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I had been acting like an asshole around her, not letting her near or talking to her.

There were times I wanted to be on my own to think. To make sure I wouldn’t go crazy, and after coming back to the wilderness with them, negative emotions were all I felt.

For days, and I didn’t see a way out.

I even caught a cold, making my throat sore and my voice hoarse eventually.

Didn’t need to speak anyway, so I kept quiet and tried to sleep it all out, hoping I would wake up one morning and feel good enough to be my usual self again.

“Okay. Go behind this tree. And keep an eye out. Always do,” Papa told her.

Before she disappeared behind the tree, she looked at me, her eyes big and unsure.

I hadn’t treated her right at all, no matter how much I loved her.

I had to get my shit together.

When she was hidden behind the tree, Papa walked toward me to give her some privacy, and I turned to take another few steps away from him, getting some distance between us.

It was unnecessary, seeing as he followed me close to a cliff.

We weren’t standing too high up, and down there was a shallow, icy river with snow surrounding it.

“I don’t like what you’re doing,” Papa said, stopping right next to me and looking down to inspect where we were standing.

One more step, and the snow underneath our feet would fall down into the river.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“You damn well know what I’m talking about, Fennec. She’s your sister. You don’t do shit like that with your sister.”

For a swift moment, my legs felt as if they were about to give in, but I straightened my back and shoulders to stand tall.

I raised a brow at him, waiting for him to say more.

“You think I don’t see the way you look at her? Or the way she keeps watching you with so much damn admiration? Not the way a sister should look at her brother,” he hissed, keeping his voice low.

“Why don’t you mind your own business?” I muttered, taking a step away from the cliff.

Listening to his words only worsened my mood, and I wouldn’t let him get to me.

“This is my business. She is my business! Stay the fuck away from her!” he spat.

I hoped to God Vespyr didn’t hear him, and I hoped she would stay behind that tree for five more seconds.

Something in my mind switched, and without thinking about it, I shoved him with both my hands against his chest.

“Shit!” His voice was louder now. Loud enough for Vespyr to hear and I already heard her move in the snow.

Papa tried to grab me and steady himself, but when he gripped my coat, I pulled his hand off me and pushed him back.

“Fennec!” he shouted as I stood there, watching him slip and fall.

Guilt should’ve been the one thing I felt, but there was nothing but emptiness.

39

My eyes were on Vespyr the whole time.

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