Page 16 of Wraith

But I wasn’t strong enough for that. Not yet.

Instead, I let myself sink into the shadows, my energy dwindling as the bond throbbed faintly in the back of my mind. I didn’t know how far I could push myself before I unraveled completely. But for the first time since my death, I felt the spark of something I thought I’d lost.

Hope.

Not the soft, fragile hope I’d clung to in life. This was darker, sharper. A hope forged from desperation and rage, from the relentless need to prove that I wasn’t gone.

That I wasn’t done. Not yet.

Ten

Out of all their places,I hated Lucian’s apartment the most. For some reason, it was always entirely too silent. It was the kind of silence that made me itch, the kind that left too much room for the noise in my head to take over.

I hovered near the far wall, my form flickering faintly as I watched him and her. She was perched on the couch beside him, her phone cradled in her lap, her legs tucked under her like she owned the place. Her laughter rang out, soft and sweet, as she leaned into Lucian, brushing his arm with a practiced ease that made my stomach churn.

Lucian tilted his head toward her, his smirk lazy as he sipped his beer. He looked comfortable, relaxed, like nothing in the world could touch him. Like my death hadn’t even been a ripple in his perfect little pond.

I drifted closer, drawn by the faint buzz of the bond, even though I knew it would only hurt. My gaze flicked to her phone, curiosity gnawing at me. Her thumb darted across the screen, typing with a speed that made me pause.

The messages she sent were stark and glaring in the glow of her phone:

God, I can’t wait to get out of here. Watching him brood is exhausting.

A bubble popped up, her friend typing back.

Bet you wish it was me there instead of him.

Her smile widened as she replied, tilting the screen away from Lucian, who was too busy scrolling through his own phone to notice.

You have no idea. Lucian’s good for dinners and gifts, but you? You’re my real fun.

I froze, the words cutting through me sharper than any knife.

She paused, then added another text, the audacity making my chest tighten with rage.

Tomorrow? After he’s asleep?

The reply was instant.

You know it, baby. Can’t wait to hear all the boring details about his sad little life while I fuck you properly.

The phone dinged, but she didn’t bother to hide her smug grin. Her hand brushed Lucian’s thigh absentmindedly, her voice soft as she said, “You’re quiet tonight. Everything okay?”

He glanced at her, the faintest hint of a smile playing on his lips. “Yeah. Just tired.”

“Tired of me yet?” she teased, her tone light, playful, and full of lies.

“Never,” Lucian replied, shaking his head as he leaned back.

She laughed, tucking her phone against her chest as she shifted closer to him. Her other hand reached for his drink, stealing a sip like it was some cute little inside joke.

I wanted to scream.

The bond between us throbbed violently, sending a wave of nausea crashing over me. My chest burned, the phantom ache spreading until it felt like my whole body might shatter.

This is what I died for?

The thought roared in my head, louder than the bond, louder than her laughter. This was the life I was tethered to, the person he chose over me—a liar, a cheat, someone who didn’t even care about him beyond what he could give her.

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