Ethan’s gaze shifted away from me, finally drawing my attention to Carlos. The man moved around us in a blur of speed as he kept away those who Bethi and Luke couldn’t.
“When I’m gone,” Ethan said, his raspy voice barely above a whisper, “fight her. Don’t let her keep the pain in; it’ll kill her. Keep her safe for me. Promise.”
Carlos and I spoke at the same time.
“I swear.”
“No. You fight me. Stay, Ethan.”
Ethan kept his attention on Carlos.
“She’ll need you and hate you for it.”
His fingers lightly tugged my hair, and he met my gaze again.
“I’ll love you even after I’m gone. Remember, without you, I would have died years ago. Thank you for saving me.”
He coughed, and I waited for him to breathe again but he didn’t.
“No.” My denial echoed over the growls and Bethi’s cursing.
I reached forward.
“Ethan?” Nothing.
Devastation emptied me. Then rage filled me.
“No!” I screamed. And as I screamed, I pulled. I tried to find a wisp of Ethan. I wanted to inhale him and keep at least that part of him inside me forever. But there was nothing. He was gone.
Fury took me.
I yelled my anguish and pulled.
My nose started to bleed harder. Still, I pulled more.
I stood as those around me started to stumble.
“Run!” someone yelled.
Distantly, I was aware of Carlos moving away from me. He left me surrounded by an enemy that had lost its crazed determination. I reveled in the fear and pulled harder. The brutes fell to their knees.
I saw Carlos pick up Gabby and Bethi. He tossed one over each shoulder and ran with them. Their men staggered behind them, struggling to follow. Grey had Charlene in his arms and naked Winifred had Michelle. They all fought to move away from me.
One of the beasts before me weakly swiped at my legs. I looked down at him.
“He was mine.” My voice broke on the last word.
I clenched my fists at my sides and pulled hard, harder than ever before.
I would kill them all for taking from me the only thing I’d ever wanted in life. My friend. The only one to stand by me. I screamed Ethan’s name and pulled again.
Vaguely, I felt my skin split and blood trickle down my arms, but didn’t stop. The anguish of Ethan’s death consumed me and the lingering feel of the wolf’s hand inside my stomach blinded me to the world around me.
Something hit the back of my head. It wasn’t a blow; it was an annoying slap.
I spun out with a kick and almost caught Carlos in the head. He blocked just in time. I flew through moves. My blood sprayed him. Faster and faster, I tried to kill the man before me. Pain filled me, inside and out.
“He was mine,” I yelled at Carlos. “I was supposed to keep him alive.”
I hit harder and kept pulling. But there was nothing to pull. Angry, I kept attacking Carlos. A few times something on the ground almost tripped me.
Then, suddenly, I was empty. I fell to my knees. The pain of all my cuts and bruises were nothing compared to the hollow ache that existed inside of me. I was nothing without Ethan. I turned and saw him lying where I’d left him. I crawled to him and laid my head on his chest.
“Since I first saw you in the play yard, you were my friend. I loved you too much...but not enough. I should have let you go.”
I let the pain take me away.
Everything hurt. Especially the drag of a wet cloth over my arms.
“Ow,” I said without opening my eyes. The word was thick and slurred. “I think Brick hit me too hard.”
“Not Brick.”
The voice wasn’t familiar at first. Then, everything came crashing back. I moaned and pulled my arm from Carlos’ grasp. A sob escaped me.
“Ethan...oh, God, why?”
An anguished cry filled the room, and I realized it was me. Ethan. Ethan was gone. I started to fall apart all over again. A hand settled on my head.
“I’m sorry, Isabelle.”
Wrapping my arms around myself, I curled into a ball.
“Go.”
“I can’t.”
He gently pried one arm away from my middle and started washing it again. It didn’t seem to hurt anymore. But, the pain from the hole in my chest consumed me.
While I cried, Carlos cleaned every gash, scrape, and tear. Then, he left me to my tears.
The next time I woke, my head pounded. Before I could start crying again, the bed moved.
“Here.”
I kept my eyes closed, uncaring what Carlos might be offering me. I didn’t want anything except to be left alone.
“You should drink something.”
He smoothed a hand over my hair. It almost comforted me. But I wouldn’t let it. I didn’t deserve comfort. Ethan was dead.
The ache in my chest grew.
“You should go away,” I said.
The door closed, and I cried until I couldn’t anymore. I laid there in numb silence, not thinking of anything; the past was too painful and my future nonexistent. Eventually, I slept.
Loud voices woke me.
“We need to talk to her.”
“No.” I recognized Bethi’s voice. “You go in there now, pushing like you want to, you’ll either destroy her, or she’ll destroy you.”