??A Howl In The Night??
?(She’s Mine)?
?Chapter 10?
“What is that white thing?” I inquire, my voice still shaking from fear of the monster.
“It is called a Shifter,” Wes speaks up, words flowing like melted butter from his lips, “and they are the sworn enemies of werewolves. They are creatures of chaos, death, and misery, with eyes that mirror true h*ell. Invisible to the human and werewolf eye, the only way to detect a Shifter in its true form is to smell it. We are the only species that has a powerful enough sense of smell.”
“However,” Xavier jumps in, “there are some humans able to see these Shifters. We call them Seers. Usually this sight is caused by a near death accident that a Shifter is involved in. That’s you, Mona.”
I think back to those burning memories, full of bitterness, fear, and hate. I can remember it now… the white cloud with those terrible eyes, floating in front of me right before wreaking havoc upon us all.
“A Seer can be awakened to become a Spier,” Ray says, his voice tinged with excitement, “one of the six Talents!”
“What is a Spier?” I ask, gazing at the way Xavier’s face turns hard at Ray’s words. I grow even more interested, noting his discomfort.
“A Spier is able to conjure a spirit spear, and kill a Shifter in its true form. One can be aligned with every pack, and would complete our own. With you, we would have the six Talents,” He gestures to the four werewolves surrounding him, “Yi is a budding Stealth Talent, which means he can turn fully invisible when he finally develops his skill. Jake is a Sabertooth Talent, which means he has long, retractable claws that are somewhat like a Sabertooth Tiger’s teeth. Xavier is an Earthquake Punch Talent, which pretty much explains itself, and Wes is a Charm Talent. He can charm his opponent within a couple of seconds, and almost hypnotize them into doing his will. And I… I am a Beast Talent.”
“What’s that?” I wonder, staring into Ray’s almost perfect face, stained with a darkness I can’t quite explain. He is a mirror image of Xavier, but yet they are they so different. How can this be?
“When I morph, I can truly be a be@st,” he says softly, his menacing eyes scouring my skin. Under his gaze, I feel tingles of terror shiver through my spine.
“Anyways,” Wes says, slinging a graceful arm around my thin shoulders, “what else would you like us to explain?”
“How do you become a Spier?” I wonder, “do you have to be a werewolf? It seems cool…” Spirit spears? The chance to abolish my parent’s murderers, the ones that deprived me of a happy childhood? Everything seems too cr@zy, too wild to believe. But somehow, I know that it all is true every time I gaze into their emerald eyes.
“No,” Xavier states fiercely, “you are not going to be one. Don’t tell her, Ray.”
Ray looks at Xavier with a mixture of confusion and annoyance. “She deserves to know,” he replies, “she made the choice when she decided to run into the forest in the very beginning.” His brown hair glimmers as he makes his way towards me, his emerald eyes unblinking. “You do not have to be a werewolf, yet you will gain immortality. You will be with your loved one forever-”
“I said NO!” Xavier growls, pushing Ray to the wall, digging his fingers into his throat, “she is not going to be awakened, so shut up, Ray!” Tension mounts in the room as everyone grows silent, my head still spinning from the madness I have launched myself into.
“Why can’t I know?” I question, my voice stammering, tinged with fear at Xavier’s anger, “why is it so bad?”
“You only have a fifty percent chance or lower of surviving to be a Spier when you are awakened,” Jake answers quietly. Xavier shoots a scowl at Jake, roughly releasing Ray from his grasp. Ray takes a step away from Xavier, and smiles.
“Think about it, Mona.” With these last words, he disappears out of the room, slinking away so fast that even Xavier has no time to slug him with one of his potent fists.
“Ray…” Xavier moans, putting a hand against his forehead. He looks up and faces Jake, Yi, and Wes. “He doesn’t like me very much, does he?”
They all look at each other, and then simultaneously nod. “But we’re behind you all the way!” Wes pumps his fist in the air, “right, guys?”
“Yeah,” Jake agrees, but Yi stays silent, like he has been almost the entire time. A piece of his coal black hair falls into his face, his green eyes expressionless.
“It’s not my business,” Yi says, not looking into Xavier’s slightly irritated face. Wes’s face is bent in annoyance also, my expression of pure confusion. He turns to leave, muttering, “I’m going to practice.” Without another word, he vanishes, leaving uncertainty behind him.
“Oh, he’s just like this because he’s the youngest and he hasn’t developed his Talent yet,” Wes tries to wave it off, “he’s probably jealous of you because you have everything he doesn’t; the best Talent, looks, and position in the pack.”
“But we don’t need jealousy,” Xavier laments, his voice rough and full of anguish, “we need loyalty.”
“Now, now Xavier,” Jake smiles, patting him on the back slightly, “we’re a family. It is good for families to have little disagreements every once and a while. It helps us grow closer.”
Xavier looks at them both, his eyes fierce. I gaze at him, drinking in his startling blue hair and enticing eyes, his lips as he forms his next words. It is all—his face, his body, his every movement—perfect.
There must be something wrong with me.
“I wouldn’t exactly call this a little disagreement,” he murmurs, then whirls to face me. My heart begins to beat faster, and I suddenly find it hard to breathe. How can one look affect me this way? “I’m going to take her to the orphanage,” he suddenly spurts, taking my arm and dragging me along with him. I can feel his harshness, so different from the gentle touches I am used to. His movements are stiff and brisk, each step robotic. Even his grip on my arm is strange, so tight that it almost cuts off my circulation.
We pass through the old fashioned corridors into the beautiful lobby. I gaze at the spectacular artwork, yet being careful not to look above. For if I do, I might burst into tears. Xavier doesn’t seem to notice my sudden insecurity, his expression unchanging.
He pulls me to the bridge, forcing me to cross it with him. I think of earlier, when Xavier was smiling and laughing with me as we first reached this place. It seems so distant now, like the whisper of a memory that is on the brink of fading away.
We walk for a little while, his grasp tightening. It feels like it is going to explode; my hand, my whole body, and my heart. I am scared of this stranger, this man full of uncertainty and worry. The care free version of Xavier, the guy that is so naive, is the one I… just might be falling for.
Suddenly a flashing pain enters me, his grip suddenly bone breaking in strength. “Let go of me!” I scream, my voice filled with pain and anguish. Crumpling to the ground, I cradle my hand with the other, letting the life flow back into it.
Xavier turns, startled, and I just stare.
He runs to me, bending down so his handsome face is at eye level. “Did I hurt you?” he asks, his face flushed. I gaze at him, tears brimming at the corner of my eyes. Slowly I let them fall, running down my face in rivers.
“I’m so sorry…” he murmurs, sweeping me into a hug, his touch now like before. After a minute, he pulls away, and I notice that his face mirrors my own, tears staining his cheeks also. Strangely, I laugh. I can finally see him.
This is the man I know.
“You are better now!” I smile through my tears, “I don’t mind the hurt, as long as you are okay.”
What am I saying? I must be going cr@zy.
Xavier looks at the floor, his unnaturally long eyelashes fluttering against his cheek. “I’m so sorry, Mona,” he apologizes, a hint of sadness in his tone, “it is just that I’m worried about how this is all going to turn out. I want you to be safe more than anything.” He finally lifts his head at these words, his face contorted in a scowl, “and Ray cares nothing for your safety. He is a heartless werewolf, Mona, more than anyone else.”
“Then why did you take him in?”
“Because he is a Beast Talent,” Xavier shakes his head, “and because he is my twin brother. I can’t turn away family.”
I reel back from his words. They are very identical, but their personalities are so different that it is somehow difficult to believe. I suppress a heavy yawn, and Xavier chuckles quietly.
“Let’s get you home.” Picking me up in his tender embrace, he begins to zoom through the forest, everything a blur. I let my eyes close, feeling more comfort than I have in a long time. Why does Xavier always do this to me?
After a short while, we reach the ugly orphanage—a collage of graffiti, brick, scattered paint, and rough landscaping—and halt. I scan it quietly, taking in the two stories of misery, the windows that are commanded to be shut always, the old door that barely swings on its hinge.
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