Battle To Be Free (z.m) ✔️

Chapter 25

Alanna’s POV

I had noticed that Zayn had this weird habit of doing something odd and pretending that it never happened. This was one of those times and I felt my frustration growing at his lack of commitment to his actions. He seemed to believe if he pretended that it never happened, then it didn’t, and it was annoying me beyond belief.

If I was being honest with myself I wanted him to throw me against a wall and kiss me, but I would only have admitted that to anyone over my dead body. However if he would’ve done it I seriously doubt I would have any protests.

It was the same day but the sun had long set and the night had over took leaving stars in its path. Funnily enough it appeared to be almost the same setting as what had happened two years ago.

A sullen mood had washed over everyone, including me and it was half way through dinner that someone felt it was right to inform me of why everyone was acting that way. I didn’t want to hear it but I knew it would seem suspicious so I just listened like my heart wasn’t aching inside my chest.

“I’m sure you have noticed the mood of us tonight Alanna,” He also made a gesture towards Finn and I had noticed everyone was deathly silent. “It was because my brother, Gregg, was cruelly taken away from us this night two years ago. I don’t know how he died but I do know the cause of it a manipulative whore was the cause of it.”

There was pure venom in Niall’s voice and I had a sudden feeling that this ‘manipulative whore’ was in fact me and Finn must have had the same idea as his eyes connected with mine.

“He was supposed to lure out this girl by chatting her up in a bar, but he never came back. He went to call me almost a week later saying that everything wasn’t as it seemed, but this was clearly wrong. She probably killed him herself as I never saw him after that,” He paused for a minute the words coming out strong and firm even though I could tell that he was over powered with grief. “I never saw him alive anyway. They left his body in some woods tossed away like some animal with a bullet wound in the side of his head.”

A tear fell from my eye and the guilt was so overwhelming that I almost blurted out everything there and then but I refrained myself from doing so. I swallowed and subconsciously went to twirl the necklace around my fingers as silence descended once again.

It was Finn who spoke up. He seemed nervous and jittery and I was worried about what he would ask. “Do you know who this girl was?”

Niall snorted. “I wouldn’t call the whore a girl Finn,” Finn couldn’t help but spare me a glance and Harry caught the exchange and looked at me but I kept my face devoid of all emotions. “No we didn’t know her name. We still don’t as Gregg wanted to do this mission by himself. But I know that if I’m even in the same room as her I will kill her without bothering to ask what happened.”

My heart lurched and this place that I once considered to be my haven no longer felt safe.

“I was too young to join the gang then but now I am eternally grateful that I am able to avenge those responsible for my brother’s death by killing every original I lay eyes on.”

“Original?” I asked thoroughly confused.

Niall seemed patient whilst answering. “They are the ones who started this whole thing off. The ones who started to kill Zayn’s uncle without a reason. They are the ones with the mark.”

His answers were growing more and more vengeful and I was finding it very difficult to come to terms with the fact that if he knew who I truly was he wouldn’t hesitate to kill me. My side of the story was completely different to the one he had grew to believe and I figured that if he would listen to how I wasn’t directly responsible, i.e. I didn’t shove the bullet through his head, then he might be more willing to forgive me.