Healing Slowly But Surely By R. Joseph 14

Healing Slowly But Surely By R. Joseph 14 Summary

In this chapter titled “Rage and Hatred,” Caelum grapples with a tumult of emotions as he observes Leilani’s regal entrance into the house. While he feels a flicker of irritation from her public humiliation, it is overshadowed by a deep-seated unease and fear that gnaws at him. Caelum longs for the connection they once shared, feeling a mix of desire and frustration as he notices Leilani’s closed-off demeanor. Despite his wolf Ashen’s lament that Leilani harbors hatred for them, Caelum refuses to believe it.

Chalice, another character, expresses her sorrow over Leilani’s anger and pleads with Caelum not to punish her. Caelum reassures Chalice, feeling a warmth in their bond, though it lacks the intensity he feels for Leilani. As Chalice goes to talk to Leilani, Caelum’s thoughts turn to his brother Zevran, who reveals a shocking truth: Leilani is asking to be rejected. This revelation stuns Caelum and his brothers, forcing them to confront the painful reality that Leilani may no longer want anything to do with them.

Amidst their turmoil, a scream pierces the air, leading them to a horrifying scene where Chalice lies injured after an encounter with Leilani. Panic ensues as Caelum rushes to her side, fearing for her life. Leilani stands frozen at the top of the stairs, her shock evident, but she chooses silence instead of explanation. As she walks away, Caelum is consumed by a mix of rage and hatred, vowing to make Leilani pay for what has happened to Chalice. The chapter ends on a cliffhanger, leaving readers anxious about the unfolding drama and the emotional stakes involved.

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**Healing Slowly But Surely**
By R. Joseph

**14 Rage and Hatred.**

**Caelum.**

I stood there, rooted to the spot, as I watched Leilani enter the house. Her posture was regal, head held high, back straight as if she were a queen surveying her domain. It was an impressive sight, yet it did little to quell the storm brewing inside me.

Oddly enough, my feelings towards her were not fueled by anger. Sure, I felt a flicker of irritation at the public humiliation she had just dealt me, but that was a mere ember compared to the heavy weight of unease that now settled in my stomach like an immovable boulder.

Fear gnawed at my chest, a relentless creature clawing its way to the surface, urging me to chase after her. My body still tingled with the echoes of our previous encounter, her presence sending shockwaves through my very being.

There was something undeniably different about her now. She seemed weary, almost closed off, and I hated myself for wanting to break through that wall. I longed for her to look at me the way she once did, as if I were the sun, the moon, and all the stars in the universe combined. Not the way she had just moments ago, with disdain etched across her features.

“She hates us,” my wolf, Ashen, lamented softly, but I quickly pushed his voice aside. No, there was no way Leilani could harbor hate for me. It was simply impossible.

“Caelum, I’m so sorry,” Chalice interjected suddenly, her voice slicing through my thoughts. She wrapped her arm around mine, her gaze fixed intently on the spot where Leilani had just stood. “I know she’s angry with me, but I never anticipated she would take it out on you. Please, don’t punish her!”

Her electric blue eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she looked up at me, and in that fleeting moment, the chaos surrounding Leilani faded into the background.

I pulled her closer, enveloping her in a warm embrace, though I couldn’t help but notice it lacked the searing intensity I felt when I was near Leilani. I had never experienced that wild, uncontrollable desire with Chalice—the overwhelming urge to consume her, to touch her, to claim her.

“I won’t punish her,” I assured, shaking my head.

“Really?” Chalice’s voice was sharp with excitement, and I couldn’t help but smile at her enthusiasm.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Kael and Gavin rolling their eyes, clearly displeased that I would let Leilani off the hook so easily. But at that moment, it was more important to me to honor Chalice’s wishes than to act on my own impulses.

“I’d do anything for you, my princess,” I said, my gaze drifting away from my brothers.

Chalice’s smile lit up her face, so radiant that it crinkled the corners of her eyes. Then, she pulled back slightly, pecking my cheek before murmuring, “Let me go talk to her. She must still be feeling awful after what happened last time.”

“What happened to her last time was her own doing. You don’t need to keep inflating her ego!” Gavin interjected, his tone sharp as he stormed off without waiting for a response.

Chalice, however, paid him no mind as she glided gracefully into the house, her hips swaying effortlessly.

I watched her disappear, my heart a tumultuous mix of emotions, before turning to my brother Zevran, the one who had brought our mate back into our lives.

Our mate.

Zevran remained as still as a statue when I approached him, showing no sign of acknowledgment as I draped my arm over his shoulder.

“She’s asking for us to reject her,” he said suddenly, causing both Kael and me to freeze in disbelief.

Leilani was asking to be rejected?

That notion was preposterous!

She had loved us fiercely, lavished her affection upon us long before we ever noticed her sister. There was no way she could simply turn her back on us like that; it was utterly inconceivable.

But then I remembered her words, echoing in my mind with painful clarity. “…you’re also stupid and a coward. You go around kissing my sister but you do not have the decency to reject me and get rid of this mate bond once and for all…”

Those words rang in my ears, a stark reminder that this was no jest. She truly didn’t want anything to do with us anymore.

But I should be relieved, right?

I should be celebrating that without the mate bond complicating things, my relationship with Chalice could blossom freely.

So why did it feel as though my heart was being crushed under the weight of despair at the mere thought of Leilani being away from me?

From us?

And the idea of her being with another man?

I scoffed, “We all know she doesn’t mean that.”

“From what I witnessed earlier, she meant every word. I only managed to convince her to come with me after promising that we would reject her and brand her a rogue in a month,” Zevran replied flatly.

I froze, disbelief washing over me. “She what?”

“She agreed to come with me only on the condition that we would reject her and label her a rogue in a month… and that we would need to marry her sister.”

With each word Zevran spoke, my chest constricted tighter. My hands curled into fists at my sides, and I could see that my brothers were equally affected by the weight of his revelation.

“She wouldn’t dare!” Kael hissed under his breath, his tone sharp. I turned to face him, my eyebrow raised in challenge.

“Why do you care so much about her? Don’t you hate her?”

That question hung in the air, directed at all of us. We had all claimed to despise her with every fiber of our beings, treating her like trash, ridiculing her, punishing her for no reason, all while we showered her sister with affection. Yet, we couldn’t seem to let go of Leilani.

We were drawn to her, unable to resist her.

Kael rolled his eyes at me, then slapped Zevran’s shoulder, prompting him to turn. “You don’t hate her too, do you?” he challenged, but Zevran was quick to respond.

“I hate her more than I hate mushrooms.”

And he truly loathed those things.

Kael turned back to me, his usual confident gleam in his eyes. “Same here, mate. Same here.”

Just as I was about to voice my agreement, a piercing scream shattered the air, freezing me in place.

“Chalice!” Kael finally hissed, snapping out of his shock, and it dawned on us then—the grave mistake we had made.

We had allowed fragile Chalice to confront the venomous Leilani, and now, it seemed, she had struck again.

When we rushed inside the house, the sight that greeted us was horrifying. Chalice lay sprawled on the floor at the foot of the stairs, a deep gash on her forehead bleeding profusely. My heart raced with panic as I feared the worst—she might have a concussion.

As soon as she spotted me, she reached out a trembling arm, her eyes brimming with tears. “Leilani pushed me down. I don’t know why, I don’t know what I did. She just…” Her voice trailed off, and she slumped against me, her body going limp.

“Someone call the doctor!” Zevran yelled, his voice echoing through the chaos. “She’s fainted! Call an ambulance if you can’t reach the doctor!”

The frantic sounds of people rushing around faded into a dull roar as I focused on Chalice’s pale, bloodless face. My hands clutched her icy fingers, desperation coursing through me.

And there was Leilani, standing at the top of the stairs, frozen in shock. Tears shimmered in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall, her body trembling violently.

Yet, this time, she didn’t rush to explain herself as she usually would. She remained silent, her gaze locked on her unconscious twin, and then, without a word, turned and walked away, leaving me simmering in a cauldron of rage and hatred.

I swore to myself that I would make her pay for this.

**15 A Million More Stairs.**

**Leilani.**

Conclusion

In the aftermath of the chaos, the emotional landscape had shifted dramatically for Caelum. The once-clear lines of love and hatred had blurred, leaving him grappling with a tumult of conflicting feelings. As he cradled Chalice’s limp form, the weight of his choices pressed down on him like an anchor, tethering him to a reality he had never anticipated. The anguish of seeing Leilani retreat into silence, her eyes brimming with unshed tears, ignited a fire within him—a fierce desire to confront her, to demand answers, yet he found himself paralyzed by the fear of what those answers might reveal. The rage that had initially surged through him was now tempered by a profound sense of loss, not just for Chalice but for the bond he once shared with Leilani, a bond that now felt irrevocably shattered.

As the dust settled around him, Caelum was left to navigate the wreckage of his heart. The duality of his feelings for both sisters weighed heavily on his conscience, each moment spent in Chalice’s presence now tinged with the haunting image of Leilani’s retreating figure. He was torn between the desire to protect Chalice and the undeniable pull of his connection to Leilani, a connection that had once felt invincible but now lay in tatters. In that moment of despair, he realized that healing would not come easily; it would be a slow and arduous journey, fraught with the specters of his past choices and the uncertainty of the future. Yet, amid the turmoil, a flicker of hope remained—perhaps, just perhaps, there was a path forward that could lead to reconciliation, understanding, and ultimately, healing for all involved.

What to Expect in Next Chapter?

In the upcoming chapter, readers can expect to delve deeper into the tumultuous emotions swirling around Caelum, Leilani, and Chalice. With Chalice’s unexpected injury and Leilani’s cryptic retreat, the stakes have never been higher. Caelum’s inner conflict will intensify as he grapples with his feelings of rage and sorrow, torn between his loyalty to Chalice and the undeniable bond he shares with Leilani. The tension in the air is palpable, and as Caelum confronts the consequences of Leilani’s actions, the question looms: will he seek vengeance, or will he find a way to heal the rift that has formed between them?

Moreover, Leilani’s silence and her choice to walk away add layers of complexity to her character. Readers can anticipate a deeper exploration of her motivations—what drives her to push away those who care for her? As the narrative unfolds, the dynamics between the characters will shift, revealing hidden truths and unspoken fears. With the impending threat of rejection and the possibility of losing everything they hold dear, will Caelum and his brothers find a way to mend their fractured relationships, or will the darkness of their past consume them? Prepare for an emotional rollercoaster as alliances are tested, and the path to healing becomes increasingly uncertain.

Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.

Chosen by None, Feared by All Chapter 14

Healing Slowly But Surely By R. Joseph 14