Hidden Away

Thirty-Eight: Betrayal

War has always been inevitable when it comes to the Destroyers. It has been evident since their attack on the crown and the idea was solidified when they waged another attack on my pack – one of the strongest packs in the world – and won. Their abilities under this new leadership that began with Alec's death have gotten stronger, and it would be stupid for anyone to think that a war wouldn't be at risk of starting. I know that.

I just didn't think it would be so soon. 

"You're nervous," Lily observes from behind me. Her hands move swiftly through my hair as she twists it into two long braids. She specifically eyes the brush my fingers are wrapped around, spinning it in an attempt to keep my mind off the fact I'm getting my hair done to go into battle not knowing whether me and the people I love are going to come out of it alive.

"Are you not?" I ask in return.

"Not just nervous," She emphasizes. "I'm terrified." She picks up a tiny hair elastic from the vanity and wraps it around the end of the first braid tightly before starting the second one. Her face morphs into an expression I can't quite read. Worry, fear? I have no idea. "It's just that I can tell something's on your mind. What is it?"

All I can offer her is a shrug. "Just the things people normally think about when they are hours away from going into battle," I say. "I'm scared more people are going to get hurt." I eye Lily through the mirror as she runs a brush through the other half of my hair. Our eyes lock in our reflection. "Are you sure you want to fight in this? I would never forgive myself if you got hurt trying to help me."

"Of course, I'm sure, Norah," she states, starting the other braid from the crown of my head. Her voice drops, softer than before. "I want to avenge my parents too." It is only now that I realize just how selfish I have been. Lily lost her family and pack just as I did, and after the countless times she has checked up on me, I haven't checked up on her once.

"Right," I say, defeated. "How are you, by the way?" 

Lily sighs, stopping her braiding for a moment. "I've been coping. Though I won't say it hasn't been hard."

"I'm sorry I haven't—"

"It's okay," she cuts me off, continuing. "I didn't expect you to check on me. You have your own grieving to do."

"You do too, but you still checked on me."

"Because I was worried about you." I can't help but allow a frown to stretch across my lips. "A lot has changed with you since our parents and pack were killed and you don't seem to be coping with it healthily."

"I was angry—" I say abruptly, my voice dropping slightly. "I still am. I just want to make things right." She pauses halfway down the braid once again.

"So are we," she shrugs. You're not special, is what I get from that sentence, but I know that's not what she means. She would never think like that. "We are all angry, and we all want to put an end to the Destroyers, but I definitely think you're going about it all wrong." Her words are like a blow to my heart. All I want is revenge for my parents and our pack. I didn't think there was a wrong way to get it. 

My silence causes Lily to sigh as she continues the braid. "You're treating this as if your life isn't valuable. You keep making decisions that risk your life without thinking about how much they affect others." She tries to catch my eyes in the reflection, but I look down, falling back to the brush in my hand. "And I think I can speak for multiple people when I say they would be devastated if something ever happens to you." Goddess, her words sound incredibly familiar. Too similar to Levi's earlier today.

"Like who?" I ask, but I already know the answer. 

As she finishes off the braid, she drops it against my back in shock. I look up and watch her jaw go slack through the mirror. "Your boyfriend? Your mate? Your brother? Who only spent basically his entire life looking for you, his twin sister? They would all rather get themselves killed than see anything happen to you."