Death. It smells like death. The cold rush of blood tickled its way to my arms, signaling me that danger was around. I sniffed the sweet stench of it, together with the rusty effect that adds to its flavor. Ah, heaven. I feel like I am floating, my paws clawing deep into the soil, and my sharp nails attached to something.
But something was amiss. The cold air’s direction is different than usual. It’s as if my body had gained its full control and I was just a vessel inside. Pheromones rushed beside me and I looked for the source of it.
Everything was fast, as my brother pinned me to the ground and pushed me away.
“Nyra, no!”
My attention snapped to the one who called me. My brother. What is he doing here?
“W-what is-” Disappointment was on my brother, Brian’s face.
“Protect the alpha!” My younger brother, Ceylan, yelled, pushing me away from them.
I paused, watching them with barred breath as sweat trickled down my face.
I recognized a familiar scent just near me. The alpha, my father, was dropped on the ground as the pack doctor rushed in.
“How could you do this to father?” Ceylan asked.
I watched as my brother carried my father’s dead body in his arms. Blood all over his hands. I was still speechless, my instincts told me I was in deep trouble. Far for than I could ever imagine.
It seems that I had plunged myself into a deep abyss of darkness and I could not return to what it was.
I growled, my inner wolf protecting me from the possible harm I might be in.
I looked up at the sky, ah. Full moon. Just in time.
It was just my two brothers until Beta Reed came in and grabbed my hands, “Please cooperate, Nyra.”
“What did I do?” I asked, wondering how far I had crossed the boundary now. I shifted into my human form and he put a cloak on to cover me.
“You went wild again…this time, you had put the alpha’s life in danger again.”
Oh. that explains it. No need to know anything further. I did it again. I harmed them again.
Despite that, I couldn’t bring myself to believe it. It was bizarre. So that explains why blood is everywhere again. My hands were covered in a pile of it.
“Did I just…killed father?”
Beta Reed looked me straight in the eyes, “I warned him to take you away and keep you in a cage before this would go further, but he didn’t listen and told me he would take care of it. Now look at him.” His eyes carried a heavy emotion, Anger to me.
“This won’t take long before the packs around us hear this and will think the alpha is weakening…heck even harmed by his daughter. They’ll soon ransack this pack knowing no one could protect us.”
I snapped my eyes shut, my body trembling at what I heard. Ah, of course, I understand. I just brought more danger to the pack.
“You’re a sight to the pack, Nyra. You should have listened to me when I told you to run away from here.”
Normally, I would fight back and punch him in the face but knowing this is entirely my fault, the only one I could blame for this is myself.
“The pack doctor will heal him, he will, right?”
“Pray he will wake up because you just made his life fifty-fifty. And once he does wake up, you need to get away from here as far away as possible.”
He then motioned for the deltas to escort my hands and push me out of the area. I managed to pass by Brian who was busy holding our father’s body and Ceylan who was looking at me with the same disappointed face, but not before the smirk on his eyes.
“Brian, help!” I called out, but he was avoiding his eyes from me as if I was a disease. A very deadly one that might poke his eyes out once he looks at me. In a matter of minutes, I was shoved into the cell where we kept the prisoners. It was full of cobwebs and spiders and rats but that didn’t bother me.
My mind was still, processing everything.
I do not mind being locked here, I had practically lived here my whole childhood for having this rare disease of not being able to control myself when I shift and harm anyone who’s in my sight.
All I could think of was my father, who was the only one who believed that he could save me from this.
The only one who protected me when the rest of the pack had wished death upon me. And I couldn't bear it if he died, I might not survive further.
I also could not find any scent of mother, the Luna. She must also be devastated here. She’s not even showing up for me. Well, she must have hated me so much that she couldn’t stomach seeing me.
I could try to escape this, but the silver chains they put around me are weakening me. I could barely keep myself awake from thirst and hunger.
Days passed by with me being locked in my cell. I wasn’t given any food or drink, and I am surprised that my past training in being foodless had come to be of use. The dark cell did not provide any light or entertainment. The only thing I could keep myself sane with was my breathing and counting the hours I was kept in.
I was used to being feared. To being hated. But I was never used to being pitied. Not by anyone. I could feel it from the stares I got from the guards.
I would ask them if they managed to save my father, but judging from the looks of hatred they gave me, I think I got the answer.