Red {Wolf Rebellion I}

Chapter 22~To Live Is To Fight~

-Vivere Militare Est

Chapter 22~To Live Is To Fight~

Somehow, I managed to fall asleep sometime during the night, because the next thing I knew I was opening my eyes.

I pushed a blanket off of my legs-Carmine must've thrown it over me before he left last night-and stood up. It was still early in the morning, around seven, if the clock on my bedroom wall was correct.

I looked over at the nightstand, seeing a note sitting on top of a stack of clothes. Leaning over, I grabbed the paper.

Meet downstairs by nine. Your knives are in the drawer. Wear these, and use this.

I looked at the clothes, recognizing the red top as the one I'd packed before we had left headquarters. The black pants were similar in style to what Red agents wore, thick enough to help protect our legs, yet flexible enough to allow for movement.

I wondered what Carmine meant by this, and when I got to the bottom of the clothes I realized what it was.

Hair dye.

I groaned. It was a smart idea, and it would make it harder for any agents to pick me out of a crowd, but I didn't want to change the one thing that had never been a lie. I didn't want to lose the one thing that seemed to remain constant.

Reluctantly, I grabbed the box. Suck it up and dye your damn hair Ruby, I scolded myself for being so vain. If dying my hair helped us remain invisible, then so be it.

I still had about two hours before we would need to leave, so I decided to make the most of it. I used the bathroom in my room, taking a sinfully long shower in which I scrubbed my skin raw with strawberry scented soap. Before I could chicken out, I used the hair dye-not bothering to look at the color-and washed my hair. The hot water had long turned cool before I finally decided to shut it off.

As I dressed, I hid a knife inside each boot, tugging it against my calf, and one at my hip. I grabbed a fourth one, holding onto it to slide up my sleeve later. I wiped the steam from the mirror, bracing myself for whatever color I was going to see.

Deep red hair mocked me in the mirror, and I wanted to scream. I was going to kill Carmine.

It'll change back, I told myself. It's not permanent so don't freak out. This is a step in getting your team back.

Before I lost my nerve, I dug through the cabinets until I found what I was looking for.

A bit later, I made my way downstairs. Then entire way I continued to justify my actions. You hated the color, Ruby, and now there's less of it to look at. And it's an extra step to help stay invisible.

I was still thinking this when I walked into the kitchen. Kat was sitting at the counter, while Cas and Shani were at the stovetop, where the scent of bacon and pancakes reached my nose. Carmine was still absent.

"Morning everyone." I greeted as I walked to the fridge.

Cas looked up briefly from the pan of bacon he stood over, "Morning, prince-" his eyes widened as he did a double-take, looking up at me fully. A sly grin stretched over his face as he lost it, "Oh the sweet irony," In his lapse of concentration, his hand dropped a few inches and bacon grease splashed over it.

He yipped in pain-there was no other way to put it-as he cursed repeatedly. "I hate cooking bacon," he growled.

Shani laughed, flipping a golden pancake, and I looked over at her as I grabbed a bottle of water. "You say that every time, and yet here you are-cooking bacon again."