Chapter 41: If you are wrong...

She couldn’t look him in the eye again.

Not after what he’d just said.

Not after he’d just cracked her heart open, and taken another piece of it with him.

And definitely...not when he was back to staring at her with that cold look.

Right now, she was sitting on the floor again, still naked from the said down while he stood right in front of her.

She could feel his demanding gaze on her, and he was waiting for something. Waiting for her to speak...to say anything.

Almost like he was giving her a chance to try and convince him. To tell him the truth that he might just believe right now. To show him another angle to this story he would be able to hold on to, to walk out of here with a heart that isn’t completely shattered.

To... want to believe.

And to actually believe that she was innocent.

That she wasn’t like Katherine.

She felt the softness of his emotions in the bond, the weakness that he let her feel, as he still waited.

And waited.

Minutes passed, but she didn’t.

She remained curled up around herself. She remained staring at a distance.

Malachi finally sighed, shook his head disappointingly and took a step to leave when her palm shot out and grabbed his legs to stop him.

The movement had been purely impulsive, and pain seared through her palm the moment she grabbed him.

It was the palm where the blood pact cut sat.

The one she’s been hiding from the gaze.

He looked down at her hand, and caught the sight of it for a moment, but he was more invested in her emotions to care. He assumed it was a small tear and meant nothing right now, considering the situation she was in right now.

"Moonfire," He called, giving her one last chance.

But she slowly let go of his leg, her eyes still downcast hopelessly as she curled her body into a ball, leaning against the wall.

Malachi didn’t waste another second. He gritted his teeth and walked away.

The moment the large metal door completely closed at the end of the dark, lonely corridor, Della’s shoulders began to shake. But she couldn’t afford to cry.

She couldn’t afford to let the grief and the pain crash into her right now...or else Malachi would feel it.

He would feel it, and he might return.

And she couldn’t face him again. Not again.

"This is probably your fate," Her shoulders continued to shake badly, her voice barely there, "Endure it all, so that Lian can live the rest of his life without the burden of you by his side, with people who would adore him, with friends to play with him, and the best healers to look after him. He’ll be fine," A tear leaked out, "As long as you keep enduring it,"

She looked again at the cell, where Malachi’s scent filled.

It was all his fault!!

If only he had brought Lian with him that night she had begged!

If only he hadn’t dragged her away and left Lian to keep suffering!

It was all his fault!

"I hate you," She whispered, hugging herself as the cold from the floor started spreading into her body, "I hate you so much,"

.

.

.

The iron door had barely finished echoing shut before another voice cut through the corridor.

"Malachi."

He didn’t stop walking.

"Malachi."

The second call carried enough authority to finally make him halt, and the man slowly turned.

Cassian stood at the opposite end of the underground passage, his silver eyes fixed on him. His expression was calm, but only on the surface. The muscles in his jaw were locked so tightly that anyone who knew him would immediately recognise the warning beneath it.

He stared at Malachi, and what he saw...was almost the same expression he wore the night he realised that Katherine was actually evil.

A lost look.

For several seconds, neither Alpha spoke, and then stale air between them grew heavier.

"You went to see her," Cassian finally said.

Malachi’s expression became unreadable again instantly, because showing weakness in any form as an Alpha, was the same as defeat, "I did."

"And?"

Silence.

Cassian continued to study him carefully, "I asked you a question."

"I heard it."

"Then answer it."

Malachi’s icy gaze drifted toward the prison door behind him before returning to Cassian, "There is no doubt in my mind," Malachi lied, "She is responsible for the banner,"

"No." Cassian scoffed.

Malachi’s eyes narrowed, "No?" he repeated.

"She confessed," Cassian said firmly, "but I didn’t ask what she said." The words lingered, "I asked what happened."

"Nothing happened." He replied, a muscle twitching in his jaw.

Cassian laughed, and it wasn’t the regular one that was filled with warmth. It was so dry that his voice cracked at some point, "But you look like a man who’s just buried, someone."

"I’m fine."

"No," Cassian answered quietly, "You’re furious. And when you’re furious, you become blind."

Something dangerous flickered inside Malachi’s eyes, "You’ve always talked too much."

"And you’ve always listened too little."

The corridor seemed to shrink around them, and Cassian folded his arms, "She’s lying." He added.

"You don’t know that." Malachi’s gaze hardened.

"I do."

"You believe it."

"I know it."

Malachi stepped closer, "Based on what?"

"Based on the fact that nothing about this makes sense." Cassian didn’t move back an inch.

"Everything makes sense."

"No." Cassian shook his head, "It just fits together too perfectly"

Malachi gritted his teeth.

Of course he did. Did Cassian think he didn’t know that?! Every explanation. Every detail.

Everything had fit.

"You sound exactly like I did." His expression darkened.

Cassian frowned.

"When Katherine happened."

"And look where that left us." Cassian blurted angrily,

"You think history won’t repeat itself?" Malachi questioned, "The fact that I was mated again to a rotblood. History is doomed to repeat itself!"

"I think you’re forcing history to repeat itself." Cassian fired back.

Malachi then laughed bitterly, and he shook his head so slowly and tiredly like Cassian had no idea what he’s been carrying all these years, what he’s been battling with, "You weren’t there."

"I was there." Cassian saw the look, "You know I was!"

"No." His voice became quieter, "You weren’t inside my head."

Cassian said nothing.

"You didn’t hear every promise. You didn’t watch her smile while she destroyed everything. You didn’t watch me become a fool, and you definitely, weren’t there...when she stabbed our daughter in the throat,"

The memories flashed through Malachi’s mind with brutal clarity.

Katherine laughing.

Katherine crying.

Katherine begging.

Katherine lying.

The life leaving his daughter’s eyes, while Katherine stood over them with a bloody knife.

Again.

Again.

Again.

"I’m never making that mistake again." His fists slowly clenched.

Cassian took one deliberate step forward, "And what if this is a different mistake?"

That made Malachi look up, and Cassian held his gaze without flinching, "What if this time, the innocent one is the person you’ve already condemned?"

The words struck deeper than either of them expected, and that same nagging feeling stirred uneasily inside of him.

But the mate bond... still flushed into him with her hate.

She hated him. She’s said it to his face before.

"No." He crushed the unease down.

"You don’t know."

"I do."

"You want to."

"I said no."

"Then explain something to me!" Cassian yelled, his patience finally snapped as his voice thundered through the underground corridor, "If she planned all of this, why did she look like someone attending her own execution?"

Neither Alpha moved.

"If she’s manipulating everyone, then why is she the only one losing everything right now?"

Nothing.

"If she’s protecting herself..." He tried to reason once again, his voice dropping into a desperate whisper, "...then who is she protecting?"

Malachi’s breathing became heavier.

He already knew the question, and he’s been trying to bury it ever since she confessed.

Cassian saw the hesitation in his eyes, and pointed, "The mate bond doesn’t lie, Malachi. You felt something, and you still feel something is terribly wrong"

"I felt nothing." He clenched his fists.

"Liar."

"You have overstayed your welcome!" Malachi exclaimed loudly, "The investigation is over, so pack your things and go back to Nightveil!"

The air trembled between them and stone cracked beneath both of their feet. Their Alpha auras exploded into the corridor, colliding with enough force to send dust raining from the ceiling.

Neither of them blinked.

Neither of them yielded.

For one terrifying moment, it looked as though two Supreme Alphas were about to tear each other apart.

Then footsteps echoed from the stairwell, and Rowan’s voice broke the tension, "Alpha!"

Several guards appeared behind him, and they all stopped dead in their tracks the moment they saw the scene before them.

Neither Alpha acknowledged them.

"If you’re wrong..." Cassian continued without taking his eyes off Malachi, "You’ll never forgive yourself."

"If I’m right..." Malachi’s reply came just as quietly, "...I already have."

Without another word, he turned and walked away.

Cassian remained where he stood, staring after his former best friend until the light swallowed him. Only then did he look toward the prison cell at the end of the corridor.

His unease only deepened.

"Hold on a little longer, little servant," He murmured.