Word Count: 1455

~Avia

I stare out the window, brooding.

"Something on your mind?"

Flinching, I whirl around, facing Kadrick. He stands across the room, looking at me with a raised brow. Ever since I left for the mission, he hasn't been looking at me the same. I know it bothers him seeing me going back to Isaiah so many times, especially when he has witnessed it himself, but I didn't expect him to still harbour those feelings when we aren't even talking about him.

Even when I'm not looking at Isaiah, I'm thinking about him. It's plaguing me, that there is some kind of connection between us. It could just be that Isaiah is naturally seductive, that he's mysterious and dangerous and forbidden.

Or maybe it's more than that...I don't want to think about it anymore.

"Just thinking about Isaiah," I admit, turning away from the window. There's nothing back darkness out there anyway, the city practically dead in these parts.

Kadrick frowns. "What's there to think about?"

"I'm just trying to figure him out, is all," I sigh. He strides toward me, arms crossed over his chest. Sometimes an entirely different persona overtakes Kadrick whenever Isaiah is mentioned. He stands taller, straightens his shoulders and acts defensively at every opportunity.

"He's a selfish, arrogant Alpha who only cares for himself and his wretched family," Kadrick reminds me, tilting his head in a way that dares me to say otherwise.

"I know that," I respond quietly.

Isaiah is a terrible person. It's something I've known for most of my life, when his father came into my village and burned it down, killing my entire family. He has passed laws similar to what his father did, and made public announcements to secure how he feels about his own Pack and people. But meeting him in person has revealed more to me that I thought I would witness.

"You're not starting to doubt this mission, are you?" Kadrick's eyes are narrowed on me. I often wonder if he would still be with me if I decided to step down from the rebellion. Malin likely wouldn't be my friend, but what about my own boyfriend?

"What? No, of course not," I dismiss, reaching out to grab his hands, clutching them tightly. "I just need to get it over with, so I never have to see him again."

"Malin will freak out if she finds out you can't do this anymore..." Kadrick reminds me.

I shake my head at him. "Kadrick, everything is fine. You're right about Isaiah, okay?"

He sighs through his nose, but eventually nods, shoulders deflating. "I love you, Avia."

"I love you too."

***

Kenna has her arms folded over her chest, glaring in front of her at Malin.

"Who is this?" Malin demands, holding a photo in front of her face.

Kenna sighs, rolling her eyes. Her resolve has weakened in all the weeks she has been in here, still hating us all beyond belief. I can't blame her, we did kidnap her after all. Thankfully, she still writes letters for us to send back to her family so they don't get suspicious. She doesn't do it willingly though. Malin is disturbingly good at persuasion...

"What's the point of this?" Kenna questions irritably. We have been trying to educate her on the purpose of the rebellion, but she doesn't want to hear it. I've encouraged Malin to give it up, but she's wary about releasing Kenna without her sympathising with our cause enough to not cause trouble.

Malin holds the photo closer. "Tell me who this is?"

She rolls her eyes. "The Alpha."

"This man's father came into mine and A's village and burnt it all down so he could rebuild for the wealthy without giving us anything," Malin explains. She doesn't mention what happened to her family. She never will. She hasn't spoken to me about it since it happened, and I've never brought it up. Malin doesn't do the emotional stuff.

Kenna narrows her eyes on the photo, not softening for a moment at Malin's admission. "What does that have to do with Isaiah?"

I've had that silent thought before. Why target Isaiah when it was his father that caused Malin and I so much pain. Then I remind myself that it's the traditions that he upkeeps, the decisions that he continues to make and the people who are still suffering. The whole point of the mission, at the end of the day, is to take down the entire system that oppresses us.

"It's his father...Their whole family is continuing to displace innocent people all over the Pack," Malin explains, her tone rising with the anger she struggles to quell.

What would Malin think of Isaiah if she met him? Would she have doubts like I am. I doubt it...

"I don't care, okay?" Kenna snaps back, drawing her knees up to her chest, a dark look of defiance consuming her soft blue eyes. It's unnerving how similar her and I look, being that we are from the Love Pack. No wonder the plan has gone smoother than we ever could have hoped for. Her and I are just alike.

"Start caring," Malin growls. "We wouldn't be doing this unless we had a good reason."

Kenna leaves forward in her seat. "I. Don't. Care."

"Let me talk, M. She hates you, remember?" I intervene. Malin and Kenna stare each other down for a long moment before Malin relents, getting up off the chair. They are only going to keep antagonising each other if I don't step in.

"I only put up with this because you're the reason I have this room," Kenna responds as I sit down, looking over me with scrutiny. She's probably comparing herself to me, wondering why I was chosen to take her spot. It makes me anxious, because she is beautiful in a soft, graceful way, even though her attitude is quite the opposite.

"The idea of keeping you here makes me sick. And I know that won't mean anything to you, but the sooner I can get you out of here, the better," I tell her honestly.

It haunts me, having her here, when I'm in Isaiah's lavish estate seducing the Alpha. I wish more than anything that we could have done this in another way that didn't involve detaining an innocent person, but we have spent years on this rebellion, and this has been the only idea that has gotten us this far.

Kenna narrows her eyes. "Then let me go."

"But to do that, we need to take down Isaiah and his family. We need to make sure who takes his place is a fair, just person who cares," I tell her firmly.

"You don't have to break into his house to do that," she responds irritably.

"We have been trying for years, and this is our one chance." I hope I'm not sounding to desperate. We don't need her on our side, but for her sake, I truly hope she starts to see things from our perspective. "My family are dead, killed by his men. I have nothing anymore, nothing but this life."

Kenna motions around herself. "Well now I have nothing..."

"I understand," I murmur calmly. "But by you being here, you're going to be contributing to thousands of lives being saved. People will worship you, chant your name in the street once they are liberated."

"I owe no one in this Pack anything."

"You're right, you don't owe any of us your sympathy, not after what we have done to you," I sigh, glancing at Malin who just rolls her eyes. "But just think about it. Can you do that?"

Kenna is silent for a long moment, giving me a good chance to look at her. Her skin is sickly looking from being without sun for so long. Dark shadows haunt her eyes, sleep hard to find in a place like this, especially when she has been barely eating. Just looking at her tears away at the hardened shell I've had to put up in an effort to go along with this mission.

"I have nothing better to do than think," she says finally. I'm not sure if she is relenting because she genuinely wants to think about it, or because she doesn't want us anywhere near her.

"Thank you Kenna," I say softly. "Thank you."

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