The Hunting: Ch 14

Instructions

TW: Toxic romance, censored swear word, talk of bl00d and k!lling *fifteen minutes previous* “What do you want?” Winter growls as soon as they’re outside. “You know what I want,” Zara purrs. “Follow me.” Winter follows her across the rope bridge and climbs up a long rope ladder to a wooden platform similar to the one he had been trapped on, at the very top of the massive tree. “Look down.” It’s evening, the sky casting an orange glow on the treetops. The view is beautiful. “It took me a year to build this place,” Zara says. “It took me almost a month to build the first platform, only ten feet above the ground. But when I found Jupiter and the others, it began going much faster. We built higher and higher, and now we have an entire kingdom in the trees. My Nest.” “Wow,” Winter mumbles. He doesn’t doubt her. Zara was a genius architect and had even helped expand the tunnels, back in the old days. “Jupiter, leave us alone now.” Zara commands. “If I need you, I’ll shout.” Jupiter nods. “You know I could throw you off the edge before that guy could reach you,” Winter mutters when Jupiter’s out of sight. Zara smirks, showing him the knife in her hand. “But you won’t.” He hates her. He hates her for making him feel so vulnerable. He hates himself for wanting to touch her so badly. Winter clenches his fists to hide his trembling hands. “Darling,” Zara purrs. “I’ve been waiting for so long. I knew you would come back, whether you wanted to or not.” She reaches out and takes hold of his arm. Winter pulls away. “Don’t. Touch. Me.” <Please touch me.> “I want us to be together again,” Zara’s eyes light up, green and cat-like. “I don’t know why you hate me. I gave you everything I had. You loved me.” “You didn’t give me anything!” Winter’s voice rises, and before he knows it, he’s attacking her, wrenching the knife out of her hand. She’s taken by surprise, and he manages to pin her to the ground, pressing the knife against her neck. “We are not together. You b!**h.” Zara glares at him, pure hatred in her eyes. “Go ahead. Kill me. Kill the only person who ever really loved you. I was watching you and the others the minute you and your little team stepped foot in my territory. That squirrel therian-she just wants her friend back. Nadia is only here because she feels obligated to, and Onyx is just along for the ride. Your little group doesn’t really care about you. I do. So go on, slit my throat. And when I’m gone, there will be no one left who ever loved you.” Winter freezes, his fingers curled protectively over the knife. He should kill her. He should let her bl00d stain the wood floor. He should make her pay for all the things she’s done to him. But he can’t. Winter drops the knife. Backs away. “Zara?” Jupiter’s head appears over the edge. “I heard a commotion.” “Oh, it was nothing,” Zara smiles shakily, standing up. She places a hand on Winter’s shoulder. “It’s about time you left.” “We’re going to be together again,” She hisses in his ear. “Resist and you know what’ll happen.” Winter can’t move. All he can think of is st Zara in the heart and running far from the Nest. But he can’t. Because Zara is right. Winter hates how much he needs her.