Chapter 140. Hesitation

Xerina’s POV

I ran.

The forest blurred around me. Trees stretched into shadows, branches clawing at me as if they knew, as if they wanted to pull me back. My heart thundered in my chest, each beat pounding in my ears, deafening me to the world. But nothing could drown out the memory of his voice. His broken, desperate voice whispering that single word: love.

No. No, it wasn’t real. None of it was real. Zane told me the truth. I had no past. No life before this. Before him. I was a weapon. I was destruction. I was not her.

But the memories wouldn’t stop.

They came in waves, crashing over me as I ran, faster and faster, trying to outrun them, trying to escape the truth I didn’t want to face. I could still feel his hands, warm against my skin, pulling me close in the darkness. His laugh, soft, rich, echoing in my mind like a distant memory I’d locked away. His eyes, watching me, always watching me, like I was the only thing that matter