Chapter 18

5 years ago.

***
BANG!

"Ahhhh" my mom screamed as howls and gun shots were going off outside the house. I pushed the curtains aside so I could look out of the window at what was going on.

"Dylan, stay away from there." My dad instantly grabbed hold of my wrist and dragged me away from it. He ran me over to my mom who was holding my baby brother tight in her arms. "Both of you stay inside no matter what you hear." he grabbed a hand gun out of a draw and went to walk out.

"NO! Dad, you can't leave." He shook his head and crouched down slightly to look me in the eye.

"Someone has to help them." He tucked my mad hair behind my ear and kissed my forehead. "You're in charge Dil, you need to protect your mom and your brother, ok?" My eyes were brimming already at the thought of my dad leaving me but I nodded as I let the tears fall. "Stay strong kiddo, no matter what happens, don't show these mutts any weakness. Promise me Dil!"

I sniffed as I nodded my head. "I promise dad, I'll protect them both."

"That's my brave girl! Never ever forget that I am so proud of you." With that he stood up straight and kissed my mom before running out of the door with the gun in his hand.

"DAD!" My mom was sobbing into my baby brother and I realized I had to keep it together for her. I sniffed and wiped my face from the water flowing down it before running to the closet under the stairs, I grabbed the baseball bat that my dad got me for Christmas and ran back to my mom. My eyes firmly planted on the front door as I got into a defensive position.

After about an hour of gun shots, growls, howls and screams I heard my dad.

Without thinking I ran outside to help but stopped in my tracks, the second I stepped foot out of the door I saw a fully shifted wolf dragging a man down the street. My father.

"Argh!" His screams filled the town as his body scraped on the pavement, a blood trail being left by him as he went along. A lot of the people From our town were stood watching, many of them had injuries and they all looked emotionally and physically exhausted.

"DAD!" I shouted before charging at him, only to be caught by another lycan. I kicked and screamed as he held me back. My dads face shot to me in the lycans arms and he tried harder to get away. That was a bad move, the lycan that was dragging him stopped quickly and growled before his jaw clamped over my dads leg, another wolf shifted right in front of me and attacked my fathers arms. Before I knew it he was being ripped to shreds right in front of my eyes. "NO!"

With as much force as I could muster I threw my head back and smacked it on the lycan holding me. He dropped my dazed body immediately and held his own head. I waisted no time, ignoring the now prominent ache in my head, I grabbed a little hand gun from the floor and ran into the middle of the road, I shakily pointed it at one of the wolves that was attacking my dad and fired it.

The lycan let go immediately and fell onto his side from the force of the bullet, I had hit it, square in the side. I stared at the other one who was still tearing my father to pieces and pointed the gun again.

"ME!" My dad screamed, his shouts would haunt me for the rest of my life, and the wolves weren't letting up. "SHOOT ME!" My hands shook rapidly as I aimed, my finger pulled the trigger, but I missed, I saw the bullet bounce off the road. "DYLAN!"

I was shaking far too much, and I knew I'd be caught soon. So I leveled my breathing as much as I could and fired the gun again, causing my dads screams to completely stop a second later and my life came crashing down on top of me.

"NOOOOO!" My 12 year old eyes brimmed with tears before I remembered what my dad had told me.  Don't let them see my weakness.

I took a shaky breath trying not to break down in front of everybody watching the scene. Blood covered the streets as I stood staring at the wolf now stalking towards me. Shit, now I'm in trouble. I fired the gun again at the wolf but it simply clicked, again and again I pulled trigger only for it to not work.

I heard my moms voice screaming at me and turned my head quickly only to be tackled to the floor by two men. The gun flew out of my hand, as I hit the floor with my stomach.

The men's eyes were black as night as I turned onto my back, while one of them aimed their claws at my neck.

"WAIT!" Silence hit the street as a high ranking wolf walked up to where I was being held. "She's just a child, she can be taught our ways!" I was lifted up onto my feet while the wolf man walked closer and closer to me. "Take her to the square, she still fought back and so She will take the first punishment." As soon as those words left his mouth I was lifted and dragged to the square, kicking and screaming as I went. The humans of the town were gathered and I was roughly tied to two posts.

"Humans, welcome to the new world! Before the rules are recited, punishment must be given. 20 lashings will be given to the girl, as an example to you all." Before I could wrap my head around what was going on, my top was torn off my body leaving me in just my training bra and I felt a large bolt of pain burn on my back, I went to scream out but bit my lip hard instead. I will do whatever it takes not to show weakness to those beasts.

So unlike most 12 year olds I kept quiet, I took my punishment that day without so much as a cry leaving my mouth, I also vowed that i Dylan Riley would never ever back down to a wolf. I would stay strong for my family, and I wouldn't ever forget what the world was like before the lycans.
***

Present day...

Beep... Beep... Beep.

My eyes lazily opened only to shut tight again as soon as I saw the brightness of the room I was in. "Argh" my head was pounding and my body felt weak and achey.

"Be careful my dear." My head snapped to the side as I slowly opened my eyes this time, only to come face to face with the kings grandfather. "You had us all worried, for a minute there we thought we'd lost you" He stated while looking into my brown orbs. The events of what had happened all came flooding back into my mind and I allowed my gaze to travel to my arm, it was covered in a plaster cast making me think I broke my knuckle when I punched the king, and unfortunately the wound I had made was underneath the cast. "What were you thinking?"

"I..." My voice came out horse and dry, while a monitor continued to beep repeatedly with the steady rhythm of my heartbeat. The old man quickly grabbed a glass of water and gently lifted my head up to have a drink. The cool liquid that slipped down my throat soothed the dryness and felt like bliss. I coughed a little then winced as my head felt like a thousand drums were going off inside.

"Just take it easy dear, you lost a lot of blood." I couldn't help but feel defeated, even death didn't want me, this is just terrific.

"Not enough!" Was my croaky answer as I turned my head away from the old man. A single tear slipped out of my eye as I thought about my life.

"Taking your own life isn't the answer dear, I know things have become very difficult recently but doing this is reckless." I shook my head at him, I couldn't hear this anymore. Why didn't it work? Why can't I just end it all, all my suffering and pain, why can't I just join my dad.

"Just leave me alone!" I guess it is true, humans have absolutely no power over the lycan kind. I felt a gentle grip on my upper arm and shot my head to regard the old man.

"My grandson has been notified about your waking. He and beta Lewis are on their way, please be smart, judging by the cuts and bruises your sporting you know first hand about Josh's rage." He gave me a small pat on my arm before looking at me with pity in his eyes. With that he walked out of the room and closed the door behind him. I was alone once more.

'Come on Dylan, don't show them any more weakness.' I closed my eyes again and listened to the steady beep of the machine, I enjoyed the peace and quiet, it was nice to know that moments like this still existed...