Chapter 60

ELEANOR

I’d stayed in Becca’s room for almost an hour when a nurse finally came in and told us to leave so Becca could rest.

“Shall we go back home, Eleanor?” Xavier asked me, and I nodded my head.

When we reached home, I made my way to the bathroom and first took a warm shower to get rid of all the dirt that was still stuck to my skin.

“Do you need anything to eat?” Xavier asked me as I walked out of the bathroom wearing my pajamas.

“No, I need to sleep right now.”

“Okay, you get some rest. I’ll be right here, all right?” he asked me, and I nodded my head.

After he had tucked me into bed, he placed a kiss on my lips before he walked out of the room.

I snuggled deeper into my pillow and finally closed my eyes.

***

I was brought back from my state of sleep when I heard people talking in the room.

“…thank you, Mom. I wanted to wake her up, but she looked exhausted.”

“I know, that’s why I brought the food here. Anyway, you guys have a good night.”

“Sure, I’ll see you tomorrow, Mom.”

As the conversation faded away, my mind pushed me back to sleep.

***

“I don’t think I have the right to kill him.”

The noise woke me up, and this time, I was wide awake, but I kept my eyes closed.

“I haven’t told Eleanor yet. But once she’s fit enough, I’ll tell her.”

It was Xavier’s voice, and soon, I didn’t hear anything. I opened my eyes when I saw him standing near the glass wall with his phone.

It was heavily raining outside, and lightning flashed.

“Xavier,” I mumbled, and he abruptly turned to face me.

“You’re finally awake,” he exclaimed as he walked toward me.

“What time is it?” I asked him.

“Two a.m. But that’s all right. Shall I heat up your dinner?” he asked me, and I nodded my head.

“I’ll come down in a minute,” I told him.

“I’ll bring it up for you,” he said, but I shook my head.

“Okay, but be careful, all right?” he asked me, and I nodded my head and walked out of the room.

After I was done with my business in the bathroom, I walked downstairs to the kitchen to see that food was set on the table waiting for me.

“Thank you,” I told him as I sat down to eat.

“Xavier?”

“Hmm,” he said as his eyes were still focused on his phone screen.

“Do you have anything that you would like to share with me?” I asked him.

“I do, but I’ll let you know once you’ve healed a bit more,” he said, but I shook my head.

“I know it must be either about my so-called parents or that rogue who kidnapped me. I’ve already seen enough, and I’m strong enough to hear whatever you have for me too,” I asserted, and he remained silent for a long time.

“I know you’re strong, Eleanor. I’ve seen you come out of this situation with ease. I have killed many who’ve caused you harm. But there are still three people you need to decide about. You deserve closure after what happened to your mother,” Xavier said.

My father. He was still alive. But who were the other two?

“My father will pay. Who are the other two?”

“You step-siblings were at the scene when we got there, and we didn’t know how involved they were or what to do with them.”

“I’ll take care of it. Where are they?”

“In the dungeon. If you’re ready, I’ll take you to meet them there in the morning,” Xavier said when my eyes moved toward the window.

The rain hadn’t stopped yet. This was the same weather when my mother was mercilessly murdered.

“I want to take care of it now,” I said without looking at Xavier.

“Darling, it’s pouring outside,” Xavier said, and that was when I finally looked at him.

“It was pouring on that day as well, Xavier. If I want to get my closure, I think I want to kill him the same way my mother was killed. In this pouring rain, as he begs to spare his life. Just like how my mom begged that rogue that night,” I said, and Xavier didn’t deny my request.

“If that’s what you want, I’ll do anything to fulfill that wish. You eat. I’ll prepare what you need. Then we will visit your siblings first,” Xavier said as he got up and left the house.

I continued eating my food. Once I was done, I washed the plate and made my way to the living room to wait for Xavier.

One hour later, Xavier walked inside, soaked from head to toe.

“Let’s pay your siblings a visit.”

We made our way to the dungeon.

The clank of the dungeon door echoed as I stepped inside, the air damp and cold against my skin. Jacob and Avery looked up from opposite corners of the cell, their eyes dull and swollen from lack of sleep. Guilt clung to the space between us like fog.

“I need to know,” I said, voice steady, “how much did you really know about your father’s plan?”

Jacob rose slowly, his chains rattling as he moved forward. “We didn’t know he planned to kill you, Eleanor. I swear it.”

“We never knew about your mother either,” Avery added quickly, her voice thick with emotion. “He never told us. He just…gave us love when we followed orders. And we were desperate for that.”

My jaw tightened. I wanted to believe them. Needed to.

“We’re so sorry,” Avery whispered, eyes brimming with tears. “If we had known…we never would have let it happen.”

Jacob nodded. “We were stupid. Blind. But we never wanted you dead.”

I stood there in silence, the weight of everything pressing into my chest. After a long pause, I stepped back and unlocked the cell door.

“Go,” I said quietly.

Their eyes widened in disbelief. “You’re letting us go?” Jacob asked.

“You don’t get a second chance with me,” I replied. “But I won’t be the one to kill you either. Run. And don’t ever come back.”

They shifted into their wolves without another word. I stood there, watching them disappear. I knew I would never see them again.

I turned to Xavier. “Now time for my father.”

“Let’s go to the forest,” he said. I nodded my head and walked out of the dungeon with him.

He handed an umbrella to me. I took it and walked with him. It was a short walk, and we soon arrived in the forest.

At least twenty warriors were there with a few in their wolf form, and my father was lying on the forest floor. Samuel and Marquez were also there, and everyone looked at me with respect when I walked inside the circle they had formed.

“How do you want him to die, Eleanor?” Xavier asked me.

“The same way my mom died. I want a wolf to take a large chunk out of his abdomen and dig their claws deep into his heart,” I said in a monotone.

Xavier nodded his head and motioned for the wolves.

“Eleanor, please tell them to spare my life! Please! Eleanor!” my father started begging, but I stood as still as a rock.

One of the wolves stepped forward and took out a large chunk from his stomach, and he let out a gut-wrenching sound.

Surprisingly, I didn’t feel any pity. Only waves of satisfaction washed over me.

When one of the wolves finally slashed his heart too deep, he fell to the ground as he looked at me.

No words were coming out of his mouth. He just stared at me until his pathetic soul left his body.