“Evan, please,” she whispers desperately.
I remain silent.
“I know this is so hard for you,” she carries on. “But you can’t destroy yourself like this.”
My eyes drop, and I inhale a big breath. The sound of the rain echoes around us as droplets fall down my face. I don’t even know if they’re my tears or from the sky. Probably both.
“What do you want me to do, Ava?” I ask blankly.
“Don't give up,” she exhales. “We know Caleb is strong, okay? He’ll figure something out.”
This time, I turn towards her. “He needs help.”
“Evan—”
“Why is no one helping to look for him?”
“Because he told us not to.”
I scoff subtly. “That’s not a good enough reason.”
“It’s to protect you and everyone he might avenge because of it.”
“So he has to suffer?”
Ava’s mouth trembles as she watches the devastation on my face. “I know this isn’t easy, but he did this for you.”
“And I wish he didn’t,” I rasp. “Because this feels like dying.”
She wraps her arm around my shoulder and tugs me towards her, our wet clothes pressing up against one another. “He’ll come back.”
I pull away from her embrace and stand on quivering legs. “I have to look for him.”
“No.” She latches her hand onto my wrist. “You can’t. If Ryker finds out, he’ll kill you.”
My mouth parts as I stare down at her. “I’m already dead, Ava.”
“Caleb doesn’t want you to do this.”
“But he’d do it for me,” I sob. “If I sacrificed myself, he wouldn’t give up looking for me. To bring me home.”
Ava stands after a few moments and drops my wrist. “It’s complicated. He gave us strict orders.”
“But he’s not your Alpha.”
“No, but it’s for your safety and protection.”
I grit my teeth in fury. “I’m not going to sit here and do nothing. I’ll go out of my fucking mind.”
“You can’t. Jaxon won’t let you.”
“Then he’ll have to stop me.”
Ava’s eyes glisten. “Evan, listen to me?—”
“No,” I heave. “I’m tired of being a coward. I want to fight for what matters, and Caleb matters. What if Ryker is torturing him? Breaking him beyond repair? He’s helpless right now, and you want me to sit here and do nothing.”
“I understand.”
