Chapter 234: The Sun Always Rises
Richard died in Enzo’s arms that morning, just before sunrise.
For a long time, Enzo just sat there holding his father with his head hung low. He didn’t say a word, nor
did he even look up as the rest of us quietly sat around him and reached out tofort him. No one
else spoke, either.
I couldn’t help but cry a bit. I hardly knew Richard, and the only times where we met each other were
turbulent, but it still made me sad to see Enzo in such a depressed state. Richard was his father, after
all. And, right before the end, Richard had a change of heart and tried to make up for the horrible things
he said and did. That alone was enough to make me forgive him for the times that he made me scared
and threatened me. I wondered if I should tell my mother, as well; she had, after all, known him for
years, not to mention the fact that she told me in herst letter that Richard wasn’t the one who put the
curse on Taylor after all.
Finally, Enzo slowly looked up from his father’s stiff body as the sun rose and began to shine through
the trees. His eyes looked red and puffy, and I knew that he had been holding back tears all morning.
But Enzo was too strong to ever cry. Part of me wished that he would just let go and allow himself to
cry, but at the same time I was impressed by his fortitude.
“I want to bury him,” he said suddenly, his eyes fixed on the ground a few feet in front of him,
unblinking.
I nodded, then nced over at our other friends. They all looked just as exhausted as I felt, but they
also nodded in agreement and stood. I knew that they wouldn’t leave Enzo alone during a time like this,
despite everything else.
Thankfully, no one had been hurt by Selena or the witch. I was d that she really did just put them
under a sleeping spell. Selena was certainly aware of the power of the twin bond, and I thought that
that was why she didn’t kill them; she knew that if she killed or even hurt my friends, I would either kill
her or myself, and she would die either way. She didn’t want that to happen.
Maybe, I thought to myself as we slowly and silently followed Enzo deeper into the woods, I could use
that to my advantage at some point. Selena clearly didn’t want to die; maybe I could somehow threaten
to do something that would cause her to die, which would make her rethink doing something horrible.
Just maybe…
While the rest of us followed Enzo deeper into the forest to bury his father, Matt took off at a sprint to
retrieve a shovel from the tool shed on campus. He was faster than ever now that he was a werewolf,
and returned quickly. I noticed that Matt slipped something secretly into Enzo’s hands as well when he
returned; I didn’t know what it was, but I didn’t ask.
Then, we all took turns digging a grave for Richard.
Enzo wrapped Richard’s body in arge canvas tarp that Matt also retrieved from the tool shed. The
rest of us then stood nearby, sniffling and wiping away our tears, as Matt and Enzo slowly lowered
Richard’s body into the freshly dug grave.
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When it was all finished, after we all stood in silence over the grave for some time and then slowly piled
the dirt back on top of Richard’s body, Enzo seemed to be filled with a new determination. I didn’t know
what Richard said to him before he died, and neither did anyone else. We all decided to give them
privacy during those moments, and I wanted to keep it that way.
But whatever Richard said to Enzo changed something in him. Before, I could tell that he didn’t want to
return for the Alpha King. I always had a sinking feeling that he would try to just run away with me and
our friends and get away from it all, and I didn’t me him. But I had to go back for the Alpha King if I
wanted to stop Selena from taking over the world, and I would have been willing to go on my own if
Enzo refused to do it.
However, now I could tell that Enzo had the drive to go.
When he buried his father’s body, it was as if each shovelful of fresh dirt filling the grave also filled
Enzo with more and more determination. And when it was all finished, he wiped his dirty hands on his
pants and turned back to face the rest of us.
“My father ordered me to stop Selena before it’s toote,” he said, his voice surprisingly clear and
strong despite his grief. “That’s what I’m going to do.”
Enzo then looked over at me. I could see now that his eyes were still full of pain, but there was a bit of
a sparkle there as he met my gaze. Without a word, I slowly walked up to him and slipped my hand into
his, never breaking my gaze from his face. “We can do it together,” I said quietly.
I could tell that Enzo wanted to tell me not toe. He chewed the inside of his cheek for a moment,
his brown eyes searching my face. He opened his mouth and then closed it again, as though he was
going to say something — he was likely going to say that he would go alone — but decided against it.
Instead, he only pursed his lips and nodded.
“We have to go now,” he said quietly, turning to look at the rest of the group then. “Selena will only
cause the Alpha King and everyone else shees into contact with to meet the same fate as my
father.”
The rest of the group stared back at us, silent and pale. They all looked utterly exhausted. Jessica and
Lori were leaning against each other a little for support, and even Matt and Luke stood behind them
with somber, drawn faces and gaunt cheeks. They all had dark circles under their eyes.
I was sure that Enzo and I looked the same, but we had no choice. The rest of our friends, however,
didn’t need toe with us. I didn’t want to endanger them again.
“We believe in you,” Lori suddenly said. Her voice was hoarse, and so low it was almost a whisper. At
first, I thought that she was referring to both Enzo and myself. But then I noticed, however, that she
was only looking at me. So were the others; even Enzo was only looking down at me.
And when I looked up at Enzo’s soft brown eyes, he only nodded. Now that I looked up at him, I
realized that he wasn’t going because he thought that he could take down Selena; he was going
because he wanted to be my backup. I felt his body lean into me a little bit, and I chose to support him.
After all, I knew it was my job to be the steady pir that my friends needed at a time like this. And I
believed in myself, too. I was the only person who could ultimately stop Selena.
Besides… With Enzo there as my bodyguard, I felt confident that I could take Selena on.
That morning, I was prepared to die.