Semua Bab Unwritten Mates : Bab 71 - Bab 80

I never thought I’d have to talk about it. Not again. Not after all this time. Five years of shoving it into the deepest, darkest part of my mind, locking it away, and praying it would stay there. But one question from Luca, one stupid, innocent-sounding question, and suddenly the lock snaps clean off."What happened to you, Quinn?" he’d asked, voice low but sharp like a blade pressed to my skin.I didn’t answer right away. Couldn't. My fingers dug into the edge of the table like it was the only thing keeping me upright. I focused on the grain of the wood, tracing every line and ridge with my eyes, desperate for something to ground me. But that question... it echoed in my head, louder, louder, until it drowned out every other thought.What happened to you?“Quinn,” Trinity’s voice slid into my mind, her tone tight with concern. “What’s going on? Why do I feel... anxious? Sad? It's not me. It’s you. What’s wrong?”I clenched my jaw so hard my teeth ached. I didn’t want her in here. Not

The cold air pressed against my skin like needles, but I barely felt it. Quinn sat across from me, her face a storm of emotion—grief, anger, guilt. It was all there, laid out for me to see like a book with every painful chapter ripped open. In the beginning, I’d spent months trying to make her hate me, pushing her away so she wouldn’t get caught in my world, but it happened anyway, and it turned out she’d been drowning in her own hell.Her eyes stayed locked on mine, unflinching as she spoke, every word heavier than the last. "Cale killed them, Luca. My parents... they’re gone because of him." Her voice cracked, and she sucked in a shaky breath. "He told me if I didn’t do what he wanted, you and Ethan would be next."I felt like my heart had been yanked out of my chest and shoved back in, twisted and raw. Rage flared up so hot I could barely see straight, my vision tinged red. Cale—that twisted, power-hungry bastard—had taken everything from her. From us."So you stayed with him?" I a

The taste of Luca’s kiss lingered on my lips while his hands stayed firm on my hips, and the way his eyes burned into mine made it impossible to look away. My thoughts were a jumbled mess of emotions I didn’t have names for, and for a second, the world had shrunk down to just us—the steady thrum of his heart against mine, the sharp pull of need between us.Then the door flew open.“What the fuck is going on here?”The voice was sharp, cutting through the haze like a cold blade. I jerked away from Luca so fast I nearly tripped over my own feet. My pulse jumped to my throat as I turned to see Derek standing at the entrance of the pavilion, his eyes darting between us like he’d walked in on something forbidden. And maybe he had.Luca’s entire body went rigid. His hands dropped from my waist, fingers curling into tight fists at his sides. His eyes darkened—no, not just darkened. They shifted. That eerie glow of red bled into his irises like ink in water, and I knew that wasn’t just him any

The ride back was drenched in that kind of uncomfortable silence that made every bump in the road feel sharper. I stared out the window, watching trees whip past in a green blur, trying to focus on that instead of the tight knot in my chest.Derek’s hands gripped the steering wheel a little too hard, his knuckles pale with the pressure. I’d caught him glancing at me a couple of times, his eyes darting my way like he was checking to make sure I hadn’t combusted. After the third glance, he finally broke the silence.“You okay back there?” His voice was quieter than I’d expected, like he’d been holding it in too long.I didn’t look at him. “Yeah, I’m fine.”He nodded slowly, like he didn’t quite believe me. “Back there,” he said, clearing his throat, “I just wanted to say thanks for... y’know, standing up for me.”That made me glance at him. “Someone had to.” I shrugged, but the weight of it didn’t sit lightly on my shoulders. “You’re the only one that’s shown me any kind of respect, Dere

My head felt like it had been stuffed with hot coals. Every breath I took was a battle, shallow and ragged, as though the air itself had turned to smoke. I’d been in and out of consciousness for days, wrapped up in a fever that burned hotter than any bonfire. My skin felt too tight for my body, slick with sweat, and every movement sent fire shooting through my stomach. The silver had done its job. Trinity had buried herself deep, retreating to a place I couldn’t reach, and I could barely feel her presence anymore. I’d never felt so alone.I’d been stupid. Arrogant, even. I’d convinced myself that I could take whatever Cale threw at me. After all the punishments, I’d thought I’d grown numb to it. Pain was pain—sharp, dull, burning, aching. I’d felt them all. But silver… silver was different. Silver clung to you, ate away at you, and left you hollow. I’d underestimated it. I’d underestimated him.“I’m sorry, Trinity,” I mumbled, barely able to move my lips. My voice was hoarse, cracked f