Page 81 of Midnight Hunt
“No, don’t!” I cried, trying and failing to hold back tears. “He’s . . . I can’t. I can’t do this to him again. He deservesbetter.”
“Vi, I can’t afford to make an enemy of your brother. If something happens to you on my watch, he’ll challenge me, and we all know howthatwill turn out.”
“Oh, getoveryourself, Mason,” I sobbed, continuing to clutch my stomach in agony. “We can’t help it if we’re hybrids. Griff wasn’ttryingto steal your place in the pack. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you can moveonwith your life.”
“And what about you, huh?” he quickly retorted. “Maybe you should let go of my brother so you can move on withyourlife.”
“I’mtrying!” I screamed, shaking so badly that my teeth clacked together.
Loudly cursing, Mason threw the car into park and reached over to unbuckle my seatbelt.
“What are you doing?” I asked, stiffening when he started to rub my back. “Mason.”
“Trying tocomfortyou, okay? I know I’m not Griff, but he’s not here right now, so—”
His words were drowned out by the sudden squealing of brakes. When he swore again, I tried to straighten, but the pain was too much, and a whimper burst from me.
A second later, something ripped the driver side door clean off its hinges and yanked Mason out. Another second, and I heard a fleshythwack, followed by an agonized groan. When I caught a flash of bright blond hair in the darkness, I started to move but not before Griff managed to punch his brother several more times.
“Griff,” I moaned, practically falling out of the car in my haste to reach him. “Griff,wait.”
He continued to hit Mason, his blazing yellow eyes filled with so much fury that my heart stopped.
He was going to kill him. He was going tokillhis brother. And that wrecked me. That broke my heart into a billion little pieces, because it was happening. My nightmare was becoming reality.
I wasdestroyinghim. I’d caused this to happen.Me.
And I couldn’t take it, not for one more second. So I broke. I broke and broke and broke, falling to my knees with a howl. It tore from my lungs, a wail of endless pain.
It was happening. I was tearing apart yetanotherfamily.
Griff would never be the same after this. He’d never forgive me, not this time, and I’d lose him forever.
It was happening. My worst nightmare was unfolding before my eyes, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.
Utterly broken and defeated, I curled up on the ground and finally let the darkness have me. There was no point in staying strong anymore. No point in fighting.
I’d ruined the life of the most important person in the world to me.
I didn’t deserve to live anymore, and so I gave up. I finally did what I should have done seven years ago and—
“Violet! Come back to me. I’m right here. I’ve got you, baby. I’ve got you.”
Arms lifted me. Cradled me. Rocked me. Held me so tenderly that another keening howl fled my lungs.
“No. No, Griff, don’t. Leave me.Please.”
“Never. I’m not letting you push me away again, Vi. Not this time.”
“It’s all . . . It’s all my fault. I did this. You . . . You killed him, because ofme.”
“Mace? I didn’t kill him, Vi. I wanted to, but I couldn’t. I heard your cries, and I stopped. Look at me, baby. He’s alive. Nothing is your fault.”
“Everythingis my fault,” I sobbed, struggling to breathe as another hot wave pulsed through me. It hurt, but at least I didn’t feel like I was being electrocuted anymore. The magic inside the snake tattoo must have settled down now that Griff was here.
But it was a reminder of yet another of my failures. Just one more reason why I didn’t deserve him.
“Leave me,” I tried again, flinching when I felt his hand cup my hot, tear-stained cheek. “You deserve . . . You deserve better.”
