Chapter 45 44
Darius’ POV
I didn’t even realize my claws had hit her until I heard her soft gasp.
Soraya’s body hit the floor, and my heart stopped.
My claws were trembling. My vision was red. Zeus was in control now. I was trying to control him, but I couldn't. I didn't want to hurt anyone.
The scene of Soraya's blood filled the air, and it made Zeus even angrier.
He wanted to destroy everything that threatened her. But right now, the threat was me.
I tried to stop my hand from raising again, but it was like fighting my own shadow. My muscles burned, screaming against me. My teeth gritted so hard I could taste blood.
“Soraya don't go close again, okay? Look at your face, you're injured." Mom said. I could barely hear her over the pounding in my ears.
I hurt her.
“No… I’ve gone through worse.” Soraya replied.
Her words froze me. Through the blur, I saw her getting up again, her legs shaking, her hand clutching her stomach. What was she doing? She should run away.
“Darius…” she whispered.
My body flinched. Zeus growled low, backing away. The wolf didn’t want to hurt her, but the rage was too much. I could feel my claws flexing on their own.
Then her small hands touched me.
Her fingers wrapped around my arm.
Her warmth and scent enveloped me, like a soothing pill.
She shouldn’t have touched me. It wasn’t safe. But that single touch was what calmed my storm.
“Please,” she whispered. “It’s me.”
The growl in my throat faltered.
My breathing slowed and Zeus began to retreat, letting me take over.
I could feel the fur retracting from my arms, my claws shrinking, the fire in my chest quenching.
Her face was bleeding where I had closer at her. She smiled faintly, and before I could even move to hold her she fell to the ground.
“Soraya!”
My hands shook as I bent down and lifted her head gently. “Soraya…” I whispered, my voice breaking.
Her cheek. There was a mark on her cheek, filled with blood. It was on her lip, on her neck, on her clothes… and on my hands.
I froze. I…I did this.
My breath hitched. My chest tightened painfully, like I could barely breathe.
She had tried to stop me. She was only trying to calm me down, and I had hurt her. I hurt my own mate.
My hands trembled harder. “No… no, no, no…” I whispered under my breath. “What have I done?”
The wolf in me that had been raging minutes ago, suddenly went silent. Like it was ashamed too.
I was supposed to protect her— rom danger, enemies and monsters outside.
But right now, I was the monster.
The sight of her blood on my hands made my stomach twist. I felt sick.
I tried to reach out again, but my fingers froze midway. My body was screaming at me to move, to do something, but I couldn’t. My legs felt heavy.
I had sworn to keep her safe and now I’d done the exact opposite.
“What have I done…?” I whispered again, my voice cracking.
She wasn’t even moving. Her chest rose weakly, but I could barely see it. My vision blurred, and my body felt numb.
That’s when Sam crouched in front of me. “Darius, get a hold of yourself!”
I blinked, dazed. “What? Look at her, Sam.” My voice cracked. “I did this… I did this…”
“Darius!” he barked louder this time. “Pick her up. Let’s take her upstairs.”
“I can’t believe this…”
“Darius, she’s alive, okay? She’s alive. Let’s take her upstairs, we’ll call the healer.”
Those words snapped me out of it.
Alive. She was still alive.
“She’s alive,” I repeated under my breath. My trembling hands reached for her. She felt so light in my arms. Her head fell against my chest, her hair sticky with blood.
“Okay, Soraya… okay,” I whispered. “Stay with me.”
I turned toward the stairs. “Get the healer!” I shouted behind me.
“I’ve already called her!” Sam’s voice echoed back.
I nodded without looking back, clutching Soraya tighter as I carried her to my room. My heart wouldn’t stop pounding.
When I laid her on my bed, she looked even smaller, her skin pale, lips trembling.
I brushed a strand of hair from her face with shaking fingers. “I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I’m so sorry…”
Her body didn’t respond. The silence was unbearable.
I sank to my knees beside the bed, blood still staining my hands, the same hands that were supposed to protect her.
I did this. I hurt my own mate.
Her chest rose and fell in the weakest rhythm. I sat beside her, my hands shaking so badly I almost couldn’t touch her.
“Soraya… hey, come on, stay with me, okay?” My voice cracked. I brushed a strand of hair from her face. I didn’t deserve to touch her.
Sam rushed in. “The healer’s on her way. Just hang in there, alright?”
I didn’t answer him. My throat was burning, and all I could hear was the pounding of my heart and the sound of her shallow breathing.
“She’s cold,” I whispered, pulling the blanket over her carefully. “Why is she so cold?”
Sam put a hand on my shoulder. “She’s in shock, Darius. Just breathe, okay?”
Breathe? How could I breathe when the person I was supposed to protect was lying here because of me?
I clenched my jaw, staring down at her pale face. “I promised her I’d protect her. And instead…” I couldn’t finish the sentence. “I almost killed her.”
Sam shook his head. “No. Don’t say that. You didn’t mean to. Zeus took over. You tried to fight it.”
I looked at him. “But I didn’t fight hard enough.”
My gaze returned to Soraya.
“Darius…” she whispered weakly.
The sound nearly broke me. I leaned forward immediately, clutching her hand. “I’m here. I’m right here, baby.”
Her hand was cold, but she was alive. She was alive.
I sat by Soraya’s side, watching her chest rise and fall so faintly it terrified me. She had fallen unconscious again.
Then the door creaked and then it pushed wide, revealing my mother. She walked in with a bowl of water and a folded white cloth. Her steps were calm, but I could see the worry in her eyes.
She moved toward Soraya, but my instincts flared.
“Don’t come close,” I growled.
She froze. “Darius—”
“Nobody should come close.” My voice came out rough, protectively. My mate was injured, she was vulnerable. No one else was supposed to be near her.