Page 105 of Abundance of Obsession

Until finally I find something. Something hard. A rock? A piece of brick?

It doesn’t matter.

I grab it between my fingers and pull it closer until I can cup it in my entire hand. And then…

I stop wondering who I am.

And I act.

With all the strength I have left, I strike Owen on the head. His face shows rage, but the drugs daze him, preventing him from reacting in time.

Thud… Thud… Thud…

I don’t even know anymore if it’s my heart pounding hard or the sound of the blows.

My hand doesn’t stop until Owen’s heavy body falls limply onto me. Blood from his head runs down onto my face. Only then does my hand go still, falling to the ground.

I’m exhausted, but if I don’t move Owen, he’ll suffocate me anyway. I can’t breathe!

My hand opens, and I drop the object that saved my life. With my last ounce of strength, I push him off me. His body slides to the ground, and I catch my breath.

For a moment, I don’t have the strength to move. I just turn my face toward my tormentor.

He’s lying on his back, his face turned toward me, eyes open. But he isn’t moving.

Oh my God, oh my God…

He isn’t moving!

What have I done…?

What have I done?!

All I can manage is to press my hand over my mouth to keep from screaming as terror grips me in its claws.

And then one thing dawns on me.

I don’t know if I’ve just saved myself…

or if I’ve destroyed everything.

Chapter 26

Eli

The feeling strikes me that our lives have come full circle.

Except this time… we’re the monsters at the top of the Pact.

“Begin!” Ryker’s booming voice echoes through the sanctuary.

At the signal, the candidates for Pact membership fight a life-and-death battle.

Wearing a mask of indifference, I watch it all.

We talked about this for a long time. Neither of us intended to continue this tradition of slaughter and bloody initiations. Unfortunately, the other brothers are thirsty for bloodshed, thirsty for new members. Right now, none of them should question that changing the Pact’s leader is a step for the worse, one that will weaken the entire assembly. Therefore, we had to take this measure, regardless of what we think about it.

It’s enough to hear the rumors again about further attempts to bribe members. It seems Aiden’s trying to secretly build an army, so we need everyone who will be on our side.