Sacrilege |H. S.|

16. keep the wolves from the door

Sorry it took so long:(
-

Harry

It seems everyone was exceptionally keen on being the most bothersome version of themselves that they could achieve today. Their every movement and breath managed to crawl under my skin and get deep enough to provoke some type of unfounded anger. What had me so on edge was still unfamiliar ground because yes, today's activities would be a little more dangerous than usual, for all parties involved, but I've faced danger before, this frustration isn't me trying to hide from that. There might me a possibility that I'm not only aware of the danger, but also of the people around me that could possibly be affected.

From first instance of course, my sister, she's a capable woman with a limitless sense of fight and ability inside of her, though that doesn't erase the fact that she is still my sister. Kiersey is another worry, she's capable but she's younger than Vera and I, and I'm afraid her stubbornness may some day end for the worst. I have an overall fret about the rest of the members of the association, court and not alike, any collateral loss will surely anger Alastair and have him here by the next day, something none of us wants. I assume that is what disturbs me most, a chance that instead of Lia being overlooked by me, she'd be cautioned and abused by him, by his promising gleams of hatred and pushing expectations.

Not that I deem myself much better than him, or maybe I do, the matter of fact is that I've grown to know Lia, I know how much she can give, how much I can take.

"The east side of the woods is covered, as well as the entire left side and the back of the house, they're not getting in." Dana suddenly appears beside me, huffing a breath.

"They are not like us, they don't need an invitation." I remind her.

"It'll be fine. Your sister and Kiersey will be inside, Lia is locked in her room and you won't be doing anything-"

"Locked in her room?" I believe that wasn't exactly the instruction I had left. Cora was told that Lia was not to leave her room, but I don't want her feeling imprisoned either. She's been a little upset as it is, from the whole Pagoda ordeal. For some reason, she'd taken the wolf's death quite personal, she doesn't listen, doesn't understand.

The whole point of ever going wasn't just the aconite, it was to send a message, a warning bell. The distress signal had wavered along the way, because I didn't intend for the message to be already bleeding out and dying, or for him to be tugging at Lia's heart strings as she hopelessly looks for a solution. I knew there'd be a wolf guarding their little farm, I even expected a fight, which would obviously end in their demise. Finding him already on the brink of death was a mild surprise, the only thing making me nervous had been the fact that Lia was inside the room with him.

Killing him was not only necessary, it was a kindness. The violent way I'd done it wasn't really essential, but it was fast. My only regret was that in that moment, I only wanted him dead and quiet, I hadn't bothered to move Lia away, or to make sure she didn't see anything. Her face was speckled with blood, eyes wide and glassy with unshed tears, heart beating so fast it created a migraine in my head. As apologetic as I tried to be, there was no use in it, saying sorry doesn't change what's already happened.

"I didn't ask for her to be locked in."

"You just expect her to nod and sit still?" Dana lifts a brow, flicking fallen, purple petals from the shoulder of her jacket.

"Yes."

"You expect too much."

"I also expect you not to die tonight." Though low, there was a possibility of the hunt ending badly for both prey and predator.