Chapter 216 BREAKING REALITY
Edeline
"He rejected his mate, tortured her, raped her, beat her, and then slit her throat when he found her." The words came out in a rush, and the moment I opened my eyes, the tears burst forth uncontrollably. I felt utterly defeated, my shoulders slumping as if all my strength had evaporated. I felt like there was nothing left worth fighting for.
Conor was deep in thought, his mind clearly racing to process what I had just revealed. I continued, my voice breaking as I cried. "He rejected his mate and did those awful things to her because he wanted me. I had no idea... I never knew," I said, shaking my head sadly. "And you know what? William, Annabel, Percival... they all knew about Darius's illness, but none of us did. They found out about the other women, but thankfully, they were never harmed. So, William didn't believe he was beyond saving. He thought there was hope because of the way Darius treated me. He thought I could be his mate and somehow save him. That’s why Percival kept me away from Darius. I always wondered why he made sure we were never alone together when we were kids. Percival was under alpha command to keep quiet when Darius's mate’s body was discovered on the night Darius attacked me... William knew about it and was planning to cover it up..."
The realization only fueled my anger further. I became more agitated, my focus shifting to the glass table in front of me. "William knew that after Darius’s punishment, challenges would come, and that he would eventually meet his end with honor. I couldn't bear to bring shame upon my family name," I exclaimed. "Percival never wanted me to know because he knew it would impact my memories. But he knew his brother had to be dealt with. There was no hope. Darius was too sick. He deceived me, made me believe he would never betray me unless he was influenced! He even had a collection of my belongings—a collection dedicated to me!" I slammed my hand on the table, frustration evident in every movement. The person I thought I knew had turned out to be a stranger.
"Hey, Edeline," Conor's voice cut through my whirlwind of thoughts. I looked up at him, my breathing uneven. He seemed lost in his own reflections, but what he said next struck a chord deep within me.
"It sounds like Darius had some serious issues... and a very intense fixation. Was he born with that condition you mentioned? Maximus, the former leader of Darkmoon, was also a bit of a sociopath. He had quite an ego. I still remember the things he did... to me, to his loved ones, even to his partner... all just for his own amusement." Conor's face twisted with anguish as he got lost in his memories.
I sniffled, trying to gather myself as Conor cleared his throat. "But Percival... he only killed Darius because he had to. He did it to protect his mate. Any man would do the same for their partner. Even me. I wish I had done that to Maximus years ago." Our eyes locked in that moment. The intensity of his gaze made me feel uneasy, and I shifted uncomfortably in my chair, avoiding eye contact.
I couldn't grasp it all. I still can't go back to my partner. Considering everything that has happened, there is no way I could return. I wouldn't, even if I wanted to, which I don't. I couldn't forgive him for what he did, no matter what. Even if taking out Darius was a matter of life or death…
Wow, my mind is completely overwhelmed right now...
The moon seemed to be on a mission to unearth every hidden secret and atrocity. It felt like the entire world was bracing itself for the revelation of countless horrors, and I wondered if Percival was among those destined to face the moon's wrath. I couldn't bear to think of him, especially after everything that had happened. Despite the fact that I couldn't stand the thought of him, the reality of his attempted suicide left me in shock. I didn't know what was going through his mind or what he was experiencing, but I was acutely aware that my decision to leave had profoundly affected him. Yet, I was resolute in keeping those mental blocks intact. I had no intention of reopening that chapter. His feelings were no longer my concern.
When did he ever care about how I was doing? It pains me to admit it, but it's the truth. Whether it was his wolf's influence or not, he had chosen to support Tatiana in everything. I was left with the scraps.
Mirabelle had told me that she found him trying to grab a towel, speaking softly about his dog. In those final moments of clarity, he suddenly grasped the possibility of a pregnancy and desperately fought to stop the bleeding. He didn’t want his dog to grow up without a father...
That revelation struck me deeply. It was heart-wrenching to think about.
He had been on the brink of ending it all, but that thought alone made him reconsider. However, Mirabelle was supposed to inform him that I wasn’t pregnant. She had promised she would.
She couldn’t make it.
The swirl of emotions inside me was overwhelming. I just wanted to share all the secrets and thoughts that had been pent up for so long. I felt like I was falling apart, like a hollow shell.
I couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. My face twisted in anguish as my soul ached. “I can’t... I just can’t do this anymore!” I wailed, my voice breaking with despair. I tumbled out of my chair, collapsing onto the hard cement tiles. I pounded my fists into the floor, the pain in my hands mingling with the blood that splattered against the gray tiles.
“I can’t handle this!” I shouted between sobs. I let out a raw cry of pain and lay back, allowing the agony to envelop me. It felt like it was all I had left.