Lilly Among Wolves

Lilly ran as fast as she could around the garden after Ian. Ian was older by two years; he always thought it meant he was better than her at everything. But she knew it had to be something else. Even though Ian was ten, he always tried carrying the world on his shoulders. Lilly always tried to get him to play games with her, but he would always run away from her. Not this time though, she was going to get him to play tag with her. "I'm going to get you, Ian." Lilly giggled, pumping her legs quicker. She cut across the flower bed straight towards Ian. Ian looked startled but ran faster. "Lilly, go away!" he called. "I just want to play tag with you." Lilly squealed. "Just a few more inches...and I could touch his shoulder." She thought. Lilly's chosen route was rough, and Lilly did not see the tree roots as she kept running. It caught her foot, making her world tilt; Lilly felt her knee connect with something hard. She cried out, pulling her knee to her chest. "You're always getting hurt. " Ian grumbled, rushing towards Lilly and sighing. She was lying on the ground crying in pain. He stopped when he saw her bleeding. He knew his mother was going to scold him for Lilly getting hurt again. It wasn't his fault. Lilly followed him around like a puppy. He tried his best to keep away from the obnoxious orphan, but she would always find him on the estate his parents owned. "If you hadn't run so fast, I wouldn't have gotten hurt." Lilly sniffled, wiping tears away. Ian sighed again, moving towards her, but didn't bend down to help Lilly up. "You need to watch where you're going, Lilly, then you won't get hurt. Now Mother is going to ground me." He huffed, moving his light blonde hair out of his face, before helping Lilly up. Lilly winced as she felt his fingernails digging into her wrist. "Ow, that hurts." Lilly winced. Ian let go, letting her fall back to the ground, looking at his hand. "Great. " Ian growled, pacing in front of Lilly. "Stop it, Ian, and help me up. " Lilly ordered. Ian laughed, looking at her, licking his lips, watching her blood drip down her knee. Ian had a strong desire to crawl to her and lick her wound. She was an orphan because of her little sister, who was only seven months old. She acted like her mother was still alive due to her mother. His mother swoops in, to the aid of the smaller children, scalding Ian for being too rough. Ian glared at looking at Lilly, wanting to let her know how much he missed his mother's love. "Ian, stop it!" Lilly whimpered, moving away from him scared. Ian laughed, coming towards her. Lilly crawled backward, seeing his nails turn into black claws. Something in him stirred, he liked watching her crawl away. "It's my turn!" Ian breathed, coming closer to her half-crazed. "I-Ian stop!" Lilly shivered as he crept closer to an animal than a human. She didn't want to play with Ian anymore. He was taking it too far, and she was getting really scared of him. Ian leaned towards the ground with his body shivering and shifting unnaturally. Lilly screamed as Ian turned into a huge golden wolf. The golden wolf was four times bigger than her small body. The golden beast came near her, stopping inches above her. She held her breath, freezing like a deer in headlights. The golden wolf leans down sniffing her knee before opening his mouth and licking the blood off her knee. The beast slightly whined before shifting his muzzle to her face. "I was going to die by my best friend." Lilly thought, feeling his breathing on her neck. She tried to push him away with all her might, but Lilly was too small to affect him. Ian growled, pinning her chest hard against the ground, his claw cut into Lilly's shoulder. She gasped out in pain. Ian was ripped off by his father, Alistair. Maria, his mother, scooped Lilly up swiftly, taking her out of the garden into the main house. "It's all right baby girl." Maria cooed as she took me into the light blue kitchen. She sat with me on the gray marble kitchen counter as she looked for the first aid kit. Lilly sat shaken and whimpering softly. Maria helped Lilly get undressed from the dirty playclothes. "Did Ian bite you?" Maria coxed as she examined Lilly's shoulder. Lilly shook her head, wiping her tears away. Maria cleaned and then bandaged the scratch on Lilly's shoulder, before slipping a green plaid nightgown on Lilly's child's frame. "Is Ian a dog?" Lilly blurted out, looking into Maria's green eyes. She laughed but shook her head no. "No. Ian is just going through a body change, and he doesn't know how to handle it right now." Maria said, hugging Lilly to her chest. "Will he be okay?" Lilly asked. Maria laughed again. Lilly was confused as to why Maria was okay and that her son had turned into a beast. But Lilly was a bit scared of Ian now. "Sweet girl, he will be just fine. Now let's get you to bed to rest. Your grandmother will be here soon. You don't want her thinking you're a troublemaker, do you?" She teased, putting a bandage on Lilly's knee before scooping her up. Maria went up the wooden stairs towards Lilly's room to lay Lilly in her bed. Maria turned the light off, easing the door shut but not all the way. Lilly could hear Maria talking to a male in the hall. Her soft sweet voice was worried though. "Is Lilly alright?" The male voice asked. Lilly knew it was Alistair's husky voice. "Ian didn't bite her. It's a scratch. We both know she won't turn, but Ian has tasted her blood. We will have to separate them. Ian needs to be sent to the elders." Maria's voice faded as I snapped out of my thoughts as the phone rang beside Maria.