ZADE’S POV
The dinner was still ongoing when I finally decided I needed so air.
The ballroom was beautiful, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to sit there and pretend everything was normal.
Watching Sophia receive attention from doctors and professors made happy. Watching Lance receive so of that attention alongside her made pissed.
My wolf had spent the entire evening alternating between pride and jealousy, and frankly, I was getting tired of listening to him.
I quietly stepped away from the ballroom and headed toward one of the restaurants connected to the venue.
The hallway outside was much quieter. For the first ti all evening, I felt like I could actually think.
My thoughts returned to Sophia.
I rembered the bruises that had covered her face. I rembered her lying in that hospital bed looking pale. I rembered hearing how she had been attacked and how she had nearly lost her life. Every mory caused fresh anger to burn inside my chest.
Then I saw soone. I stopped walking instantly.
Declan.
The bastard was standing near the restaurant entrance talking on his phone.
My entire body went still.
My wolf growled. The sound echoed through my mind/.
Declan laughed at sothing on the call, completely unaware that I was watching him.
The sight made my blood boil.
Sophia’s injuries flashed through my mind again. In that mont, different images ran through my mind - the hospital, Sophia’s bruises, the pain she suffered.
I watched as Declan ended his call and walked into the restaurant.
I followed him.
The restaurant was mostly empty due to the ongoing dinner event. A few guests occupied so tables, but nobody paid attention to us. Declan walked confidently through the room before turning toward the restrooms at the back.
Perfect.
I followed him quickly. The mont he entered the n’s restroom, I entered behind him.
The door closed. The room beca silent.
Declan looked up through the mirror while washing his hands. The second he saw , he looked confused, then his eyes went wide with horror.
Good.
"Zade?" he muttered.
My expression remained cold.
Declan frowned "What do you want?"
I walked forward slowly "What do I want?"
My voice sounded dangerous even to my own ears. My wolf kept growling inside .
Declan looked uncomfortable now. Sothing about my expression must have warned him because he took a step backward.
"What are you talking about?" he asked.
I stopped in front of him, clenching my fists "What did Sophia ever do to you?"
Declan froze. The change in his face lasted less than a second but I saw it. His eyes beca filled with guilt and fear.
I saw the mont when realization hit him.
My wolf exploded. Before Declan could react, I grabbed him by the throat.
His eyes widened instantly "What the hell-"
The rest of his sentence disappeared.
I slamd him violently against the wall. The impact shook the room. Declan cried out in pain.
I tightened my grip "She trusted your family." My voice shook with rage. "She loved your family. All she did was love your brother. All she wanted was love from you all”
Declan grabbed my wrist. His face was turning red.
"You’re crazy." He managed to mutter.
The denial only made angrier.
I slamd him into the wall again, harder this ti. The force of it was so hard that blood poured from the back of his head.
"Crazy?" I laughed bitterly. "Sophia nearly died. You don’t get to pretend you’re innocent."
His breathing beca heavy "Let go."
"No."
My fist connected with his face. I punched him....hard.
I punched him three tis in the sa spot.
Blood kept pouring from his face.
Declan stumbled sideways. Before he could regain his balance, I hit him again and again.
Years of anger seed to pour out of .
I thought about Sophia crying alone. I thought about her suffering while Damien ignored her. I thought about how nobody had protected her when she needed it most. I thought about the bruises on her.
The rage beca overwhelming.
Declan crashed into one of the sinks. The porcelain cracked and blood ran from his nose.
Still, I wasn’t finished. My wolf wanted more.
Declan tried to fight back. He swung wildly but barely felt it.
I punched him again and again.
Declan collapsed onto the floor. His face was bruised. There was blood all over him.
He looked terrified now.
Good.
For once, he understood what fear felt like. For once, he wasn’t the one hurting soone weaker.
I grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him upward.
"Listen carefully." I said.
Declan’s breathing was ragged.
"If Sophia suffers because of you again, this will look gentle."
Fear flashed through his eyes. For the first ti, he believed .
The restroom door suddenly burst open. Several security guards rushed inside.
Behind them stood Damien. Our eyes t imdiately.
The atmosphere beca even colder.
Declan looked relieved "Damien." His voice sounded broken.
One of the security guards helped him stand. Blood covered half his face.
Damien’s expression darkened instantly.
"What happened?" he asked.
Declan pointed at "It was him."
My attention never left Damien.
The security guards seed uncertain. Nobody wanted to interfere. The tension between Damien and was obvious.
Damien looked at for several seconds, then his eyes moved to Declan’s injuries.
"What did you do?"
I laughed bitterly "What should have been done a long ti ago."
Damien’s jaw tightened. "Have you lost your mind?"
The question irritated .
I stepped forward "What about Sophia? She nearly died."
The security guards exchanged nervous looks. Nobody spoke.
Damien just stood there, breathing heavily.
I continued "She was beaten."
I took another step closer to Damien "She was abandoned."
I took another step "She was bleeding while everyone failed her."
Damien’s face hardened. "That doesn’t justify this."
"No?" I laughed again. "Funny. Because nobody seed concerned about justice when Sophia was suffering."
The words hit their target.
Damien’s eyes turned dark as anger appeared in them. Briefly, I saw guilt in his eyes as well.
The realization satisfied . For once, he couldn’t hide from the truth.
Declan suddenly spoke "Get him out of here."
I ignored him completely.
My focus remained on Damien as I spoke
"You know what’s pathetic?" I pointed toward the ballroom. "She’s finally building a future. And you’re still standing beside Tiffany."
Damien’s fists clenched. Still, I wasn’t finished.
"Every ti Sophia needed you, you failed her.” I said "Every. Single. Ti."
Damien suddenly grabbed my shirt. The movent was fast.
The security guards imdiately stepped forward.
I grabbed his wrist before they could interfere. For several seconds, we stood face to face.
Neither of us moved. Neither of us backed down.
"Watch your mouth," Damien said coldly.
I smiled "Truth hurts, doesn’t it?"
His grip tightened. Mine tightened too. both our wolves were ready to snap at any mont.
The situation was seconds away from exploding.
Finally, several guards forced themselves between us. It took three n to separate us.
Neither Damien nor I looked away. The anger remained.
"You don’t deserve her." I said.
The words left my mouth before I could stop them.
The room fell silent again. Damien froze.
For a mont, nobody spoke.
I continued anyway "You never deserved her. You had everything."
The image of Sophia flashed through my mind. I thought of her kindness, her loyalty and her love. Everything Damien had taken for granted.
"You had a woman who would’ve given you the world." I shook my head. "And you threw it away."
Damien’s expression beca unreadable. That sohow made the situation worse.
I looked directly into his eyes.
"One day you’re going to realize exactly what you lost and when that day cos, it’ll be too late."
His expression turned cold again.
"You finished?" he asked.
The contempt in his voice surprised .
Damien adjusted his suit jacket, then he looked at like I was beneath him.
"You’re acting like a jealous child." He said.
My wolf snarled.
"Whatever fantasy you’ve created in your head, keep it to yourself." Damien continued "Sophia’s life isn’t your business."
I laughed "That’s rich coming from you."
Damien ignored .
He turned toward the security guards.
"Handle this." he said. Then he looked at Declan. "Let’s go."
Without another word, Damien walked away. Declan followed behind him.
The restroom beca quiet once more.
I stood there alone.
My knuckles were bruised. Blood stained my hands.
My chest rose and fell heavily yet despite everything, one thought remained in my head.
Damien still didn’t understand.
He thought Sophia would always be there. He thought she would sohow keep waiting.
My wolf laughed darkly. Not this ti.
This ti, Damien Stone was going to learn exactly what it felt like to lose her.
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