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alaric stood amidst the chaos, his cloak billowing around him as everything seemed to move in slow motion. the flickering firelight, the shouting, the mad rush of bodies scattering in every direction—it all felt surreal, distant, like a nightmare he couldn't wake from. his breathing was uneven, each inhales ragged as he tried to make sense of it all. when he saw the flash of light from y/n's tower, a deep pit of dread settled in his stomach.
he feared the worst.
silas had made a torch, barking orders as he rallied a group of men to follow him. the rest of the family either stayed near the fire or darted into the forest, disappearing into the night. alaric stood frozen, his mind spinning as if he were trapped in a fog. he could barely hear the sounds around him—just muffled voices, distant and hollow. he didn't even register marlow's voice at first.
"alaric!" marlow's words finally pierced through the haze, sharp and demanding. alaric felt a jolt as marlow's hands gripped his shoulders, shaking him slightly. "don't you hear me?!" he screamed at the blond.
"i...what..." alaric's voice was barely a whisper, disoriented.
"take sienna," marlow commanded, pulling the red-haired girl to his side. her eyes were wide with fear, her hands trembling as she clutched at the edges of her cloak. marlow forced her into alaric's arms, her face burying itself in his chest, seeking comfort. "and get out of here." sienna's hood had fallen back, exposing her bright red hair, though it was unclear if y/n had seen her, much less captured her in the photos.
alaric's heart hammered in his chest, but his mind wasn't on the girl pressed against him—it was on y/n.
the fear for her safety gnawed at him relentlessly. he felt like he was being pulled in two directions, his loyalties tearing him apart. his hands gently pushed sienna away, stepping back, leaving both her and marlow stunned. sienna looked up at him, her eyes filled with confusion. "alaric...?" she whispered, voice trembling.
"what do you think you're doing?!" marlow snapped, his voice dropping to a dangerous growl. his eyes bore into alaric, filled with expectation and growing impatience. "i told you to take her and leave." he repeated.
"i..." his eyebrows furrowed as he still tried to wrap his head around the situation. "i'm going to regroup with silas," alaric said, his voice firmer now. he couldn't leave. not like this. not with y/n in danger. he couldn't live with himself. "i need to make sure this situation is contained." he stated.
marlow's brow furrowed, his expression darkening as he took a step closer to alaric, his voice low and authoritative. "silas can handle it. he's dealt with threats before. you're needed elsewhere." he pointed out. just because alaric was able to capture connor in one fell swoop does not mean he was ready for this type of stuff. not to mention he was just let off the hook and marlow is still trying to see past the boy's previous mistakes for the betterment of alaric's future.
