❝𝐈𝐟 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐬𝐨, 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚.❞
Selfishly fascinated with her own strength, Valen Ferreira is willing to do nearly anything and everyth...
"Telling me what in the goddamn hell is up with you is a good start!" As hard as Levi tried to mask his fury, his body language easily betrayed his intentions, his shoulders squared back and his hands furled tightly into fists. "You can do all these things, but you can't answer one goddamned question!"
Valen huffed—her composure verged on collapse too. Everything around her seemingly warmed, the room, her skin, everything. Her blood, tearing viciously through her veins, brimmed with rage. "How many times do I have to remind you that I cannot—"
"And why not?!"
"You prick, I just told you why!"
"Oh, so we're name-calling now?" Levi tch'ed. "You can continue putting up this mysterious act, but you're not convincing anybody, not me especially. You do things because they're in your best interest, right? Tell me, how is it in your best interest to defy orders and chase after the same person who nearly killed you?!" Valen crossed her arms. "You're not stupid—you're one of the sharpest people around, as far I'm concerned. You had to have had a good reason for going after her even when everyone's lives were on the line—"
Levi's fiery spiel bleared to static, white noise, humming dully under her howling rage. What pounded through her veins was blazing and sizzling to the touch, frenzied. A million unsaid things bubbled under her skin. But she was also unsettled, frustrated. Disoriented. The end of her patience neared with startling speed, hurtling toward her at the speed of light.
She couldn't endure this for any longer.
"Fine, you want an explanation?!" Valen blurted, her exasperation reaching a breaking point. "You want to know why I do things the way I do, alright then, I'll give you an answer!" She stomped her foot down. "It's because I'm scared! I'm scared of someone taking advantage of me and hurting me! I'm scared of being kidnapped and being sold on the black market! I'm scared of being gang-raped and beaten to death afterward! I'm scared of being brutalized like the MPs did to me back in Stohess! Nearly everything I do is because I'm scared!" Her breathing was ragged and uneven, small, rough pants burning through her lips. "Is that the explanation you wanted?! Is it?!"
Levi's angered expression quickly turned to one of concern as Valen stooped over, planting her hands on her knees. Her racing heart, showing no signs of slowing, stumbled over its rhythm, and her lungs worked in overdrive to sustain her unsteady breathing. The threads holding her sanity together had come undone, unraveling by the thousands. Any strength she'd had coming inside was smoldering to ashes.
