Mask | ✓

11 [part one]

I was completely and utterly sure that both Tatum and Nolan had lost their damn minds.

"This is fucking stupid," I told my brother for what felt like the hundredth time today.

"It won't be that bad," Nolan shot me a pointed glance. "Besides, you've already been to the Howling Night. I heard that it's pretty different for our pack. It could be fun."

"I'm going to be locked in a fucking house all day, how is that fun?"

That was the condition Tatum had added. If I was to be staying at the Howling Night then it would need to stay low profile. Nolan found the condition an easily agreeable one seeing as that would have to be the case no matter where I went, but Nolan wasn't the one who would have to be going there so his opinion was irrelevant.

"Look, it could be better than you think. Consider it a vacation if you prefer. Everything will still be the same when you come back."

"Vacation implies that I willingly want to go — which I don't. Aren't you supposed to be the smart one?"

Nolan rolled his eyes but otherwise, he ignored me. I leaned back against the couch and watched as Nolan scurried around. I was supposed to leave in an hour which meant that I had to have all my things together and ready. I was sure I did, but Nolan being Nolan, it didn't surprise me that he decided to come over just to make sure.

I knew it was his way of showing that he cared. He'd always been that way since we were younger.

"Try to at least get along while you're there, okay?" Nolan said to me once he was finally finished inspecting my luggage. "I don't want to find out that you've been kicked out on your first day there."

"You sound like a parent whose kid is leaving home for the first time. Calm down, I'm gonna be back before you know it. You focus on keeping yourself safe," I told Nolan.

I was worried about him. More than he knew. Sure, he was going to have Eli, Roan, and all the others here with him, but I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't know if something was happening until it was too late.

"You're right," Nolan shook his head and smiled. "Let's skip the sappy moment. It's never really been our style."

"Be safe," I said to him as I stood up to grab my bags. "And do some training, yeah? We both know you need it."

Nolan shot me a playful glare. "Stay out of trouble. Goddess knows you have a habit of both finding and creating it."

"No promises."

Nolan rolled his eyes but his smile didn't drop. With my bags in hand, I took one last glance at my brother before moving toward the door.

This was only temporary. I only needed to last until we found out who was behind the attack. That was all and then I could come back home.