The Betrayed won't Lie Low (discontinued)

Chapter 20

"You look at the direction you're about to attack every time!"

Aurelia stopped running at him. She was so tired.

"It's obvious what you will do."

Aurelia groaned as she stopped and panted. "Give me a second..."

"Oh, alright," Xander sighed. A familiar scent caught his nose, and he blinked. "Nyx?"

The door opened just as Aurelia looked up.

Nyx cleared her throat. "Xander... and Aurelia... I'm here to talk to you."

"Huh? About what?" Aurelia said in surprise.

Nyx stood at the door, her hands clasped.

"I'm sorry," she said after a moment of hesitation.

Aurelia's eyes widened as she gaped at Nyx, speechless.

"I'm sorry," Nyx repeated. "I... I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. I can't... control my mouth. I'll... I can't promise, but I'll try not to do it again. Sorry," she repeated stiffly, "Aurelia."

Xander broke into a smile. "Looks like my sister's all grown up now, huh..."

Nyx turned her head until she couldn't see him. "Stop, you're making this harder."

"...sorry."

"Uhm," Aurelia started, "Nyx, it's fine. I was thinking that maybe I'd, erm, done something wrong, but it seems I haven't. I'm... relieved. And also I don't blame you. I'm... a clueless human...? So... uh..."

"Wh - of course not, you've done nothing wrong," Nyx said. "Really. It's just... me."

"I can't watch this," Xander said tonelessly. "Why are you both so bad at communicating."

"Shut up."

Xander shrugged as he plopped down on the floor. "Tell me when you're done."

Nyx and Aurelia stared at each other for a second. Then both kicked Xander.

"Ow - hey - why are you hitting me?! What have I done wrong!" Xander cried in a fetal position on the floor.

"Actually." Nyx cleared her throat. "We're... Laura and I, we're going to visit June today."

Xander stilled. "Oh. You, uh, are?"

Nyx nodded. "You can come...?"

"Of course, we'll go."

Nyx nodded again and left the room, footsteps making no noise. "Let's go, then."

"Just a moment," Aurelia called, and she looked at Xander.

"What?" Xander asked as he stood.

"Who's June?"

"Oh - that's..." He hesitated. "She's... a friend," he said finally with a soft smile.

Aurelia stopped for a second, then she bit her tongue and nodded. He didn't want to talk about it, she wouldn't make him.

She stepped towards the door. "Well," she said as she turned her head, "are we going?"

"Ah, of course." Xander hurried after her.

♤

"So... where does June live?" Aurelia asked as they went out of the house.

Laurelyn looked at her, noticing she'd taken to calling her June as well.

"Pack territory," Nyx answered when her sister didn't, with a wry smile.