Sakura's POV
The forest was quieter now, the sounds of battle long gone, replaced by the soft whisper of the wind through the trees. I had fled into the wilderness, escaping the chaos, the violence, the risk of being found. For weeks, I had stayed hidden in the dense forests surrounding Forks, avoiding the small towns and villages. The farther I ran, the more my sense of isolation deepened, but I couldn't allow myself to return. Not yet. Not while the Volturi might still be searching.
I crouched low to the ground, my eyes scanning the trees for any sign of movement. My stomach twisted as the scent of a deer reached my nostrils, its scent so sharp, so pungent, and so alien compared to the warmth of human blood. My thirst had been unbearable at first—my body, constantly craving the sweetness of human blood. But I had refused. Every time my thirst began to overtake me, I reminded myself of Rosalie—her golden eyes, the way she had looked at me with something close to tenderness when we first crossed paths. I couldn't be the one to bring her the same fate as Victoria, couldn't risk turning into one of the monsters she had fought so hard to avoid.
So I stayed in the shadows, hunting only animals, drinking their blood, feeling the difference between it and human blood deep in my bones. It was like drinking water compared to the fiery rush of human blood. Animal blood was cold, lifeless, barely enough to satisfy the need that constantly clawed at me. But it was all I had.
The first time I had drunk from a deer, I had almost thrown up. It didn't taste right. It didn't feel right. The blood was thin and lacking, its warmth nowhere near the richness of what I had grown accustomed to. It felt wrong, too, like a betrayal of everything that was inside me. But I had forced myself to keep going, to swallow the blood until I felt the burning thirst ease, just enough to keep me from collapsing. The animals were easier, I supposed, than humans—they were simpler, less complex in the way they fed, and still, their blood didn't call to me the way human blood did.
Every time I tasted it, I thought of Rosalie. I thought of how I had abandoned her, leaving the battlefield without a word. But if I ever wanted to see her again, I had to stay away from the temptation of human blood. I couldn't let myself become like the others.
It had been months now, and I had learned to suppress the bloodlust, but it was getting harder. Sometimes I would close my eyes and think of Rosalie's laugh, her gentle touch, her fierce spirit—and that's when the hunger would return, gnawing at me. If I thought of her too much, I would lose myself. But every time, I fought back. I was doing this for her, for us.
I stood from my crouch, moving deeper into the woods. The sun had long set, and the cold night air felt heavy against my skin. My hair, once glossy and black, was now tangled with dirt and leaves. I hadn't bothered to clean myself in weeks. I had no reason to. I was just a shadow in the wilderness.
There was a part of me that had hoped I'd run into something more, someone who could help me ease this burden. But the truth was, I was alone. Completely alone.
One more night. I had told myself that a week ago. Just one more night, and I would find the courage to return to her. To face her, to explain. But now, I wasn't sure if I was ready.
A sound broke me from my thoughts—a distant rustle. I shifted, instinctively using my vectors to examine the source, but I didn't move. It was only a rabbit, small and easy prey. I wasn't hungry right now, though. The thirst, it always simmered in the background, but I refused to drink until I absolutely had to.
After weeks of staying hidden, it felt like I could finally breathe again, even if the peace was temporary. The forest had become my sanctuary, my prison, my world. I could have stayed here forever, avoiding everything and everyone. But the pull of Rosalie's memory was too strong. I couldn't ignore it any longer.
I turned my back to the rabbit and began to walk, my eyes focused on the path that would lead me back to Forks. I had no idea what I would say to her, how I would explain myself, but I couldn't keep running forever. It was time to face my fears, hope she will listen to my explenation, hope she doesn't hate me.
But when I reached the edge of the forest, I hesitated. The Cullen house was so close now. My body ached to be near her, and yet a voice in my mind screamed at me to turn back, to keep hiding.
What if they didn't understand? What if Rosalie had moved on? What if they saw me as a threat now?
I swallowed hard and clenched my fists. I had to do this. I had to prove I could change, that I wasn't the monster I once was. For her.
Rosalie's POV
Rosalie sat in the living room, staring at the door. The house was eerily quiet, too quiet. The entire family had tried to move on, to act as if everything was fine, but the void left by Sakura's disappearance was impossible to ignore.
It had been weeks since Sakura had vanished from the battlefield. Weeks of searching, of trying to make sense of why she'd run. Was it something I had done? Was it my fault?
But Rosalie didn't let herself dwell too long on those thoughts. The Volturi had come, and they had taken Bree. The whole situation had left an aftertaste in her mouth, but the real pain came when Sakura wasn't there beside her, the bond between them tugging at her relentlessly, yet she had no way of knowing where she was, or if she was still alive.
Was she out there, somewhere, wondering if I still cared?
Rosalie hated herself for doubting. For thinking that maybe she had lost her forever. She couldn't keep wondering about it; she couldn't keep holding onto a thread of hope that was slowly unraveling. But just as she began to tell herself that it was pointless to keep waiting…
A knock echoed through the quiet house.
Rosalie stood, her heart leaping into her throat. Her golden eyes flashed as she crossed the room, her breath quickening. She didn't know what she would find on the other side of that door, but she had to know.
She opened it.