Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO

Winter

Sitting on top of the campus's main building, I watch the sunset over the trees.

It's bitter cold up here, the wind tossing my hair around, but I almost don't care.

I'm alone. There's space to think. Space to breathe.

But as soon as the thought crosses my mind, I feel guilty. I shouldn't be thinking about myself when there are so many others who need help. I can't just sit up here and wallow in my own self-pity.

If only I knew what to do aside from helping restore the school.

The events of the day still weigh heavily on my mind. I can't shake off the feeling of restlessness that's been gnawing at me since I woke up this morning. The fear and uncertainty that has been plaguing me since the last battle is still there, as strong as ever.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath, trying to focus on the present moment. My mind wanders back to the conversation with Heather and the disturbing suggestion of torture. It's not something I can bring myself to do, no matter what. But what other options do I have?

I hear footsteps behind me, and I turn around to see my boyfriend, Alec, climbing up to the roof. At the sight of his gentle smile and bright eyes, my heart warms. He looks at me, his face expressionless, and takes a seat next to me.

We sit there in silence for a few moments, both lost in our own thoughts. I'm grateful for his company, even though I know he's not exactly the most talkative person. There's a sense of comfort in just being around him.

Out of everyone in the world, Alec knows me the best. We've been through so much together, and we've come out stronger than before. There's a deep connection between us, and there always has been.

At this point, I'm almost not sure who I am without him. We did this amazing thing together--we both grew angel wings and defeated an evil sorcerer bent on killing us and everyone we knew. We forever intertwined, the draw we had towards each other before now only stronger.

"Are you okay?" he finally asks, breaking the silence.

I shrug. "I don't know."

He nods, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "Me neither." He brushes his long dark hair out of his eyes. "I just keep thinking about what we have to do next. You know, finding the other survivors, figuring out how to keep the Silver Hunters away for good."

I nod, understanding his worries. "It feels like we're starting from scratch."

He leans closer to me. "But we have each other. And we have the rest of the Hawthorn community. We'll get through this together."

I'm grateful for his words, but I can't help the nagging feeling in the back of my mind. As much as I love Alec, I can't rely on him for everything. I need to figure out how to get my parents back on my own.

We continue to sit there in silence, watching the sun dip lower and lower in the sky. The sky is painted in shades of pink, orange, and red, casting a warm glow over the campus. Despite the beauty of the moment, I can't shake off the feeling of unease that's settled in me.

I turn to Alec. "Do you ever feel like you're not doing enough? Like there's more you could be doing, but you don't know what it is?"

He nods. "All the time."

"Sometimes I feel like I'm just going through the motions," I say. "I want to help more, but I don't know how."

"I know what you mean," he replies. "But I think we just have to keep pushing forward. Keep trying. Eventually, we'll figure it out."

I smile softly, grateful for his words of encouragement. "Thanks, Alec."

I still feel guilty about feeling this way, though. Alec was reunited with his mother, and many of the other students here at school have also found their families safe and sound following the battle. I hate feeling like my pain is distracting from their happiness.

Alec slips his hand into mine, and I intertwine our fingers. Heat rises where we touch, and I feel weightless.

Our relationship is so crazy that every time I think about it, I feel in awe. Since first seeing him, I had this feeling we were meant to be close. It was a magnetic pull, the strongest draw I'd ever felt.

As it turned out, it was probably because we're both half-angels. We have our individual powers, and we have our combined powers. It's thanks to the latter that we were able to defeat Tyr and his ghoul.

The craziest part? We have wings. Actual angel wings.

Except... they haven't manifested since the battle with Tyr. I've tried a few times, but nothing ever came of it. Like a lot of my powers, it seems the wings are hard to control.

"Tell me what you're looking forward to." Alec runs his thumb over the top of my hand.

I take a deep breath, not sure how to answer. My gaze falls on the rubble in the yard, the last remains of the library. Soon all the stones will be cleared away, and a new building will be put up.

The library. The first place I saw Alec.

It's a knife in my gut, thinking about that memory now being marred.

"Winter?" he prompts.

I shake my head, trying to clear away the memories. "I'm not sure. The future seems so uncertain right now."

Alec nods in agreement. "It's hard to plan for something when we don't even know what tomorrow will bring."

I let out a sigh. "I just wish there was something I could do to bring certainty, to bring peace."

He squeezes my hand. "We'll figure it out together. We always do."

I smile, feeling grateful for his constant support. "Thank you, Alec."

We sit in silence for a few moments longer, watching the sun disappear behind the trees. The sky turns dark, and the stars begin to twinkle above us.

It's a peaceful moment, one that I cherish. But even so, the unease in my chest won't go away. I can't help but wonder what tomorrow will bring.

I shake my head, trying to push away the sadness. "I'm looking forward to finding my parents."

His expression softens. "We'll find them, Winter. I promise." His thumb brushes against my chin, and he brings his lips close to mine.

I melt into the kiss, feeling his warmth and love envelop me. For a moment, all my worries and fears melt away, and I'm lost in the feeling of his lips on mine.

But as the kiss deepens, I feel the old familiar pull in my gut. It's like a tug-of-war, one part of me wanting to stay here with Alec forever and the other part wanting to find my parents and make sure they're safe.

I pull away from the kiss, my heart heavy. "I can't stop thinking about my parents."

His expression falls, but he nods. "I know. And I'll help you every step of the way."

I lean my head against his shoulder, grateful for his understanding. "Thank you."

We sit there for a few more minutes, lost in our own thoughts. As much as I want to stay here with Alec, I know I need to keep moving forward. The uncertainty of the future is scary, but I can't let it paralyze me.

The stars start to twinkle in the sky, and I shiver involuntarily.

"We should probably head back inside before we freeze," Alec says, standing up and pulling me to my feet.

I nod, reluctantly letting go of his hand. As we make our way down to the main building, I can't help but feel like there's something we're missing. Something we're not seeing.

But what could it be?

We head inside, but halfway down the stairs, a shriek stops us in our tracks. Alec and I lock eyes, frozen on the steps.

Someone is in trouble.

Scenarios race through my mind.

Is it another enemy attack? Is a student getting hurt? My mind races as I try to think of a plan of action.

Without a word, Alec and I start running towards the source of the scream. As we round the corner, we see a group of students huddled together, their faces etched with fear.

"What's going on?" I demand, fighting to keep my voice steady.

One of the students points towards a dark corner of the hallway, and I squint to see what's there.

At first, I don't see anything. And then I notice a figure emerge from the dark, their face hidden from view.

I curl my hands into fists, ready to fight. Before I can make a move, though, the person in the dark bursts into the light.

"Boo!" Heather shouts.

The girls shriek and run off, giggling.

My shoulders drop, and I finally exhale. "Heather? What's going on?"

"What?" She grins at me. "You've never played hide and seek before?"

I roll my eyes, my heart still racing from the scare. "Not when it involves jumping out from dark corners and scaring the life out of people."

Heather chuckles. "Well, it's all in good fun." She notices Alec standing next to me and gives him a small wave. "Hey, Alec."

He nods in greeting. "Hey, Heather."

I turn to Alec, feeling relieved that everything was okay. But the unease in my chest still hasn't disappeared.

I roll my eyes, feeling a mixture of relief and annoyance. "You scared us half to death," I say, trying to keep my voice steady.

Heather just laughs, not seeming to care about the fear she caused. "Come on, lighten up," she says, slinging an arm around my shoulder. "We need to have some fun around here."

I shake my head, still feeling uneasy. "I don't think I'm in the mood for games right now."

Alec places a hand on my other shoulder, his presence calming me. "Maybe it's time to head to bed," he suggests. "You've barely slept since..."

He doesn't finish the sentence, but we know what he means. I've barely slept since the battle. And when I do sleep, it means constant nightmares. My roommate, Heather, can attest to that. I've woken up more than a few times because she's either thrown a pillow at my head or shaken me awake because I've been shouting and screaming.

The dreams are always the same. I'm fighting Tyr and his ghoul. Looking for my parents... never finding them.

I nod, grateful for his support. "Yeah, I think that's a good idea."

Heather runs off after the girls, and Alec and I walk up the staircase hand in hand.

"I'm worried about you." In the hallway, he stops and turns to me, his hazel eyes laced with concern.

I look up at him, my heart racing. "I'm fine, Alec. Just a little on edge, that's all."

He raises an eyebrow, not convinced. "You barely eat, you barely sleep, and you're always on high alert. You can't keep going on like this."

I open my mouth to protest, but he cuts me off. "I'm not trying to be pushy, Winter. I just care about you, and I don't want to see you suffer."

I take a deep breath, his words echoing in my mind. He's right. I can't keep going on like this. But what can I do? I can't exactly snap my fingers and make everything better.

"I know you care, Alec," I say, my voice softening. "And I appreciate it. But I don't know what to do. I don't know where to start looking for my parents, and if only we could get our wings back..." I shake my head with frustration.

"They'll come back when we need them."

I bite the inside of my lip. He has so much more faith than me.

But he also has more confidence when it comes to his powers. My control. He can use his vampire abilities on demand. When it comes to my wraith side, they're a little more unpredictable. The super strength manifests when I'm flooded with adrenaline, and usually, if I focus, I can control the wind. The telekinesis and the phasing through solid objects are much more unpredictable.

Alec takes a step closer, his hand cupping my cheek. The warmth of his touch sends shivers down my spine. He doesn't say anything else, but he doesn't have to. His presence alone is exactly what I need.

I lean into his touch, feeling the tears prick at the back of my eyes. I don't want to cry, but the weight of everything is starting to feel too heavy.

"Hey," he murmurs. "I'm here."

His lips graze mine. The kiss is sweet and tender, full of love and understanding. It's a reminder that I'm not alone, that together we can face anything that comes our way.

I wrap my arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. The tension and unease in my chest start to melt away.

We break apart, both of us breathing heavily. "I love you," he whispers, his forehead resting against mine.

"I love you too," I reply, feeling as if a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

"Sleep tight." With a kiss on my forehead, he slips down the hall.

As I close the dorm room door and put on my pajamas, I still can't help but feel like something is off. Like there's a piece of the puzzle missing.

But for now, all I can do is try to get some rest. Tomorrow is another day, and hopefully, it'll bring some answers.

As soon as my head hits the pillow, exhaustion takes over, and I fall into a deep sleep. This time, the dreams are different. They're still filled with battles and searching for my parents, but there's a new presence there. Alec is with me, fighting by my side. And when I wake up, I feel a glimmer of hope. Maybe the future isn't so uncertain after all.