CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

Zahra's entire body shook violently, each tremor ripping through her like a wave crashing against jagged rocks. Her chest felt tight, suffocated by the weight of Quil's words. When he spoke, his voice wasn't harsh or accusatory, but the look in his eyes, the pain and disbelief that clouded his face, was enough to break her. Her legs buckled beneath her, and she collapsed to her knees on the cold floor, her hands trembling as they tried to steady herself.

But it wasn't just Quil's words that broke her. It was his actions that truly shattered what little resolve she had left. As Quil quickly turned away, his body shaking with a mix of anguish and confusion, he rushed out of the room, his footsteps echoing in the silence that followed. Embry and Jake, ever loyal, were right behind him, their eyes flicking briefly toward Zahra. There was suspicion in their gaze, a flicker of doubt that stung deeper than any physical wound.

Zahra's heart clenched in her chest as the door slammed shut behind them, the finality of their departure leaving an empty, suffocating void in the room. The weight of their rejection crushed her, a weight far worse than anything Esmeralda had ever put her through.

Behind her, Jared, Paul, and Sam remained. The air between them was thick with tension as they worked quickly to stabilize Old Quil, whose heartbeat was weak, each beat a fragile, fleeting reminder that his life hung by a thread. Zahra couldn't bear it. She reached out, her fingers trembling as she tried to touch the old man, desperate to do something—anything—to help him, but before her hand could reach him, Sam gently stopped her.

"I think you've done enough," Sam's words weren't sharp or cruel, but there was an undeniable finality in his tone. Zahra's hand froze midair, a sting of shame washing over her. She quickly withdrew it, her fingers curling into her palm as though to hide the weakness she had just shown.

The words stung more than she'd expected. Sam had meant them to be a quiet plea, a way of urging her to step back, but it felt like an accusation. She felt like the weight of her failure was too heavy for her to bear, as though the world itself had crumbled beneath her feet, and she was the one who had caused it. Her arms instinctively wrapped around her body, pulling herself in tight, trying to shield herself from the world outside. The dread that consumed her was suffocating, each breath more difficult than the last.

Joy, ever the nurturing presence, stepped forward, her expression soft, her hand reaching out to comfort Zahra. But Zahra recoiled, pulling back instinctively as though the mere touch of another person would cause more harm. Her head shook frantically, as though she could erase the situation, the damage done if only she could refuse the comfort offered. She couldn't let anyone else close, couldn't bear the thought of infecting them with the same destructive power that had already shattered her world.

Joy's face softened, the pain of seeing Zahra so broken evident in her eyes. But instead of pressing her further, Joy simply sighed, her shoulders sagging with quiet disappointment—not directed at Zahra, but at the way the pack had reacted. They had all assumed the worst, their suspicions tearing at the fragile threads of trust that had taken so long to build. But Joy didn't blame Zahra. She knew there was more to the story, knew that there was far more at play than anyone realized.

"Zahra, honey, it's not your fault," Joy said gently, her voice full of warmth and understanding, as though trying to pull Zahra from the abyss she was falling into.

But Zahra only cried harder, her sobs shaking her frame as she repeated the words in her mind, over and over. "It is. It's my fault, Joy. It's all my fault." Each repetition was a dagger to her heart, a denial of everything she had hoped for, everything she had fought for. She couldn't escape it. No matter how much Joy tried to comfort her, Zahra couldn't shake the guilt that gnawed at her, couldn't escape the feeling that she was to blame for everything that had gone wrong.

Joy, seeing that words wouldn't heal the wound, knew she had to leave Zahra to process it on her own. There was nothing more she could do. The young woman was so consumed by her grief that no comfort, no matter how sincere, would make a difference. With a heavy heart, Joy made the difficult decision to leave. Her father-in-law, Old Quil, needed her, and she couldn't ignore that responsibility. She left Zahra alone, her footsteps soft as she walked away, her heart breaking at the thought of leaving the girl to suffer in silence.

Once Joy had gone, Zahra let out a low, heart-wrenching sob, the sound echoing through the empty room. Her tears flowed freely, but something unexpected happened. As the tears fell, they began to change. The clear water turned crimson, and she froze, her hand shooting up to her face as she touched her skin. The warm liquid on her fingers was blood. Her heart lurched in panic as she looked at her hands, the blood staining her skin like an omen.

Her body trembled, not just from the pain of her emotions, but from the pain that was now coursing through her veins. Her powers, once dormant, were awakening, but in doing so, they were accelerating the process of her body's decay. The toll of years spent imprisoned, stripped of the energy she was meant to wield, was now taking its toll on her physical form. The powers she had fought so long to suppress were destroying her from the inside out. Her body was breaking down, and she was helpless to stop it.

Zahra knew, with a terrifying clarity, that she was running out of time. Her body was dying, and there was nothing she could do to reverse it. She was a ticking time bomb, the magic inside her both a blessing and a curse. And yet, there was no hesitation in her movements. The decision had already been made.

With a quiet resolve, Zahra stood up, her legs still shaky but fueled by a single, overwhelming purpose. She walked to the door of her bedroom and locked it behind her. She took a moment to close her eyes, remembering the people she had loved, the memories she had made. Each moment, each face was burned into her mind as she prepared to walk away. To let go of everything.

She took a deep breath and ran toward the window. With a surge of strength, she vaulted over the sill, landing with a soft thud on the ground below. The night was thick with darkness, and Zahra let herself be swallowed by it. She ran through the night, the world around her a blur as she made her way to her first destination, her mind focused on the task at hand. She wasn't sure what would happen next, but she knew she couldn't stay here. She couldn't stay with the pack, with the hurt, with the guilt that was suffocating her.

Zahra had a journey to finish. And no matter the cost, she was ready to face it.