Stronger

Simon POV:

I wouldn’t have minded if Annette stayed away if she had been successful in her escape. It was probably the best for her but I won’t lie o did sigh a breath of relief seeing her back on her cell. It guaranteed my sister the protection of Grayson Addams. I was still selfish as ever but I would do what needed to be done to see Ashely safe.

Two days after Annette had been brought back my plans were in place. I had hired a man from the nearest town to meet us 5 miles out from the pack he’d take us to town and we’d take a bus from there. I had sent concealer made for us but mainly Annette and I had provisions.

Marcus hadn’t realized how much I had stockpiled but it was enough to last us a week or two if we rationed. It took only a few days of tinkering with my formula but eventually I got a potent non lethal silver acetate dart. I fashioned up darts for the standard gun we had.

I packed up early in the morning and went about my day behaving as normally as I could. I may have flinched a time or two when my name was called but they all thought I was sniveling little rat. It was fine they wouldn’t be able to say that much longer. I had packed away two guns and packaged them under the stairs. It wouldn’t be as thrown together as Annette’s attempt, no mine was planned to the second. I had the schedule of guards memorized and I had the watchtower light times to swivel away just I’d get Annette out.

I came home that day and finished packing up Ashely’s clothes and grabbing some of my smaller clothes and some old ones of my mothers for Annette and taking an old bag for Annette to carry.

“Si I’m home,” Ashely jumbled through the door dropping her school bag on the table and running into the kitchen.

My hands shook when I heard her voice and I entered the room slowly. She had no idea anything was this wrong Marcus hadn’t announced his plan to kidnap the Northern Eclipse Luna. My sister had no idea the blood on my hands and she was about to open her eyes to the darkness in the world and what I had done to help create it.

I put the bag in my room and came back out to the kitchen. “Hey, how was school?”

Ashely almost chocked on her food as she laughed. “Are you trying to be cool again?” She laughed. “You never say

hey,”

I shook my head and fiddled with my hands.

“It was alright but I don’t like how we have to stay here I know our pack is rebuilding but I hate what the salt air is doing to my hair,” she whined looking down at her perfectly fine hair.

At least she had only that to worry about for a few hours longer. I wouldn’t act until pst midnight when there was th

the

fewest guards around. The darkness provided cover, I had to make sure through all of this Ashely stayed out of danger. Even in the end if push came to shove I would give up Annette to keep my sister safe. I wouldn’t ever apologize for that. Marcus’s father killed mine for insubordination and my mother died fighting Grayson. Ashely was all I had left in the world our parents died for Marcus and I let my intellectual hunger push that Aussie but I couldn’t anymore. I tainted my hands too much.

Ashely went about her afternoon doing her homework. I wanted to tell her don’t bother go run around with your

friends but it would’ve tipped her off but still I brought out the ice cream after dinner.

“No lecture about cavities and gum decay?” Ashely giggled as she lobbed a bunch of ice cream into her bowl drizzling chocolate on it, a mad grin on her face. I savored her happiness and hoped in the end she would forgive me.

I waited until it was midnight and then I pulled out the bags. Ashely hadn’t slept much but it would be all she’d get for tonight. I walked into her room the bags in my hand.

“Ashley,” I shook her gently “Ashley,”

She fluttered her eyes for a second. “Five more minutes,” she whined.

“You need to get up and get dressed and do exactly as I say,” I ordered in the most serious tone I’d ever used.

My sister turned over and turned on her beside lamp. She looked me in the eyes and then at the bags. “What’s happened,” then she stoped and got out of bed and grabbed the bag. “Okay,” she told me, her voice small, her eyes downcast. Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

I exhaled the breath I had been holding. I should have known after everything we’d seen she’d be so mature about this. She came out of her room in her hiking boots, some jeans and a hoodie.

“Alright.” I nodded turning on my heel to exit our house.

“Before we go,” she grabbed my arm. “Who’s the other bag for?”

Of course I couldn’t just glide over it. “There’s someone we have to get. Someone, who’s being held here,” I sat down at the table and looked away from her.

“Who?”

“The wife of Grayson Addams,” I confessed closing my eyes.

“What?!” My sister gasped.

“I helped Marcus kidnap her because I knew he would kill you if I said no, I told her it was half a lie I didn’t tell her my greed for knowledge helped me turn a blind eye.

“Oh Si,” Ashley turned away. “So we’re reaching her?” She almost sounded as if she was demanded we did so.

“Yes and hopefully by returning his wife Grayson will grant us refuge,” I stood up and walked over to her.

“I have to do this there is another man in charge now and he will not hesitate to kill us or Annette. He is far more intelligent than Marcus and ten times as crazy. So we’re leaving tonight and we will take Annette with us and I need you to do every single thing I say so that this can go right,” I grabbed her arms and looked her in the eyes pleading for my 13 year old sister to understand this life and death situation.

“I’ll expect more explanation when this is over, she crossed her arms.

“Yes,” I smiled. “Of course,”

As long as she was safe, if this all went well my family would be safe and my sons would be absolved. As I said I was a selfish man.

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