In Chapter 18 of “Before Sunrise Touches Earth We Forgive What Hurt Us” by Vik Rowan Tate, Kross wakes up feeling unusually relaxed and notices that his injured hand has healed. This sense of peace is contrasted with the emotional turmoil he experienced the night before, as he reflects on the tenderness he felt from someone special, evoking memories of his mother. As he descends the stairs, he finds his friends Kade and Axel already waiting, and the atmosphere is charged with an unspoken tension, particularly concerning their shared feelings for Rosette.
Kross quickly realizes that Axel is struggling with his emotions, admitting to an unhealthy obsession with Rosette. This revelation reveals the depth of their connection to her and the fear of losing control over their feelings. The conversation turns to the implications of their desires, as Kade and Kross express concern about the dangers of their attachment to a human, especially as Axel prepares to enter a rut, a time when their urges become uncontrollable. The weight of their predicament hangs heavy in the air as they navigate their complex emotions.
As Axel grapples with his feelings, he expresses self-loathing and frustration about being a “monster,” fearing that Rosette would never accept him if she knew the truth about their nature. Kross tries to comfort Axel, understanding the pain of feeling abnormal and the burden of their reality. This moment of vulnerability among the brothers highlights their bond and the shared struggle they face, emphasizing themes of identity, acceptance, and the fear of intimacy.
The chapter culminates in a tense moment when they hear footsteps, signaling Rosette’s presence. This arrival introduces a pivotal moment that could change everything for Kross, Axel, and Kade as they confront their feelings and the potential consequences of their desires. The emotional stakes are high, leaving readers eager to see how these dynamics will unfold in the face of their complicated relationships.
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**Before Sunrise Touches Earth We Forgive What Hurt Us by Vik Rowan Tate**
**Chapter 18**
**KROSS**
I awoke this morning with an unusual sensation coursing through me. Alarm bells rang in my mind as I realized I had overslept, a rare occurrence for someone like me. No matter how late I had stayed up the night before, I always managed to rise before the sun graced the horizon with its light.
What struck me as peculiar was the feeling of relaxation that enveloped my body. Not a single muscle ached, and my head felt surprisingly light, despite the absence of my usual morning coffee ritual.
As I glanced down at my injured hand, I was taken aback to see it already healed. The only remnant of the wound was a faint red mark, a testament to the pain that had once been. I could still vividly recall the softness and warmth of her hand as she had held mine, treating it as if it were the most precious thing in the world.
In that moment, I was reminded of the only other person who had ever held me with such tenderness—my mother. A lump formed in my throat, tightening painfully as I pushed myself off the bed and made my way to the bathroom, the memories swirling in my mind like leaves caught in a gentle breeze.
Last night had been a whirlwind of emotions, and I had allowed myself to be vulnerable, something I rarely did. But now, well-rested and clear-headed, I felt that chapter of my life was behind me.
***
As I descended the stairs, I found Kade and Axel already seated in the living room. They both turned to face me, their eyebrows raised in unison, as if they were witnesses to something out of the ordinary.
“Odd,” Kade remarked, his gaze sharp and scrutinizing.
“What is?” I replied, feigning ignorance, even though I could already predict the words that would follow.
“You would usually be here waiting for us when we came down,” Axel chimed in, his tone matter-of-fact.
I paused, my attention shifting to Axel’s voice. Normally, he would have cracked a joke or offered some witty banter, but today he seemed different. There was a dullness to his expression, dark circles shadowing his eyes, which hinted at a sleepless night. “You okay? Didn’t get any sleep?” I asked, concern creeping into my voice.
He let out a long sigh, rubbing his eyes in a futile attempt to alleviate the redness. “Not even a wink,” he admitted, his voice tinged with frustration.
“You should really try warm milk,” I suggested as I made my way to the kitchen, the thought of a comforting drink bringing a small smile to my face. “It’ll help you get some rest.”
“Warm milk?” I heard him mutter, but I was already lost in the comforting aroma of brewing coffee.
As I stood there, pouring the dark liquid into my favorite mug, a smile crept onto my lips unexpectedly. I halted, my body tensing as I questioned myself, “What the hell, Kross?” The first thought that had crossed my mind upon waking was of her, and now I was smiling at the very memory of her presence.
I shook my head, trying to dispel her image from my thoughts, but it lingered stubbornly, her scent still etched in my memory. Kade and Axel had been deeply affected by her fragrance; it seemed to have woven its way into their very beings. I had kept my distance, but now that I had drawn closer, I was beginning to understand the hold she had over them.
With my coffee in hand, I returned to the living room, taking a sip while a frown formed between my brows.
“… get it,” Axel was saying just as I walked in, his demeanor utterly miserable.
Kade’s gaze shifted to me, silently pleading for assistance. I settled into a chair across from Axel, placing my mug down. “What’s bothering you?”
“Rosette,” he responded without a moment’s hesitation, his face falling even further at the mere mention of her name.
I nearly scoffed; of course, it was Rosette. All our current troubles revolved around her—every single one, even for Kade, who often pretended otherwise.
“What—”
“I’m getting addicted, Kross,” he interrupted, his voice trembling with fear. “I’m becoming obsessed, and it’s spiraling out of control. It has to stop. Men like us can’t allow ourselves to become obsessed. Just look at what happened to Kade.”
Kade flinched at the mention of his name but remained silent, fully aware of the truth in Axel’s words.
“I didn’t mean it like that,” Axel added quickly, glancing apologetically at Kade, who merely waved his hand dismissively.
I sipped my coffee slowly, contemplating the weight of Axel’s confession.
“Father knew what he was doing when he married her mother,” Kade stated, his voice steady.
“I’m not so sure he did,” I countered thoughtfully. “Before he married Vera, he had never even laid eyes on Rosette. He only heard about her through Vera. But when he saw her and realized that she and her mother shared the same scent, that’s when he understood what he was doing. He didn’t mean any harm.”
“I get that,” Axel grumbled, frustration evident in his tone. “I know he means well, but he should’ve known better. She’s human, for crying out loud!”
Indeed, she was human—fragile and easily shattered. We had learned this truth the hard way, especially through Kade’s suffering. The unfair reality was that we needed humans. During our rut, the pain was excruciating, and we relied on humans to help us endure it.
Over the years, medications had been developed to assist us in managing our condition, but they could only do so much. We still felt the pain; they merely dulled it.
Thus, we required humans—not just any humans, but those who possessed a particular scent. Rosette and her mother had that scent. Father had married her mother for his own reasons, and then he had given Rosette to us.
To him, it was a gift, and in a way, it was also a gift to us. But if we surrendered to our desires, our needs, she might not survive the consequences.
I suspected something similar had transpired between Axel and Rosette yesterday, which explained his current state of distress.
I exhaled a long, deep sigh. Clearly, I would need more than just one cup of coffee to navigate this day.
“How come you’re the only one not affected?” Kade asked, his eyes boring into the side of my face with an intensity that made me uneasy.
I swallowed the last sip of my coffee and set the mug aside, “I am affected.”
“Well, you hide it well,” he remarked, a hint of skepticism in his voice.
Hiding had become my specialty; it was something I had mastered since childhood. As the eldest, Father had placed high expectations on me. I learned to conceal my true self, not wanting to disappoint him. Over time, it simply became a way of life.
But last night… last night had been different. I had laid myself bare before her, exposing my wounds and scars, my vulnerabilities. Everything had been open to her like a book, and she had seen, listened, and… understood.
She had called me human, but I felt anything but. How would she react if she discovered the truth about us? Would she still view us the same way? Or would she see us as monsters?
Almost absentmindedly, I glanced at my hand again, fixating on the red mark she had treated with such care.
“I’ll be going into rut soon,” Axel said, his hands clenched tightly, fidgeting nervously. “In about a week.”
Our heads snapped toward him, our eyes widening in alarm.
“You can’t be in the same house as her when that happens,” I asserted, gripping the arm of the chair as if it were a lifeline.
“You think I don’t know that?!” Axel snapped, rising to his feet, his eyes wide and glowing with an unsettling intensity.
“Control yourself, Axel,” I growled, my voice firm and unyielding. “Your eyes are glowing. You need to stop that.”
He struggled to rein in his emotions. I could see the effort etched on his face, but it was evident he was more frustrated than either Kade or I realized.
“Dad caused this,” he seethed, his teeth sharpening as his frustration mounted. “He cornered us into this situation.” His nails began to elongate, a physical manifestation of his inner turmoil.
Kade and I exchanged worried glances, slowly rising from our seats.
“Axel, she’s upstairs,” Kade said calmly, both of us taking careful steps toward him.
Axel was still young, and there was much he had yet to learn. One of those lessons was how to maintain control.
“I know that,” he whispered, his shoulders sagging in defeat, his claws and teeth retracting, yet his eyes still shimmered with an otherworldly glow. “I know that, and that’s what makes it hurt. I want her, Kross. God, I want her so damn much, but I can’t have her. I’m a beast—a monster. She wouldn’t even look my way if she saw the real me.”
I halted in my tracks, my chest tightening as I observed my brother. He appeared utterly defeated, as though he had lost a battle he never had the chance to fight. I approached him and wrapped my arms around him, pulling him into a comforting embrace.
He buried his face in my neck, seeking solace. “I hate this, Kross,” he murmured, his voice trembling. “I hate that we’re… that we’re not normal.”
I remained silent, simply holding him close. Kade joined us, patting Axel’s back gently. I could feel my brother’s body shaking, and my neck grew damp with his tears, but I didn’t let go.
Just then, I heard soft footsteps echoing through the hallway, and all three of us froze in place.
I turned my head slowly, my gaze landing on the staircase, and there she stood.
Conclusion
In the quiet aftermath of the emotional storm that had swept through the room, Kross felt a profound shift within himself and his brothers. The weight of their shared struggles hung heavily in the air, yet there was an undeniable sense of hope that flickered like the first rays of dawn breaking through the darkness. The vulnerability Kross had allowed himself to embrace the night before had opened a door to understanding—a bridge between their world and Rosette’s. As he held Axel close, feeling the tremors of his brother’s pain, Kross recognized that they were not alone in this tumultuous journey. Together, they could confront the shadows of their past and the uncertainties of their future, united by their shared humanity, even amidst their monstrous nature.
As Rosette appeared at the top of the staircase, the fragile yet potent bond they had begun to forge became even more apparent. Kross’s heart raced, not with fear, but with an unexpected warmth that spread through him, igniting a fierce determination to protect her. The healing of his hand mirrored the healing that was possible within their fractured family, and he understood that forgiveness—of themselves and each other—was the first step toward reclaiming their lives. In that moment, the world outside faded away, leaving only the promise of new beginnings and the courage to face the challenges ahead. They would navigate the complexities of their desires and fears together, and perhaps, just perhaps, they would find a way to coexist with the very thing that threatened to tear them apart.
What to Expect in Next Chapter?
In the next chapter, the tension surrounding Rosette and the brothers is set to escalate dramatically. With Axel on the brink of his rut, the stakes have never been higher. The fragile balance they’ve maintained threatens to shatter as their primal instincts clash with their desire to protect Rosette from the darker sides of their nature. Will Axel manage to control his burgeoning desires, or will the beast within him overpower reason? The looming presence of Rosette adds a layer of complexity, as her innocence becomes both a beacon of hope and a potential catalyst for chaos.
Moreover, Kross’s internal struggle deepens as he grapples with his feelings for Rosette. The question of whether she can accept the truth about their lineage and the dark secrets they harbor becomes increasingly pertinent. As Kade and Axel wrestle with their own demons, Kross must confront the possibility that revealing their true selves could either forge a bond stronger than blood or irrevocably drive her away. The emotions are palpable, and with Rosette now standing at the threshold of their world, the brothers must decide how far they are willing to go to keep her safe—and at what cost.
Prepare for an emotional rollercoaster as loyalties are tested, vulnerabilities laid bare, and the true nature of love and sacrifice is explored. The next chapter promises to delve deeper into the dynamics of their relationships, and the consequences of their choices may lead to irreversible changes. Will they rise to the challenge, or will their fears and instincts consume them? The dawn is approaching, and with it, the potential for both redemption and heartbreak.
