Alpha Damon (Sienna) novel Chapter 260

Delilah:

The sun hadn’t warmed the air nearly enough. It wasn’t cold either, but I felt like everything around me just lose its life. Everything around me just felt empty and quiet.

I felt the sun’s light on my skin, but there was nothing soft about it, nothing that seeped in far enough to melt the weight in my chest. Nothing could help me ease the pain that I felt as I took a breath, as I walked, as I forced myself to keep standing.

I walked down the corridor with even strides, hands relaxed at my sides, back straight, breath steady. It took everything in me to make it look easy. It took everything in me to act as if nothing had happened, to pretend that I was not burning inside. Ethan followed.

I knew he was there without looking. I heard him, I saw him in the corridor, I even saw the bruise that was on his cheek. But I did my best not to acknowledge him, not to acknowledge it, not to say a word.

I heard his footsteps, the way they slowed when I did, the way his presence hovered behind me like an apology waiting to be spoken. But I wouldn’t give it the space to breathe. I did not even want to look at him. I did not want to hear his voice or pretend that he existed.

He didn’t exist. Not today.

Not anymore.

Not to me, and not to anyone that was around.

Up ahead, Sienna and Damon stood by the courtyard wall, the new patrol routes pinned beside them. Sienna had her arms folded, listening to something Damon was saying, her brows furrowed in quiet thought. The two of them were busying themselves with so many things that they did not notice anything that was going on around them. Thankfully, they did not notice me. They did not notice my pain or anger. It meant that I was playing my part well.

Her expression brightened when she saw me.

“Delilah,” she said with a smile. “You’re up early. I didn’t expect to see you for another hour.”

“Couldn’t sleep,” I replied, keeping my voice smooth. “Lysandra had a little difficulty falling asleep. I stayed up with her and then eventually I couldn’t really fall asleep.”

Damon gave me a brief nod, but his attention drifted behind me. His eyes narrowed. “What happened to your face, Ethan?”

I didn’t look back. Didn’t react.

Let the bruise speak for itself.

Let the two of them have their conversation. For all I cared. He could rot in hell with his bruises, with his anger, with his pain … He can rot in hell with everything that he was playing.

There was a moment of silence, weighted. Ethan didn’t answer. I did not look at him or turned to face him right now. To me, he was invisible.

Sienna looked between us, but to her credit, she didn’t pry. She did not ask questions, but I knew that she understood that something had happened.

“I came to ask for a few things,” I said, directing my attention back to Sienna. “Lysandra’s having trouble staying warm at night. Her circulation’s still slow. I wanted to ask if we could get more of the thicker blankets, maybe the ones in the storage wing? Her body is still recovering from everything that she went through. She is refusing to eat as much and that is one of the reasons why her body is weak and why she is needing more blankets to keep herself warm.”

“Of course,” Sienna said quickly, nodding. “I’ll have them brought over within the hour. You don’t need to explain why she needs anything. I understand that she is exhausted and that you are doing your best to take care of her, but you also need to take care of yourself. You’re going to end up draining yourself if you proceed this way.”

I nodded once and turned without another word.

Not to Ethan. Not even a glance.

I walked past him like he was a stranger.

Like the night before hadn’t happened.

And the moment I turned the corner and slipped out of their view, I exhaled shakily and pressed my fingers against my chest.

My heart felt like it was breaking out of me.

But I didn’t cry.

I wouldn’t, not here.

Not while he was still behind me, still hoping for something I’d already buried.