My hands clenched into fists as I surveyed the room, feeling the anger rise like a tidal wave from deep within me. I kicked the nightstand, sending books flying and scattering across the floor. The pain barely registered - it was nothing compared to the torment in my soul.
"Fuck!" I shouted again, hurling a decorative vase against the wall, watching as the glass shattered into a thousand pieces, each one reflecting the chaos in my mind.
In the midst of my destruction, my gaze landed on a framed photograph sitting innocently atop the dresser. It was a picture of Erica and me, taken not long ago during a rare moment of happiness and peace. Her light-red hair shimmered in the sunlight, her green eyes sparkling with life. The sight of her beautiful face ignited a mixture of emotions - love, longing, frustration, and helplessness.
"Erica," I whispered, my heart aching with an intensity that threatened to consume me.
"Everything is just so fucked up," I muttered, feeling the tears prick at the corners of my eyes. I grabbed the frame, gripping it tightly until I could feel the cold metal digging into my skin. With a roar of rage and anguish, I hurled it against the wall by the door, watching as it smashed into pieces on impact, the sound echoing through the room like a gunshot. The broken shards of glass and wood lay scattered on the floor, a cruel reminder of the mess my life had become. As I stared at the wreckage, my chest heaved, and I fought to catch my breath.
The door burst open and Damon barged in, his face contorted with anger. He surveyed the room, taking in the destruction I had wrought. His dark eyes fell upon the torn picture on the floor, glass shards glinting menacingly around it.
"What the fuck do you think you are doing?" he shouted at me, his voice cutting through the tense silence like a knife. My chest tightened at the sound of his voice, and my fingers curled into fists. I didn't need him here right now; I couldn't handle anyone else's bullshit piled on top of mine.
"Back the fuck off, Damon," I growled, my voice low and dangerous. I could feel the tension in the air, prickling at my skin like static electricity.
"Really, Liam?" he snapped, stepping further into the room. "You think destroying everything is going to solve your problems? You think this is helping Erica?"
"Leave her out of this!" I snarled, my temper flaring like a wildfire as my heart twisted painfully in my chest at the mention of her name. The thought of her suffering because of me was too much to bear.
"Stop being so goddamn selfish, Liam!" Damon spat, his own anger boiling over. "We're all worried about you, but you can't just shut everyone out and break shit when things don't go your way!" I clenched my jaw, my vision blurring as hot tears threatened to spill over. I knew he was right, deep down, but admitting that felt like a betrayal to myself.
"Fuck you, Damon," I whispered hoarsely, my voice cracking under the weight of my emotions.
Damon's snarl grew louder and more menacing, his eyes flashing with rage as he suddenly charged at me. I barely had time to react before he slammed me into the wall, the impact rattling my bones and causing a cascade of framed memories to shatter around us. Broken glass littered the floor, reflecting the chaos that filled the room. I could feel the anger surging through me, fuelled by confusion and despair. My heart pounded in my chest, adrenaline coursing through my veins as I clenched my own fists, preparing to defend myself. Instinctively, I pushed back against him, each of us snarling and throwing punches that landed with painful force. Our swearing echoed off the walls, adding to the cacophony of destruction.
"Stop it, Damon!" I warned, my voice strained with the effort of holding back my rage. "You don't want to do this!"
"Bring it on!" he roared, his face contorted with fury as he landed another punch, this one catching me square in the jaw. The pain shot through my skull, momentarily stunning me, but I couldn't understand why he was attacking me like this.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" I shouted, my breath ragged as I struggled to keep my emotions in check. "Don't I have enough to deal with already?!"
In that moment, I realised how much damage we were doing to each other, both physically and emotionally. My chest tightened with the weight of regret, and I couldn't help but wonder how we'd got to this point. We were supposed to be allies, friends even, yet here we were, tearing each other apart. But instead of backing down, Damon's expression only hardened further, his eyes wild with anger. I braced myself for another blow, my body tensed and ready for the impact that seemed inevitable.
"Self-entitled prick!" Damon shouted, his face contorted with anger. "I'm ashamed to call you my friend! You left your mate sobbing and broken on the floor, and you don't deserve someone as amazing as Erica!" His words cut deep, but I refused to let him see how much they hurt. My heart raced as fury boiled within me. Instead of letting it show, I snarled back at him, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Is that what you think? Playing the white knight, are you?" I mocked him, my eyes narrowing. "You think you can be the hero, swooping in to save her from the big bad Alpha?" Damon's jaw clenched, his eyes flashing dangerously.
"Damn right I could treat her better than you do," he shot back, his voice low and venomous.
"Watch your words, Damon," I warned, my voice barely a growl. The tension between us was palpable, a storm ready to break.
"Fine," he spat out, his eyes never leaving mine. "I'll say it: I would love Erica better than you ever have." My blood ran cold at his declaration, but rage quickly pushed its way back through my veins. How dare he claim that? The connection between Erica and me went beyond anything Damon could understand. With each word he spoke, my anger grew, fuelling the primal instincts inside me. I snarled, my anger reaching a boiling point as I charged at Damon, screaming,
"Erica is my mate, and you need to stay the hell away from her!" My fists clenched, ready to strike.
"Both you and Erica have been miserable since you met," Damon shot back, his voice cold and harsh. "She smiled more when she was with me, and she was in less danger." The truth in his words stung like a thousand needles piercing my heart. My hand collided with the wall in frustration, leaving a deep imprint. As the pain radiated up my arm, I slid down to the floor, feeling the weight of my failures crushing me. Tears streamed down my face, my vision blurring.
"Dammit, don't you think I know that?" I shouted, my voice cracking. "Why does it have to be so hard? Why do they all hate me so much?"
Damon's expression shifted to one of shock, his eyes wide as he took in the shattered mess I'd become. For a moment, he seemed lost for words, taken aback by the raw emotion spilling from me. Kneeling down beside me, Damon's eyes searched mine, as if trying to decipher the storm of emotions raging within me.
"Who are you talking about?" he asked, his voice strained with concern.
"Jasper fucking Blackwood, the Moon Goddess, and every other fucker who wants to tear me down," I spat out, bitterness tinging my words. Damon's brows furrowed in confusion.
"Why would you think the Moon Goddess hates you?"
"Because she paired me with a mate who can't shift!" I exploded, anger and frustration boiling over. "What kind of sick joke is that?"
