Chapter 68 - A Fateful Decision

Javid.

I tried to get comfortable on Violet's bed. First, I sat with my legs kicked out. Then I crossed them at the ankles. Finally, I kicked off my boots and lifted one leg up so I could have an excuse to block Violet's face while she talked.

David stood near the window, his arms folded tightly across his chest, his gaze fixed on whatever scene unfolded outside. His shoulders were tighter than a drum. Mine were the same. Violet had something to say, and judging by the way her face was pinched in an anxious expression and how she kept opening, and closing her mouth like she didn't want to speak, made me believe one of us wasn't going to like it.

Fear swallowed my tongue and kept me rooted on the bed, my body tense as I braced myself. No matter what, I had to stay and get my heart torn to pieces, because it sure wouldn't be David's. I clenched my fists, digging my nails into my palms. She liked him...hell, she probably loved him. Me? I was just the good friend that listened to her ramble on. Nothing more. I swallowed hard, my throat feeling dry and constricted as I waited for the words that would surely crush me. But I couldn't leave, couldn't run away this time. I had to face the music, no matter how much it stung.

Violet took a deep breath, her eyes flitting between David and me. "I had a vision," she began, her voice soft, but carrying loud enough to overcome the roar in my ears. "While I was recovering from the magical attack, I saw things... heard things that I can't ignore."

She paused, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. "I saw my father," she continued, her voice stronger now. "He told me about a prophecy, one that involves all of us."

David's head snapped up, his eyes narrowed and his lips curled. "That again?"

He never did believe in it. No one alive could tell us exactly what it was about. We received the most information from what Belda had told me. I had hoped that Mildred would prove to be a source, but like Belda, she had given us only fragments and after that, despite the old tomes, and ancient manuscripts and all that jazz, she'd come up drier than a powder keg after our first meeting in Joyce's living room

Violet nodded. "Yes. It's about the two of you, about your destiny as warlocks. According to my father, you're both meant to become the most powerful warlocks in history, but only if you work together."

She looked at us, her eyes pleading. "But there's a dark force trying to tear you apart. It wants to divide you, to make you turn against each other."

I felt a chill run down my spine. "And what does this have to do with you, Violet?" I asked, my voice hoarse.

Violet's gaze dropped to her hands. "I have to make a choice," she said, even softer than before. "I have to choose one of you as my first, the other I have to let go."

David's eyes flashed with anger. "Let go? What the hell does that mean?"

Violet looked up, her eyes filled with tears. "It doesn't mean I have to leave one of you forever," she said, her voice shaking. "It means I have to let one of you go so you can find your own path, so you can become who you're meant to be."

I tensed up when Violet looked at me, her tear-filled eyes boring into mine with an intensity that made my breath catch in my throat. Her voice trembled as she spoke, but there was a resolve in her words that couldn't be ignored. "One of you has always wanted more," she said, her gaze never wavering from mine. "If I don't let you go, one of you will be lost forever."

Her words slammed into me like a punch to the gut, knocking the wind out of me and leaving me reeling. They stirred up memories of all the times I'd felt like an outsider like I didn't belong anywhere. I swallowed hard, trying to keep my cool exterior intact, but inside, I was a mess of tangled emotions. Fear, confusion, and a tiny spark of hope warred within me. Maybe, just maybe, she wasn't talking about me.

But as I met her gaze, I knew deep down that I was only fooling myself. The way she looked at me, it was like she could see straight through all my defenses and into the very core of my being. Of course she had meant me. I was the one who always longed for something more, the one who constantly felt like a piece of myself was missing.

A place where I truly belonged, where I could finally feel whole and at peace. That's what I'd been searching for all this time, and now, with Violet's words hanging in the air between us, I couldn't help but wonder if I'd ever find it.

Because if she chose David, it sure wasn't here in Weber Falls.

David's gaze was fixed on Violet, his jaw clenched, like he suspected himself of not being Violet's go-to guy. But that couldn't be. David was the next Alpha. he had fought in Paul's place for the honor. He had to stay in Weber Falls whether he liked it or not. "And who have you chosen?" he asked, his voice cold.

Violet looked at him, her eyes filled with sorrow. "I've decided. But it isn't easy putting it into words. I'm sorry, but please give me a moment to collect my thoughts. Phrase it in a way where no one gets hurt."

David let out a harsh chuckle. "Fat chance of that."

The room fell silent while David and I waited for Violet's decision. I could see the pain in David's eyes, the fear in Violet's. I knew this wasn't going to be easy, that this decision was going to change everything.

But as I looked at Violet, as I saw the conflict and resolve in her eyes, I knew she was right. We couldn't ignore this prophecy, couldn't pretend like it didn't exist. We had to face it, no matter how painful it was.

As Violet took a deep breath, preparing to speak, I braced myself for what was to come. This was it, the moment of truth. The moment that would change everything.