My eyes stay glazed over and unfocused as I stare at nothing in particular. The sound of my heartbeat echoes in my ears, it's repetitive rhythm quickening when I think of the dark place that I just awoke from.

Every time I close my eyes, bright red orbs with a sadistic glint are staring back at me, seemingly burnt into my brain. They haunt me and torture me, consistently filling my mind with fears and doubts, and I know that it will be a very long time before I willingly fall asleep again.

"Victoria," Zeke breathes quietly, snapping me out of my sullen thoughts and successfully catching my attention.

My eyes shoot to his and I stare at him stoically, hiding my lingering panic beneath a cold and emotionless expression. His posture is stiff as he sits on the edge of my desk chair, which he rolled closer to the side of the bed.

"Are you okay?" he repeats his unanswered question from a few moments ago.

"I'm fine." I dismiss. The lie rolls off of my tongue easily, but that doesn't surprise me because it's a lie that I've been using since I learned how to talk. I have to tell him that i'm fine, and I have to act like I'm fine, even if i'm not.

One look over his worried, apprehensive features, and It's obvious that he doesn't believe me, but I'm thankful that he doesn't push it.

"How long?" I ask lowly, almost afraid of the answer.

He shoots me a quizzical look, before realization flashes in his eyes, and he clears his throat before answering me.

"Three days," he says after a beat of silence, looking at the bed to avoid my piercing gaze.

Sucking in a sharp breath, my eyes shift back to the window, following the raindrops that trail down the glass, leaving thin streaks of water in its wake.

I was asleep for three days.

I feel numb and cold, the answer proving to be something I didn't want to know, but something I needed to know.

"Do you want to lay back down? Or maybe I should get Gabriel? I think he's just downstairs," Zeke rambles out hurriedly in a worried tone, watching me like I'll collapse any second.

A question spins around my mind, and it tumbles out of my mouth before I have the chance to stop myself.

"Why are you still here, Zeke?" I ask, watching him closely for his reaction.

He stills for a second, muscles tense, obviously not expecting me to ask him that. Leaning back further into the chair, threading his fingers through his dark hair, and simultaneously pushing it away from his face, he lets out a sigh.

"You really thought I would leave? Especially after all of that?" he questions, sounding curious and baffled.

"I told you to," I respond quickly. I close my eyes when my head throbs with each syllable that I speak, and rub my temples with my fingers, trying to rid myself of the dull ache. "You should go back to your pack, Moose."

"They're fine without me for now. I'm not gonna leave," he says stubbornly.

It feels like we've had this argument a hundred times before and I no longer have the patience for it.

"Why?" I snap, lifting my head, my eyes locking on his. "Why not?"

He silently stares at me in surprise, seeming shocked by my sudden outburst.

"No, seriously, Moose, tell me why," I press, ripping the blanket off of me and spinning around to sit on the edge of my bed, where my legs dangle and my toes touch the cold wooden ground. "You were attacked by a demon because of me and you almost died. You then watched me strangle him with smoke and rip his heart out. I mean, you just found out that my father is the goddamn Devil! So why the hell are you still here?" I finish, letting out a humorless laugh that makes me sound like i'm loosing my sanity.

"It wasn't your fault that we got attacked," he voices, his mossy green eyes flickering between mine. I take note of how he avoids answering the main question I just threw at him.

The genuine look in his eyes almost makes me want to believe him, but I know better than that. If I wasn't here, the demon would have never gone after them, and Zeke would have never been poisoned.

"He was looking for me." I scoff, shaking my head in denial.

It's obvious he disagrees, but he stays silent, only watching me like I'm a puzzle that he can't piece together. His head tilts in a very animalistic way as he observes me.

"Why did you do it?" he questions after a long beat of silence.

"Do what?" I retort with a confused expression.

"Why did you save me?" he asks.

My muscles turn rigid at his inquiry. I had a feeling that this would come up eventually, but I still hoped that somehow it wouldn't.

"You were dying," I answer curtly and carelessly.

"So?" he says with a shrug, cocking an eyebrow at me. "The first time that we met, I threatened you. I was a jerk and you had absolutely no reason to save me."

"Why does it matter?" I bite out.

"Because, you had no reason to save me, but you did," he emphasizes, eyes boring into mine. "And from what Gabriel's told me, there is something big coming and you could use some help."

My eyes narrow at him in suspicion and I can't help but question his loyalty and wonder if I should trust him.

"Cayden, Noah, and my father are also willing to help," he says, making my eyes sharpen.

"Really?" I ask sarcastically, my jaw set and my tone full of anger and disbelief. "Because three days ago, they were looking at me like I was going to slaughter them."

Zeke winces, guilt flashing in his eyes.

"I know that they didn't handle it very well but they're all sorry about that, but we really do want to help. If there's gonna be a war here we want to fight in it." he says.

Shaking my head, I stand to my feet, ignoring the brief wave of dizziness that washes over me.

"There is a war coming Moose, but you need to be as far away from it as you can get." I reply. He opens his mouth to argue, but I cut him off before he can. "This is going to be a war against Lucifer and I can guarantee that he'll bring all of hell with him."

Zeke's eyes widen as my words sink in, lips parting in shock. After a few moments, he shakes his head, clearing his surprise, and rises to his full height with a sudden confidence swimming in his eyes.

"I am going to fight with you, and there's really nothing you can do to stop me." he says sternly.

I search his eyes, only to find a fire of determination burning inside them. I know that he will find a way into battle no matter what I tell him, but that doesn't stop me from disagreeing with his decision.

"You're being stupid, Moose," I growl out in irritation.

His lips twitch upwards into a smug smirk and his shoulders lift to give a shrug.

"I don't mind being stupid if it means that I get to fight," he retorts.