The thought that Oliver suffered—just because of her—disturbed her. It was as if it already haunted her, sensing how years from now, she’d lie awake at night, thinking of the tragedy that befell her brother.
They walked down another path into the woods, with the young children bowing, a few running to the house to inform the adults.
Rem’s heartachedfor them, and for the first time, she wished she were the Luna of this pack. While an orphanage was a good idea for those with no home, these children didn’t deserve to appear so impoverished or to work so endlessly.
Her brother didn’t appear until they went deeper into the woods and walked into a clearing. In the middle stood Oliver, his skin dirty, his light brown hair tousled. His clothes needed to be washed and mended, and his right hand looked bandaged. He was old enough to technically bear the weight of labor, but Rem only saw a ten-year-old working too hard for no reason.
With tears in her eyes, Rem glanced at Fiona, who nodded to Oliver. It was all the permission she needed.
"Oliver!" Rem shouted, pulling up her white dress to run to him. Her smile stretched cheek to cheek, a burning sensation in her throat preceding a flood of tears.My family.
Panic took over his expression and posture, like this shouldn't be happening. "It's okay; they're allowing it!" she shouted as she continued to run to him, her feet quickly moving over the dirt and grass.
He tried to keep his composure like the young man their father was raising him to be, but it quickly broke.
"Rem!" His face warped into pain and sorrow as he ran to his sister.
She grabbed him so hard, she feared she had hurt him. When he returned the grip, she settled on enjoying the embrace that must have lasted an entire minute. He sobbed into her shoulder, rubbing his dirty face into her dress. She put her mouth to his head and breathed him in. His greasy hair smelled terrible, but it washim. Despite her resentment, there was also respite in holding something so close to her heart.
This was real.
She was fighting for somethingreal.
"I am here. You're fine. I amsosorry," she said with a shaky voice, sniffling.
"What is going on?" he asked with a wail into her shoulder.
"Oh, Oliver, it's a long story. Those rumors,” she began, thinking back to a home that felt so far away. “They were right... And the shifters want me to do something for them. I agreed to do it, in order to keep you safe," she said, and hugged him closer.
"I want to go home," he said into her dress with a muffled breath.
"I do, too," she mourned.
She pulled back to get a look at his face, wiping away his tears through the grime. She smiled at him through her own heartache. "But don't worry. I am working hard to get you home." She kept her voice resilient. He needed her strength now more than ever, to witness that this was okay, thathewas okay, and there was no reason to panic. That only ever makes things worse.
Her parents would never forgive her if she failed this part.
"How?" His eyes carried an expression of misery too profound for a child.
"By making deals with the devil.” She sneered darkly to herself, Jackson coming to mind.
"What?" he asked with scrunched brows.
"Don't worry about that. Just know I am working super hard, okay? I know it’s unfair for now, but channel that energy and be strong," she said, and grabbed both of his shoulders, looking into his weary eyes. "I'll walk through hot coals if it means you are freed. You're going home, you hear me?"
"Rem, what's goingon?" He was trying to pull back his own tears.
Dark brown, honey eyes stared at her, the same shape and shade as their gran’s. It somehow made all of this worse, and yet easier at the same time.
"Ollie... I—I can't tell you everything. But you need to know some things. I was kidnapped for the magic in my blood. They aren’t sure what it does yet, but they know I can help them. The shifters need me," she began, not divulging the details he didn't need to know. "To make sure I do what they want, they took you, too. They knew I'd doanythingfor you." She petted his hair back. "And I promise you, little brother, Iwill. I—" she hesitated before swallowing thickly, speaking low, "I will become one of them. I will do that, and then you'll be free."
Pure horror took his face, his eyes widening like he was looking at a monster. "Rem.No. Youcannotbecome one of them."
"It's so you can go home," she said with a frown, her breath hitching as she tried to calm down, grabbing one of his hands. She couldn't stand the way he looked at her.
He faced the ground and said quietly, "No. Let me stay. You can't become a beast. I can grow up and help you. I'm sure mother or father are working on coming here for us. Gran wouldn’t want this for you."
She smiled and wept. He was so much stronger than they knew, and these shifters were lucky he wasn't a man, or he might actually be capable of hurting them.
