Chapter 31: Resolution
The moment Ava arrived on the training ground expecting to find Nolan but instead found Kade with a worried expression on his face.
"You need to leave, Ava."
She rolled her eyes. "We've been over this. I'm not leaving."
"Why?!" His voice was louder than intended, but he didn't care anymore. "Why are you so stubborn? These people don't deserve you! If you stay here, you'll either get killed or become someone you're not."
Her gaze softened for just a moment before she turned away. "You don't understand."
Kade scoffed. "Oh, I don't understand? Explain it to me, then. Explain why you think staying here is a good idea."
She exhaled, shaking her head. "Because if I leave, then what? Do I just run away from everything?"
He reached for her hand, his fingers brushing against hers. "Ava, I see you. I see every part of you. The stubborn, the fierce, the kind. I see the way you fight for people who don't deserve you. And yes, I want to save you, but not because I think you're weak. I want to save you because this place will destroy you."
She searched his face, lips slightly parted, as if weighing his words carefully.
Kade took a step closer, voice dropping to a whisper. "Come with me."
Ava hesitated, and for a moment, hope flared in his chest. But then, her expression steeled, and she pulled her hand away.