Heartless

*Jane’s Point of View*

Flashes. Bits and pieces of memories flashed through my mind as it tried to make sense of everything. The sudden pain that rushed through my body caused me to moan unhappily. My eyes fluttered open as the pain began to subside ever so slightly. Everything was blurry and I saw a dim light coming from behind me. I pushed myself up lightly only to gasp in pain and collapse back down to my stomach.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” A low husky voice said from the other side of the couch by the window.

Suddenly everything came flooding back to me at the sound of his voice, making my body stiffen and fling away from the couch ignoring the searing pain, “No. No. No. Please, please just stay away from me! I told you to leave me alone Vincent!” I sobbed pressing myself against the far wall.

The man rushed toward me cradling my face in his hands, “Hey,” He started softly, “Hey, shhhhhh Jane. It’s just me-shhhhhh, look at me Jane.”

I finally turned my eyes toward the stranger, shaking with fear. “Derek.” I sobbed happily gripping his arms.

“It’s okay-It’s okay you’re safe now, I’ve got you.” He said soothingly pulling me into his chest. I sobbed into his chest for what seemed like hours, shaking slightly; all the while Derek tried to sooth me with soft words.

“You okay?” He asked nicely as I finally settled down.
I pulled away from Derek still shaky. I nodded softly, placing me face in my hands, in embarrassment. I probably looked like a mess.

“What happened? That wasn’t the Alpha we’re hunting, so who is it?” Derek asked, this time more forcefully.

“He’s my ex, Vincent.” I stated, refusing to meet his eye.

“The one that murdered your family?” Derek questioned pulling away from me.

“Yes. I knew what he was before we started dating, and I knew what my family did but I didn’t care. I thought I loved him at the time. Then he became an Alpha and he changed. He became more erratic and controlling. It wasn’t safe to be around him anymore. Anything I did seemed to set him off causing him to transform. So I left him. Thinking I’d be safe because of my family, I thought he wouldn’t dare attack a family of hunters. He wouldn’t risk it.” I explained shakily, moving to go sit on the couch. I leaned my elbows on my knees crossing my arms to cover my still somewhat bare chest. Derek’s eyes never left me, never stopped studying my actions.

“It’s all my fault.” I chocked out after a few moments of silence, “I told them not to kill him. I said I would never forgive them if they did. That he couldn’t control what he was doing anymore, that it wasn’t his fault. So when he attacked, they-they hesitated.”

“Jane-“ Derek started but I cut him off.

“It killed them! That one second of hesitation that I forced them to have.”

“Jane.” Derek said more forcefully this time crouching down to my level and grabbing my hands from my neck, “Jane look at me.” desperate to catch my eyes, “Nothing will happen to you. I will make damn sure of that. He won’t touch you ever again. What happened wasn’t your fault, nothing could have stopped him. We will stop him. Together, I promise.”