Chapter Five Damien's POV : I stood frozen as my hands trembled , the gun still in my grasp . # 25 BONUS My eyes were locked on her body , lying lifelessly on the floor in a pool of blood . Her eyes were closed , her once vibrant skin now pale and cold . I couldn't believe it . This couldn't be real . What have I done ? The gun slipped from my hand and hit the ground with a dull thud . Cold shivers ran through his body Pain exploded behind my skull . if that would somehow stop the agony ripping My breath hitched , and before I knew it , I was screaming - screaming as if through my head I clutched my head with both hands , fingers digging into my temples as if it could force the pain away . But it didn't stop . " Damien " Caspian's voice came through He rushed to my side , but I shoved him away with all the strength I could muster . " Get away from me " 1 growled , my voice rough and unrecognizable . I wasn't sure who I was anymore . The world was Pinning around me , but iny focus was solely on the woman I had just murdered . Sabrina tried to approach me too , but i shoved her aside , not caring anymore . All that mattered was the woman on the ground . My heart , already shattered , felt as if it was breaking into a thousand pieces . I stumbled to my knees , crawling towards Elara " Wake up . Please , Elara " I whispered desperately , my hands trembling as they gripped her shoulders . " Wake up . What happened ? Who did this ?! " My voice cracked as I shook her lifeless body , tears streaming down my face . Everyone around me began to murmur . But I didn't care about them . My whole world had crumbled in an instant . Suddenly , a sharp pain exploded in my head . I gritted my teeth , trying to hold myself together , but the pressure behind eyes was unbearable . my My hands shot to my head once again as if it could help , but it only made it worse I gasped , gasping for air that wouldn't come I felt something wet trickling from my nose , sliding down to my upper lip . I reached up , my fingers trembling , and touched my face . When I looked at my hand , my heart skipped a beat . Blood . I stared at my hand , watching the blood droplets fall onto the floor , and then my gaze snapped back to Elara's lifeless body . In the next few days , nothing mattered anymore . I couldn't even process her death . The moment she was gone , my soul had been ripped from my body . I didn't allow anyone to bury her or send her body to the mortuary . No , I couldn't . Instead , I turned her room into a makeshift freezer to preserve her body . Then I dressed her in the finest clothes , making sure every detail was perfect , and 1 spent silent hours beside her . I couldn't let her go I couldn't let this be the end And then , one night , I stumbled out of her room and went into my wine cellar . Empty bottles of wine littered the floor . I didn't care anymore . Everything felt like nothing . +25 BONUS Sabrina followed me , of course , always lingering . " You need to let go , Damien . " She said softly , standing in front of me , blocking my path . " Stop blaming yourself for what happened to her . It's not your fault . " dangerously low as I stepped closer to her . " It's your fault , isn't I narrowed my eyes at her . " It's not my fault ? " My My voice was dar it ? You did this to me . You made me kill her . " Sabrina looked startled , her hands trembling as I walked up to her , cornering her against the wall . My hands gripped her neck as my breath came out in ragged gasps " What did you do to me ? " I growled . " Why did I sleep with you ? Why did I kill her ?" Tears welled up in Sabrina's eyes as she tried to gasp for air , struggling under my grip . " Damien , stop ! Please- But before she could say more , the door to the wine cellar slammed open , and Caspian rushed in " Damien ! " He yelled , pushing me away y from Sabrina with all his strength . " What the hell is wrong 1 staggered backward , stunned , but my eyes immediately locked onto the gun that 1 my throat . The gun . The one I used to kill Elara . 1 reached down slowly , as if in a trance , and picked it up. My hands were shaking , my body trembling uncontrollably . ng with you ? " YouT lay beneath the t table My breath caught in My fingers tightened around the gun . The barrel of the gun was aimed at my own head , my finger pressing close to the trigger But before I could pull the trigger , Sabrina grabbed Caspian's arm , making him pause . " Don't- " Sabrina whispered , tears running down her face . " Please , Caspian … we can help him . " Caspian ignored her , stepping forward anyway , trying to reach Damien . "I swear , Caspian " My voice was barely above a whisper . " Take another step , and I'll pull the trigger ." Caspian's sjaw tightened , his hand hovering near the table as he considered his options : " Don't . " Caspian finally spoke . " Damien , just put the gun down . " My fingers trembled slightly around the gun . " I swear to God , " Damien repeated , his eyes never leaving Caspian . " If you take one more step , I'll do it . " I warned him . " Why didn't you stop me , Caspian ? I cried . " Why didn't you stop me from killing her ? Why didn't you try to save her ? Caspian stopped in his tracks . He knew there was nothing he could say to undo what had already been done . I pulled the trigger . And everything went black My eyes snapped open , gasping for air as if I was drowning . I glanced around and saw that I was in my room . The furniture was all the same , the arrangement exactly as it was when I returned from England I blinked , confused , my body still trembling from the aftershock of what had just happened . " Damien , you should get ready for breakfast Caspian's voice came from the door , as he pushed it open . " And don't forget , ▪75 BONUS you have dinner with Elder Tyler's daughter tonight . And don't even think of asking me to tag along because I have a birthday party to attend with Sabrina . " " What's going on ? " I asked hoarsely , my mind still foggy . I turned to Caspian . " Caspian , what day is it ? " " Excuse me ?" Caspian looked at me , a little surprised . " What's today's date ? " I repeated . # 3rd of April , 2020. " My stomach dropped . What ? It couldn't be . Weren't t we in 20247 Was it all a dream ? But the pain , the gunshot , Elara's death - it all felt so real " What's going on ?" I whispered again I could feel it in my bones . I was back . Back to the day I first met Elara . And I still intend to claim her as my mate .