Chapter 9
Cha
“You’re nothing but a freak of nature Lake spits on me as I make my way downstairs. I just don’t understand why Dad sidn’t let the Alpha kill you. You don’t belong here. You should be in the woods dying like the useless runt you are”
I clench my fists at my side, glaring at him. “Shut up”
“Oh, should I Or are you gonna go cry again” He says with mock concern, ‘Go on then. Cry, like the little weak runt you
At my lack of response, he leans forward, his expression twisting into one of fury. “Shut the fuck up, Rhea. You’re fucking pathetic” He grabs my shoulders and pushes me away from him, but his hands slip away when my wounded shoulder gives a sharp throb in protest at the contact.
“Watch it,” Mom quickly holds me back by my arm. “I have raised you better than that, do not hurt your sister?
“She’s not my sister. His eyes narrow and he pins me with a hard glare, his muscles coiling with tension. “She’s a runt and I hate her. I want her gone.”
Mom gives him a dismissive look. “Stop acting like a child, Luke. Now go and study.”
“Fuck you” he says under his breath. He then pushes me aside and storms off into his room, slamming the door behind him
“Ignore him.”
I avert my gaze away from the stairs and face my mother once more. She sighs and walks away from me and heads into the dining room. Dad’s not home yet. It’s just the three of us tonight. He often doesn’t comes home until late and if he does come early, Mom sends me off to my room.
When it’s time for dinner, Luke rushes downstairs as soon as the scent of food reaches his nostrils and enters the kitchen in the span of seconds. Luke puts a big plate together and claims half of the food Mom cooked for my family, and starts eating. I sit down toward the corner of the table and eat whatever I can.
Luke looks at me like I’m an oddity, and my mom does too, sometimes.
“You know Even, Mom?”
“Yes” Mom nods while looking at my little brother. “What about him?”
“Well, he was gone for a week, out of town. He came back today and told me that he and his family had seen a runt where they went.”
“A runt?” Mom shares an instant glance at me before looking back at my brother.
This isn’t good. I can already feel it.
“Yeah, they saw one and the second day that they were there, the runt was killed on spot. He was butchered and then his remains were left out in the open land where the rogue
Came
“Oh, God, Luke, stop” Mom cut him off before he can continue.
I barely put down anymore food when Luke continued with his chatter and brought up the killing of a runt. He went on and on, with details, even when Mom told him to keep quiet about it.
1/3
23:00 Fr. 11 Apr
Chapter 9
“Should have had Rhea mindered then, too, Luke speaks up again “She’d be out of our hair.”
Mom puts her fork down and looks at him
Tinish eating and leave the table”
He is silent for a heat, staring at the both of us, and there is an expression Tcannot decipher on his fare. His gaze lingers for a few more seconds, challenging me to argue, but look away. I know he enjoys seeing my downfall and hearing my demise. I don’t have to look back to know that his grin is spreading across his face as he watches me shrink into my chair.
There’s still an unfinished food on my plate. I place my own utensils down on the table, my appetite completely gone. When my brother’s gaze is not focused on me. I get out from the table and escape to the restroom.
Leaving
Giving up.
1 breathe out a shuddering breath and close my eyes as the silence engulfs me
Soon after dinner. Mom turns off all the lights and I go and stay in my room. I don’t know why for some reason I can’t fall asleep. Different thoughts invade my mind. Thoughts of myself, my life and my future and most of all, those Alpha of the BloodClaw Pack
Sleep cannot come and no matter how long or how hard I try, the only thing that keeps me awake is him.
With that, it’s settled. It isn’t possible to sleep.
I get up from the bed and leave my room. At this time, no one’s supposed to be awake so I believe it’s safe for me to roam around. There are no sounds from downstairs as I creep past and outside. Fresh air hits my skin as I step outside.
But my moment of peace is invaded by Aron, who appears out of nowhere.
What are you doing here?” My heart skips a beat.
“Skipping rest?” he breathes out. “I came to see you”
I step back and away from him. “You shouldn’t be here. If someone saw
The door of the house behind me slowly opens and I spot Luke, his shirt haphazardly thrown on hirn and there’s a bag of chips in his hand. “Mom! Dad Rhea’s with a guy outside.”
“No. Luke-
But he screams loud enough to wake up Dad, who then runs down the stairs with something in his hand.
“What the fuck’s going on.” Dad walks out and then glares at me before Aron. “Rhea! What are you doing?”
“She’s whoring herself to strangers. That’s all she can do.” Luke’s so eager to turn me into a black sheep. To pull me apart shame me. He lives for this shit.
Aron steps forward and closer to him in a warning manner. Don’t talk about her like that.”
“You don’t know the dirty runt, she’s—”
“I know her well enough to know you’re crossing a line.”
and
That’s enough to make Luke pause. A look of confusion, then shock, crosses his face, followed by anger. “She’s a filthy runt. She shouldn’t even existe
2/3
23:00 Fri, 11 Apr CA
Chapter 9
A growl builds in Aron’s throat. It’s a deep, rumbling sound, like an angry predator about to pounce on its prey.
Luke’s eyes widen in horror and his hands tremble, but he presses on. “Rhea’s a runt, she can’t do anything. She can’t have a mate, let alone You”
With a blink, Aron is in front of him, wrapping a hand around his throat. Luke lets out a muffled yelp and attempts to push him away, but Aron doesn’t budge. He tightens his grip, pinning him in place as he brings his face close to his
“She Is Mine,” He snarls through gritted teeth. “Understand?
“She’s a run!”
He tears out his throat with a single swipe of his claws, releasing his body to hit the ground with a dull thud. A pool of crimson blood forms around Luke, staining his clothing and the earth beneath him.
I scream and rush to his side, but it’s too late. He is dead.
1 joht up in the bed, breathing heavily. My throat constricts, and my heart pounds rapidly in my chest. Sweat beads down my forehead and my hands are shaking with nerves.
It’s not real. I remind myself. It’s just a nightmare.
I look around the darkness of the room, and feel around my bed until I find the bedside table. There’s a small nightlight on it, one that I use to help me fall asleep. I grab it with trembling fingers and switch it on.
The light illuminates the room in a soft golden glow. I take a few deep breaths and steady myself.
Relief floods over me as I come to term with the fact that what just happened was merely a dream and Aron’s not here in the present. It’s just me. Only me.
1 don’t feel better, not really.
I saw my little brother being killed–how worse could it get? Why would I even dream of such a thing? I’ve had nightmares but I never had a dream so vivid and disturbing as this one.
