Page 263 of Unravelling The Beast

I start wheezing from the strong smoke inhalation, and I can feel the heat begin to get closer and touch my skin. He presses on my neck, causing our lips to collide, and as our connection flows through me, we linger.

I bring my hand to his face before I whisper against his lips.

“We're in this together.”

He shakes his head gently before responding calmly, staring deep into my eyes.

“Not this time, beautiful, but we will be again one day, I promise.”

Suddenly, I feel a strong arm around my midsection from behind, and I'm being pulled back. I scream, trying to get back to him, as I lose my grasp and his touch leaves my skin.

“I'll come back for him, Wren!”

“No! Please no!”

I struggle against him; Arlo's eyes are fixed on mine as he remains unmoving, and I reach out for him, desperate not to leave him. I kick, scream and shout in an attempt to let me go, but he won't.

The next thing I know, he is completely out of my vision, and I'm being brought to the front of the house. When Jasper finally releases me a fair distance away from the house, I drop to my knees and cough.

He rests his hand on my back, and when I've gathered my breath, I peer up to see smoke and flames pouring out of every single window within the mansion.

“I'm going back in!”

I take several deep breaths as I watch him race towards the house, but every entry is engulfed in an inferno. Tears stream down my face, hope leaving me as every second passes by.

Hearing sirens in the distance, Jasper tries frantically to get around the side of the house to get to the rear, but it's hopeless. He urgently paces up and down, pulling at his hair, feeling helpless, and I let out an intense sob before pressing my forehead on the concrete.

I find myself crying hysterically. I feel like I'm bleeding on the inside because I know he is gone. I wail as I pound the ground with my fist, my chest tightening as I gasp for air.

After being examined, I sit in the back of the ambulance with the door wide open, staring at the smoldering ashes of the mansion where I used to live with Arlo and Cree.

Firefighters spray their hoses to put out what's left of the blaze, while ambulances and police cars' lights flicker red and blue off the rumble.

I'm in paralysis, like if I'm in a nightmare from which I'll never awaken. Inside and out, I'm absolutely numb, and my heart is completely shattered.

My swollen eyes wander until they land on Arlo's untouched car.

I draw a deep breath, take off the oxygen mask, and stand on shaky legs before stepping down from the ambulance. I stroll over to the car, and when it's within reach, I tug on the door handle, and it clicks open. I step down into the driver's seat before closing it behind me.

Once inside, I inhale deeply, his delicious scent immediately enveloping me and I relax back, placing my hands on the steering wheel.

My eyes well up again as I move them up and down, desperate for his aroma to be all over me, and I glance around until I notice one of his suit jackets on the passenger seat. I gently reach over and pick it up before bringing it to my body and pressing my face into it before inhaling deeply.

As soon as I smell him, I begin to sob into it once again. After gathering myself, I decide to reach inside the arms, put it on, and hug it around my body in an attempt to feel close to him, but it will never be enough.

Suddenly, I feel something hard in the inside pocket, and my brows furrow slightly before I reach inside. My fingers clasp a box, and I pull it out. Noticing it's a ring box, my eyes widen, and I slowly open it.

I clap my palm over my mouth as tears cascade from my eyes when I see a gorgeous, sparking engagement ring within. It's a ruby heart encircled by white diamonds, and the white diamonds are bordered by black diamonds. When I notice some etching inside the box, I move it closer so my damp eyes can read what it says.

“Black for my darkness. White for your light. Red symbolizes our blood, which shall eternally unite.”

My heart is throbbing in my chest, crushing me, and I carefully extract the ring from the box before positioning it and sliding it onto my finger.

I kiss it, lingering on my lips, before whispering.

“Always, Arlo. I'll always be yours.”

One week later…

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