Chapter 57 Chapter 57
ELIJAH’S POV
I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the floor, and all I could think about was the breakfast table. The room around me was quiet, yet my mind refused to be. Everything that had happened replayed itself again and again, and I kept trying to understand my brother… even though Damon made it almost impossible.
Because I finally knew the truth.
I finally understood why he was heartless.
I finally understood why he was ruthless.
I finally understood why he acted like he had nothing left inside him.
It was Isabella.
Her name alone felt heavy in my chest.
She had been everything to him—his peace, his strength, his balance, and his softness. But when she died, something inside Damon had snapped so loud I swear the whole world heard it. But no one understood it. No one really saw what happened to him afterward.
But I did.
And now, after hearing him talk, after watching him fight the memories he refused to speak about, I understood even more.
Damon blamed himself for her death.
He thought it was his fault.
He thought his power killed her.
He thought her blood was on his hands forever.
But he shouldn’t.
Because I knew he never wanted to hurt her. He loved her more than he ever admitted. Yet the guilt trapped him, and instead of healing, he had turned it into fire—fire that burned everyone around him.
And that was why I had to stop him.
I leaned back slowly and rubbed my face because the weight of everything felt too heavy to carry alone. I didn’t want Anna to die. She didn’t deserve death. She didn’t even know what she was. She didn’t know anything about her past. She didn’t know she had powers. She didn’t know she had a fate that was already trying to kill her.
She was innocent.
And Damon needed to see that.
So yes… I tried to manipulate him. I wasn’t proud of it, but I did it. Earlier today, I reminded him of Isabella and pushed his memories. I made him feel again… even though he hated feeling anything.
I hoped it worked and softened the part of him that had turned cold as ice the day Isabella died.
Sighing deeply, I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to calm myself, when Amanda’s voice suddenly entered my thoughts like a loud bell.
“Are you even listening to me?” she asked.
I opened my eyes and stared at her reflection in the mirror across the room. She had been standing there for almost an hour, admiring herself, brushing her hair, adjusting her dress, and turning left and right like she was watching herself perform.
I had forgotten she was even here.
She turned around with a small smile, walking towards me with slow steps as if she thought she could pull me out of my mind. She placed her hand on my chest and tilted her head slightly.
“You look so troubled, Elijah...” she said softly. “Maybe I can help you by taking your mind off from everything.”
She traced her fingers down my arm, slowly teasing, as she leaned closer, her lips almost touching my neck.
But I didn’t move.
I didn’t react or give in.
My mind wasn’t here.
My heart wasn’t here either.
My thoughts were with Damon… and Anna… and everything falling apart.
Amanda frowned a little when she realized I wasn’t responding to her touch. She tried again though, pressing her entire body gently against mine, her breasts close to my lips, as she whispered in my ear.
“Elijah… you’re stressed. Let me help relax you. I could give you anything you want right now. We could try a different sex position that we haven't tried before.”
But I stepped away, just enough to distance myself.
“I’m not in the mood, Amanda.” I replied quietly.
Her lips tightened.
She was beautiful, but beauty wasn’t what I needed right now. Not when my brother was on the edge of becoming a monster again. Not when Anna’s life was hanging by a thread. Not when everything felt like it was slipping from my hands.
Amanda sighed dramatically, shaking her head like she was disappointed.
“You’ve been distant all morning, especially after the breakfast we had,” she noticed. “You keep thinking about your brother and I don't think you should...” She crossed her arms and raised her chin. “You should think about us sometimes. Our future together. You should also think about our ceremony.”
I blinked, realizing I had completely forgotten.
Our mating ceremony was in two days.
Two days.
And I didn’t even know if I was making the right decision. I cared about Amanda because she was loyal, strong, and was everything a proper Luna should be. But sometimes I wondered if she was meant for me… or if I was simply forcing myself to be the Alpha everyone wanted.
She leaned down and gave me a slow kiss on the lips.
“Anyway, I need to go and continue the preparations for our ceremony. I’ll see you soon, Elijah,” she whispered against my mouth. “And I cannot wait for our mating ceremony.”
She smiled and left the room, closing the door behind her.
The moment the door clicked shut, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. My heart felt heavy, and my mind raced again. I didn’t know if I was ready. I didn’t know if Amanda was truly the one I wanted. I didn’t know if I was making a mistake.
But before I could think any deeper—
My door slammed open so hard the wood hit the wall. I jumped to my feet instantly as Damon walked in, furiously.
My brother didn’t just enter the room—he stormed into it like a storm with legs. His eyes were wild, burning with a darkness that made my skin crawl. His chest rose and fell fast. His hands were shaking, and I knew immediately something had snapped inside him.
“Damon—”
Before I could even take a step toward him, he moved.
He grabbed me by the shirt and threw me across the room with so much force I crashed into the wall and slid to the floor. Pain shot through my shoulder, and I sucked in a breath, stunned.
I stared at him in shock.
“Damon… what the fuck are you doing?” I whispered.
He took one slow step toward me.
His jaw was clenched so tight the muscles trembled. His eyes glowed—a dangerous red that only appeared when he was on the edge of losing control.
“You tried to manipulate me, brother.” he begna, his voice turning low and extremely deadly. “You tried to make me feel sorry for Anna by reminding me of what happened to Isabella.”
My breath froze.
He knew.
He had figured it out already.
“You wanted me to think Anna was innocent.” His voice got darker. “You wanted me to change my mind. You wanted me to spare that girl because you're still in love with her.”
“It’s because she’s innocent!” I snapped, trying to stand. “Damon, listen—”
“Be quiet!” he snapped.
And it wasn’t a request.
It was a threat.
He came closer, bending slightly so he could look directly into my eyes.
“You failed, Elijah,” he whispered. “You failed to change anything about me. You failed to make feel bad for Anna.”
My stomach twisted.
“Because of what you did,” he continued slowly, cruelly, “I might make her death even more painful.”
My heart stopped.
He turned, opened the door, and walked out—leaving me on the floor, breathless, terrified, and suddenly unsure if I could save Anna at all.