Chapter 98: You told on Dash
WILLA
I swallowed hard, keeping my gaze locked on my mother. My fingers twisted tightly in the bedsheet as I forced down another lump rising in my throat.
"If there hadn’t been witnesses, you would’ve been dead for nothing!" Whitney raged.
"We should be grateful Kol was there to stop this madness," Steven added quietly.
Kol?
He had told my parents about Dash. Why him?
Yet, he acted as if nothing happened.
My jaw tightened. I rose from the bed and started toward the door without thinking. I needed answers. I needed to know why he had said anything to my parents and triggered this drastic reaction.
"Where are you going?" Whitney stepped in front of me.
"I..." I trailed off, frowning.
If I told her I was going to confront Kol, she wouldn’t let me leave.
"I need to use the bathroom," I lied.
"Okay," Whitney said, stepping aside. "One minute."
I didn’t respond. I marched out of the room. Kol’s scent hit me immediately. I followed it through the hallway until I found him in the main lobby with the rest of the boys and Verah.
They were sitting together lost in discussion when I approached.
Eric was the first to notice me. He lifted his head, a frown etched on his face. "What are you doing here?" He asked.
I ignored him and walked straight up to Kol. A wide smile spread across his face until I shoved hard against his chest.
"How could you?"
"W-what?" he stammered, eyes widening in surprise.
"Stop pretending like you don’t know what you’ve done!" I shouted, my glare flicking briefly to the "Shhh" sign on the wall.
"What are you talking about?" He looked genuinely confused.
Sure. He was a great actor. That was probably why he hadn’t told me himself before Verah did.
"If you have no idea what you did, then fine," I hissed through clenched teeth. "Just stay the hell away from me."
I spun on my heel, refusing to acknowledge the stunned looks on everyone else’s faces.
Kol’s hand shot out, fingers tightening around my arm and yanking me back before I could storm off.
"What the fuck is going on?" he demanded, searching my face.
"You know!" I struggled against his grip, but he wouldn’t let go.
"Yeah, well," he grunted, "if I knew, I wouldn’t be asking you right now, would I?"
Still pretending. I wasn’t falling for it anymore.
"You told on Dash!" I snapped. "Because of you, he’s locked up and facing some stupid charge. I’m not even dead!"
"Whoa," Eric said, stepping forward as Kol’s expression shifted — confusion melting into cold realization, then anger.
"You’re mad at him because of Dash?" Eric scoffed.
Kol released me so suddenly I stumbled backward. I caught myself, but the absence of his warm hand left an uncomfortable ache.
I waited for him to say something — anything. He just stared at me with those cold eyes for a few long seconds before turning and heading toward the exit.
Seriously? That was it? He couldn’t even defend himself?
Fresh anger surged through my veins. I balled my hands into fists at my sides.
"Yeah, leave!" I shouted at his retreating back.
He didn’t stop. The urge to throw something at him burned hot, but I held back. I was already getting death glares from the nurses and other people in the waiting area.
I turned my attention to Eric.
"I know he’s rude and cold sometimes," Eric said, frowning, "but if there’s one thing I’d agree with him on, it’s what he did. I would’ve done the same."
His eyes locked on mine. "Would you have gotten mad at me for trying to protect you?"
"This isn’t about you," I muttered before I could stop myself.
Eric tilted one brow at me. Then he let out a short, bitter snort, shook his head, and did exactly what Kol had done — turned and walked away.
Elliott followed silently behind him without saying a single word to me.
"I regretted holding him back," Lance said coldly before leaving.
My heart ached as I watched the door open and shut behind them. A big part of me wanted to run after them, to apologize, to explain. They meant well. I probably wouldn’t even be alive right now if it weren’t for their intervention.
But...
"I know you’re my best friend," Verah said softly. "But I’m still going to say it. You messed up."
"I didn’t mean it like that," I muttered, letting out a tired sigh. "I just... I thought he didn’t deserve to be locked up since I’m alive."
Verah nodded, blowing out a long breath. "I know you didn’t mean it that way. You were just looking out for him, but best friend..." She gripped my shoulders, staring straight into my eyes. "Let the law do its job."
I let out a frustrated sigh. I was just going to have to watch Dash get prosecuted. I didn’t even fully understand how the law worked here. Hopefully my parents would drop the charges.
She pulled me into another hug. I wrapped my arms around her tightly, sighing as her familiar warmth settled over me. After a few seconds, we pulled apart.
"What do I do about Kol?" I murmured. "I think he hates me now."
Verah rolled her eyes, a soft snicker escaping her. "Hating you and Kol Archer should never be said in the same sentence. Girl, have you seen the way he looks at you?"
I shook my head. It was hard to tell. Most of the time when I looked at him, all I saw was annoyance and coldness.
"Then you’re blind," Verah said, nudging me with her elbow. "Your real enemy is Dash, not Kol. That boy would do anything in his power to keep you safe."
I flushed, heat crawling up my neck.
"Anyways," she continued, a mischievous glint in her eyes, "I know the perfect apology to turn him to putty in your hands."
I frowned, slanting my head. "Which is?"