Chapter 26 26: death wish it knew

Chapter 26 26: death wish it knew
DARYL
I had followed her, and I had seen. The prickling in my chest at the betrayal I felt was not hurt... far from it. It was anger. Pure, unyielding anger that could only be quenched if I had blood on my fingers.
I had told Soraya to meet me in the library, as if speaking to her would change what I saw. I did have a penchant for doing ridiculously stupid things anyway.
Her scent hit me before I even saw her. Stupid, adulterated scent, yet still distracting enough to have my wolf senses purring in my head. I flexed my fingers in my gloves as she finally came to me.
She was dressed in her signature black slacks and black shirt, her curls falling over her shoulders. I was going to confront her, but it felt more like I was being seduced.
I could see the outline of the dagger strapped to her belt. "I'm only here because you seem to have a misconstrued notion of me."
I scoffed at her words. "Since when have you ever cared about what I thought of you, Karter?"
She frowned. "What do you want, Daryl?"
"Where were you this morning?" I asked. She visibly froze, probably not expecting that question from me.
Slowly, she took two steps back, staring at me as if trying to figure out the extent of what I knew. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
Rage pulsed through me. I hated that she was lying to me. I hated the obvious truth in front of me that proved I was always right and somehow still wrong at the same time. "Don't fucking lie to me, Soraya."
Her first name on my lips felt foreign. I had only ever said her name without a mocking edge maybe three times since I met her. Quite ironic, if you asked me. But it pulled — her name — slipping from my tongue like a velvety caress.
I mirrored her steps, closer instead of farther. I hated her. Gods, how I hated her.
"You are insane," she stated quietly, visibly holding her breath.
"Insane?" I laughed dryly. "I'm insane for seeing you go into those woods, into a settlement of wolf Hunters? Are you kidding me, Karter?"
"So now you're stalking me?" she snapped.
"If it involves you trying to get yourself killed, then yes. I am stalking you!"
I did not expect what she did next. I did not expect her to start cackling at my words, and I definitely did not expect her hand to strike my face in a resounding slap.
"What the fuck!"
"Now get your hands off me before I stop you!" she snapped, pushing me off her and stomping out of the library.
I stood there in shock for probably a full minute before I found myself and ran after her. Some part of me knew, even then, that letting her walk away was not something I could afford to do tonight.
Perhaps this human girl I hated would be the death of me.
\---
SORAYA
This was bad. Oh heavens, he knew.
I was panicking, even after putting up that false bravado and slapping him to buy myself distance. My hands shook as I reached for my phone, still running. I had to tell Quinn.
"Karter! Wait!"
Oh heavens. I picked up my pace, the dagger at my hip knocking dangerously close to my leg because I hadn't sheathed it properly.
"Karter!"
I froze — not voluntarily, but because of a sudden jolt that coursed through me, locking my leg in place mid-stride.
"Fuck!" I cursed, stumbling to catch my balance. Daryl Ender had just used something on me. Not brute strength. Something else. Did Lycans have powers beyond shifting that nobody had bothered to mention?
"You really shouldn't try to run from me with your weak human legs, don't you think?" he said, coming to stand in front of me, entirely too calm for a man who had just confirmed his worst suspicions.
I bit my lip, wincing as I drew blood from how hard I clamped down. "You've finally figured me out. Kill me now, then, and let's end this, won't you?"
"You think I want to kill you?"
"Oh please. You definitely want to. You know who I am now, don't you?"
"Are you being forced to do this?"
I scoffed, though it came out shakier than I intended. "Why do you think I'm being forced? You think I don't have enough reasons of my own to want you dead, dear prince?"
I was trying to sound brave. I don't think it worked for very long. It was only a matter of time before he saw straight through me — saw that underneath the bravado I was nothing but a scared, cornered human, especially now that he knew exactly what that meant. This was not supposed to go like this. What was I even going to tell Quinn?
"I don't think you understand the gravity of what you've done," Daryl said, his voice low. "I could have your head on a stake for pretending to be something you are not, and for coming here to assassinate me."
"You could," I said quietly. "But you haven't. Which tells me you probably don't want to."
His gaze burned as my mind whirled, then he lowered his voice so only I could hear him. "There are a lot of things I want to do to you, Karter. Death will be your desperate wish when I start with you."
I swallowed and tried to look away from the way his eyes burned golden with anger, but he reached for my chin, lifting it so I was staring straight into those vengeful orbs. "As we speak, that settlement is being raided by my father's soldiers. Its ashes will be the only thing left standing when he's done. You better run along now, and know that I am watching you."
I felt the release of his magic from my legs as he let me go, and then in a split second he vanished from my sight.
Fuck.