IT WAS DARK.
I could sense her before I could see her.
I could sense her presence - though it was weak because of the Wolf Suppression.
It was evident that she, too, could sense me, as I heard her voice.
"Wes."
It took my eyes a moment to adjust to the dark before I could see her.
She was in the corner of the cell with her head against the wall.
"Mary."
She turned and looked at me in silence.
I felt a flash of red as our eyes met.
I had not looked into her gray eyes since the War.
I had attacked her. I had been so determined to kill her when I looked at her.
But she was not the same monster she had been in the War.
She had become weak. The gray in her eyes had become dull.
And I, too, had changed.
The flash of red disappeared as I realised that.
"Do you understand your situation?"
She laughed weakly at my question.
"How could I not understand my situation?"
"There are three options that I considered. The first option is to have you killed. The second option is to allow the Wolf Suppression to complete. And the third option is to heal you and have you leave Gray Valley."
"And? Have you considered your options and made your decision?"
"Yes."
She let out an unsteady breath.
"Is there anything you have to say before I tell you my decision?"
She nodded.
She turned to look at Anna. "You told Wes about my condition, didn't you, Bryanna?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because..."
"How long do I have?"
Anna hesitated. "I'm afraid you don't have long."
"So, that's why you told Wes about my condition." Mary smiled. "You have a kind heart, Bryanna, I'm so sorry for all that I have done to you and your brother."
Her eyes shifted over to Bryan and then, West, who was beside Anna.
"West," her voice was gentle. "I'm sorry, West, from the bottom of my heart, for everything."
His face flashed with emotion but he did not answer.
Mary returned her attention to me and nodded.
"Your decision, Wes."
There was silence throughout the cell.
And I knew the meaning of the silence. The meaning of the silence was that they unconditionally agreed with my decision.
I turned to Blayze who was behind me.
"Give me your blade."
Blayze placed his blade in my hand in silence.
I dragged the blade across my hand and watched as my blood trickled from the wound.
I reached out to Mary, who was on the ground, and used the same blade to slice into her hand, then, let my blood seeped into her blood through the wound.
She stared at my hand.
I could hear the disbelief in her voice as she spoke. "A Blood Exchange?"
"The third option," I replied.
"To heal me and have me leave Gray Valley... But why?"
"You may believe that you deserve to be killed, Mary."
I handed the blade back to Blayze.
"You may be right, but..."
I glanced at West.
He still had the same expression on his face.
And I had already made my decision before I caught sight of that complicated expression at the entrance to the cells.
I had the experience of the death of a Soulmate.
It was... Pain.
And it was pain I did not even wish for my enemy.
My brother should never have to experience the pain of the death of his Soulmate... Never.
"I don't believe in an eye for an eye or a tooth for a tooth... I don't believe in a life for a life."
The tears fell from her grey eyes.
"And I will not take your life."
I stepped away from her and towards Blayze.
"But you have to leave."
Mary got up from the ground. "I understand, Wes."
I closed my eyes.
"Leave," I repeated. "And never return to Gray Valley."
And when I opened my eyes, again, it was done.
She was gone.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2RCqeYWtl
