Hidden Killers: Shadows in the Dark (Book 3)

1 - Helen POV

The world... my world...

I have just watched it crumble into a million pieces right before my eyes.

It was bad enough when Edward and Abby had their fallout, only to discover the full extent as to why on Christmas day.

I wanted to understand...

I had to understand...

The fate of my family depending on learning all about the supernatural world and trying to see if there was a way to find a middle ground.

I thought I might have started to see things clearer watching my Abby...

Oh Abby...

How have I just gone from watching my daughter, in a beautiful ceremony, become leader of a pack of werewolves, only for her to die in Colt's arms?

To make matters worse, my Edward... That damn fool! How could he let something like this happen to our girl?

A heavy weight holds me tightly as I watch my daughter be transported to the hospital - the last desperate attempt to save my unborn grandson.

"I am so sorry, Helen." I hear Jason sound from behind me as his arms remain wrapped tightly around me. The back of my neck becoming wet as he lets his tears fall naturally, mixing with the blood that seeped from his shoulder - a wound sustained saving my life. "I should have clocked it. I spent the most time with Nicole but I never once thought she would hurt Abby."

A distant roar shook the ground and my senses. My brain slowly whirs as words form on the tip of my tongue. "Why do we always blame ourselves for the actions of others?"

It came out so meekily that I am surprised he heard it. "I was Abby's guard, Helen. Long before I found out that she was my sister. It was my responsibility to keep her safe... and I failed."

"I was her mother..." I responded. "I birthed her. I raised her... Mothers are not supposed to watch their children die." He pulled me as tight as he could as I let the sobs come out.

"And to go back to your earlier point about knowing people - I spent over 30 years with Edward. I never knew he slept with another woman. I never knew he had another child. I never knew he killed others for sport."

Speaking of said husband.

I turn my head to where he last stood. Edward stood like a statue, unable to move a single muscle as he stared at what was on the floor in front of his: his wife being consoled by his son as their daughter's blood began to soak into the ground. Chester seemed to have used the opportunity to make his escape for I could not see him in the courtyard anymore.

"You!" Seething, I stare at my so-called husband. My eyes void of any emotion bar one - rage. "Are you happy now? Is this not what you wanted?"

"Helen, I-" Words stumble out of his mouth, trying the fathom the best way to respond to my rhetorical questions.

But no answer would be good enough. "No! Just stop! This is all your fault!"

Something seemed to click in his brain as he tried to to get me to sympathise with his cause. "Helen, a wolf stabbed our daughter. It is their fault." He points towards where Jason was behind me. But, despite the protest, I could see something in his eyes. Something that told me he was not convinced fully of his own argument. Not that it matters right now.

"No! All you!" I slowly push myself to my feet; Jason rising as he comes to stand beside me. I level a finger at him as my eyes bore into him. "She was your mole. Not only that, but Chester told you to take us out if we would not conform to your way of life which you yourself confirmed moments ago."

"Helen, I wou-" but my hand raises to silence him.

"You knew that she was a target. That I would become a target. And yet, instead of protecting your family, you chose your 'friends'. You! The man who would lecture everyone about how family comes above all else. What a hypocrite you are!"

Tears were rolling down his face as he tried to reach out and take a step towards me but one growl from Jason and a hissing sound from the lady with us, I believe her name was Talia, had him halt in his tracks. "Helen, please let me explain."

"EXPLAIN!" My blood was boiling over at this point. Tears burned my face as smoke began steaming from my ears. "THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO TO EXPLAIN YOUR WAY OUT OF THIS!"

I have had enough of him. I did not want to see him. The man before me - the man who is my husband - has caused me more pain than I thought anyone ever could. The man who is supposed to shield me from the horrors of the world. He is the reason why my heart has shattered into a million pieces.

But I hold firm. The tears stream down my face. Good! He should see me cry. Maybe then he will break and, if he does, he would only feel a fraction of the pain that I am feeling right now.

"I am going to see my daughter. I am going to see my grandson. I am going to pray to God, and whomever else maybe out there, will provide them with the strength to pull through this. I will pray that my presence provides them with the strength that they are given a second chance and come back to us. Whereas you-" My finger shakes as I point it in his direction one last time. "-are dead to me."

His voice shakes as he tries to find words. "Helen, no please!"

"Shut up!" I snap back at him. "You are not my husband! You are not the man I married! I do not ever want to see you again! Now get out of my sight!"

My body turns towards the female. "Talia, is it?"

"Yes ma'am." She responds as she delicately takes my hand, trying to give it a comforting squeeze.

"Would you and Jason be able to take me to my daughter? I have wasted more time than I should have with this man. I need my daughter, and my grandson, to know that I am here for them."

The both give me a small soft nod before guiding me towards the back door, each taking one of my arms as we walk somberly away from the monster I had married.

Every step... every agonising step... if I had thought that my world had crumbled into a million pieces before, each footstep was pulverizing it into a fine powder, awaiting to be swept away by the wind.

I never looked back at him as we made it to the back door. I was afraid. Afraid if I just looked back for a second, I would see the hurt in his eyes and my resolve would crumble. It is where Abby got her caring nature from. We would take one look at someone in need and find anyway to make the pain going away, even if it was at our own expense.

But I cannot let the pain go away - not now or ever. There was no way of fixing this. I knew it and he knows it.

I ended last year celebrating thirty years of marriage. I will end this year as a divorced woman.

"Helen?" Talia questions from my side. Gaging my surroundings, we had halted by the back doors that led us inside and towards their hospital wing. Her and Jason were using their strength to hold me up as I felt the gravity of the situation pull me down. "Do you want to go in?"

One shaky breath escapes through my lips. "I need to be there." Only a solemn nod in return before they lead me through the doors that led me to the next stage of my personal hell.