I looked over at War and saw the pain still etched on his face. I couldn't help but wonder how many more scars he carried beyond those that were visible.
"I'm so sorry," I whispered, squeezing his hand a little tighter.
War turned to look at me with eyes full of sadness and something else—something raw and primitive that made my stomach twist with both fear and desire.
"Sorrow won't change anything," he growled slowly before standing abruptly from the chair. The air around us shifted as if there was an electrical charge building up inside him. It was almost suffocating in its intensity.
Before I could say anything further, War said he needed some air, leaving us sitting there watching him go.
Thane broke the silence by slamming his empty bottle onto the wooden work bench beside him before turning toward me. "He needs someone like you."
"What do you mean?" My voice came out softer than intended. Someone like me? What did that even mean?
"He's been through too much death, and he’s secluded himself instead of dealing with it. He buries himself in his work and barely has a life anymore. Maybe you can make a difference."
"The doctrine wars were bloody for all of us,” Gareth added. He stared blankly ahead, as if his mind was elsewhere. Or…else-when. “We lost a lot of wolves. A lot of pups, too. About half our pack was decimated. It took us decades to rebuild what we had.”
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered, reaching out and gently squeezing his hand. “I’ve only read about the doctrine wars, but it’s different hearing it from people who were there.”
After a moment of silence. Thane and Gareth went on about the old days after the war, reminiscing about the beginning of the Coexist Doctrine and the first sanctuary cities being closed off from the rest of the world.
So much history that I wasn’t there for. I just listened patiently, but my mind couldn't help but drift back to War. The way he had looked so lost and angry sent shivers down my spine. It was a look that said so much without words—pain, rage, sorrow, and desperation.
Without really thinking it through, I stood up from the chair and followed after him outside.
War was standing by himself against a wall on the far end of the house, arms crossed, as he glared out into the dark forest.
Wolves howled in the distance, and bat wings fluttered. The forest was alive and singing, even on a cold winter night.
"What do you want?" His voice came out low and strained as he turned around to face me.
I paused at the bite in his tone. "I just wanted..." My sentence trailed off as I met his eyes. They were vampire black. For several seconds, we just stared at each other wordlessly.
"Why did you follow me?”
"I don't know," I admitted softly before taking another step closer toward him. "I know that was hard for you, and I thought you could use a little comfort, that's all."
"Comfort?" He scoffed bitterly before turning away from me once more. "I've been looking for comfort since they took everything away from me. Nothing has ever worked."
"Maybe because you're not supposed to try finding comfort alone, War..."
He spun to face me again. "You have no idea what it’s liketo live with people who can never understand. Who look at you, and all they see is a fucking monster. A killer. A fucking Executioner. You’re new to this world, but believe me, Darklings have long memories, and apparently, so do humans. I’m a bedtime story, Trix. A cautionary tale, and I’m just...tired.”
I could see the weight of his words crushing in on him as he closed his eyes for a second, clenching and unclenching his fists. I knew what it was like to feel alone in this world, but War had been through more than anyone should have to bear.
"I'm not scared of you," I said quietly, approaching.
"That's because you don't know me," he replied bitterly.
Hurt lanced through my chest. "Then let me get to know you. Let me see who Warrik really is. Not the Executioner. Just War."
He looked at me skeptically before shaking his head. "You wouldn't want that."
"How do you know?"
"Because there are parts of myself that even I can barely stand. There are things so fucking dark within my soul that would make your blood run cold."
I stepped closer and placed a hand on his arm. "We all have darkness inside us; it doesn't mean we're monsters or killers. It just means that this world isn’t fucking fair. It never has been. Sometimes, we have to fight back against it, but it still doesn’t make us monsters. You’re a good man, War.”
