“Why are you doing this?”
“Let’s just say it is payback for how they treated our parents. We aren’t going to just hold hands and sing kumbaya after that. They have to pay for their mistakes. They keep preaching that this was a war, but from my side, all I see are casualties. And Selene, in case you haven’t noticed, all the casualties have been vampires.”
“But… Levi…they did…they did not kill mom.” I swallow the lump forming in my throat.
Levi slaps his hands together, making me jump. “That bastard killed our father. The grief caused mom to… she fucking killed herself because of them. Two plus two, Selene. They killed our parents. They fucking took them from us.”
I look around for Blake, hoping he can at least talk some sense into our brother, but he is not there.
For years, thoughts of my family have only brought me fear and heartache. Every time I thought of Levi, all I saw was the dungeon where they kept the humans for their blood supply.
But here, right now, all I see is an angry man. Angry at the wolves’ betrayal and angry about the death of our parents.
Angry and hurt.
This is the same boy who taught me how to draw inside the lines and the names of all the colors.
He was once just a boy.
If our parents had been around, would he have turned out differently?
“I am sorry,” I whisper.
“Yeah?”
“I should have never run off like that.”
“You did what you thought was right, just like I am.”
“Yeah…
Does that mean you’ll do it? Will you kill one of them?”
“Levi…”
“There are fairies and wolves for you to pick from. An eye for an eye. They killed both our parents. They should be thankful we are only asking for one body as our pound of flesh. Call me when it is done, and then we can talk.”
And then he turns his back on me, revs the bike, and speeds off in the other direction.
I feel tears sting my eyes.
I am not capable of murder, but am I okay standing by and watching these people decide the fate of my species… of my family?
Does choosing Liam mean I have to let go of Levi and Blake?
Must I lose one or the other?
I turn to walk back to the council room. As I approach, I see Liam waiting for me, and a pang of panic shoots through me. How long has he been there? I thought he went back inside to his parents.
“I’ve only been out here for a couple of minutes,” Liam reassures me.
I let out a shaky breath, relieved. “I thought... never mind,” I say, shaking my head to clear my thoughts.
Liam looks at me, concern etched on his face. “What’s wrong, Selene? What happened with Levi?”
I take a deep breath, steeling myself to tell him the truth. “Levi is... he’s leading the rebellion against the council.”
Liam’s eyes widen in shock. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he asks, obviously hurt. “I could have helped you.”