Prey

Chapter 22

Doe's POV:

Darkness enveloped the room once again as he shut the door, leaving Khloe out there alone.

Meanwhile, I felt frozen.

Whether it was from shock, disbelief, or some twisted form of grief I wasn't entirely sure.

He did it... He actually did it.

He somehow managed to be alone with her and he-

My stomach twisted on top of the sick feeling that was already there.

With the knowledge that I could have stopped it before it even began.

If I wasn't pretending like the sickness I was feeling was keeping me bedridden.

If I had just dropped the damn front and gone with him like I wanted to then he wouldn't have gone through with it.

I don't believe he would have attempted it if I was with him.

As much as I didn't want to admit it sometimes, I knew him. And I'd like to think that I've learned his thought process by now.

I definitely knew that this wasn't something that he wanted to do, but he'd do anything to appease Layla despite his own conscience.

He obeyed regardless of his own feelings.

Despite knowing what consequences were going to arise.

What anger was about to crash upon him.

Yet the only anger I could find right now was buried under the overwhelming amount of guilt weighing in my head.

Of course, I was angry at him, any sane person would be, but the knowledge still stayed with me.

I could have stopped it.

I could have absolutely stopped it.

If I was just there before he stepped into the room then none of that would have happened.

He had a poker face and a pretty damn good one at that, but for just a moment after he walked in, I could see his panic.

His turmoil.

And then a pain-ridden, reluctant look of forced determination.

That look he gave me told me that he had already made up his mind.

And although I knew he wasn't a threat to me, I knew better than to try anything after that.

I didn't want to test my luck.

God, I felt like a coward.

I made a decision to lie and it ended with Khloe getting hurt.

With Xander shredding the relationship with his brother even further.

Although I knew the weight of that wasn't all on me, I still couldn't help but think about what different outcome could have happened.

I couldn't blame myself for Xanders actions, but I sure as hell could blame myself for my own.

Then with what happened next, the bullshit he spewed to her before he...

I cringed at the memory.

I didn't know whether to be thankful or no that I couldn't see nor hear much of what he said or did.

But the cry Khloe made when he bit her... I knew that noise better than anything.

My eyes finally moved, to spot Xander's outline, still just standing and staring at the door.

His heavy, perceptible breaths were the only thing cutting through the silence.