Chapter 76- Fractured Wounds

Chapter 76- Fractured Wounds


His voice was low, measured, almost reluctant. As if sensing the weight of her fear, he murmured, "You don’t have to accept it. You never have to see it. Just know that I will do everything in my power to keep you safe—to ensure that you live a normal human life."

A normal human life.

The words hung in the air, hollow and meaningless. Did such a thing even exist for her anymore? Could she ever go back?
The phrase echoed in her mind, feeling foreign, almost hollow. Did that still apply to her? Could anything ever be truly normal again after what she had seen, after what she now knew?
She lifted her gaze, watching him as he stood near the sliding glass door, staring out into the backyard as though seeking answers in the empty space beyond. His expression was unreadable, but the tension in his body betrayed him—his fists clenched at his sides, his jaw tight, his shoulders rigid. The pain behind his own words was palpable.

Her fingers curled around the edge of her chair, the growing dampness in her palms making the smooth wood feel slick beneath her grip. She wanted to reach out, to ease the burden that weighed so heavily on him. But how could she? How could she offer comfort when she was just as terrified as he was?

"And the vampires?" she finally asked, the question escaping in barely more than a whisper. "What happened last night exactly?"

His posture stiffened, his face hardening into an unreadable mask. "I got the answers I needed."

Her brows lifted slightly. "Answers? What were you trying to find out?"

He inhaled sharply, his chest rising and falling with controlled precision. "Whether or not they would spare your life—because you’re human
A breath hitched in her throat, cold dread washing over her. "And?"

He exhaled sharply, the motion causing his chest to rise and fall with suppressed emotion. Then, finally, he spoke—the words edged with quiet certainty.

"It’s as I feared. Even though you are human… you are my soulmate. And because of that, they will stop at nothing to kill you."

The words seemed disconnected from him, as if saying them aloud required him to emotionally detach himself from their meaning.
A cold, sinking feeling settled in the pit of her stomach.

Oh," was all she managed to whisper.

In other words, she thought grimly, you’re doomed. Everything is doomed.

His voice dropped lower, as if speaking more to himself than to her, yet heavy with regret. "I should have killed her when I had the chance."
The idea of him taking a life—even an undead one—made her recoil slightly. She couldn’t imagine him doing something so brutal. No matter the circumstances, the thought unsettled her.

"So… why didn’t you?" she asked cautiously.

His expression darkened. "I lost my temper. I had her in my grasp, and I…" He growled under his breath, unclenching his fists momentarily only to tighten them again.
"But I dealt with Hadrainus," he added. "And Gunner handled the other one. It wasn’t a complete waste."

"I guess that’s good," she murmured, though the names meant little to her.

"Not good enough." He turned to face her fully now, his intense gaze locking onto hers. "Hadrainus may have sought vengeance for Carina, but Carina was the true threat. And she escaped."

Her stomach twisted.

Well, that was just fantastic.

A heavy silence settled between them as he ran a hand over his face in frustration. Aubree mirrored the gesture, pressing a hand to her forehead before pushing damp strands of hair back.
"So," she sighed, swallowing against the unease creeping up her throat. "What do we do now?"

He studied her carefully before answering. "That is for you to decide."
Her mind whirled. How was she supposed to make a decision when she felt completely lost?

Audrey’s thoughts spun wildly, the weight of the moment pressing down on her shoulders. What could she possibly decide?
She glanced at the phone resting on the table. "Can I call my parents?" she asked. "Just to let them know I’m okay?"

He nodded. "Go ahead. Tell them you’re safe. Don’t answer their questions about the attack—we need to focus on what comes next. The less they know, the better."

Right. Because obviously, she couldn’t exactly tell her parents that she had been attacked by vampires and was now under the protection of lycans. That would go over real well.

She picked up the phone and handed it to Stone, watching as he entered the passcode. A faint blush touched his cheeks before he handed the unlocked device back to her. She arched a brow at him, puzzled, until she glanced at the screen—and her breath hitched.
The wallpaper was a picture of her. A candid shot from the café.

Her breath caught.

She lifted her eyes to him, surprised.

He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Guinevere did that."

A shy smile tugged at her lips, heat rising to her cheeks as she pressed them together in an attempt to mask her flustered state. The tension between them eased, if only slightly, and she felt an unexpected thrill at seeing Stone momentarily caught off guard.
"I think it’s cute," she admitted.

His eyes widened slightly, so she quickly added, "I mean… that she teases you. That’s cute."

She hurriedly dialed her mother’s number, hoping to push past the moment that had her heart racing. while he let out a quiet huff, crossing his arms over his chest.

"She’s always teasing me," he grumbled.

Audrey barely suppressed a smile as she pressed the call button, stealing one last glance at his reddened cheeks. She liked seeing this side of him. Maybe, just maybe, she’d get to see it more often.

The moment shattered as the phone picked up.
The phone rang.

"Hello?" her mother answered.

"Mom?" she said, her voice thick with emotion.

"Audrey! Oh my god, where are you? What happened? We were so worried—"

Here’s your rewritten and expanded version with a new chapter title:

"I'm fine," she managed to say, forcing the words past the tight lump in her throat. They felt foreign, a blatant lie wrapped in forced calm, but she knew she had no choice. The truth would only cause more pain—more worry.

She hated lying to her parents. She hated the anxiety in her mother’s voice, the desperate edge of concern woven into every syllable. But what else could she do?

"Thank the Lord above!" her mother exclaimed, relief evident, yet immediately replaced by frantic urgency. "Where have you been? Everyone's been looking for you. Daniel’s worried sick—"

At the mention of Daniel’s name, guilt clawed its way into her chest, settling like a heavy stone in her stomach. "Where is Dan?" she asked, barely able to keep the tremor out of her voice. "Is he okay?"

"He's fine, thank goodness. He suffered a concussion along with some cuts and bruises. They admitted him to Bethesda Hospital in St. Paul yesterday. I talked to his mother—she said he might be discharged tomorrow, but the doctors are monitoring him closely."

Audrey’s breath hitched. Relief, guilt, and dread warred within her.

Her mother continued, her voice sharper now, tinged with frustration. "But what happened to you? You just disappeared! We've all been so worried, especially Daniel. Where are you? Haven't you gone to see him yet?"

Every word was another blow, another sharp stab of remorse. While Daniel had been lying in a hospital bed—injured, confused, and possibly terrified—she had been… what? Running around with lycans? Kissing one?

She swallowed hard, the weight of her actions pressing down on her. What kind of person did that? What kind of person abandoned someone they cared about so easily?

"Sorry, Mom, I gotta go. I'll call you later. Thanks. Love you," she said quickly, cutting off the conversation before the guilt consumed her whole.

She ended the call before her mother could protest, placing the phone down with more force than necessary. The silence that followed was suffocating.

She was a disaster. A walking wreck of bad decisions and tangled emotions. A liar. A heartless, selfish, despicable—

She groaned, pressing her hands against her face, as though she could physically block out the truth of what she’d done.

Her fingers trembled as she reached for the water glass, taking a slow sip before setting it back down. But even the cool liquid did little to soothe the storm inside her.

She should go back. She should return home, see Daniel, pretend like everything was normal—even though nothing would ever truly be normal again.

But the vampires. The dangers. The shadows that now lurked around every corner.

How could she possibly bring Daniel into this? How could she subject him to a world of monsters and bloodshed when all he had ever known was peace? He deserved to live his life without this nightmare attached to him. 

Love wasn’t about holding on. Sometimes, it was about letting go. 

And she had to let him go.

The realization hit her like a sharp, icy wind, stealing the air from her lungs. 

She took a deep, unsteady breath. Then another.

Then the floodgates opened.

Her shoulders shook, and silent sobs wracked through her as the weight of her decision crushed her heart.