Chapter 129
Faith’s Pov
The first thing I realized was the smell of the hospital.
Again.
I tried to move my fingers. They worked but wjen I tried to move my legs that’s when the pain hit.
It wasn’t a dull ache. It was fire. It was a thousand needles stabbing me everywhere like my ribs, my stomach, my back. Every single part of me screamed pain. I was wrapped in a small blanket, but even the pressure of the sheet felt like a heavy stone.
I squeezed my eyes shut, letting out a small, broken sound. I needed to sit up. I needed to know
where I was.
Using only my arms, I pushed my body upward. A loud gasp tore through my throat. I fell back against the pillows, tears instantly flooding my eyes. It hurt too much.
“No, no, easy there”
A voice, deep and fast, startled me. I snapped my eyes open. A man in a doctor’s coat.
“You have to be careful, Miss,” he said, reaching out a hand.
I saw his hand coming toward me, and pure, raw panic surged.
‘Don’t touch me.‘
Memories cold and cruel memories shot through my mind like lightning. The dark room. The rough hands. The sickening sound of the kicks hitting my body again and again. And Kyle. Standing there, watching, his face empty of feeling.
my ribs.
When the doctor’s fingers lightly brushed my shoulder, I yelled and pushed his hand away with all the strength I had left.
The memory of the pain and the betrayal was worse than the physical throbbing in
“Get back” I choked out. My voice was weak and rough. “Who are you? What is this place?”
The doctor stopped, his eyes wide with surprise. “I’m Dr. Thomas. You’re safe. You were in bad shape but you’re safe here.”
Safe. The word tasted like poison.
Bad shape. More like my own flesh and blood did this to me.
Chapter 129
+25 Points
Reality crashed down on me completely, heavy and terrifying. Kyle had done this. He took me away from my family and he ordered the beating.
I shrunk down into the sheets pulling it up to cover my mouth. My heart hammered against my abused ribs. I couldn’t look the doctor in the eyes. I was terrified he was one of them.
“Stay away from me,” I whispered, staring past him at the plain white wall. “Please, just stay away.”
The door behind the doctor was pushed open, and a voice I never wanted to hear again filled the
room.
“Faith. You’re awake.”
Kyle.
He looked exactly as he did the last time I saw him dark hair perfectly styled, wearing an expensive suit. He moved quickly, pushing past the doctor as if he owned the room, rushing toward my
bedside.
His face was a mask of concern. He reached for my hand.
“Thank the Goddess,” he murmured, his voice thick with fake relief. “I was so worried.”
I didn’t pull away rather I slapped his hand. The sting in my palm was nothing compared to the rage burning inside me.
I looked at him, really looked at him, and saw the true darkness behind his appearance.
“Don’t touch me,” I spat, my voice shaking. “Don’t you dare touch me, you monster.”
The doctor shifted nervously, but Kyle ignored him entirely. He just stood there, his face falling into
hurt confusion.
“Faith, please. What are you talking about? I’m not a monster.” He paused, his eyes pleading. “I’m your brother.”
The word hit me like another physical blow. Brother.
I sneered. It was a horrible, ugly sound. I would rather not have a brother than have him in my life.
“You are nothing of mine,” I said, cold and hard. “The only thing you are is the animal who watched two men kick the life out of me.”
His eyes went wide, and he suddenly looked genuinely distraught. He stepped back, running a hand through his hair.
“Faith, I am so sorry. I truly am. If I had known- why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you tell me you were my sister?”
Chapter 129
He apologized for the wrong thing. He apologized for the identity, not the violence.
I felt a sudden, crushing weight of grief that made the physical pain disappear. The loss was a
hollow pit where my love for my brother should have been.
I looked him straight in the eye, and the words came out flat and dead.
“You want to talk about what you put me through physically today?” I shook my head slowly. “I
couldn’t care less, Kyle. This pain heals. The bruises fade.”
My voice finally broke as the unforgivable truth came out.
“But the truth is that you snatched her. You took my baby girl before I could even see her face. That is something I can never, ever forgive.”
Kyle blinked. He didn’t flinch. He didn’t seem to understand. He just looked annoyed that I was still
talking about the past.
He instantly changed the subject, his voice hardening as he focused on his obsession.
“This is about Astor,” he insisted. “He tried to keep you from me. He must have known, Faith. He must have known you were my sister, and he kept you hidden.”
My heart hammered again, but this time it was with protective fear for my mate.
“Don’t involve Astor in this” I yelled.
Kyle snapped and his calm facade shattered.
“Stop defending that man. After everything he and his family have done, you still have the guts to
defend him?!”
“He is my mate” I cried out. “He is nothing like you”
Kyle’s lips twisted in a cruel smile. “Not for too long. You won’t be mated to him for too long.”
A chill ran deep into my bones making me terrified about what that means. My breath hitched.
“What do you mean?” I whispered, fear paralyzing me. “What are you going to do?”
His eyes were cold, dangerous, and utterly focused on his goal.
“The people who killed our father have to pay, Faith. An eye for an eye. A life for a life.”
“Astor didn’t kill anyone!” I pleaded, trying to reason with the madness in his eyes. “His father did. Astor is innocent!”
“It doesn’t matter,” Kyle spat. “Astor will pay for his father’s mistakes. That is how the world works.”
3/4
Chapter 129
+25 Points
“I won’t let you do that” I tried to move again, to get out of the bed, but the pain stopped me instantly. I fell back, helpless.
Kyle leaned over me, his face close, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper, full of terrifying
power.
“Nothing and no one can stop me, Faith. Not you. Not your mate. As we speak,” he paused, letting the words sink into my terrified soul, “the Eclipse pack is burning to ashes.”
