Chapter 2: Arla's POV
1289 Words
Not supposed to hear them?
My head spun with the weight of Lukas’ words. Alongside a headache that made everything spin, in a mix of fear, anxiety and disbelief.
What did he mean by I was not supposed to hear them? And my parents? I had Parents?
Parents who had been alive until this night?
Ever since I was eighteen, I was made to believe I was an orphan. With nobody but Lukas who took me off the streets and gave me a job and a home for the past 5 years.
Until tonight when he unraveled everything, telling me it was all a lie.
The last five years of my life had been a lie.
My head spun as questions burned in my mind as Lukas led me to the driveway. I was hyperventilating and fighting back hot tears despite the blistering cold. And worse, the footsteps still pounded on. They sounded like they were gaining on us. That anytime now, our motivated chaser would reveal themselves.
You're not supposed to hear them.
His voice echoed again as the lights of his car beeped. The closer we got, the more I realized a lot was at stake. A lot I had no clue about.
So, I jerked my hand, and yelled in defiance. “No!”
“What? Come on, we don’t have time for this.” Lukas spun around, clapping his hands with an urgency that made me wince.
“No, I am not going.” I raised a shaky, accusatory finger at him. “Not until you explain all of this.”
I flung my hand to the side in exasperation. “My parents, these pounding steps I’m not supposed to hear, and why you lied to me for the last 5 years, Lukas. I want answers.”
“Please.” His eyes were pleading. “I promise, Arla. Get in the car and I will explain but we don’t have time. You’re in danger! And those footsteps belong to our assassins.”
He held his head in desperation, as he began to pace about. “Not people. Not people. Not people.”
“If they are not people, then w-what are they?” I asked.
At that moment, Lukas turned to me.
In the flash of a second, I could swear his eyes turned bright yellow. And his teeth… they suddenly grew longer like those belonging to a predator.
“Get in the car!” He roared, and immediately, panic-stricken, my defiance vanished.
I gasped in fear, rushing into the car, hands clutching my mouth in terror. Lukas came in through the driver's side. Just at the edge of my vision–I saw it. A beefy, huge humanoid of fur bounding towards our car.
“Lukas!” I screamed just as the engine revved up and Lukas hit the gas.
I swirled around to him, my heart beating rapidly. The footsteps were clearer and louder, even louder than the honking on the highway as Lukas swerved about.
“You said you’d explain.” I held out a shaky finger. “Now, explain what I just saw. Your eyes. Explain every goddamned thing.”
“It's fine. It's fine.” Lukas gasped out, shaking his head. “Wolves cannot keep running for long. At some point, they have to stop to recharge.”
“LUKAS!” I screamed and he turned to me with a shiver.
“I’m so sorry. Yes, I’m sorry. It was not supposed to be.. Y-your…”
“Then explain to me.” I screamed again. “Explain everything.”
He nodded. “Twenty three years ago, you were born with silver white hair and white pupils. You were special and threats appeared because of your power. To protect you, your parents sent you out, outside The Veil.”
“What?” I gasped.
My hair had always been blonde. And I wore contact lenses because my eyesight was not good. At least, that was the lie I had been fed.
“Yes.” Lukas nodded, as he swerved dangerously on the highway. “It took eighteen years to find you, and when I did, I had to employ the service of Fae Sage to brainwash you into believing the lies.”
“No. no. that’s not true.” I pointed a finger to my chest in shock. “I was kicked from my foster home because I was 18. That’s the truth.”
“No, Arla, that’s what I made you believe.” His eyes darted between the road and the rearview mirror. “And every birthday, we renew the spell to suppress your powers. But unfortunately, the coup happened on the night before I could renew it. That’s why you hear them. That’s why you can see them.”
“What?” I was dumbfounded, and shocked.
The increasing footsteps drummed panic into me. When I looked back, I gasped in fright of what I saw– two, no, three huge shadowy figures powerfully racing on the asphalt towards us.
I looked at Lukas, and the wheel and it read–256 mph. It was the highest the car could go and yet, they were gaining on us.
“Lukas…” I cried out, heart pounding. “Whatever these figures are, they’re coming closer.”
“I know.” Lukas gasped. Oh, this would have been easy, if your spell was still active. If the Veil hid them away from you.”
They were closer so I could make out their features. With thick frames, they spotted black fur with growling wolf heads and glowing yellow pupils.
Fast, and powerful too— effortlessly smashing cars aside. In only seconds, the first monster reached us. It slammed a fist at the bonnet as the others caught up.
Only for Lukas to hit the gas again, turning and swearing inaudibly.
“What is the Veil? And what are those things?” I asked just as another monster caught up to my side, and slammed its mass into the car.
I ducked with a scream as Lukas swerved into another lane. He swore, as his eyes turned yellow right before maneuvering the car out of a spin.
Lukas grunted. “Those are Lycans. And the Veil is meant to keep the supernatural world away from humans.”
The chase continued but suddenly, a Lycan appeared in the far distance. I screamed but it was too late. At our top speed, we rammed into it in seconds. .
It was the last I saw, before my world turned upside down. I screamed again as I was thrown from the seat, to roof to dashboard as the car spun wildly midair.
“Find…” Lukas’ voice broke through the din but his words were scattered, barely audible through the dizzying chaos. “…he… fix… Mason Greenwich.”
Each painful thud made me yell in pain amidst the sounds of breaking glass and tearing metal. I was ejected suddenly, tumbling across the road for what seemed like forever.
When it finally stopped, my whole body ached. Sticky warmth oozed from my head as I struggled to rise up. Only to see a Lycan lift Lukas up with a triumphant growl.
“Run.” Lukas croaked, just as Lycan ripped his body into half, in one cruel motion.
“Nooo!”
I gasped at the horror of the gory scene. His lifeless halves thudded soundlessly to the ground. I tried to scream but made no sound, except gaping in panic.
Then, they swirled around to me, their yellow eyes gleaming with murderous intent.
My heart pounded faster as I trembled in their full glare. I had to run, like he said, or they’d tear me apart.
- Writer
