Leaving Was The Only War I Won Novels & Stories

Rossetti’s cold, victorious eyes. “Like I said,” he murmured. “This isn’t over.” Levi’s jaw clenched, his finger tightening on the trigger. I looked at him, my heart hammering. We had won the battle. But the war was far from over.

“It still feels surreal that we are finally at the end of a long war. We really won. I mean, I knew that we would win but I didn’t really expect it to be so easy for us to win.” I told him. “Woman, I like how you make it sound so easy. Did you forget? We fought, we almost lost, we lost family, we almost lost more family. We—okay that one is on me.” I smiled knowingly. I knew what he was about to say and liked that we could joke about that now. It’s all a part of our beautiful story. Also, he was right about us fighting, almost losing, and everything else. We won in the end and that matters the most.

“I don’t want things to be this way. But wars call for sacrifices. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I let the unthinkable happen to my people. This is the right thing to do. I hope you can see that” The rest of the day went by as a blur. Vivian and I spent the day preparing to leave. Vivian was pretty chuffed about my change of attitude. I could feel the angry towards her radiating off Justen. He blamed her for me wanting to leave. It didn’t seem to bother Vivian one bit. She dismissed his feelings with a wave of her hand. “He will understand one day. War always demands a high price. That is why it takes special kinds of people to win them”

At the man who forgot me. At the man who still chose me. The night trembled. And I knew— This war had truly begun

I stood up, wiping my bloody hand on my pants. I looked at my men, who had watched the whole thing without moving. “Get him a doctor. Make sure he lives. I want him to remember this lesson for a long, long time.” Then I turned and walked out, leaving my broken, treacherous brother bleeding on the floor of his perfect sunroom. The war was no longer hidden. It was out in the open now. And I would do whatever it took to win.

Her name was still there. He hadn’t given up on her. Her phone buzzed. Unknown Number: So it’s true. You’re leaving. Melissa stared at the message. Melissa: Temporarily. A pause. Good. Sometimes distance is how wars are won. She exhaled slowly. Downstairs, Alice raised a glass of wine. “To peace,” she said quietly. Melissa stood at the top of the staircase, watching. Enjoy it, she thought. It won’t last. Because she wasn’t leaving as a defeated daughter. She was leaving as a witness. And when she returned Everything would burn.

I curled up on the floor and squeezed my eyes shut, shedding the last tears that I still had within me. Zack and I cut ties with each other once our bond was broken. He became the Alpha of the pack just like how he always wanted. Meanwhile, Mom left me forever on a summer day. I also got into the accident on the day of her funeral. Sometimes, I wondered if Mom thought that I was suffering too much on earth and wanted to bring me to heaven with her. "I gave up on my treatment because I wanted to spend the time I have left traveling to different places. I didn't expect to run into Zack here. However, the past is in the past. So many years have passed, and I've come to terms with what happened.

Six months later, Carlo, who once terrorized Port San Vito and forced us to pay protection money, knelt in the muddy water and blocked my path. Red-eyed, he begged me to bring the Moretti convoys back. "Ms. Moretti, if you come back, there'll be no protection money and no parking fees... I'll even pay you." I regarded him coldly and remembered how, six months earlier, he had flicked ash onto my financial statements and looked down at me as he said, "Pay, or get out of Port San Vito."

I ran my hand over the blanket. “You should’ve been mine,” I whispered. My voice shook,not because I was sad. But because I was furious. He had picked her. Ryan had picked her. Even Aaron had picked her. They always picked her. So I picked something too. War. Not the loud, messy kind. The kind that slips in quietly. With a smile. With soft steps. With patience. The kind that doesn’t scream. It waits. Then strikes when you least expect it. Let Alice enjoy her spotlight.

That love had proven stronger than hate. The war wasn't over. Would never be completely over. But this battle—this particular fight against this particular extremist—was finished. And we'd won. Barely. At terrible cost. With scars that would last forever. But we'd won. Together. Always together. The way it should have been from the beginning. **TO BE CONTINUED...** ---