BXBX NOVEL Chapter 292: Weak and (not) alone
She avoided her parents and locked herself in her room. She knew she should have had a shower, but she had no strength. Her clothes and nails were dirty of blood, mud, and dead leaves.
She couldn't sit on the bed like that, so she looked for clean clothes but couldn't put them on. For some reason, she didn't have any energy to change.
In the end, she threw the clothes on the bed, deciding to wear them later, and she sat in a corner, on the floor. She hugged her knees and closed her eyes, trying to forget about anything at all.
She wished to disappear, to erase her existence forever. Why was her life suddenly so difficult? Just because she played along with Lucretia for once? Oh, she would have never met her again. Omegas weren't allowed next to Alphas' sisters.
At least, in part, her life would have been calmer.
She almost fell asleep like that until the door woke her up. She couldn't move to stand, so she just whined while opening her eyes. The room was dark, as it was evening. Amanda hadn't switched any light on. Still, the shining black eyes in front of her didn't need light.
«Mama told me you didn't feel well and wanted to be alone,» her brother said. «I knew something wasn't right.»
He carried her to the bed, paying no attention to the stink of dry blood, dead leaves, and who knows what else.
«Who was it?» he inquired, but she couldn't talk.
And why should she tell him? So that they can grieve and hate together?
«You're also an Omega now,» she reminded him. «You can't just hunt them down, brother.»
«Are you sure? I might be an Omega. But, even like this, I can teach them a lesson. One they won't forget. Tell me the names, Amanda. And every single detail about what happened.
Don't leave anything out.»
«I don't want to talk about it,» she said.
«All right... You need a shower first. Then you can sleep a little. When you wake up, you can write the list for me.»
«I don't want to think about it,» she sobbed.
«I'll bring you to a safe place. Just give me some time to organise it. I'll help you pack your things for a few days of travel... You will buy the rest if you need it. Bring only what's necessary.»
«Where?» she murmured, finally raising her head from the pillow.
Was there hope for her? Did Renato know about a place for her to live? Was she going to become a solitary wolf, by any chance? But with her brother protecting her, it didn't sound so terrible.
«Where did they hurt you? With what?»
«Claws,» she said.
She touched her shirt, ripped in two. She had clenched it tightly while coming back, feeling every breath of wind and every gaze on her. She had taken the fastest way to their home and went in through the back door. Now, her brother was looking at her in that state.
She should have changed.
«Let me see,» he said. «I smell blood.»
«It's from before,» she hummed, but she didn't fight when he lifted the shirt and uncovered the last couple of open wounds.
«It's healing, but it must have been very deep if it's taking this long. When did you come home?»
«Before dinner,» she said.
«It's been hours.»
«Yes? I didn't notice.»
«You were sleeping on the floor, Amanda. Why?»
«I didn't want to stain the bed...»
«But you were too tired to change or take a shower. Oh, they shouldn't have touched you. You're my little sister, for the Moon Goddess.»
«I want to sleep now,» she said.
«It's better if you clean yourself up and change clothes. Then, you can sleep while I prepare your luggage. We're going before dawn.»
«Going where?»
«I still have to decide. But there are many places in this world. We'll find the one right for you.»
«For me? Are you abandoning me?» she asked, her eyes filling with tears.
«No. It's just temporary. I don't want you here while I teach those people a lesson. If you don't tell me the names, I will beat to a pulp every single one of the people who know you.»
«It's not... It's not a good idea. They were... I...»
«How many?»
«Seven,» she breathed. «But five stood there to look, and one just caught me while I was running away.»
«I don't care, Mandy. Tell me their names. Every single one of them.»
«You're an Omega like me,» she reminded him. «You can't do anything!»
«Don't worry about me. Also, things are getting difficult. The pack will soon enter a war, and Omegas aren't protected in those cases. I don't want you to be here while it's dangerous.»
«War?»
«Yes.»
«We don't know anything about it...»
«It's not yet public knowledge, but it's just a matter of time.»
«But why does Norwich attack us?» she whined. «What do they want?»
«Don't ask me this, please. I can't answer.»
«You know it?»
«I know.»
«And it's a secret? But it regards the whole pack! We have the right to know when this happens! It's about our lives...»
He just shook his head, helping her up. He opened the door of the bathroom for her and prepared the towels.
«Call me if you feel weak. I'll be nearby.»
«I'm not feeling that bad,» Amanda chuckled.
Oddly enough, she didn't lie about it. She could walk and wash. Was the thought of leaving really enough to help her mood?
She still was weak and scared, and she couldn't imagine what those people would do if they caught her again.
But with her brother on her side, she wasn't alone.