Chapter 38.1 – Meeting the mother – part 2

Aniya answered with a serious face. “He is a Werewolf, mother. He was infiltrated in that group of Werewolves that father and I fought yesterday. He even changed into a Werewolf to go after those Werewolves’ leader, and he saved a bunch of Hunters. Those dumbasses tried to kill him in the end, just because he was a Werewolf. He is also the man I love. I am his Luna and he is my Alpha. We are the leaders of our pack of Werewolves, and our numbers are increasing. Very soon, there will be so many of us that the Hunters won’t have a chance. I was going to leave them alone as long as they didn’t go after a Werewolf, but after what happened to Violet, to my father and you? I won’t stand still. I will kill them all.”

“Aniya… He… is a Werewolf? He said he had been killing Hunters for years… Why?”

Nick kneeled on the floor near Violet’s bed and explained. “Because when I was young, an enormous group of Hunters went to the community where I grew up in Ireland in the middle of the night. They killed everyone. My parents, my cousins, my uncles and aunts, and all my friends. Old ladies, pregnant women with their babies still in their wombs, and babies sleeping in their cribs. They all died. My parents sacrificed themselves to give me time to escape. My little cousin, Sarah, a sweet little girl of five years old, with big blue eyes and red hair, and an amazing smile. As I was running to the woods behind my house, I saw a Hunter laughing while raising her cut-off head by the hair, and he kicked it as if it was a ball. Forty or fifty Hunters killed twenty-two people in the middle of the night. They killed our lookouts first, and they took their time to make sure everyone died.”

“That… is normal procedure when a community is found… Because for sure, everyone there is a Werewolf or will be when they grow up… It’s a prevention measure…”

Nick stared at Violet and said in a low tone. “Go say that to the unborn babies. Go say that to the babies that were peacefully sleeping in their cribs after having their milk and their diaper changed. What did they do wrong? Anyone ever told you that being born from one Werewolf parent, or even two, doesn’t automatically mean the child will ever be a Werewolf? Chances are high, yes, but it’s always a matter of chances. Hunters don’t know that, or never cared.”

Violet gulped. He was right. She never knew about chances being in the equation for the birth of Werewolves in a family.

Nick got up and spoke while clenching his fists, “Lucky for you, you are Aniya’s mother, or I would kill you right now for saying that. You are just like all those fuckers. You like to kill. You don’t even care if they are innocent people just trying to live their lives with a condition they were born with and never asked to have. I am more honoured than all the Hunters combined. I never killed anyone when I changed during a full moon, neither anyone in my community. I was taught how to live with my condition while making sure I never hurt or killed anyone. That changed after that night. Until now, I killed sixty-two Hunters. I was never after them because I wanted to be left alone, but every time they got too near me, I would either flee or kill them and then flee. I am sorry, Aniya. I know she is your mother, but I can only see a beaten Hunter, and I am sure that if she had a gun in her hands, she would try to kill me. Like they all do, when they find out what I am.”

Violet gripped the sheets and spoke, louder than she had before. “That’s because you are a lousy Werewolf that doesn’t deserve to live! No one told your kind to reproduce! We were doing the World a favour by stopping the problem at the source! I don’t care about your kind, I only care about my daughter! I would rather die than see her end up with the likes of you! Or anyone like you!”

Aniya let go of her mother’s hands and joined Nick. She spoke with an expressionless face, as if she was speaking to a stranger. “My mother died along with my father. I don’t know who you are, but I will make sure you are well treated. When you get well, decide if you want to return to the Hunters, knowing that if you do, you will share their luck. Let’s go, Nick. I don’t want to be near a Hunter for any longer than necessary. Davis, go to Lisa, make sure she and her family are safe.”

Violet was dumbfounded, unable to mutter a word. Davis got up and asked while looking at the shocked woman. “Are you sure? It wouldn’t be better if I stayed here? What if she tells the Hunters about you, considering she can’t be trusted?”

Aniya faced her mother and stopped to think for a few seconds. Then there was a knock on the door and a familiar face appeared. “Miss Aniya, can we come in?”

“Davis, go to Lisa. Meredith, you came just in time. Please come in.”

Meredith Sellas entered with an awkward smile, followed by Robert Isles. Aniya pointed at Violet, who had turned completely pale. “I need one of you near her at all times. No one can enter this room except a nurse or a doctor. If you need to leave, tell me or my assistant, Anna Kent, and we will find someone to take your place.”

“Who is she, Miss Aniya? And what happened to her?”

“She is a Hunter. Her husband beat her up because he wanted to know why I was a Werewolf. She didn’t tell him, but after talking to her and because of the way she reacted to Nick, I don’t know if she will tell the Hunters about us and ruin my plan. That is why she can’t speak or see anyone until I am ready.”

Meredith Sellas slowly nodded. “I understand. You can count on us. What should we do if a Hunter comes to visit her? Or interrogate her?”

“Do whatever is necessary without drawing too much attention to yourselves. For the time being, we must remain low.”

As Aniya was going to the door, Violet tried to lift her head and pledged, making a grimace of pain, “Aniya… Don’t leave me…”

“I don’t want to leave you. But you do. You chose your side the moment you said that Werewolves don’t deserve to live. I think the same about Hunters.”

Aniya left with Nick and Davis, with Violet trying to scream for her to come back. Meredith Sellas approached her and said, “You better be quiet, or you might pop a vein and die. I believe you are Miss Aniya’s mother because there are some similarities, but I don’t know what happened to you and don’t care. She seemed pretty angry, and if you are a Hunter, means that you are an enemy. So, be quiet and don’t make a fuss, okay? I don’t want to hurt you, but I will if you don’t be silent and quiet. Understood?”

Violet laid on the pillow and asked, “You are a filthy Werewolf, aren’t you?”

“Hey, mind your manners, lady! This morning I took a bath, and these clothes came directly from the drying machine, and they smell like flowers! How the heck did Miss Aniya come from you, anyway? She is a sweet and extremely kind woman, and you are laying there, all beaten up, and I already want to squeeze your neck! And we just met! Geez! Do you see this, Robby? Guarding this woman will be a pain in the neck!”

Robert Isles answered in his rough, low voice, “You heard Miss Aniya, Mere. We just need to guard her, we don’t need to be her friends. If she wants to be there, hating us just for the sake of hating us, let her be. I don’t know what happened to her, but she probably deserved it, judging by her reaction. Sit here, don’t annoy her. She needs to rest and recover. She will be a better opponent when she heals because as she is right now, it wouldn’t even be fun to punch her.”

Violet turned her head to face him, and she spoke, “When I get better, I will get both of you, don’t worry. I just need to wait and get better. You won’t even know what hit you!”

“Yeah, I heard that last week from a guy in one of my fights. He is in the Hospital now, and I was told he will be there for the next two weeks. And I just used my fists. Imagine what I could do to you in my Werewolf form, with those big claws and pretty teeth. That’s a nice nightmare for you, right there. The moment you come for me or my sweet Mere here, I will bite your head off. Nhac! In one go. Now, be a good girl and go to sleep, will you? And don’t forget to dream about the big, mean Werewolf that will take your head!”

Meredith Sellas frowned at Robert as she sat on the chair next to him. “Didn’t you tell me not to annoy her?”

“Yeah, but she threatened you. I don’t like threats, especially if they are aimed at the woman I love.”

“Thank you, dear, you are a sweetheart.”

Violet Rossi tried to say something, but the sadness caused by Aniya’s reaction and the strong medication finally won, and she fell asleep.

Meanwhile, Aniya called Mr. Sellas and asked him to take her and Nick to her company. She then hung up and made a call to her assistant. “Hi. Yes, I was going to… What? Reporters? What for? Oh… they found out my father died… Yeah, probably better if I don’t go, then. No, don’t answer any questions. Just say that I don’t answer reporters about my personal life. If they want to know, they could check my Instagram. Yes, I am going to make a statement there. In the meantime, do me a favour. Contact the ones that came to see me last time, and tell them I would appreciate it if they contacted more people with our condition. Either friends, family, or people they smelled. Yes, I am sure. I want more of us. And also warn them to be careful, the Hunters are acting weird. Don’t worry, I will be careful. Bye”

While Nick was wondering what she was about to do, Aniya pressed the I.ns.ta.gram icon and accessed her account, aniya_rossi_official. She chose new post, story, and started the recording. “Hello everyone. You probably already know this, but my father was killed and an unknown attacker beat my mother almost to death. I got home, but that coward got away before I arrived, and I have no idea who he was. Yesterday, one of my best friends also died, hit by a drunken driver. It seems fate is against me this week. I may be offline for a few days to deal with all this. Don’t pray for me or wish me luck. Pray for the ones that caused my losses, because I will get them sooner than they expect.”

She closed the app and sighed before asking. “Nick, can we go somewhere to eat something? And then go to my place? I need to sleep to see if this day ends… I need to sleep, yeah, sleep… and cry… mostly cry, I guess.”

“Of course, Aniya. I won’t leave your side. Tomorrow will be a sad day as well, with the funeral of your friend, but I will be with you.”

Aniya leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, getting comfort from his warmth. Nick kissed her head and tried to reassure her that everything would be alright.