Wolves Bain

    I’m running. I’m running as fast as I can. My heart is pounding and my legs are screaming, begging me to stop. But I can’t, I feeling like I’m soaring as the tries pass me in a blur. I have to keep running, I need to, or he’ll catch me. I hear the rushing water ahead, knowing that my salvation is close I run faster, faster than I ever have before.     The sound of the wind blowing the Bradford trees coaxes me, and the smell of the sweet pair trees in the spring soothes me. But all that stops when I hear the thundering footsteps get closer. The beasts will be upon me soon. I start to zig-zag and spread my scent among the trees, a trick my father showed me if I were ever chased by a wild animal. The sound of the waterfall is getting closer; it gets loud and louder as I run.     Finally, as I break through the trees and step on the hard stone, I see it, the waterfall. I run toward it and cuts my pare foot on the rocky surface, and then I freeze. It’s an 80 foot drop into the rocky water below. A normal person would see this as potentially fatal, but I’m not a normal person. I have trained day and night for this moment so why can’t I do it? I take a deep breath as I stand on the edge of the stone ledge. I put one foot in front of the other and close my eyes.  But it’s too late. A giant black wolf rushes past me. His fur shines in the sunlight like spilled ink in candlelight and his red eyes sparkle with amusement as he descends into the waters below with a canine smile.     “Better luck next time sis’’ he cooed in my head     And not a second later, I’m pushed over the edge by a second, slightly smaller wolf. His hair is as white as snow and his eyes resemble that of sapphires. He too wore a wolfish grin.     “You need to get over your fears somehow” he said.     I would’ve told my brothers how much I hated them if it weren’t for the fear that consumed my body. My screams were drowned out by the roar of the waterfall as our bodies hit the water.   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~       “And then we get past the trees and she’s just standing there, like a deer in headlights” Xavier mocked. He slung his damp towel over his shoulder and reached for one of my mom’s freshly baked biscuits, just to have his hand slapped away by my father. My oldest brother looks just like my dad. The inky black hair, the silver eyes, the muscular build, even the signature death glares. The resemblance is uncanning! I’m pulled back from my thoughts when I hear a deep and deadly grow emitting from the two.     “Back up, boy. You will wait for dinner like the rest of us.” Xavier flinched at the words of the Alpha, but sadly for the old man, his words don’t bind us like other wolves, the most it’ll do is make our instincts kick in briefly.     The two of them stand their ground as their eyes change to the color of freshly shed blood. The noises coming from them sound like something out of a horror movie. Their muscles tense and the hair on the back of my neck started to stand, warning me that they were on the brink of shifting. Apparently everyone could sense it, because pretty soon my mother came back into the room to intervene.     “My love, how was your day?” Melodic voice was able to gain his attention and she smiled at him. My mother’s beautiful ash blonde hair was braided and adorned with the many wildflowers that grow around our prairie home.  My father wrapped his arms around her wait as she placed hers around his neck. His smile could make school girls shriek and hers would melt the hearts of any weary soldier. Their whispers were filled with sweet laughter and deep chuckles. Until he started pelting her with kisses on her face. The love they shared was pure, endless, and extremely annoying. Like we get it, you’re mates, made by the Moon Goddess to be each other’s other halves and live happily ever after. Big deal. I don’t even want a mate.     As I was getting fed up with my parent’s soft porno, I saw Xavier sneak 6 biscuits under father’s nose. “Thanks mom,” he loudly stated which earned him a loud growl. As my father lunged for him my mother step in front of his path.     “Now darling, what seems to be the issue?”     “The problem is that he disobeyed a direct order, Vivian.” He spoke with bile in his voice. “Xavier when I get my hands on you so help me I’m gonna-” My mother, bless her soul, shoved a biscuit right into his mouth to shut him up for the time being.     “You cannot be anger with them darling, they have Lycan blood not just from you, but from me also. And need I remind you that it’s pure at that?” Mom reasoned. My father only replied in grumbles as he chewed and finished his food.     Xavier sat down and offered me and my siblings some. Gabriel‘s ash blonde locks moved as he shook his head. Like Xavier is the spitting image of my father, Gabriel is the genderbent version of mom. Ash blonde hair, hazel eyes, long lashes, and soft facial features. “Fine, if you don’t want it, I’ll have to give it to little baby Esther. Isn’t that right Essie, yeah it is. Gabriel’s a big dum dum, it’s that right? Forget the biscuit I could eat you up.” Xavier’s voice, usually rugged went up 5 octaves to coax our baby sister into wanting to go to him. Her hazel eyes shone with glee as she reached for him leaving Saber with no baby in her lap.     “What the hell Xavier?!? I was holding her.” Saber shrieked. Her face began to wrinkle and her eyebrows furrowed. The color of her natural olive skin turned to a rosy red color.     “Sabrina, watch that mouth of yours.” Father warned.     “Yeah, Sabrina” Xavier mocked. Her face became more distorted and red at his teasing. It was almost as red as a tomato. “Be careful there, keep that up and you’re going to be more wrinkly than a raisin.     She stood up suddenly, causing the chair to go crashing to the floor at the sudden harsh movement. She slammed her hands on the table and glared at Xavier as smoke practically came out of her ears. “Cut the crap. You know that these years are precious when it comes to building bonds that could last a lifetime!” Her frantic cry fell on deaf ears and only earned her an eye roll.     “Dramatic as always Saber. Little Essie is happy right where she is, aren’t you baby girl?” Esther’s giggles were the only confirmation he needed. Saber picked up her chair and sat down in a huff and reached for one of the biscuits. “Nuh-uh, these aren’t for you little miss piggy.” He said as he slapped her hand away.     “Excuse me? There are 6 of us not including Gabe and Esther.”     Xavier sighed, “You’re as dumb as you are ugly. Let’s do some simple math here. Going from youngest to oldest there’s Esther and she can’t have one because she has no teeth, don’t want my little ray of sunshine to choke. Then Alec, Diane, Fulton and Irriny. Gabriel, who already declined one. And lastly, and most importantly, me”     “Are you an i***t? That’s only 5 freaking people!”     “Again, you’re dumb. As the future alpha I need to eat twice as much as you. And you’ll think me later, you need to skip the carbs” He says in a matter-of-fact kind of tone. And right after he greedily stuffed 2 into his face.     “This is unbelievable! First of all, keep talking and I’ll rip that smirk of your face. Secondly, I am the most sought after girl in the whole school, my body is perfect. I take a step in the halls, and everyone’s heads turn. And lastly, you’ll be Alpha over my dead body.” She stood and her eyes changed into a deep red, challenging him. Xavier stood and handed Esther to Gabriel all while keeping eye contact.     Gabriel let out a disappointing huff of air. “Can’t you guys go 20 minutes without ending up in a brawl? Like seriously gu-”     “SHUT UP!!!” They shouted as they turned their festering anger towards Gabriel. And before Xavier could look back at Saber, she pounced. Her charcoal hair whisked passed me and in a flash their clothes were shredded and they were barreling over each other.     “Gabriel, what did Saber mean when she said he won’t be Alpha?” Alec asked. Man, for only being 4 this kid asks a lot of questions.     “Diane can you explain it to him. I’m a little busy.” Gabe’s hands were full because Esther always tends to get fussy when fights break out around the house.     “Well Alec, our pack is different. We come from a long line of Lycans, and because we are so powerful, there was often corruption. So our great-great- grandfather put in place that there will be trials that offspring of the current Alpha and Luna will have to compete in to see who is the most fit to rule. So, when the Alpha declares it a fitting time, all th-” I start to tune her out. Nothing against her, she’s my triplet so I’m not allowed to hate her. Diane, Fulton, and I are triplets actually. We don’t look like our other siblings. Our hair is chestnut brown and our eyes are amber. We aren’t identical so that makes everyone’s lives a little easier. And to make me even different than everyone else, my eyes are almost golden, like honey lying out in the setting sun. Diane’s hair is short, bone straight, and barely past her shoulders, while mine is at the small of my back laying in beach waves. Fulton just has a messy mop on top of his head. Alec on the other hand has our father’s dark hair and eyes, even though his have a hue of brown. And Esther has my mother’s eyes. I hope she turns out to be as beautiful as mom. Hearing Diane go on and on about rules and responsibilities is starting to bore me. I have absolutely no interest in being a Luna, let alone the next Alpha. Just the thought of it puts a bad taste in my mouth, so I turn my attention to the action.     Xavier and Saber are rolling on top of one another, their jaws snapping and the claws digging. It be almost impossible to tell them apart if it wasn’t for Xavier’s stockier and slightly bigger build and Sabers dark gray coat. It’s only a matter of time before- *crash* well there goes Nana’s vase that dad got as a wedding present. I mean, it was ugly to begin with, and here comes the boom.     “HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU TO TAKE YOUR PETTY SQUABBLES OUTSIDE! THIS IS THE LAST TIME I’M GONNA REPEAT MYSELF” My father’s thunderous steps marched up to them and ripped them apart. That man is unbelievable, they stand on four legs 4 and a half feet on average between the two of them, and he picks them up by the nape of their necks like they’re sacks of potatoes. Hehe sacks of potatoes I laugh to myself. The beastly man kicks open the front door and throws them out. “DON’T COME BACK TILL YOU CAN FOLLOW ORDERS.” He yells as he turns to come back into the house, but before he comes back he turns and smile “Oh, and another thing, to show your repentance, go and fetch me some orchids. AND DON’T COME BACK TILL YOU DO!” Then he slams the door shut. I look out the window to see Saber trot off with her ears back and Xavier snarling before following her. Dad comes in with a red face. So that’s where Saber gets it from, noted.     Mom walks up to him and hugs him, knowing her touch will help calm him. “Darling, the orchids only grow on the top of the mountain and I doubt that they are even any blooming this time of year. I think it’s a bit harsh my love.”     “Viv, they need to learn. Xavier’s almost 16 and Saber’s 14. I mean come one, Gabe is the only one with his head on straight.”     My face changes into a questioning look as I get their attention. “Um, excuse me, why am I being lumped in with them.”     “Believe me, you’re a female with Alpha lycan blood running through your veins, you’re going to be just like them soon. You’re 12, give it a couple years” He chuckles.     Whatever, we’ll see old man. My parents go back to their little world as Essie finally calms down. Fulton is snoozing at the table waiting for dinner and Diane is still teaching Alec things. As stale and cliché as my life is I hope if never changes. That would be my wish, to stay here in the mountains with my family, together forever. I drift off to sleep until the sound of the kitchen timer causes everyone to smell the air out of habit.     But sadly for me, my wish will never come true.     “What’s up gang.” Great timing for the demon to show up. I roll my eyes, already knowing what chaos is about to ensue.