We had continued walking around the fair, all of us having fun and enjoying our time, David joined us shortly after Lil left us. He and Winnie led the way. I soon realized that we were heading to the very edge of the fair grounds, that was lined with trees from the forest we just left the night before. As we got closer to the forest, the group started picking up speed. 

When we got to the edge of the forest, Winnie and David turned around. They looked at each other before turning back to us, Winnie announced “We need to talk.” 

We followed them into the woods, going in just far enough to not be easily seen from the fair. Everyone stood around waiting. The awkward silence was agonizing.

I looked over to Hadden and Lib, both of them had the same expressions as I did, all of us questioning what we were doing here. 

“What are we doing here David?” Hadden asked, his expression turning sour.

“Well…” David started looking anywhere, not meeting Hadden’s eyes, “We were ummm… hoping to get some answers out of you and Chief… and Juniper.” 

Hadden’s eyes started turning a bright red, “So you thought you’d just get rid of Lilla, then corner us in the woods thinking we’d talk, huh?” He chuckled, “Did you actually think we would fall for that?”

“Listen, we just want to know what’s going on. Okay? No one here really didn’t want Lil to not be here. But…” David started explaining.

“We knew she would just casually shut us down and we’d never learn the truth!” Winnie yelled at us, “Lillith is the only one who knows the whole story. But she’d never tell us!”

“Got it.” Lib said walking in front of Hadden, he looked at Hadden and I with a gently smile and nodded, “What did you guys wanna know?” 

“Why is Lillith keeping secrets from us?” Zander asked us, “We are a pack. If you and her had made up, then why keep it a secret? None of us would have been upset or anything.”

“We figured some people would’ve been upset about it, and we were still trying to sort everything out. Only Juniper, Lil, Hadden, and I knew of it.” Lib answered.

“Why did he know and not me Cheif?” David asked gritting his teeth.

“Well…” Lib said, scratching the back of his head looking back at Hadden.

“I figured it out.” Hadden said bluntly, not moving an inch.

“How? I know you guys were close when you were younger and all. But she hadn’t spoken to you, Hadden, since she left our pack back at PVT. So why are you so chill about it? I mean you used to get agitated just seeing her. So what changed?” David asked edging Hadden on.

“I saw Lilla’s name pop up on Ryinth’s phone shortly after they talked the first time. After that it was quite obvious. I mean, he disappeared every weekend. And he never bothered to make plans with the pack or with you.” Hadden said sternly. “You haven’t even known the three of us long enough to call us by our nicknames. Lilla still calls you by your full name most of the time… even Ryinth has gotten on you about calling him anything other then Chief before, while I have never called him that.” Hadden’s voice had gotten so cold.

“Hadd, cool off.” Lib put his hand on Hadden’s shoulder softly. 

“Why did you tell him! Why didn’t you tell me! I’m the beta! Just cause I’ve not known you as long as he has that doesn’t mean you don’t tell me! And why would you make back up with her? Why Her of all people?” David screamed.

Hadden’s eyes turned into an even deeper red, “Because you are against all omegas! Cause you have always hated her! All because she is an omega! You’ve never even given her a chance to prove herself. Why would he ever tell you he was talking to his sister again? Huh?” Hadden stormed up to David towering above him, “She would annihilate you  without even having to catch her breath. She would destroy you.” 

“I will never be beaten by an omega, especially her. She is the lowest of the low. The bottom of the gene pool. How dare you insinuate that a small weak omega like her could even touch me in a one on one fight. She doesn’t even know what her transform is!” David had turned cold, he sounded almost evil.

“You dare say something like that.” Hadden said lurching forward tackling David, “How dare you!” 

David pushed Hadden off with his feet, transforming into a wolf. Hadden flipped in the air, transforming in a wolf as well and landing on his feet. He was huge, while David was the size of a regular wolf, Hadden towered above us while on all fours. David barked and growled at him, Hadden growling in response.

“Bad puppy.” Said a giggly voice dropping in from the trees, landing in front of Hadden, “I thought I told you no fighting in the pack” Lil looked up at Hadden with a gentle smile. She flipped her head over to David, her smile fading. “Didn’t I tell you?” She asked.

David lunged forward towards her, she whipped a katana out and instantly held it at David’s throat smirking. He suddenly de-transformed back to his original form. “It’s a draw.”

“In what way?” Lil asked him, putting her katana away.

“What?” David turned towards her.

“In what way does me holding a knife at your throat count as a draw? I mean, you weren’t going to live if you tried to fight me. I’m not like my brother, I don’t have enough mercy in my body to merely wound you. And I’ve not got a big enough heart like Hadden to just scare you away.” Lil shifted in her stance, “I’m not like Juniper and have enough kindness to talk this out.” Hadden de-transformed and started walking towards her, “I’m not gently like Zander, so I won’t just scold you.” Her eye’s were solid black, “I’m crueler than Winnie. And I’m more hot headed then you are David. I’ve been nice up until now. Sweet. Gentle. Helpful. Trying to be like my old self. Before PVT. Before everything changed.” 

Lib and I started walked towards Lil.

“I’m not like my older brothers and am able to see the good in everyone. I really don’t know how they do it. What good could I see in you. Prideful. Greedy. Ignorant. Prejudice. You are all the things I hated.”

“Lil!” I grabbed her arm and pulled her towards me, “What are you doing?” 

Her eyes flickered over to me, returning to their original hazel. She rubbed her eyes, shaking her head. 

“Side effects of the suppressants.” Lib said softly, “Why did you go back to the high dose? You were supposed to be on a low one, what happened? What changed?”

“Everything changed Libryinth. I need to visit the healers. Or at least, Ash or Jadyn.” Lil wobbled on her feet before brushing us off. 

“What do you mean by ‘everything changed’?” Lib asked her.

“I told you, everything.” She said bluntly.

“No, no, no. That’s just not enough this time. You’ve changed. Twice now. Once at the beginning of summer before our first year at PVT. Then when you arrived at school after you disappeared this past summer. What happened during summer that you haven’t told me?” 

Lil paused for a moment, it felt as if everything had stopped. Everything had gone quite, I didn’t quite know what to do at this point. 

Lil sighed before responding, “Listen, shit happened. A lot of shit. Then I came here. And shit kept on happening. Every time I turn around it’s something different. First I get harnessed. Then I get drugged. Then I get stalked. And drugged again. People have tried to kidnap me. Torcher me. Kill me. Kill my brothers. Kill my friends. Bite me. Half of my thigh has been bitten off. No matter what I do someone tries to kill, drug, hurt, kidnap, or torcher me. I’ve only been at this school for three and a half months! Of course shit is crazy! And I got a higher dose cause I’m around alphas all the damn time! For fucks sake. All I even do is train and study. Even when I am supposed to be hanging with you, all I do is work. Do you realize that? Huh? Do ya?” 

Lib’s eyes widened as Lil spoke, he paused for a bit before he spoke again, “Well… I think you need a little bit of rest and some relaxation. Just cause all this stuff has happened, doesn’t mean you can’t relax every now and then.” He smiled cautiously.

Lil’s expression could’ve killed, “Time to relax? In what world would I have time to relax? Sorry I’m not like you and can just relax when I’ve got a million things to do!” Lil was fuming.

“Lilla.” Hadden said sternly, placing his hand on her shoulder.

She looked over her shoulder up at him. A moment later, she shrugged him off of her, “Yeah, yeah… I got it. I’m heading out.” She threw one of her chains out towards a tree and disappeared into the forest.

“What was that all about” Zander asked walking towards Hadden.

“Hadden, I think it’s time for you, David, and I to go back. We need to have a meeting.” Lib said ignoring Zanders question.

“Wait!” Zander called out to them, “I used to be a part of your pack. I deserve an answer out of you guys. What’s going on with you and Lillith, Hadden? I’ve never seen her act like that. What the fuck is happening?”

Everyone stood there staring at Hadden, even Lib looked like he kinda wanted to know what the answer was. I felt like the past shouldn’t be brought up yet, so before Hadden could answer, “Listen, lets all go back to our rooms, it’s getting late and everyone’s all worked up right now.” Zander and Winnie tried protesting, “No. Not today. We can talk about this later. Today was supposed to be a day for everyone to relax and distress, but you guys decided against it. So back to the dorms. Now.” I turned over my shoulder and looked at Hadden and Libryinth, I crossed my arms and said “Since everyone has left… I’m curious about what is going on. But one of us need to go and talk with Lil. Whatever is going on right now, between you guys and what happened in the forest. Thats too much left on one persons shoulders.”

“I’ve got it.” Hadden said bluntly, before storming off in the direction Lil went off in.

“Well… I guess that’s that.” Lib said walking way from me.

“Wait! Seriously? That’s it?” I said chasing after him.

“Yeah, c’mon. Let’s go pack our stuff up.”

We headed back through the fair and towards our dorms, as I passed by Asher and Brighten’s booth they stopped me to hand me the photo they took of us. I accepted it and continued on to my dorm. I started pack up some of the belonging I planned on taking with me for winter break. I waited to hear Lil return to her room. But I never even heard the door open. Eventually I fell asleep.

The next morning I woke up to my phone ringing, it was my dad. I answered and he said he was waiting outside for me and Bex. I grabbed my stuff and stepped out of my door. Bex’s door was open, so I knocked signaling that it was time. We said out farewells to Arbid, Winnie, and Zander. Before heading downstairs. As we stepped outside, I felt a hand rest on my shoulder. I turned to see who it was.

Lib was standing there with Hadden, “Hey, I’ll see you next semester k?” He smiled gently.

“Yeah of course” I answered smiling back, “How’s” I started saying.

“She’s fine, she’s still with the healers in isolation right now.” Hadden responded.

“Oh.” I looked down, worry crept into my mind. I looked into Hadden’s eyes “Tell her to contact me when she’s feeling better.”

He nodded in response, at that I ran out to my Dads car, where he and Bex were waiting. I got in and we drove off.