Page 379 of Blood and Ruin: The Complete Series

I look up and catch him staring at me, wearing a frown. The same frown I have when I’m worried about one of the others.

I protected you then and I’ll protect you now…

He’s worried. He’s worried aboutme. I close my eyes, releasing a harsh breath.

I’m an idiot. Worse than an idiot. How could I ever have pushed my wolf away? How could I ever have feared him?

I open my eyes and look at him,reallylook at him. The more I look, the more of me I see.

He is me…He’s a part of my soul, no matter if it’s split.

If I had ever taken the time to look a little deeper, I would have found out that my wolf has always looked out for me. Whenever I was in pain and slowly healing, the pain would suddenly stop. It would cut off out of nowhere instead of healing slowly, like any other shifter. I thought it was just part of my strange abilities because of the split.

But it was him.

He’s always looked out for me and instead of seeing the truth that was right in front of me, I’ve blamed him for everything that is wrong about me.

“It’s my fault that we’re like this. I wasn’t strong enough to—”

I cut him off, stepping closer to him. “No. It’s not. It’shis. It was neverourfault. We’re not broken. We’re just different but that doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with us. I promise I will never push you away again.”

My wolf nods, the sadness finally leaving his eyes as a glint of hope replaces it. He glances over my shoulder. It’s still too dark to see anything, but he narrows his eyes, snarling at the spot.

“Heneeds to pay.”

Instead of helplessness or fear, I feel nothing but rage. Rage for what he did to us, tomywolf.

I nod. “He will.” No matter what happens from here on out, Cillian will pay for what he’s done.

I reach out, placing my hand on his shoulder. He frowns, glancing down at it, but doesn’t push me away either. It’s a start. “We’ve been apart for too long and that’s my fault. I’m truly sorry for causing you so much pain.”

He shakes his head, the rage from moments ago simmering into a soft look. “We’ll work together from here on out?”

“I promise.” We may have been two parts of a broken soul, but I have a feeling that wasn’t going to hinder us anymore. It was only going to make us stronger.

Something shifts and settles inside me, making me feel lighter. The small light in the room slowly dims just as my wolf’s flames grow lighter, turning into a bright incandescent orange that brings warmth with its blaze. The warmth brushes over my skin, settling inside me like a healing balm to my soul.

Just as we fade into the shadows, my wolf smiles.

“Thank you,brother.”

* * *

KIARRA

“How… How are you here?”My heart is racing so fast it feels like it’s ready to jump from my chest.

“I’m here to show you the truth.” King’s smile grows, turning into something ugly as he glances down at me.

He keeps looking at me with his unnerving stare as I quickly get up and put some distance between us. He doesn’t move an inch, making me question if he’s just another trick like the voices.

I glance around the open gray room looking for an escape, but as soon as the thought enters my mind, the long open room shrinks to a smaller one with no doors or windows.

I glance back at King. He’s still in the same position with that twisted smirk on his face.

Taking a deep breath, I tell myself that he’s not real, that this is all just another test. Gaining some of my strength back, I narrow my eyes on the imitation and play along with his little game for now.

“What truth?”

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