Elena

Life is all about choices. And most recently, I've made the one I thought I would never have to make. I know the only way to ensure Hazard stays safe while Harry takes his time thinking about what's right for his base, is to go to Vortex. I haven't gone near the place in months, believing that part of my life was left behind me. But you can never predict what might happen next.

My fingers are gripping the steering wheel as I drive toward Wildfire, every muscle in my body being tense. I can feel Alex's scrutinising gaze on me and I know he can sense something isn't right. I told him we would come back to Wildfire and then leave the country like it was planned, but I'm not going to do that. I just want to make sure he's safe while I go and put my life in danger, something I'm naturally good at.

"Lenny?" Alex says quietly, placing his hand on my shoulder, making me flinch slightly. "I know you're hurt because of what happened with Harry, but you'll have to accept it just didn't work. I really wanted it to work, though, despite thinking leaving is our best option. I wanted it to work for you." 

"It's fine, I'm fine," I mumble, keeping my eyes on the road. We're getting near, I can already see the wall surrounding the base in the distance.

"I know you love him and it's actually all very tragic seriously, it kinda makes me hurt inside-" he taps his chest "-and I really wish I could fix it for you-"

"Seriously, I'm fine."

"But-"

"Alex, just let it go!" I interrupt. "Everything is fine."

He sighs, leaning back against the seat, swiping his palm over his face. "Yeah, I'm fine too. I asked them to forgive me, you know? Louis, Jess, Tori, Niall, Liam. I talked and talked like I usually do and neither of them interrupted when I gave them my goodbyes. I know they haven't forgiven me, but I hope they will. I hate to think they believe I don't consider them my friends because I do. I wanted them to know none of it was fake. So yeah. . . I'm fine."

I can hear guilt and sadness in his voice, two emotions I've been feeling as well for a while now. Despite the results, I believe we did the right thing by leading them to Wildfire, we gave them a chance they wouldn't have taken themselves. As we drive through the forest and enter the clear ground, I begin slowing down. A growing pressure in my chest multiplies by thousand, a heavy lump formed in my throat.

"This is it," Alex says as I stop the vehicle, his hand reaching to open the door. His head turns to look at me as I make no move to get out. "What's the matter?"

"Leave the vehicle," I say in a cold tone, refusing to look at him.

"Wait, what are you-"

"Just do it, Alex."

"No, what's going on, Elena?" He asks, his tone urgent. "What are you planning to do?"

"Just get out!" I shout, my hands almost ripping the steering wheel, my breathing picking up its pace.

"Lenny, please, what's going on? " He reaches out to touch me and that's when I finally snap.

My hand pulls out a gun from its holster, pointing it straight at him. I look at him for the first time after leaving Hazard, pure shock written on his face. His brown eyes are widened, lips parted as he keeps glancing between me and the gun.

"Get out, Alex, I won't repeat myself," I snap harshly, trying so desperately to keep my mask on, to bottle up my emotions. I can't believe I'm doing this to him.

He slowly steps out of the vehicle, bending slightly to look at me, his hand holding the rim of the door. His eyes fill with tears as he looks at me pleadingly. "What are you going to do, Elena? Wh- why do you. . ." he closes his eyes briefly. "Please, don't do what I think you're about to do."

The gun in my hand shakes slightly as I barely keep it pointed at him, the corners of my eyes starting to prick. "Step away and close the door."

"You're my sister, not some stranger!" He snaps, his fingers curling around the messy strands of his black hair. "What you're doing right now isn't fair, let me come with- I. . . please, don't."

"Alex, just listen to me," I plead with him. "I need you to be safe. Get on that plane and get out of here."

"No!" Alex shouts. "You're selfish, Elena! You think you can make these decisions on your own so it's easier for you, but do you ever think how it affects me? Do you honestly think I would fucking leave you here?" I notice a tear sliding down his cheek as he looks at me with such pain and disbelief it shatters my heart. "You can't do this to me, you can't ask me to watch you leave."

"Step away, Alex," I say flatly, biting my lower lip to prevent myself from crying. "Move!"

His teary brown eyes stare at me for a few moments before he angrily wipes his tears and finally steps away. He slams the door shut and I lower the gun, immediately stepping on the gas pedal. I make a mistake by glancing at the rearview mirror, seeing him running after me, his hands grabbing his head once he gives up.

I let myself shed a few tears as I drive away quickly, wiping them away as soon as they fall, my fist slamming against the dashboard in my attempt to release some of the pain. I know it's unfair to just leave him like that without any goodbye or a choice to come with me, but Alex is the first person in this world I would die for and I wouldn't be able to handle if anything happened to him. Long before we went to Hazard and I met Harry, everyone in Vortex knew Alex was my only weakness, finding ways to hurt him so I can learn a lesson. I'm not planning to let that happen now.

I won't lose my brother, I can't.

My stomach turns, making me nauseous as I drive, a slight sheen of sweat forming on my skin. My hands are cold and clammy, my heart hammering in my chest, all of it the result of anxiety ripping me from the inside. "Take deep breaths, you can do it, Elena. In and out, everything will be okay," I whisper encouraging words to myself.

"You can always use your knife to stab people if they annoy you, that always cheers you up," I say quietly. "Oh my God, I sound like Niall. I need help."

The moment I drive in their territory, dread courses through me, goosebumps scattering over my skin. I still have to wrap my head around the fact I'm voluntarily driving back to the prison I escaped from months ago. My eyebrows form a frown on my face as I slowly approach the base, my determination only rising, especially when I think about Alice and Tommy, and what they must be going through at the moment.

A gunshot suddenly rings somewhere behind me, my head turning to check where has it come from, realising I'm being followed by Vortex scouting groups. There's a chance they won't believe me if I try to explain them why am I here, besides I'm in no mood to give any explanations. My foot steps on the gas pedal and the velocity increases, the distance between me and that dreadful place decreasing.

I take sharp turns as I drive, successfully avoiding the bullets flying my way. The moment I notice the grand wall, I almost make a U-turn but remind myself once again why am I doing this. There's no going back now, anyway. When a few Vortex vehicles drive toward me, determined to block my path, I'm forced to slam on the break, the tires screeching against the cement as the vehicle comes to an abrupt stop. I take a deep breath as I watch soldiers in brown uniforms get out of the vehicles, approaching me with weapons in their hands, pointing them at me as they circle me.

"Step out right now or we'll shoot!"

Ah, such a warm welcome.

With one final look at myself in the rearview mirror, I open the door and slowly step outside, my slightly narrowed eyes taking a sweep over each of them. Instead of raising my hands in surrender, I cross them over my chest.

"Who are you and why are you here?" 

"I'm Elena Wilder and Seth's been looking for me," I announce.

Recognition passes over their faces before their eyes widen as they exchange glances, looking as if they're not sure what to do now. "Well I'll be damned, it really is you," one of the soldiers says. I don't know his name, but his face is familiar. He releases a low whistle and smirks as he does a once over. "Never thought I'd see you again here. Not willingly, that is."

"Same," I mutter. "Get out of my way." I impatiently push the soldiers away as I begin walking toward the base.

"Uh wait, excuse me-"

"You're excused."

I don't wait for anyone to give me directions since I know the base like the back of my hand. The soldiers guarding the entrance don't say anything as they clearly recognise me, immediately opening the gates for me. Grand, vast complex of buildings awaits for me on the other side, dozens of soldiers passing by, tending to their duties. My hands curl into fists at my sides as I start walking, chills running down my spine.

"Wait you're- uh you're kind of our prisoner, you can't just walk in-" the same soldier says awkwardly.

"I can't be a prisoner if I'm willingly walking in here," I say flatly. "Where is he?"

"Can she do that?" The soldier asks another one with uncertainty. "He's in the conference room, but you can't-"

I lift my hand, silencing him. "Take me to see him."

. . . .

Instead of seeing me, Seth has decided to be his theatrical self and ordered his soldiers to take me in my former room and sent me a message to change in the Vortex uniform which was actually waiting for me on the bed. I scrunch my face in disgust as I pinch the brown jacket I'm wearing, hating what it represents. I'm so used to wearing all black, it's virtually impossible to get used to this again.

After doing everything Seth has asked of me, I begin pacing nervously, just wanting to talk to him and make him release those children. I know I can do it, I just don't know under what cost is he going to let it happen. I feel cold, incredibly cold between the dark painted walls of the room that used to be mine. I was slightly surprised to see almost everything was intact as if I never left the place.

A knock on my door makes me freeze, my widened eyes snapping toward it, my heart palpitating almost painfully. I take a deep breath and close my eyes, whispering words of encouragement to myself before walking toward the door and unlocking it. As soon as I do that, the door opens wide, revealing Seth standing at the doorway. The hairs on the back of my neck rise, my face losing all colour as I come face to face with him after so long.

His blue-green eyes travel up and down my body at a leisurely slow pace, dirty blonde hair falling over his forehead, his scar visible on his left cheek. He's dressed in his uniform with the jacket unzipped, revealing a white shirt underneath. He hasn't changed one bit, except reaching an impossibly high result on the asshole scale.

"My my my," Seth drawls and takes a step forward, entering the room, using his heel to close the door. "Hey sweetheart, it's been a while. Won't you tell me how dashing I look?"

"I'm not here to tell lies, but to make a deal," I say in a snappy tone, hating to be so near him. I ran away from him for a reason and this situation is making me sick.

"A deal?" He tilts his head aside and hums, taking another step toward me, but I don't back away as much as I want to. "The last deal you and I made resulted in you running away from me, little minx." His teeth grab his lower lip as he takes another step toward me, a small gap between our bodies now. "That really hurt, you know? Right here." He points at his chest, feigning being sad. "How do I know you won't trick me again, hm?"

"Well I wouldn't be here if this wasn't important, right?" I retort, taking a step back to put some distance between us, but he immediately approaches me.

"And what deal might that be since I have everything I want now?" Seth lifts his hand, dragging his index finger along my cheek, making me visibly wince. I'd like to snap that finger in half.

"No, you don't," I tell him, pushing his hand away harshly. "You know I'll put up a fight if you try to keep me here, you know I'll run away again, you know I might even kill you. Unless. . ."

"Unless?" He asks with an amused smile on his face. "You know, this must be my lucky day. A little before you'd arrived, your friends came to visit. I was so delighted to see them, I made them stay for dinner and all. They have lovely suites down in the cellars, only best dark cold cells for each of them with room service."

My body goes still, every muscle tensing as my eyebrows draw in a confused frown. "Wait, what friends?" My heart starts beating even faster as I already suspect the answer to his question.

"Your boy toy and his two tag-a-longs." He starts circling around me like a predator around his prey. "I'm really wanted today, don't you think?"

Harry. No. Why did he have to come here, no no no. I internally panic but manage to keep my cool on the outside, determined not to show Seth how affected I am. I can only hope Harry and whoever is with him are not hurt. I won't let them get hurt, I'll do everything I can to get them all away from here.

"Seth," I say quietly. "Let them go. Let every one of your prisoners go, let everyone from Hazard go back."

"And why would I do that?" I feel his breath on the back of my neck, making me shiver in the most unpleasant way, my fist itching to punch him in the face. "What do I get, sweetheart?"

"Me," I reply after moments of silence, my voice small. "You get me. It's me who you want, right?"

"You know, you have a very high opinion of yourself." He tsk's, placing his hands on my shoulders, my whole body going rigid from his touch as he leans his head forward, his lips next to my ear. "Prove it."

"I don't understand." I gulp, my fingernails painfully digging into the crevices on my palms.

"What I'm asking of you is quite simple, darling," he says in a deep voice, his fingers playing with my ponytail before he harshly tugs at it, making me tilt my head backwards. His eyes meet mine, his other arm looping around my stomach, pulling me to him. I gulp heavily, getting a clear picture of what is it that he wants from me. "Prove me you're here to stay and I'll let them go. Just like that. I'm a man of my word, Elena, always when it comes to you."

I push back the urge to throw up, feeling repulsed by his touch. My eyes close and I pray I manage to keep my emotions at bay. I can't let myself break down, I have to endure this. He pulls at the band holding my hair up, letting it messily fall down before he brushes it away on one side, leaving one side of my neck exposed. He drags his finger from my earlobe, over my jawline and the pulsating area on my neck before he grabs my jaw with his pointer finger and thumb, turning my head slightly so he can look at me properly. 

I think about taking out my knife and sliding the blade over his throat, letting the blood pour out, I think about taking out a gun and blowing his brains out. I could do it, but I would be dead before I even stepped foot out of the room, his loyal soldiers would kill me right then and there. I know how would they react because when Seth "killed" my uncle, everyone stood beside him like loyal dogs, turning against me, who was rightfully supposed to take his place. But that was the result of a mutiny that Seth started, saying how he would lead the base better than my uncle ever did and the vast majority agreed.

"Okay," I whisper, my eyes opening, my face void of all emotions. I'm doing this for Harry and for his base, I'm doing the right thing.

Seth lets out a pleased chuckle and licks his lips, pressing a kiss to my neck before sinking his teeth into the flesh, pain shooting from the spot where he has surely marked me. I don't make any sounds, keeping my expression devoid. I know what is he doing, I know his plan. His hand slowly moves lower down my stomach as it reaches the hem of my pants before he dips it inside, making me instinctively grab his wrist and pull it away. His touch is foreign and it makes me scream inwardly, every cell in my body rejecting the contact. But I do know if I object to this, he's going to take it out on Harry.

He turns me around sharply, his arms pinning me to his muscled body. "I missed you. And I'm about to show you just how much." I instinctively pull my head away from his, but he leans forward, forcing his lips onto mine, moving them roughly.

I don't show any resistance as I let him do whatever he wants. My eyes are screwed shut as I desperately try to imagine those are Harry's lips kissing me, those are his hands feeling my body. Maybe if I say that to myself enough times, I might actually believe it. But that amazing feeling I get whenever he's around is absent and each one of Seth's touches makes it fade, leaving a void inside of me. I can't let myself break, not now, not ever. I've been through worse, much worse, I'm strong enough, I chant to myself.

The only thing that comforts me at the moment is that I know I have enough control over Seth that he is actually going to let them go. He may not be a good person, but he has never broken his word, not when it comes to me at least. And when he lets them go, all this pain will be worth it. I can get through this.