^Gif is of Tommy James.

It was chaos. Everyone was gathered in the living room of Will's grandad's mansion, speaking over the top of one another in shock. Everyone - everyone - was exclaiming something except for my oldest younger brother. 

Kota's empty eyes were pointing in the direction of me but they were lifeless. His face was slack. His body shook slightly as he tried to understand this. Mum had an arm around him as she spoke with Dad about the possibility of this. Kota probably didn't feel her though. 

I dragged my attention away from Dakota and onto Will. He exchanged a glance with me before deciding the noise was too much. 

"Enough!" he shouted. 

Everyone quietened down quickly. 

Will took a deep breath before explaining, "It's hard to believe. I know Tommy isn't that type of wolf. But he bit Katie. There are two things we can do and as Alpha of this pack, I want a unanimous decision."

Kota's eyes snapped to Will, gaining life. I suddenly saw the fear inside Kota. I could feel it. Kota's entire body was quaking and his breathing was quick. 

Will continued, "One) We banish him without giving him a chance to explain himself. Two) We ask why he did it and then decide whether we banish him or not."

"Why would we pick the first one, then?" Josh asked, "Shouldn't everyone be given a chance of justice?"

Will shifted his weight, "Well... he broke a law and we know it. If we decide not to banish him, we're also breaking a law."

Kota lurched forward, gripping his stomach. He gasped, "I need fresh air."

He sprinted out of the room and I faintly heard the front door slam close behind him. Will rolled his shoulders back and looked around the room, "The choice is to either banish one of our own or to break a law ourselves. I'm giving you all exactly two days to decide. Nobody speaks to Tommy regarding this. Understood?"

Everyone nodded. 

My heart cracked as I watched the tear that streamed down my mum's face and the stiffness in my dad's posture.

Will continued, "Please message myself or America with your reason why... Me? I hope we can save Tommy."

"Me too," I heard Dad whisper. 

***

"Kota?" my voice echoed around the garden. 

No reply. I could feel that he wasn't there, though. 

It took me ten minutes to walk home from Will's. As I walked through into the front yard, my nose caught a whiff of a wolf smell. Kota was home. 

"Kota?" I repeated. 

"Up here," I heard him sniffle. 

I climbed up the ladder to Dylan and Mia's treehouse and poked my head through, "Hey there, buddy."

"Hey, sis," he murmured, leaning against the wall. 

His tear-stained face was looking out the window, lit up by the moon outside. I scooted over to him and wrapped my arms around his torso, "Just breathe, Kota."

He took a deep breath and then resigned to hugging me back, "I don't want Tommy to go away..."

"Of course you don't," I felt my chest tighten, "He's your twin brother - your second half."

"But he... he bit Katie," Kota sniffled, "And he didn't even tell me."

"I know, buddy," I answered.

How do I make this all go away? 

***

Tommy

I dribbled the basketball up the court and aimed for the basket. I shot but it bounced off the rim and landed somewhere in the bushes to the side. 

I cursed myself. 

I stepped into the overgrowth and began kneeling in the dark to search for the ball. My hands caught the ball and I stood up, tossing it from hand to hand. Then shock. 

My hands dropped from the basketball. The thud of it sent me jumping. I crumpled to my knees, lifting my head up to the sky. The stars glittered overhead maliciously. 

She was watching me. 

"What did I do to you?!" I screamed, "Why do you hate me so much?!"

Nothing. My chest felt empty. Hollow. Like I had nothing. 

Then, 'What do you mean, Thomas James?'

"What did I ever do to you, Lady Artemis?" I whimpered, "I broke a law and I'm about to be punished. I know it. But why did you make me do it?"

I saw a few stars wink at once, grasping me. 

Lady Artemis murmured, 'The things I do have reasons. You will see it soon enough.'

Then she was gone in a wisp of the milky way. 

***

America

We watched Tommy come up the path towards the house, slowly dribbling his basketball. He was in deep thought.

Kota murmured, "I hate him now."

I shushed Kota. 

Tommy passed us, oblivious. As he closed the front door, Kota asked, "How didn't he know we were here?"

"He knows something's up," I answered, "He was too busy thinking about something."

"What are you deciding?"

"What?" I raised an eyebrow at Kota.

Kota answered, "Banish him or break a law?"

I winced, watching my betrayed brother. I didn't even respond before he whispered my answer, "You want to banish him, don't you?"

I pulled away from Kota, "I'm sorry..."

Kota, surprisingly, held me in a hug, "I love you, Rica."

"I love you too, Dakota."

***

Song: I Miss You - Blink 182 Cover by 5SOS

Short Chapter.

What would you vote? Banish Tommy or break a law?

xx Sharky.