Ordinary

Mate?

The dining room erupted into chaos; the unknown man lunged for me. Both Draven and Kalix blocked his path, aggressively twisting his arms yet barely able to contain him.

"FORCE!" Draven yelled, and several more men jumped to their aid. It took 7 grown, very well-endowed men to keep this one man from advancing. Toward me?

Why was he angry with me? We hadn't even been introduced yet. The whole encounter made no sense.

My confusion was palpable, but I couldn't find fear as I looked into his hazed and bizarrely glowing eyes.

Something inside me held me firm. As if I didn't believe that he'd actually hurt me, if he were allowed to reach me.

My heart beat a new rhythm. Excitement.

It had been a while since I'd been entertained, surprised and offended all at once.

"Mom," Serenity pulled at my arm, fiercely in the opposite direction. Her actions caused him to become even more frantic in his attempt to escape the many arms trying to subdue him.

As I watched his suit was torn, he seemed to be swelling. Growing before my eyes. But as he did, all the men responded. Their sizes leveling up quickly to match his increased girth and width.

"What the hell is going on here, Serenity?" I asked as she pulled me towards the door, through the throngs of curious dinner attendees.

A fierce growl split the air. A guttural yell of "No, no... she's mine!" Before Serenity pushed me out through the double doors.

The sounds of chaos increased marginally, beginning to sound like a brawl.

"DAD! STOP!" I heard a loud commanding voice, before I heard a rending sound and an even more aggressive growl. Then a chorus of aninalistic growls.

As we hit the hallway, Serenity broke into a sprint, dragging me behind her. Up, up, Up she went. If I wasn't mistaken, we were headed for the tower.

Then I heard it. A huge bang as the double doors of the ballroom flew off their hinges. The skittering of claws as if the family dog was running. No racing. Towards us.

Serenity increased her pace. I could now see the faint image of a huge fury dog pursuing us. Gaining quickly. Not a dog. A wolf. And Gods was he moving fast.

Just as I could almost feel his breath against my legs, Serenity pulled me through the turret door and slid the bolt into place. The door shuddered. Dust, plaster and small stones fell from the ceiling. She pushed me into a metal cage and slammed the door behind her as the door to the tower exploded inward.

Jostling for position with me, she finally pushed me behind her body and stood firm... showing her teeth. Growling.

Growling?

"What the HELL is going on here!" I yelled over the sound of the loud growling of the wolf who now paced in front of the bars. The men who were now pouring into the room and my daughter, who was growling back just as loudly and fiercely as a wolf.

Serenity turned to me and my eyes watered when I noticed her canines were extended, her face stretched unnaturally in her aggression. I reached out a hand to her face, her eyes softened, but her growl continued. Not for me, I realized... for the wolf outside the bars.

"Baby," I whispered, my eyes searching for an explanation that would make sense.

Draven stepped forward, pushing the wolf back. Oblivious to the fact that it snapped at his hand. He threw an admonishing look toward the wolf, to which the wolf growled lower in his chest and backed himself into the corner of the room. As if saying, he wasn't leaving.

"DeAnne. Mom, I'm sorry," Draven said, raising his hands in surrender. "I, we wanted to tell you another way." He says in a defeated tone that sounds like an apology.

"Tell me what Draven," I hiss, my confusion and anger at war with what my eyes see, but my brain is denying.

"We are werewolves. Serenity is my mate," he says, his eyes flashing proudly despite the situation.

My brows wrinkle in confusion. I shake my head in denial, although all the evidence is here before me. My body shakes, my adrenaline beginning to drain with the color from my face. My cinnamon-colored skin looks ashen.

"Mom," Serenity says in her normal voice... reaching out her hand tentatively to me. As if I'm a frightened animal. The wolf growls from the corner of the room... not liking anyone touching me.

As I fall to my knees, before consciousness abandons me... I hear the chaos erupt again. The wolf was unhappy that he couldn't get to me through the bars. In Serenity's arms, I looked up at her and begged, "Don't let him eat me, K?" I said as I blacked out. My inner voice cackles in laughter.