she is to me."
Jax's eyes filled with humor as blood poured from his lips. His laughter filled the room, causing a chill to go up my spine.
"Like you'll ever love her, Graizen. You're incapable of love and you know it."
I stayed silent as he said this. He was right. I looked over to the unconscious girl on the ground. No matter what she is, no ounce of me will ever be able to love her. Even if it's written in the stars for us to be together, I could never feel anything for that girl. I lifted my boot from Jax's neck. He slowly recovered, spitting blood everywhere. I went to Devinthia, throwing her over my shoulder as if she were nothing.
"Where the hell are you going with her?"
Jax's eyes held desperation in them as he stared at her. I could tell he loved this girl. I wasn't sure in what way yet. It didn't sit well right in my stomach, the thought that he cared for her so much. I shook the feeling off of me as I stared into my brother's eyes.
"Where do you think? I'm taking her to her family. Where she belongs."
"I'm coming with you."
I felt a wave of fire crash over me as he said this. The night that has been my living nightmare for over a year flashed behind my eyes. I took a deep breath, trying to calm the demons inside of me. Every bone in my body was screaming at me to kill my brother. I wanted his head on a stick.
"Like hell you are."
I spat out at him. He shook his head, following me to my car.
"Wherever she goes, I go."
I groaned, walking as fast as I could to my car. I contemplated smashing Jax's head in the door repeatedly as his loud footsteps followed behind me. I only came to this excuse of a town to get her, Jax wasn't supposed to be a part of any of this. He was supposed to leave and never come back. I tossed Devinthia in the back seat, as her body fell in between the seats. Jesus.
How in the hell is this girl still out cold?
Hopefully she isn't dead, that would ruin my day.
"Christ Graizen, can't you at least be careful with her?"
I shrugged.
Jax ran to the car, sitting in the back with her. He held her in his arms, brushing her hair behind her ears. I felt an unwanted feeling of anger fuel inside me as I stared at the two of them. I shook my head, slamming the car door. I blasted the music, earning a glare from Jax as I sped down the road. My knuckles were white from my grip on the steering wheel. As I drove along the empty road, each minute was my own personal hell. I couldn't help but keep looking back to my brother holding that girl in his arms. I could feel myself already starting to care for her. A strong part of me wanted to protect her. A part of me that I thought died with my parents. I shook this feeling off as I focused my eyes back to the dark road.
"She's still out, Graizen. What is something's wrong?"
I rolled my eyes, punching the gas with my foot. Jax was annoying me to no end. I should've just killed him when I had the chance.
"She's fine, Jax. Let the girl sleep."
"But what if-"
"Jax! Let it go. She's fine!"
I snapped at him, sending him a glare through my mirror. He stayed silent, looking down at the girl. I didn't say anything, turning my attention back to driving. It felt like we were driving for hours. I relaxed as I pulled my car into the familiar empty clearing in the woods. I turned the key off, stepping out of the car. I let out a shiver as the winter air hit my bones. Jax got out of the car, following behind me.
"Where did you get the car?"
"I stole it." I said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Which it was.
I sighed as we approached the small cabin, unlocking the door with my key. Jax didn't say a word as we walked to the basement. I approached a black metal door, scanning my fingerprints against the pad beside it. The door opened, leading us down a set of stairs. We reached the bottom of the stairs, as elevator doors greeted us.
"I see nothing has changed."
I didn't answer Jax as I scanned my entire hand against the door, causing them to open. I looked over to the girl, who was still fast asleep in Jax's arms. I felt uneasy at the sight of her head pressed against Jax's chest. She was snuggled up to him, her face relaxed. The elevator ride couldn't end any sooner as we made it down to the bottom floor.
"I wonder how she'll feel about living underground." Jax laughed.
"Can you shut the hell up? Please?"
My voice dripped with anger as I turned away from him. As the doors opened, Rayner and Ryker were the first ones to approach us. Their eyes widened at the sight before them. I'm not entirely sure which shocked them more, Jax, or the girl. I ignored their reactions as we brought her up to one of the empty rooms in the main house. It was almost morning by now, there goes another sleepless night for me.
Lovely.
Jax gently set her down in the bed, as his eyes fell on me.
"Well, what the hell do we do now?"