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"An old cat learned some new tricks.”
That was his way of acknowledging what I’d accomplished versus what I wasn’t able to achieve in the past. I wasn’t going to ponder about how he knew about my past for my prime focus was now on the approaching confrontation.
Dripping in sweat, I easily maneuvered through the crowd that worked overtime to make a path for me. I wouldn’t take long, and most certainly wouldn’t miss the next match between Malachite and Garfield, but I had to know why she was here.
I wanted to know why my suffering was entertainment to her.
Reaching the hall only encouraged me to follow the scent I’d once idolized — my feet dragging on their own accord as they led me straight to the woman in question.
Staring at her from the end of the mini hallway of this underground passage gave me an odd sense of deja vu as I recalled my last moments with her before the start of that life-changing battle.
To think I’d be confronting her —here and now— as though she hadn’t truly died before my eyes.
In my arms…soaked in her blood.
"I didn’t know I could see ghosts,” I began.
My voice was nothing like I’d originally intended for it to sound. It was deeper, more threatening in nature while exhibiting an immense level of judgment.
With a pinch of anger.
I deserved to feel the way I felt, especially after all the years of torture and guilt. This was my chance to finally confront it, to be given the privilege of finding the answers to my prime question.
Why did she go through with it?
"Must be a new gift of yours,” she tossed back and turned to look my way. “Hello, Jayce. Good fight back there. Wasn’t sure if you’d manage that or not, but clearly, you’ve come a long way.”
I didn’t even want to say her name, which was why I got to the point.
“Why?” The word felt forbidden. Like something I shouldn’t dare question. “Why did you let me experience something so cruel? So devasting.”
My voice actually trembled as I shook my head to keep myself focused and not in my pool of feelings.
"I felt you perish. I watched you succumb to my wrath. You died in my arms, and I stood there in my shame and watched them bury your remains.” The pain in my voice was so fucking raw, it pissed me off to think she still had such power over me. "Yet, here we are. Years later. I’ve moved forward. Loved another…someone I realize I’m truly in love with versus whatever we had back then. You’re alive. Not six feet under. And what an intriguing way of proving it by sitting parallel to me on that runway.”
“Was that truly a surprise to you?” she almost mocked as her eyes closed briefly. “I didn’t think it would be so surprising, but from the looks of you and your pack mates, I guess they weren’t expecting to see so many of those they loved in one row. Some who were still very much alive, while others who were killed or had gone missing now sat comfortably before them. I’ve gotten so used to this intriguing world that it doesn’t surprise me like it used to.”
Her honesty only upset me further, but I controlled myself as I narrowed my eyes.
“Why are you here?”
“I simply wanted to see if you’d truly moved on,” she confessed. "Or maybe I wanted to see if the feelings that were once so strong and palpable were still present between us.”
“The woman I loved died in my arms,” I emphasized as if she’d forgotten. "Unless we’re referring to her memory, there will be nothing present for you are but a stranger to me.”
“That only means my work here is done.” She didn’t even look like she regretted her actions. “It annoys me though that you’ve fallen so madly in love with another that it makes what we once had feel like nothing.”
“The spark we shared went out with your last breath,” I whispered. “I don’t know why I seemed to have forgotten how bipolar you were back then when you were alive. How one day we’d be like star-crossed lovers and the next, you’d act like I was a villain made to waste your valuable time.”
“You criticize me but you’re with some chick with five personalities,” she muttered more to herself and tried to turn away, but only managed to stall and take a step back as I now stood before her — my tall structure towering her petite 5’2” height.
“You played with my emotions yet come down to Pack Territory that doesn’t even belong to you just to see if we still have a connection. You shattered my heart and forced me to pick up the pieces, but when I find someone who’s willing to glue them back together and help me become a better man who doesn’t cower from what he fears the most, you’re upset I’ve moved on?” It was insulting…just like her existence. “But you stated it loud and clear that you’re used to this lifestyle. Playing with people’s emotions for the sake of whatever role you play among those royals that wished to challenge us.”
I shook my head and inhaled deeply to keep myself from doing something I’d regret with my shaking fists. Letting my breath out, I took a mere second to close my eyes and remember Willow’s face as my fist was mere seconds from it.
Despite the close call, not a glimmer of fear was in those beautiful iridescent eyes.
"Whatever game you’ve been playing, it ends today,” I declared and opened my eyes slowly. "I’ll no longer be your puppet, your living stream of entertainment. You may have been a weapon formed against me, but here I am, standing and walking down the path I know will lead me to my own domination.”
