Chapter 28: A Lover's Betrayal
The strain between Alex and Ethan had been building for days, their unresolved tension simmering beneath every word exchanged and every decision made. Alex could feel the weight of everything pressing down on her—her responsibilities, the recent losses, the incessant pressure to stay ahead of Gabriel's group. And now, Ethan seemed to be drifting further away. She couldn't place it exactly, but something was wrong.
The air was thick with tension as Alex stormed out of their makeshift camp, her fists clenched in frustration. Ethan had pushed her too far this time. His defiance, his constant questioning of her leadership—it had all been too much. She needed space, and yet, she found herself waiting, hoping he'd follow her, like he always did. But this time, he didn't.
Instead, she heard his voice behind her, firm yet desperate. "Alex, stop."
She turned sharply, her eyes meeting his. There was a fire in them she hadn't seen before, something deeper than just anger. It unsettled her.
"What do you want, Ethan?" Her voice was edged with frustration, but beneath it was a plea for something she couldn't voice—a longing for him to just tell her what the hell was going on.
His jaw tightened. "You don't trust me anymore. Admit it."
"Maybe because you've given me reason not to!" Alex shot back, stepping closer. "You've been pulling away, and now you're questioning everything I do. What the hell happened to us?"
Ethan closed the distance between them in a few strides, his breath hot against her skin as he towered over her. "What happened to us? You happened, Alex. You're shutting me out, and you've been doing it for weeks. I'm fighting for you, for all of this, but you're acting like I'm your enemy."
His words hit harder than she expected, because deep down, she knew there was some truth to them. She had been keeping him at arm's length. But that didn't excuse his recent behavior, didn't excuse the way he'd become colder, more secretive.
"You want to know why, Ethan? It's because you've been meeting with Gabriel's men behind my back. Don't even try to deny it—I saw you. You think I don't know what you've been up to?"
The accusation hung in the air, sharp and jagged, like a blade ready to cut through the already fragile thread between them. Ethan's eyes widened, a flash of guilt crossing his face for the briefest moment before he masked it with anger.
"You think I'm betraying you?" he asked, his voice low, dangerous. "After everything? After all we've been through?"
Alex felt her heart tighten, the conflicting emotions clawing at her insides. She wanted to believe him, wanted to trust him like she used to. But trust was a fragile thing, and Ethan had been giving her more reasons to doubt than to believe.
"I don't know what to believe anymore," she whispered, her voice cracking.
For a moment, there was only silence, the tension between them thick, almost suffocating. Then, in a sudden rush of movement, Ethan grabbed her arm, pulling her closer until their bodies were pressed against each other. His lips crashed against hers in a kiss that was rough, desperate, and filled with every unspoken word they'd been avoiding for weeks. It was more than just passion—it was frustration, anger, longing, and fear all rolled into one moment.
Alex kissed him back with equal intensity, her hands tangling in his hair as she let herself get lost in the heat of it. For a moment, everything else melted away—the betrayal, the anger, the suspicion. There was only him, only them, and the fire burning between them.
But when they finally pulled apart, breathing heavily, reality came crashing back down around them. Alex took a step back, her heart racing, her mind spinning with the weight of what had just happened.
"Ethan…" she began, but he cut her off, shaking his head.
"This isn't over, Alex," he said, his voice rough. "You don't understand. I'm not meeting with Gabriel's men because I want to betray you. There's more going on here than you know."
Alex's heart clenched. "Then tell me! Stop shutting me out, Ethan. I can't keep doing this if you keep hiding things from me."
He hesitated for a moment, his eyes dark with something Alex couldn't quite place—guilt? Fear? She couldn't tell. Then, without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing there, alone, with her thoughts spinning out of control.
Later That Night...
Alex couldn't sleep. The kiss, the argument, Ethan's words—they were all replaying in her mind, over and over, like a broken record. She knew she should go after him, demand answers, but something stopped her. Maybe it was fear—fear of what she might find, fear of what his secrets might reveal.
Unable to take it anymore, Alex grabbed her coat and stepped outside, the cool night air biting at her skin. She had to clear her head, had to think. But as she made her way toward the edge of camp, she spotted something that made her blood run cold.
There, in the shadows, just beyond the campfire's glow, was Ethan. And he wasn't alone.
He was talking to one of Gabriel's men, his posture tense, his voice low and urgent. Alex couldn't make out what they were saying, but it didn't matter. The sight of him standing there, conspiring with the enemy, was enough to shatter whatever fragile trust she still had left.
She watched them for a few moments, her heart pounding in her chest, before turning and walking away, her mind racing with betrayal, anger, and heartbreak.
Ethan was hiding something. And whatever it was, it was tearing them apart.
Final Scene:
Alex stood at the edge of the camp, her fists clenched as the realization settled in. Ethan had lied to her, kept things from her. And now, she didn't know if she could ever trust him again.
The tension between them had reached a breaking point, and Alex knew that things would never be the same.
Whatever was coming next, she'd have to face it alone.