Wild Side [h.s au]

Chapter 46

"Don't," I spit harshly. "Don't lie to me anymore."

"I'm not-"

"You're not what?" I finally snap, my pent up anger getting the best of me. "Tell me why? What do you get with all this? Because here you are, trying to convince me you're the saint instead of gloating for managing to trick me."

"Why? Because of Alex. I told you once, Harry, everything I do, I do for my brother. I told you how absolutely unfair our life in Vortex had been, I told you how he deserves better. There was only one way to ensure he gets the life he's always wanted, and it was to leave. Not just leave Vortex, but leave the country. Unfortunately, there are no planes and functioning airports when the country's at war, so the only option left for us is to use the military planes used to deliver the supplies."

"Only Vortex and Wildfire have the ones flying more than once a month. Vortex was out of the question and since our uncle faked his death and found help in Wildfire, we thought he could help us get away. He agreed under one condition: talking David into making an alliance with Wildfire. He knew we had the advantage considering he was great friends with our father and he would surely offer us help. The task proved to be rather difficult, not because David refused my offers, but because you weren't a part of the plan. We were supposed to leave today and let you go alone to Wildfire, but I wasn't able to keep my promise to Alex or my father."

I clench my jaw, looking away for a few moments. I try to picture myself in her spot, realising I would've done the same for my brother. It doesn't justify what she did to me, though. "Honestly, how fucking dare you? I don't care about your little manipulation game at this point, it's the fact you betrayed my trust that bothers me the most. You knew how hard it is for me to trust people, hell you even knew the reason why! Fuck, you could have played your cards right without making me fall for you and things would be different now. You've made me fall for you when you knew you were going to leave!"

Her eyes widen in shock, her lower lip trembling slightly as if she's battling her emotions. "Wait you- you've-"

"Don't say it. Don't you dare," I threaten. "That's not what I feel, not anymore. You've singlehandedly ruined it, Elena. Now, you can leave in peace, there's nothing tying you to Hazard anymore."

"You were never a good liar." A flicker of emotion washes over her face, emotion I can only describe as pain. "And don't say nothing ties me to this place, you do, all the people I met here tie me. My duty ties me. I will fix this, Harry, just give me a chance. They're at Vortex and I know for a fact they're okay for now, but it won't be long until they sort them and force them to start training to become soldiers. I know how to help."

I can't help but release a cold, humourless laugh, shaking my head. "Do you honestly think I would let you help us after what you've done?"

"Yes, you would. For those children, you would, for Tommy and Alice you would. For your army, you would." There's the same girl I saw on the day I met her, standing tall and confident in her words, not allowing herself to be intimidated by me. But she's not asking for David this time, she's asking for my approval.

"Stop with this dramatic playing the hero in the time of need thing because I'm not buying it." I walk past her, moving toward the door, wanting to get away.

"Harry," she calls out, but I ignore her, hearing her heavy sigh behind me. When a knife flies next to my head and impales itself into the door, I freeze on the spot, my eyes closing for a few brief moments as the memory of a very similar moment replies in my mind, my heart clenching painfully.

Stupid heart.

I turn around abruptly and tighten my fists, taking a few steps toward her in anger as my eyes stare right into hers. I stop myself a few steps away from her, feeling a slight tension sizzling in the air between us, feeling as if something is drawing me to her.