Chapter 30: The Cruelest Part
Rosalie:
My breath came out in uneven gasps as I ran through the unfamiliar silence of the western hallway, my pulse thundering so violently in my ears that it nearly drowned out every other sound in the packhouse.
The farther I moved from the crowded main corridor, the quieter everything became, but that did nothing to calm the panic clawing its way through my chest. The polished wooden floor beneath my feet blurred as I hurried past expensive paintings, decorative vases, and tall windows that overlooked the rear gardens of the estate.
I knew this side of the packhouse well. Hardly anyone came here unless they needed access to the private offices or the old indoor conservatory connected to the west wing. Growing up here, I had hidden in these corridors more times than I could count whenever I wanted to avoid crowded gatherings that made me painfully aware of how unwanted I truly was.
But today, the familiarity brought me no comfort at all. Because somewhere downstairs, one - or all three - of them had arrived.
Just thinking about them made something sharp twist inside my chest.
My legs slowed for a brief second when memories crashed into me without warning. Alastor leaning lazily against my doorway late at night with that rare smile meant only for me. Darien silently placing food beside me whenever I forgot to eat. Kaiser tugging my braid just to annoy me before pulling me against his side moments later like he couldn’t bear distance for too long.
These were warm memories. Beautiful ones. Memories that now felt rotten.
My stomach churned violently. I forced myself to keep moving.
The moment I reached the end of the hallway, I pushed open the emergency stairwell door and hurried down the narrow staircase leading toward the lower floor. The metal railing felt freezing beneath my trembling fingers. My mind was spinning too fast to think clearly. I only knew one thing - I couldn’t let them see me. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
Not after what happened. Not after they chose her. And definitely not after they tried to erase me so cleanly from their lives.
My throat tightened painfully. I stumbled slightly on the final step before pushing open the lower door leading toward the back section of the packhouse. Relief nearly hit me when I realized the hallway was empty. Most likely everyone had rushed toward the main entrance after hearing about my arrival.
Good.
That gave me time.
I quickly pulled out my phone from my coat pocket with shaky fingers and dialed the driver’s number. He picked up almost immediately.
"Miss Hale-"
"I’m coming out from the back garden side," I whispered quickly while moving through the hallway. "Bring the car around without attracting attention."
There was a tiny pause before his calm voice answered, "Understood."
I hung up and shoved the phone back into my pocket just as another sound reached me.
Footsteps.
Heavy footsteps coming from ahead.
My entire body froze. For one horrifying second, I thought it was one of them. But then two warriors rounded the corner instead, both halting abruptly the moment they saw me. Shock spread across their faces instantly.
"Lady Rosalie-"
I didn’t let them finish. "Move." The authority in my voice surprised even me.
The warriors exchanged uncertain glances before stepping aside automatically, instinctively obeying. I wasted no time and hurried past them toward the glass doors leading outside.
Cold wind immediately slammed into me the second I stepped into the rear garden. Rain poured heavily from the dark sky, soaking the stone pathways and flowerbeds. Thunder rumbled in the distance while icy wind whipped through my hair and dress. Usually I loved storms. But today the raging weather only mirrored the chaos inside me.
I hurried down the garden path toward the rear gate, my shoes slipping slightly against the wet stones.
Then-
"Rosalie."
I stopped so abruptly my breath caught.
No.
No no no.
That voice.
Slowly, painfully, I turned around. And there he stood beneath the rain.
Alastor.
My heart betrayed me instantly. Even after everything, even after the betrayal, even after the pain - it still recognized him before my brain could catch up.
Rain drenched his black shirt and dark hair as he stood near the garden entrance, chest rising heavily like he had rushed here. His sharp blue eyes locked onto me with an intensity that made my knees nearly weaken.
For a moment neither of us moved.
The world seemed to fall silent around us. There was no thunder, no rain. Nothing. Just him.
His gaze dragged over my face slowly, almost desperately, as if trying to confirm I was truly standing there alive in front of him. And something inside me shattered all over again when I saw relief in his gaze, pure, overwhelming relief.
"You are alive," he said hoarsely.
The words nearly destroyed me because a part of me had dreamed of hearing them. Dreamed of him searching for me and regretting everything.
But reality quickly followed right after the fantasy.
Because if he cared so much, then why did I end up at the bottom of that cliff? Why did his men chase me? Why did none of them come after me themselves? Why did they let me go?
The pain came rushing back so violently that it almost stole my breath. My expression must have changed because his face tightened instantly. He started walking toward me carefully, slowly, like approaching a wounded animal.
"Rose-"
"Don’t." My voice cracked.
His steps halted immediately.
Rain soaked through my clothes completely now, cold water sliding down my face like tears I refused to shed in front of him. I looked at him properly for the first time in over two weeks and hated how beautiful he still looked to me. Hated how my chest still ached for him despite everything.
That was the cruelest part.
Love didn’t disappear just because betrayal appeared. It lingered. Rotting inside you.
"Rosalie," he said again, softer this time. "Please come inside first. You are freezing."
A hollow laugh almost escaped me. Now he cared if I was cold? My fingers curled tightly at my sides.
"I only came for my mother’s bracelet," I whispered. "That’s all."
Confusion flickered across his face instantly. "Your bracelet?"
"Your Luna took it."
The moment I mentioned Charlotte, something dark flashed across his expression. But before either of us could say another word, another voice suddenly cut through the storm.
"There you are."
My breath hitched. I turned sharply to see Darien striding toward us across the rain-soaked garden, his expression unreadable at first... until his eyes landed on me fully. Then everything in his face broke apart - shock, relief, disbelief, pain - all at once.
Behind him, much farther away near the back entrance, I caught sight of Kaiser too.
My pulse crashed violently against my ribs.
No. I couldn’t do this. Not all three of them. Not now.
I took a step back instinctively. Then another.
Alastor noticed immediately. "Rose-"
But I was already shaking my head. The air suddenly felt suffocating. My chest felt too tight and painful. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think.
Every emotion I had buried these past weeks came clawing back to the surface all at once - love, grief, anger, longing, and even hatred.
My chest hurt so badly I thought I might collapse. And then, a familiar, loud whistle echoed sharply from beyond the rear gate.
The driver.
My escape.
But I barely turned around to run when a familiar pair of arms circled my waist and stopped me.
