Love Grows In The Dark

by Eli Lowe

  And in the next second,

  Markus's body became limp and fell on the ground mercilessly, just before my eyes.

  Episode 20

  Summer's P.O.V

  No no no... That can not be happening.

  How could I forgive myself then?

  Why did he have to come in between?

  Why did he need to sacrifice himself for someone like me?

  And why it had to be no one but Markus whom I used to hate the most?

  Why?

  The utterly pernicious sight in front of my own eyes, snatched my voice right away ever so cruelly, depriving me of the last bit of my might to scream in the utmost terror.

  The silver dagger which was actually raised to tear me apart in the first place, cut through Markus's back menacingly only to bleed him to the unconsciousness, just because he moved in reflex only to stand in between to take the stab willingly in order to save me from Adrian's treacherous act.

  Adrian fell on his back in ultimate horror as soon as he realised what just happened because of his one wrong move.

  Even though Adrian removed the dagger from his alpha's body, blood just didn't stop flowing down from the hollow and tainted the road with his thick crimson fluid in no time.

  Markus didn't move, neither his cut showed any sign of instant healing, even for a bit. It was just his limp body lying on the pool of his own blood at the middle of the road without mercy.

  I tried.

  I tried to stop his blood from abandoning his body as I put my hands on the open cut, putting some pressure on top, only to close the flesh, so that blood stops oozing out from there, if not fully at least for a little bit.

  But no, it didn't work.

  “Markus!!! Talk to me.” I tried to call him out impatiently, hoping that he might hear me. But nothing like that was going to happen, as I was greeted with the cruel silence of the night but nothing else. My hands started to tremble in fear, and so did my body as I could not think properly, what I should do now or not?

  I kept shaking Markus's unconscious body cluelessly, just when I heard,

  “You did this.” Ardian's vicious voice fell on my ears which made me completely furious and I saw red.

  I turned sharply to see the audacious one who dared to say such a thing even in this situation. Under the sole light which was still coming from the bike, Adrian's face appeared to me like some real monster. All those attractive features that he got couldn't hide his nasty self.

  And I exploded in utter rage.

  “How dare you? It was always you before and even now who caused such harm each and every time, and now you want to shove the blame on others to come out free of guilt? How could you?” I spat in utter rage, as I had no more restraint left to tolerate that coward Adrian any longer.

  I became ferocious.

  Adrian flinched back in absolute horror as soon as he realised that I would definitely make him pay, without thinking about what it would cost me next.

  Yes.

  I was becoming that desperate.

  Cause,

  Markus was still lying there helplessly while his useless beta was busy blaming me for his own sin. No, ...I was not at all afraid about what people would believe after this incident tonight, but I was much concerned about the one who didn't think twice to get stabbed instead of me. And all I knew at that moment was that I have to take him to the pack hospital right now, no matter how.

  Nothing should happen to Markus.

  I will never accept that.

  So,

  Without waiting further, I vented all my anger on that brute Adrian by knocking him out in no time, only to leave him right at the spot unconscious. It just caused him a few more cracked bones, nothing fatal. But it wasn't the case with the other one, with Markus.

  Somehow, I gathered all my strength to put him at the backseat of his bike while I made sure to place myself carefully at the front so that I could take him to the hospital as soon as possible.

  His head seemed heavy on my shoulder as his entire body was leaning on me, like some lifeless being. I couldn't even explain how miserably my heart was paining, seeing him in such condition, while his blood didn't cease to soak my attire as well.

  Although I knew that there was no one to listen to my prayers but still I kept asking for some more time, so that Markus could get enough time to be healed.

  Except that, I couldn't think anything else.

  I kept speeding up the bike like never before. The wind felt harsh, while the cold night could not stop me from sweating. But nothing could bother me enough at that moment, as I was determined to save my saviour whom I used to hate once.

  Yes,

  Just one single incident changed everything. I had never believed before that I would be this desperate to save Markus. Only tonight I had realised that though he was not the ideal guy, he was not that bad either. Yes, he had faults too, just like anyone else, which is not wrong.

  After a while, when I reached the hospital along with the still unconscious Markus who was leaning on my back, I called for help desperately. And help did come in no time, and Markus was taken inside for surgery as soon as possible.

  I let go of the breath at last which I was holding in for long.

  I let my body tremble, which I couldn't allow all this while cause I needed to be strong for him. To save him. And I did succeed.

  And now I had another thing left to do. So, I took out my phone from my pocket and called the only one who would help me out for sure.

  “Where are you right now?” Without giving him time to say anything, I asked as soon as Kaith picked up the call.

  “At the packhouse. Why? Did anything happen? You are sounding quite weird.” He started his queries once again but I didn't have time for his interrogations, so I had to stop him,

  “Listen to me carefully. You need to pick someone to drag him to the pack hospital right now. Okay? And don't ask me further questions. Cause I will tell you everything later. But for now, do exactly what I say. Don't try to fight, don't try to accuse anyone of anything whatever you will be seeing afterwards. Just bring that person straight to the hospital without a single word. Okay? Are you getting me?” My voice was stern as I had no reason to act otherwise.

  “Yes. From where?” Keith asked without any more questions, just as I had asked and he did understand the intensity of the moment.

  And with that, I told him to go to the exact street where I had left the broken Adrien just a while ago. Even when he tried to harm me badly, I couldn't leave him at the middle of the road to be smashed under some other wheels.

  So, I asked Kaith to do the job for me.

  “Who am I looking for?” Keith asked at last.

  “Adrian.”

  He hung up the phone with just one name with no further comments. And I could rest assured that he would do exactly what I had asked him to do.

  But little did I know that even though Kaith was willing to help, the situation was not at all favourable. Cause after some time I saw Kaith entering the hospital but to my surprise he was alone.

  “What happened?” I asked worriedly as soon as he came to stand in front of me with a frown n his face.

  “Where is he? Where is Adrian? Did you already kill him? I asked you not to do anything. Why didn't you listen?” I kept asking as he was still standing quiet, keeping his intense gaze on me in order to figure out something else which kept bothering him all this while.

  “I didn't do anything. When I went there, he was gone already. I could see no one, not even his bike. But...” He answered finally, breaking the silence only to invite it once again to torment me even more as I was becoming impatient with each passing seconds.

  “But?” I wanted him to proceed desperately.

  “But the place was totally covered with blood. What happened there, Sam? And why are you here? Whose blood is all over your clothes?” He asked calmly with a lot of concerns and I knew that he was scared to assume that something bad must have happened
. Anyone who would see such a scene would definitely be scared to death. So, it was my turn to say him everything.

  “It's Markus.” With that, I told him each and everything that happened to me recently. I disclosed every single thing before my best friend at last, and about meeting my mate as well, whom I didn't see yet.

  And after listening to all of my side of the story, he asked me the only thing,

  “Now, what do you want to do?”

  “Nothing. I don't want any chaos anymore because of me. I don't even want to blame anyone for tonight. I just want to think that nothing happened and you would do the same.

  I don't want an eye for an eye. Cause it will only create a greater conflict among the packs. And I don't want that.

  I just wish that nothing happens to Markus, otherwise, I could never forgive myself. Cause for me he is suffering right now. It's true that I am the most unlucky one indeed.” My voice trembled, at last, thinking that someone else was now paying for my sins, which I might have done unknowingly.

  And then I was suddenly reminded of the one whom I supposed to meet again, tonight.

  Mate must be waiting for me.

  “Kaith, I need to go.” I said hurriedly.

  “Where?” He asked while we both made our way out of the hospital in a hurry.

  “To meet him.” I was about to run to go to my mate, leaving Markus's bike at the hospital, when Kaith called me from behind.

  “Get on. I will drop you.” He motioned his head at me to sit behind him. I knew that he was going to pick up Jenny as well, and I was going that way too, so there won't be any problem.

  Without delaying further I settled myself behind him and he started the bike quickly only to run the wheels towards our mates.

  I wondered again thinking about what new I was going to find out tonight. What else was waiting for me in the dark?

  Surprisingly time flew with a great speed tonight, and I didn't know why I was feeling anxious to meet my mysterious mate for no reason, for the first time.

  No, maybe there was some reason, but still, I never felt this excited before.

  In no time Kaith stopped his bike in front of the club as I had asked him. I got off the bike and was about to run to the darkest alley when Kaith pulled me back by my wrist, only to say,

  “You are not the unlucky one, you know. Unlucky are all those who couldn't get to know you better.

  And that's why I feel myself the luckiest to have a friend like you.” He let my hand go, only after saying all those words to me from the depth of his heart. And I knew that he meant each and everything what he just said. His eyes revealed so.

  Before running out of his sight for tonight, I hugged him tight to show that I am glad too to have such a great friend like him. Yes, just a few words could not show what I wanted to convey.

  Yes, he is indeed the best person in my life.

  Anyway,

  After running for a while I was already standing in front of the alley where I was supposed to meet my mate every night. But tonight something was different.

  Yes, I got it what was missing.

  Unlike other nights, I found no smell of my mate, quite surprisingly.

  Didn't he come tonight?

  As far as I know, it was already past midnight.

  I know that I am late, but I didn't expect him to walk away without waiting for me.

  What could have happened?

  Episode 21

  Summer's P.O.V

  Even though I knew that mate wasn't here tonight, I started to get in the dark alley, thinking about a lot of possibilities of his absence. I was well aware that no matter how many steps I take forward, nothing will take me to him, to my mate...nothing was going to replace this cold and empty night with something warm. His warmth.

  I was dying to know why didn't he come tonight...why did he choose to stand me up alone in the dark...what happened all of a sudden.

  The cold night air around me started to feel heavy while my heart was already at the verge of becoming numb once again. I had never thought that not being able to see my mate for just one night would make me this pathetic, at least when I was always reluctant to meet him until tonight. Then why?

  Was it my punishment for not letting him know each other's actual identity?

  Was I really wrong to take such a decision?

  Why does nothing happen to me in a normal way ever? Why each and everything has to be all messed up in my life?

  Standing in the dark and deserted alley I kept thinking about all those incidents that happened to me recently...only to find me the answer about where exactly I did the wrong.

  No, I had no intention to go back this quickly just because mate was not here. I was determined to wait for him this time, at the exact place where he left me hanging.

  And the only reason I kept giving myself for such decision was what if he was also late like me? If not, what if he decides to come back to meet? What if he could not see me when he reaches here?

  So, I must wait, and which I did obviously with all my hopes high.

  But, there was no sign of him at all.

  Seconds turned to minutes and minutes to hours, I kept standing alone in the dark but he was still nowhere near this place.

  The night had started to become cold, causing me to shiver a bit. The only thing that I could smell all this time was the rich smell of iron, the smell of blood.

  Yes, my clothes were a bit soaked with Markus's blood after what happened earlier, but they had already dried by now after waiting for such a long time out in the cold, which caused my shirt to become a bit stiff and sticky at the back.

  The intense smell of blood kept reminding me of the horrible incident from earlier, making me much worried about Markus's condition right now but also it didn't fail to make me aware of the fact that I need to return too...that I had waited for enough...and also that my mate was not going to coming either.

  But how could I make my heart understand which was still willing to wait even if it takes all the time until he comes again tomorrow night?

  Then again, will he even come to meet me tomorrow or would I have to keep standing in this exact dark and wicked alley every time only to wait for him just like tonight?

  Will he ever come again?

  But still, I kept asking myself so many whys.

  Yes.

  Why didn't he bother to tell me before?

  Why when I was finally dying to be with him...to touch him...to listen to his deep voice...to feel all those tingles even if just for a while, why did he have to vanish into the thin air without any words?

  Or,

  Or did he try to reach me but could not?

  Shit.

  Why didn't I think that before?

  Maybe he had to be somewhere else tonight for something more important, but he just could not tell me, because he had no means to contact me.

  Yes, that might be the case, cause I never gave him anything to reach me when needed. Not even my number.

  Then how could he contact? No, he just could not, even if he wants to.

  But I can.

  Yes, I got his number mysteriously, not long ago, as he maybe wanted to make sure that I could reach him whenever I feel like talking to him or taking another step further with him, with our not so blooming relationship.

  All of a sudden I started to think differently. I started to feel that maybe there is still some hope. Maybe he didn't abandon me willingly. Maybe he had some reason which he couldn't tell. So, that means I can call anytime and ask him, only if I can gather some courage to do so.

  Because as far as I remember, I could not, this morning.

  Suddenly, the wind seemed to start blowing on a completely different direction, on a virgin way that was never traversed by the wind ever before. And strangely, I didn't know from where, but I got the courage to take the much-awaited step which I was always unwilling to initiate.

  In an instant, even before my mind could recollect what I should do next or
not, my legs started to move without much of my knowledge, as my heart was becoming more and more impatient to solve all those unsolved miseries which were embracing my life, to make my life even more miserable.

  I started running, without thinking about anything else only to come out of the dark alley and to cover the whole distance from here to my home just on my feet.

  Cause I needed to go home as quickly as possible.

  Cause it was just the distance which I needed to cover that was left between me and my mate right this instant... I mean his number. It was at home.

  And the biggest question you must be wondering how did I get my mate's number right?

  Well, let me clear all this out for you.

  ****flashback from today morning ****

  Kaith left my room but only after he was fully convinced that I was not staying back at home but going to school together with him, even when I was not at all feeling to do so.

  In fact, I had no intention to move even from my bed the whole day if it was not for Kaith who never fails to be there to threaten me, in each and every way possible to keep me moving on with my forever hopeless life.

  So, I had no choice.

  If I really needed to go to school, I needed to prepare myself to hide once again only to go through the same tiring school hours... the same routine all over again.

  In that case, I should not delay anymore then.

  With that, I got up from the bed and dragged myself to the bathroom only to get out of the clothes from last night which I didn't bother to change until now, so that I could take a good and relaxing shower.

  And after taking off almost every piece of clothing ever so quickly, I was about to throw them aside for washing later just when something stopped me from doing so.

  A piece of paper which was peeking out of my pant's back pocket caught my attention all of a sudden.

  As far as I remember, I never put anything inside my back pocket ever. So, that's why I became all curious to see, from where it came.

  In no time, the piece of paper was lying on my hand and the words written on it were before my eyes. It was saying: