I snatched away from him.. From his grip over my chin. If I didn't, I felt as if I would simply bite him, punch him, kick him.. Whatever it was that would push him away.. And I felt as if my control was slipping from me.. It was— It was that breaking point of my patience.. That moment of blur and sudden hit of confusion when I noticed him behind pulled from me.. Away from me.. A shadow was what I saw, and a grip over my arms was the only thing I felt at that point.. A tight grip that pulled me and pushed me until I felt something solid against my back.. My eyes were closed from the sudden bump. All I could think of was that it simply wasn't possible. It was too early for Christian and the others to arrive. No, the plan was going to be ruined! Not even my pack had arrived. It was too early for anything other than Adam's distraction. That was the first step of our plan. Me being the bate.. But as my eyes somewhat flattered opened, I saw a familiar face I once hoped I wouldn't ever have to see again. Wide whiskey brown eyes looked back at mine, shining from the moonlight that peeked from the broken wall Iw as leaned against. Alexander. Alexander Vesnetsov. The one I thought I'd never see again.. Or perhaps if I did, I would wish him dead. He had punched Adam, pushed him away or something.. Whatever it was that held him back for even a second.. We were in a different room and how he managed to put me away so quickly, I couldn't understand. But what I did know for sure was that he wasn't supposed to be there. No, that wasn't part of the plan! He was going to ruin everything! He was going to get himself killed, he— "What the hell are you doing here?!" I saw black dots before me from how fast it all happened.. Hell, how— How was it even possible?! He had fled and left his pack.. To run from Adam. Not to him! "I made a mistake, Lana," He spoke with panic and pulled on my arm.. And it was all clear to me.. He.. He had made the wrong choice. He was there because he had brought the necklace to Adam.. Goodness.. "But it's not too late for you." We were somewhat walking.. Somewhere.. It was dark, I couldn't quite see.. I couldn't process a thing— "Run!" I pulled my arm away from him, stopping, looking back at him.. And damn, if I knew that would be the last time I would look into those eyes, I would've— I would've said something.. I would've done something— "No, Alexander, you—" I was still focusing my eyes on him, still feeling his grip over my arm and trying to pull away from him when I heard a crack.. Of bones, of— My own yelp cut me off.. The kind that had me hold my breath, almost stopping my own heart from that sound that seemed to crawl throughout me and echo in my ears.. Because I knew what it meant. A dark red stain formed on the left side of his shirt.. His already dirty shirt, for God knows how long.. His face was already beaten, covered in somewhat healed cuts and even his lip was cracked too.. But it was that moment when those eyes of one stubborn man that held the color of warm ember turned cold.. Lifeless.. A fair skin going deadly pale.. And my lips parting for more air from the picture before me. "I'm sorry.." His lips barely moved.. I wasn't even breathing.. "I failed you." Another crack, and he fell to the ground.. In front of me appeared the very monster himself.. Holding Alexander's heart and staring back into my eyes with the kind of coldness that froze my bones.. He— he killed him. He— The picture was blurry.. My eyes.. They were burning.. Alexander was dead. And no matter how much I disliked him, no one.. No one deserved such a brutal death.. From the one that deserved it the most. Pressure rose to my head. I couldn't register the situation so quickly, yet a part of me somehow had.. I felt something warm down my cheeks.. I felt— I felt a rush of air through my lungs.. A rush of wind with a familiar sharp sound of the air cutting.. I was pushed again.. Rushed with the kind of speed again that I couldn't even find focus on my own thoughts.. I stumbled but my balance was held by the strong grip around my arms and waist.. My eyes somewhat opened.. I couldn't understand what was happening.. I couldn't understand how I was breathing still— How I was alive still— How in front of me, it was Christian that stood.. "Christian," And his name tumbled out with both pain and relief. If he had only came a second earlier.. Maybe he would've been dead too.. Perhaps he had arrived right on time, but.. No, none of it was according to the plan! Alexander was dead.. I, I barely even knew my own damn name from how harshly that raw confusion gripped me.. The kind of senselessness that had me lost for a second.. And I feared I would witness yet another.. Another brutality such as the one I had only seconds ago.. This time, a death that I wouldn't be able to survive myself. I regretted ever involving him in this. I should've done something about it.. I shouldn't had told him about the plan. Just like I hadn't told my brothers. And I knew they were safe.. I knew that at least they were making it alive.. "Go," He said, pushing me towards the stiars.. He was going to let me finish what we started.. Kill the witches. Yes, that was the next move. I hadn't even heard him arrive, I hadn't heard anything because of the screeching, the buzzing in my ears from how harshly Alexander's death effected me. "I'll slow him down." I was left speechless for a second, but then found myself wrapping my hands over his arm, trying to stop him.. "No, he's— he's grown stronger," Was the only warning that came to my mind.. A part of me said, screw the plan. Because I simply felt like the most important thing to do at that point was to stop Christian from making some bizarre decision.. Something that included putting himself in danger and risking his life.. Which was basically what he was already doing at that point.. But either we were going to follow the plan all the way, or do it through our own ways, that would definitely promise more danger than team work..