Chapter 132 Chapter 132: The Final Switch

Chapter 132 Chapter 132: The Final Switch
Senna’s POV

We watched as the sector borns killed the nobles. I was glad that we didn’t have to be a part of it. They were good fighters and they unleashed the wrath of years of pent up anger. Even Junie fought, alongside Isolde. I watched her stab a noble in the leg. She looked at him, wide-eyed. Then she smiled.

I was proud of her.

But there was a heaviness in Verity as she watched. As a flora wolf, Verity didn’t like death. She liked life. Even though the nobles deserved everything that was happening, Verity was still sad to watch them die.

She also knew that once it was over, she’d have to turn her attention to Kenna.

That didn’t sit well with either of us. The nobles fell and the group came back to stand beside us. Kenna lowered her head onto her paws.

Isolde tried to kill the wolf, but she couldn’t. She lowered her bow and her head. Korrigan was next. He went towards the wolf with the knife in his hand. But he couldn’t kill her either.

Orrin wouldn’t even try. Verity and I both knew that. None of them could kill an innocent wolf. It was just too hard.

That only left Verity. I think she knew, right from the start, that she would have to be the one to kill the wolf.

But murder was a difficult concept for Verity. She thrived off life, off living, breathing things, like the life force of the island. Taking a life was something very foreign to her.

“It’s okay,” I told her. “Kenna knew. She’s a hero, remember. Don’t think about the one life you’re taking. Think about all the lives you’re saving.

“That doesn’t make it any easier,” Verity said. There was so much sadness in her. But eventually, she came to a decision.

“I want this to be gentle,” she said. She looked out at the ocean. She made the decision to let a wave sweep the wolf away. “It won’t hurt this way,” Verity said.

“I’m here with you,” I told Verity. Verity took one last look at the small wolf laying on the sand. Then she summoned the wave. The wave swelled and crashed down on the shore. I braced myself for the moment it would hit the wolf and take it away.

But right before he wave crashed down, Verity whispered:

“I’m sorry, Senna. I love you.”

Her words had barely left her mouth when everything went dark. For a moment I found myself back in that strange blue void. But it was different this time. The entire place was shaking and vibrating. I called out for Verity but she didn’t answer. I knew that something was wrong. I could feel it, an uneasiness, a sense of dread.

I called for again. But again, she didn’t answer. Then the blue fell away.

My eyes flew open. I gasped. I immediately realized that I was back in my own body. I was laying at the edge of the forest.

Kalev came rushing towards me. He saw that my eyes were open. He knelt down and took my head in his hands.

“Senna,” he said, exhaling. He pulled me towards him and held me.

But I pushed him away, panicked.

“It’s okay,” he said. “It’s over now. We did it, Senna. We won.”

Everyone else gathered around me. My head was spinning. They cheered, smiling at their victory. Viktor was gone. He was really gone.

“Senna,” Junie said, kneeling down. She reached out for my hand. But I couldn’t take her hand. Instead, I tried to stand up.

I saw the stretch of beach where Kenna had been. Then I saw the dead bodies of all the nobles. The entire island was on fire, the flames licking the sky. The scent of black smoke was thick.

Then I saw Kalen. He was standing behind everyone with a puzzled look on his face.

“Kalen,” I called to him. “Where is she? Where’s Verity.”

He shook his head and lowered his eyes.

I called for Verity but there was only silence.

“What’s going on?” Kalev asked, furrowing his brows. “Verity is fine. She switched with the other wolf.”

“I know that,” I said sharply, whipping my head towards Kalev. “I was with her. Well, not at first. I was in this…this blue void. But when Verity shifted, the void pulled me to her. I saw everything through her eyes. But now…” My voice trailed off.

I looked out at the dark ocean.

“No,” I shook my head. I clamped my hand over my mouth. Then I looked at Kalen. “She’s there, isn’t she? Your wolf, Kenna. She’s with you?”

I held my breath. I would have given anything for him to say no. That his wolf wasn’t there. That Verity was still with him.

But he nodded, his eyes sad.

“Oh god,” I whispered. The pain I felt in my chest was so profound it caused me to drop to my knees.

“I don’t understand,” Kalev said, dropping to his knees beside me. “It’s over now. We should be happy. Senna, what’s wrong?”

I looked out at the ocean again. The dark, tumultuous waves. She wanted it to be gentle. She didn’t want it hurt.

Because….

It was her death, not Kenna’s.

I realized what Verity had done. Unable to take the wolf’s life, she’d sacrificed her own. She died in the ocean, with Viktor inside of her. She hadn’t told me she was going to do this because she knew I would have stopped her.

The weight of it ripped through me like the fire ripping through the forest.

“Verity’s gone,” I said. It came out as a whisper. I swallowed hard. My throat felt tight and my mouth was dry. My chest squeezed. “She switched. At the last moment. Right before the wave took her.”

“What do you mean?” Kalev asked.

“Verity couldn’t kill Kalen’s wolf. So she killed herself.” I looked at Kalev. “She’s gone, Kalev,” I said. “Verity is gone.”