13. The war: I

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Balls of fire, spit straight from the were dragons’ mouths, had the werewolves diving for safety but a few were already hurt from the severity of the fire. Dragon fire was not something merely scathing. A mere wisp of it cause twice the pain a normal fire would make someone feel. Collins cussed, quickly turning around to figure what he could do to hit back the flying creatures. The werewolves were set for destruction but thankfully the witches appeared on time, creating a protection spell around them.

“Attack,” Collins ordered, navigating through the scattered line of defense. The remaining werewolves quickly reformed into two tightly knit circles with Collins in then middle. The witches formed the outer circle ready to cast a counter spell.

The werewolves pulled the triggers of their dart guns, a few of them luckily maiming some of the were dragons. Meanwhile in the tent, Nadia was crouched on the floor, palms covering her ears as her heart thumped fast in dread. All this was happening because she started it. if only she had kept the rage to her, then there would be no war tonight or early morning, considering it was already five. She should have at least been out there but Collins would hear none of it. In his words, she’d would make them even more susceptible to destruction than they already were.

“Please stop!” she whimpered, pulling herself to a baby crouching positions, eyes shut hard as she tried to shut out the noises. She could hear the werewolves screaming as they scampered around. Tears burned down her cheeks. Unable to take it anymore, she ran out of the tent, her eyes widening in horror. Balls of fire whistled through the wind, falling onto the ground and setting series of fires. Fire spitting creatures flew through the sky, setting the area around them into ire. Right in the middle of the werewolves’ circle was Collins, looking terrified and yet trying so bad to be the Alpha he really it was. That was so Collins. Always putting everyone else before himself.

“Nadia,” she felt her entire body freeze at the sound of the voice behind her. Despite the chaos, she felt silence grow too loud. Slowly she turned around, looking straight at the male version of her. Same natural green eyes, long dark hair and the uncanny resemblance. She would have recognized him anywhere. For a few seconds, his expression remained unchanged while she tried to blink the shock off her.

“Adrian,” she whispered, the name making tears slowly threaten to fall down her cheeks.

“My dear, kid sister,” his face broke into a small smile as Nadia ran right into his arms and he engulfed her into a tight hug.

“I missed you so much,” she whispered, letting the tears fall as she reciprocated the hug. She had dreamed of this very moment from the first moment her memories had come back and she’d found out her brother was still alive.

“I missed you too,” he paused, pulling away from the hug and staring right into her eyes, “It killed me every day knowing you were out there and I couldn’t reach you. I want to stand here and tell you everything but we are in the middle of a war,”

She turned around, sweeping a quick gaze at the continuous destruction happening. Clutching on her brother’s palms, she pleaded with him, “Please, call it off,”

“What?” He questioned, almost as though he hadn’t heard her right.

“Call this war off, Adrian. You have the power to that,” she cried desperately. She couldn’t stand the idea of innocent people dying.

He snatched his hands from hers, rage tinting the pupils of his eyes, “These *innocent* people, destroyed our lives. Mum, Dad and Greg are dead because of them. Our friends and our kind perished in their hands. And you are telling me to stand down?”

“I’m not asking you to stand down. I’m asking you to be the bigger person. I know what you feel. Trust me, I’ve been there but what will avenging really give us in return? Just more innocent people dying,” She was desperately trying to reason with him but well, he was quite stubborn much like her. Yet, she believed that somewhere deep down, he was capable of turning around and thinking this through.

Adrian chuckled, “This is about your little wolf boy crush, isn’t it?”

“He is not a wolf boy crush. I love him so much and despite that, the only reason I want this war to stop, its because I don’t want either of us to become like Carson, the man we both loathe so much,” she countered.

“Sixteen years, Nadia. Sixteen goddamn years, I had to live without family, without you and the pain of losing the people closest to me. I wasn’t even there when that bloody man murdered every single person I know. At least you were there when they drew their last breaths. And now what? You want me to throw all of it away because my sister suddenly thinks she is in love with some wolf? You really must be out of your mind,”

“You are the one out of your mind, Adrian. This is not the kind of brother I thought I’d be meeting,” she snapped.

“And you are not the sister I lost years ago!” he snapped right back, shaking his head with pity, “the Nadia I knew, would never let injustice prevail. She would stand by her brother and destroy the people who destroyed her life because deep down she knows damn well they deserve it,”

She shook her head, “Well then, I’m sorry. Maybe Collins was right about you. Carson and you are not any different. I’m not going to be part of this sick quest of revenge,”

He suddenly grabbed her hand, glaring right into her eyes, “Too late, baby sister. You are part of this and together we are going to end the wolves for good. Even your little boy toy,”

On realizing what was about happen, she kneed him right in the balls and ran like the wind itself was on her tail, the undeniable truth hitting her hard in the gut. *Her brother was beyond redemption.*