My Beast

17.

After everything died down, Elizabeth was in the library, looking over the books. Instead, she found her picture wallet

"I forgot I left this in here," she said to herself while flipping through the pages until she stopped on one of the familiar faces of her parents. The picture brought a rush of emotions she had long buried. She traced her fingers over their smiling faces, her heart aching with a mix of longing and sorrow. Memories from her early childhood flickered in her mind, though they were hazy and fragmented.

“Ethan, come look at this,” she called softly, wanting to share this piece of her past with him.

Ethan entered the library, curiosity evident in his eyes as he stepped closer. “What’s that?” he asked, peering over her shoulder.

“This,” she said, holding up the wallet, “is my picture book. I’ve kept it close all these years. But… I didn’t expect to find this.” She turned the page to reveal a photo of her parents, beaming with pride, standing beside a young Elizabeth in a flowered dress.

Ethan’s expression shifted, a mixture of surprise and recognition washing over his features. “Wait a second. Is that… my parents?” he asked, pointing to the couple in the picture.

Elizabeth's heart raced. “Your parents? I— I didn’t know. I thought they were just my parents. They told me stories, but I never knew…”

Ethan stepped back, his eyes wide as realization dawned on him. “They were my parents too. I was adopted because my grandmother didn't think that my mother was ready to take care of a child. I was trying to find her for years but I found out about the incident.”

“Incident?” Elizabeth echoed, her heart pounding in her chest. “What do you mean?”

Ethan’s expression darkened. “I was adopted into an assassin agency when I was firstborn; I was around, I think, 10? When my mentor told me that they died. They never told me I had a sister."

Elizabeth felt a chill run down her spine. “Oh... well- My parents, well, our parents- died in a rabid animal attack during a family outing. We were having a picnic I was only two years old. I remember running away from my mom right before it happened. I didn’t understand at the time. I just knew I had to run.”

Ethan's eyes widened further. “You were there? Did you escape? That sounds traumatizing."

“yeah, at least I don't remember everything,” Elizabeth said, her voice trembling. “After everything happened, I was found by Mabel, the shop owner at the edge of the village. She took me in and raised me as her own.”

Ethan stepped closer, his voice thick with emotion. “So… we’re siblings, then?"

Elizabeth nodded, tears welling in her eyes. “I never knew. I thought I was alone in this world."

Elizabeth wiped away a tear, a strange sense of comfort washing over her. “I can’t believe we’re siblings. It makes so much sense now,” she said, her voice tinged with disbelief. “No wonder I felt this… connection to you.”

Ethan smirked, the corner of his mouth tugging up in a playful grin. “So, does that mean I can start calling you ‘Sis’ now? Because honestly, I’ve always wanted one.”

“Only if you want to hear me remind you to clean your room, ‘bro’,” Elizabeth shot back, laughter bubbling up as they both embraced this newfound bond.

Ethan chuckled, shaking his head. “Good luck with that. I haven’t cleaned my room in years.”

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, the warmth of their sibling connection making her heart swell. “Some things never change, I guess. Typical brother behavior.”