Chapter 202
I pulled the cap’s brim lower over my face, ensuring the shadow concealed the jagged scar Rosa had gifted . The evening air was filled with the scent of impending rain as dampness clung to my skin and made my clothes feel heavier than they were.
I briskly walked while feeling the turmoil inside growing the more I proceeded.
As I andered through the narrow alleys and bustling streets of our pack’s territory, snippets of silent conversations reached my ears.
Groups of pack mbers huddled together, curiosity evident on their faces.
"Did you hear about the murders?" a woman whispered in a shaky gossipy tone.
"Yes," her companion replied, eyes darting around nervously. "They say the bodies were... brutally decapitated."
A shiver ran down my spine. Murders were rare within our pack, and such brutality was unheard of. My mind imdiately flashed back to the recent killing that had everyone on edge.
It must be the sa murder case, I thought.
But as I listened further, it beca clear this was sothing different.
"Two young boys," an older man muttered, shaking his head. "Found them last night. Heads gone, flesh carved out of their bones. Who could do such a thing?"
I felt my stomach churn. The vivid imagery painted by their words made nauseous. It seed this was the ti for bad things in this pack.
I ca out to have a breather. However, it seed there was nothing like that where this pack was concerned.
I quickened my pace, hoping to escape the grueso tales that seed to be on everyone’s lips.
"They were mischievous," soone else chid in. "Always causing trouble in the market. Maybe they angered the wrong person."
"But Luis Miguel didn’t die," another voice added, causing to halt in my tracks.
Luis Miguel? My heart raced as I turned toward the group, ensuring my face remained hidden beneath the cap’s shadow.
What the hell did they an by ’Luis Miguel didn’t die’?
Was I hearing wrongly? Was this incident connected to him?
"Excuse . What happened to Luis Miguel?" I turned to the nearest person to and interjected.
The group turned to look at with suspicion flashing in their eyes. I couldn’t bla them. I probably looked like so cheap undercover spy with the scar I was trying so hard to hide under the cap.
One of the won squinted, trying to get a better look at my face. I adjusted the cap subtly, ensuring my scar remained concealed.
"Who are you?" she asked, her tone filled with caution.
"Just... soone concerned," I replied evasively. "Please, tell . What happened?"
After a mont’s hesitation, an older man spoke up. "Luis Miguel’s friends went missing two days ago. They were found last night, murdered, and... decapitated."
The words hit so hard, it felt like I had been punched. I staggered back, suddenly finding it impossible to breathe.
Those boys... they were more than just acquaintances. They were my friends. They had made smile when I had forgotten how. They were there for when no one else did.
mories flooded my mind about how they would sing silly songs to make laugh, how they stood by when others turned away, how they helped with the chore Rosa had maliciously assigned to humiliate the other day.
"No," I whispered, shaking my head as if I wanted to throw the words out of it.
My knees wobbled, and I collapsed onto the cold and hard ground.
Gonzalo, Rubén, and Pedro.
No. No. No.
They were gone... just like that.
Tears stread down my face, blurring my vision as sobs wracked my body.
The world around faded as grief consud . The bustling streets, the murmured conversations, and the curious glances all beca distant echoes. All I could see were their smiling faces that were now lost forever.
I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder, grounding montarily. "Señorita, are you okay?" a voice asked softly.
I couldn’t muster a response. The pain was too raw and too overwhelming. I hugged myself, rocking slightly as I drowned in sorrow right there on the ground.
Who could have done such a thing? The boys were mischievous little fools, yeah, but they didn’t deserve such an ugly death.
Oh, Luis Miguel... how would he fare now? How would he handle this heartbreak? As for , my heart felt like it had been secretly slashed into many pieces and was only just falling apart.
My sorrows, as it seed, would know no end.
Thunderclap echoed and the rain began to fall. People scrambled away, fending for sheds, but I remained where I was. Right there, on the ground, rocking and wailing for my lost friends.
We didn’t even get a chance to begin the wonderful friendship before it ended.
The rain mixed with my tears, washing away the facade of control I’d tried so hard to maintain.
Hell, nah... María José, you weren’t in no fucking control.
However, you don’t need control to ensure your enemies do not kill you in the sa way your friends were brutally murdered.
I owed it to myself to be strong.
The rain was brutal, leaving with questions as to whether it could be compared to the brutality the late boys had suffered. Or if it was just the tip of an iceberg where that was concerned.
If anything, the rain turned vicious like the sky had finally had enough and wanted to cry with . Cold, needle-sharp droplets stabbed at my back, soaking through my clothes and plastering my hair to my face.
But I didn’t move. Couldn’t. I just sat there on the wet pavent, hugging myself as tightly as my shivering limbs allowed, as if I could sohow hold myself together through sheer force of will.
Everything was ruined. I tried to stand, but failed, and just sat there again with my fists clenched against my thighs.
"Señorita, please. You’ll catch your death in this cold." A voice almost inaudible against the rain suddenly croaked from beside .
Too late, I thought bitterly. I already caught sothing far worse.
"I’m fine," I sniffed, but my voice didn’t sound fine. It sounded like a ghost speaking through wet gravel.
He offered a hand, which I ignored, and lifted my head to catch a glimpse of him. However, my jaw dropped when I caught the sight of who it was...
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