Raises By Humans

Chapter 2

One evening around the dinner table Ronel wondered where her husband could be as he is never late for dinner, “I guess we should get started before the food gets cold,” she says, standing up from the table to get a plate cover for her husband’s food. Just as she was about to take her seat again their doorbell rang. Ronel looks at her mother-in-law that is looking at her and they both know that something is wrong.

When Ronel opens her front door and sees the police officers she did her best to stay calm, ‘don’t jump to conclusions,’ she tells herself.

“Mrs. Seeth?” one of the police officers asks.

“Out with it already,” her mother-in-law says, joining her at the door, putting her arms around Ronel, expecting the worst, remembering when police officers came to her door to tell her that her husband died on duty.

“Maxwell was shot an hour ago,” the police officer says.

Ronel starts to shake her head in disbelief.

“Is my son alive?” her mother-in-law asks, needing to hear them say it before she can accept it.

“I regret to inform you that he is not, mam,” the other says.

Her mother-in-law goes blank, and her hands start to shake.

“Grandma?” Luke asks, standing up from the dinner table when he sees his grandmother staring blindly ahead, making her way back to the dinner table and taking a seat. When his grandmother doesn’t respond Luke proceeds to the front door, “mom?”

When Luke sees the officers and his mother’s tears, he knew that his father has died.

“I am sorry for your lost,” one officer says after the other.

Luke runs to his room, Samuel (Sky) following, understanding that he lost his father. Samuel got onto Luke’s bed and tried to comfort him. Samuel could not help but wish for his own father at that moment, ‘our pack has given up on me, I wonder if Maguel was found, or did he die? Maybe the hybrid killed the whole pack and that is why I lost connection with them.’

Luke started to have trouble at school, being bullied and called horrible names for being on the sensitive side and having burst outs at school and when his grandmother died a few months after his father didn’t help either.

A year has passed since Luke’s fathers’ death and when Luke noticed his mother cooking up a storm, he wondered what is going on, “are we expecting guests?”

“As a matter of fact, yes,” Ronel says. A month ago, she started dating another officer and they thought it is time to tell Luke. Ronel hoped that it will not be too hard on Luke since he knows Officer Kieran.

“Anyone, I know?” Luke asks, taking a seat at the table.

“Officer Kieran,” Ronel says smiling.

‘I saw that coming,’ Luke thought to himself as he has noticed every Sunday in church them being too friendly and always looking around to see if anyone is watching them, “are you two dating or something?”

“Will that be a problem?” Ronel asks hesitantly as the doorbell rings. Ronel does not wait for Luke to respond and takes her apron off and pauses in front of the mirror in the foyer to give herself a look-over, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Get Sky out of the dining room,” she says before opening the door, “good evening.”

Kieran was quite the opposite of Luke’s father; large build, bold with a thick jawline and lots of tattoos.

Kieran leans in for a kiss, but Ronel stops him, pressing her hands against his hard chest, “not in front of Luke.”

‘Maybe if she shows him that a man and woman are supposed to be together, he won't be so gay,’ Kieran thinks but keeps it to himself. ‘Will have to make a man out of him if he is going to be my son,’ Kieran thinks again to himself, walking into the house, “smells good in here.”

Six months later Kieran married Ronel and moved in after their weekend away honeymoon. Kieran was not happy about the short honeymoon, but Ronel didn’t want to leave Luke alone at home for longer than a few days.

Things didn’t get any better for Luke, being forced to go on hunting trips with Kieran to toughen him up. On the hunting trips, Kieran did more than just teach Luke how to shoot. When Luke refused to take the gun, Kieran will hit him and when Ronel asks what happened Luke will say he fell or something, knowing that Kieran will just hurt him even more if his mother ever finds out what is really going on.

Samuel (Sky) was not taken with on the hunting trips as Kieran didn’t like him. One evening during dinner, Ronel got a call out to the Wild Animal Sanctuary. It was almost as if Kieran looked forward to having time alone with Luke as Luke has become his personal punching bag. Luke was forced to wear long sleeve clothing, even during the summer, to hide his bruises.

Kieran called the abuse sessions, self-defense lessons, claiming that he is teaching Luke how to protect himself against bullies as Luke was bullied at school. Samuel (Sky) will always go crazy outside the door when he hears Luke cry in pain when Kieran beats him up, unable to help him since he is not allowed in the house and are locked out.

Ever since Kieran moved in Samuel (Sky) was no longer allowed in the house as Kieran did not approve of animals in the house.

One morning after an evening of beating Samuel was ready to rip Kieran’s throat out, waiting for him leave the house to go to work. Being almost two years old now; he was fully grown and stood tall, reaching an adult man’s waist on all fours. If Samuel (Sky) would stand on his back legs his head will reach above Kieran’s, ‘but I don’t need to reach above his head, just his neck,’ Samuel (Sky) thinks, patiently waiting for the front door to open.

Kieran leaves an hour before Ronel and Luke and when he was all dressed in his officer uniform with his gun in his holster, he did not expect to be using it that day.

Ronel and Luke both sped down the stairs when they heard the gunshot followed by Samuel’s (Sky) cry.

Kieran was about to pull the trigger again, his gun pointed at Samuel’s (Sky) head when Luke throws himself on top of Samuel (Sky).

“Get the f*ck out of the way!” Kieran yells, his hand on his neck, blood running through his fingers.