Chapter 3 “A legend to our kind”

Amara

"Found her sneaking around upstairs boss," said the scarred man, leaning against the wall. I took a deep breath. Preparing me for the ultimate pain that was surely to be inflicted upon me. I pressed my nails so hard into my palm that blood would soon follow.

The man before my father was apparently their sick leader. I couldn't imagine what kind of hell awaited him in the afterlife, but I hoped it involved excruciating pain. Their leader cocked his head slightly to the side. Examining me for a moment before starting to stride towards my direction. My father, however, yelled or choked up the words, "stop."

The wolf man howled in laughter at my father's request. "Come on now Jameson you used to be so much fun in the old days."

I froze in utter confusion and shock. There was no way that my dad, fun loving and throwing dance parties in the kitchen dad could know these deadly and vile people. As if the wolf could read my mind he smiled. A vicious and mischievous smile. "You haven't told her."

It was more of a statement than a question. I looked towards my father searching for answers but was unable to read his swollen face. His head tilted down to face the floor. My stomach was in knots. I was about to vomit but the man wolf rushed towards me. Taking me by the throat and lifting me off the floor. I prepared myself for the killing blow. But instead he smelled me. Pressing his wet snout right above my ear. I could feel his breath as he took in a long deep inhale of my scent. The man paused for a moment, then chuckled.

"The almighty Jameson Crestor, a legend to our kind, has a human daughter." The boys smiled along with their master. Finding every bit of this twisted torture amusing. "Tell me brother, what was it like playing house with that whore of a human while we all grieved for you."

He tilted my head back to gaze into my eyes as he said, "Once upon a time your father killed little shits like you out of boredom."

Then he turned to face my father once again, still tightening his grip around my neck. I was struggling for every breath. "This is what you get, little brother for running off and leaving us to think you were dead. To think the all mighty Beta wasted his life among these disgusting species of humans. The death of your wife and daughter is the consequence of disgracing your pack."

A sharp pain overcame my entire body as a claw started piercing into my skin below my ribs. He loosened the grip around my neck enough for my father to hear my screams. The pain was too much for my body to handle. I started to fade into darkness when another scream erupted. This time the scream wasn't mine, it belonged to the man whose hand was gripping my neck. A large pure black dog had latched onto his back. Growls erupted from both of them. He released his grip on me. I dropped to the floor feeling a sharp pain from my tailbone making contact with the floor.

My father was no longer kneeling on the floor, in fact he wasn't there at all. I saw the two beasts lashing at each other. The black dog seemed to be winning until he was thrown into our large family portrait beside me. Glass flew everywhere along with broken pieces of wood from the frame. He quickly regained his balance and showed his pearly white teeth to the man in front of me. This wolf was pitch black with a streak of dark gray coming off the bottom of his tail. But his eyes were identical to mine, sky blue. Too weak and in shock to move, I just watched as they circled each other. The other men were watching as well, but more for entertainment.

The two beasts charged at one another. Cheers erupted from the group of men but it was suddenly interrupted by a loud BAM! Everyone, including myself, turned towards the noise. The front door was busted down. Animal noises came from outside before two wolves leapt into the house. The smaller wolf jumped directly on the man with the scar. It had white fur coat with hints of gray on the ears, belly, and feet. They started wrestling with one another as the larger wolf with a silky red coat charged for another man. An entire war broke out in our living room.

With adrenaline keeping me awake I reached for a piece of the broken frame next to me. It wasn't much but at least I had a sharp object. I was able to slide up a couple steps on the staircase to avoid a man being thrown in my direction. Yelling, growling, and a few screams filled the air. As one of the men was about to slash the white wolf with a knife a BANG rang out. The man holding the knife arches his back and groans before falling onto the floor.

He remained laying on the floor not moving and appeared to not be breathing. He was dead. I heard the sound of a shotgun being reloaded. An older man appeared through the door aiming for his next target. He fired the gun with no hesitation and it striked a curly haired man with a black beard in the face. His lifeless body fell to the floor with a thud. Blood now soaked every inch of the house.

The man reloaded the gun again but the leader of the pack yelled, "STOP!"

It wasn't until then that I realized the old man holding a shotgun was not a stranger. It was Mr. Reina from across the street! An old man who was hated by every teenager on our block because of his love for calling the cops when they crossed his lawn. The old man was almost bald and had an obnoxiously long white mustache. Despite being almost 80 years old, he stood there in the midst of all these creatures with a loaded gun aimed at the leader's forehead.

If Mr. Reina was at all fazed by what he walked into, he did not show it. The man had his finger placed on the trigger and eyes stuck on the leader. "You made your point Titus. Take your mutts and leave."

I was surely going to vomit now. Mr. Reina not only knew what was going on but knew the name of this monster. At least I had a name for the man who killed my mother. Titus grinned his devilish grin. The two wolves who entered earlier were now cautiously glaring at Titus and the two other men left standing. The black wolf however seemed to be panting rapidly. He was settled between me and Titus. Mr. Reina made eye contact with me but his face remained neutral.

"Come on now Reina. That's no way to greet an old friend." He flashed his sharp canines at the old man. Mr. Reina only responded by taking a step closer. Mr. Reina had a big pair of balls for threatening Titus. Titus clasped his hands together before throwing them up in the air defensively.

"Alright, alright we'll leave." Titus paused for a moment, "but first I have some unfinished business. Aaron!"

The man with the scar charged towards the old man. He quickly turned to aim his gun at him but the red wolf jumped Aaron before Mr. Reina had a chance to fire. Titus however took the moment of distraction to grab the gun and knock the old man down. He snapped the gun in half over his leg and tossed it at Mr, Reinas feet. The two wolves were distracted by the other two men when Titus sprinted towards me.

I froze as the injured wolf once again jumped on him. CRACK! This time Titus took the giant beast in his hands and snapped his neck. The wolf let out a whimper before falling limp. Titus himself even seemed shocked by his actions. He hesitated for a moment before dropping the now lifeless wolf to the ground and whispered. "Sorry brother."

Titus' expression seemed even more enraged. He leaped on top of me, pinning my body on the stairs. Natural instincts kicked in as sharp claws became buried into my thigh. I took the piece of wood held tightly in my hand and jabbed it directly into Titus' eye. A high pitch scream came out of Titus. He cried out with a whole chorus of curse words. Aaron and the other man took that as a sign to leave. The white wolf trailing after them.

In a fast moment, Titus fully transformed into a giant gray like wolf the size of a bear. The wood still lodged in his eye, he jumped over Mr. Reina and the gnashing red wolf before disappearing into the night.

The air in the room was cold and silent as I looked at the limp black coated animal on the floor. I slowly crawled to the animal who tried to save my life. I sat there for a few seconds petting the soft fur. Running my hands up and down his side before the room started spinning and darkness finally won.