Fated To Three, Betrayed By All… Until She Rose novel Chapter 116

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

**The Pain of Losing Grace**

**FIVE YEARS AGO.**

Keisha was in the throes of rebellion, her world spinning out of control after the shocking revelation that she was part werewolf, part Lycan. No matter how hard Jarek tried to pull her back from the edge, it felt as though she was intent on plunging deeper into the darkness that called to her.

In her quest for acceptance, Keisha had formed bonds with a few rogue Lycans, those who had also strayed from the path. Grace, her best friend and anchor, had been the one person who worried about her the most, tirelessly cleaning up the messes Keisha created and always ensuring her safety. Grace’s love was unwavering, a beacon of light in Keisha’s turbulent life.

One fateful afternoon, the air was thick with tension as Grace, sensing Keisha was in danger, hastily packed some medicines and rushed out of the house. Her heart raced, driven by a fierce loyalty and concern for her friend.

Meanwhile, Jarek was preoccupied with his own responsibilities, having just begun to attend meetings with his father. He was oblivious to the chaos unfolding until he returned home, only to be met with the chilling news that Grace had left in haste. Panic surged through him as he learned that four agonizing hours had passed with no sign of either Grace or Keisha.

His heart raced, a sense of dread gnawing at him. He felt a strange unrest within his spirit, his wolf thrashing against the confines of his body, desperate to break free. The instinct to protect surged within him, but he fought against it, unwilling to shift into his wolf form. After six long hours of searching, he knew he had no choice but to assemble a search party.

Hours later, when they finally found Keisha, she was in a state of utter disarray, intoxicated and disoriented, remnants of cocaine clinging to her nostrils. But Grace’s fate was far more tragic. She was discovered in a horrific condition, her body marred by violence—brutally raped, beaten, drugged, and stabbed multiple times. By the time they reached her, she lay lifeless, bloodied and cold, her spirit extinguished.

Jarek’s heart shattered as he processed the reality of what had happened. The moment he laid eyes on Keisha, her face devoid of emotion, he felt as though he had been stabbed in the chest. “I told her to go home,” she had said, her voice flat and devoid of remorse. “I told her I didn’t want her to see me like this. She insisted on taking me home, and my friends dragged her away. I never bothered to look for her.”

Those words pierced him like a knife, each syllable echoing in his mind. How could Keisha, the girl he once cherished, show such indifference? Tears streamed down his face as he gripped her shoulders, desperation clawing at him. “Did you know they would hurt her?” he whispered, his voice trembling with anguish. “Did you know they would kill her?”

Keisha shrugged, her apathy chilling him to the bone. She brushed off the remnants of the drugs and spat, “I knew they would fuck her. I saw the way they looked at her like she was a snack. I just didn’t realize they had such twisted desires!”

In that moment, Jarek’s world crumbled. It was the first time his wolf, Fenris, surged to the surface, a primal rage awakening within him. He hunted down every person who had touched Grace, tearing them apart in a frenzy of vengeance. Yet, no amount of bloodshed could quell the emptiness inside him.

“I won’t be ready, Jarek!” she cried, her body shaking with emotion. “I can never be ready because I love you so much!”

Her declaration only stoked the flames of his fury. He felt a primal urge to lash out, to inflict upon her the same pain she had caused him. But he held back, reminding himself of the gentleman his parents had raised him to be.

Taking a deep breath, he fixed her with the coldest glare he could muster. “Fine then. I can live with that. But don’t come looking for me until you’re truly ready. Know this—I will not hold back. I will find another mate, regardless of how it affects you. Do you understand me?”

Keisha gasped, her eyes wide with shock, but before she could utter a word, he turned away, storming off and leaving her in a torrent of tears.

He didn’t look back, didn’t check to see the devastation his words had wrought. He stepped into the elevator, his heart pounding in his chest.

Once outside, he climbed into his car, but with nowhere to go, he found himself stopping in front of Leilani’s house. He stood frozen by her door, an unexpected wave of hesitation washing over him. For the first time, he lacked the courage to knock.