July 11th, 2016.
The strong scent of copper hit my nose. I feel the bones give away under the force of my knuckles, the satisfying crack reaching my elven ears, making them twitch slightly. I was deaf to everything else around me. My sole focus was on the pathetic human who’s nose I had just broken.
Nathan Scott was his name. If it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t be in this mess right now.
The grin on my face was soon replaced with a grimace as I was tackled to the floor by Task Force officers. A howl of pain escapes me at the burning sensation on my wrists as silver shackles were cuffed on them. I wiggle around like a worm on the floor when they try to slip the muzzle around my mouth. A deep growl resonates within me once they were able to latch it on.
The officers yank me to my feet and push through the crowd of bystanders to exit the council building. I fight against their hold, growling and snarling at everyone close by. Outside, they shove me into the back of the Task Force van. Silver shackles are latched onto my ankles as well as a collar that was attached to the wall of the van. I was going to have some nasty burn marks from all the silver I was coming in contact with.
An officer flanked me on each side of the bench I was sitting on. They were Wolfkin like me.
The van rumbles to life, jostling my body as it pulls off. I already knew the destination. The Correctional Facility. It was practically my second home. With that being said, I doubt I’d make bail tonight unless Seth, my older twin brother, was able to convince our sweet mother to bail me out. I had no hope of that happening since she despised every breath of air I took.
Resigning myself to my fate, I rest my head on the wall of the van and shut my eyes, allowing the rumble from the van’s engine to lull me into a light sleep.
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“Alright, Stevenson. You know the drill,” a gruff voice says.
I empty my pockets of my personal belongings. Keys, wallet, phone, and a pack of gum I had forgotten about into the plastic bin on the table in front of me. Next, were fingerprints. Well, pawprints in my case. Once I was given the go-ahead, I was instructed to shift into my True Form.
My hands that were tipped with sharp, deadly claws transform into a pair of paws covered in soft silver fur. My bones break and rearrange themselves—forcing me on all fours. More fur covers my body as my ears shift to the top of my head and my mouth elongates into the shape of a snout. A tail sprouts from my tailbone and the rest of my bones settle as the transformation finishes.
My small five foot and four-inch human body is replaced by a massive wolf about the size of a tow truck. A larger silver collar is placed around my neck. The scent of my singed fur reaches my nose, causing a growl of displeasure to escape me.
“Quit complaining, Stevenson. It’s protocol,” the same gruff voice from before says.
Just because it was protocol didn’t mean I had to like it. I was being treated like a rabid dog by my own kin.
I’m flanked by four Wolfkin officers as they lead me down the bleak hallway to have my pawprints taken. Inside the scanning room, there was an electronic scanner that kept a record of everyone brought in. I place one of my hefty paws on the scanner. All my information is pulled up on a screen that was viewable to everyone. One of the officers lets out a low whistle.
“Sheesh, Stevenson. Fifteen times this month you’ve been arrested. That must be a new record for you.”
I ignore her comment and stay silent as they lead me down the next hall that would take us to the holding cells. Since I was a frequent occupant at the facility, I was given the same cell each time. The lighting in the holding cells is dim. There weren’t any windows, so we had no real sense of time.
We reach my cell and an officer scans their ID card to allow the silver gate to lift open.
“In you go, Stevenson,” one of them says.
I walk in obediently. There was no need for me to cause another scene. I was in enough trouble already. The gate shut behind me once I was fully inside. The floor is made of plain concrete while the walls were made of the highest quality silver. That, coupled with the collar I wore, was enough to make me as weak as a newborn human child.
I should’ve expected I’d get locked up again, especially since my attack on Nathan wouldn’t put the Wolfkin in a good light after today’s major decision.
Just a few hours earlier, I was standing outside the Wolfkin Council’s meeting room with my brother as a heated debate took place inside. Amongst the two hundred members in that room, our mother was inside.
Inside, the members of the council were arguing to keep Separation Purity in place or to get rid of it entirely. It was the only thing in place that kept humans and Wolfkin from mixing. In this society, humans were at the bottom of the hierarchy. It hadn’t always been like that, though.
Years ago, our ancestors rose from the shackles of being enslaved by humanity and slaughtered them until the remains of the human population surrendered control to the Wolfkin. Since then, we’ve managed to build an entirely new society where we held all the power and the humans had to bend to our will.
Now, that power was being threatened. The Traitor Kin, those that sympathized with the humans, had convinced most of the council to get rid of Separation Purity. With its removal, humans would gain the rights we had stripped away from them so long ago and it would no longer be illegal for our two bloodlines to mix. Just the thought of Wolfkin and humans creating offspring together made me feel ill.
This debate that had gone on for many months was ignited by one human. Nathan Scott. He had approached the council with his proposal of removing Separation Purity. He claimed that we needed to leave our past behind us and learn to coexist in harmony with each other.
We couldn’t coexist with humans. Their ancestors had once promised peace between our two kinds. Only for them to turn on us make us their slaves. Humans couldn’t be trusted. All they desired was power. They were, after all, creatures of greed.
I had been outraged to hear about the removal of Separation Purity. My mother had said they did everything they could to keep most of the council from being persuaded to agree to its removal. In the end, the Traitor Kin had gotten their way. I’d stormed away from my mother and brother, fueled by nothing but pure rage. I had vaguely remembered my mother mentioning that Nathan would be present in the building for an interview. I let my anger dictate my actions which brought me to my current predicament of being locked up.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
There was nothing else I could do but wait for bail in the morning. With that thought in mind, I curl up in the back corner of the room and settle down to sleep.
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My ears twitch on top of my head at the sound of the gate lifting. I peel my eyes open and raise my head from its place on top of my paws. An officer is standing outside my cell.
“You’ve been bailed out,” he says. “Let’s go.”
Confusion muddles my thoughts as I stand and trot from my cell. The singular officer is my only escort from the holding cells. Before reaching the main area of the Correctional Facility, I was taken to a room where I was instructed to shift back into my human form. A plain black t-shirt, sweatpants, socks, and a pair of running shoes were provided since we shredded all our clothes when we shifted to our True Forms.
Once I was decent, the officer steps into the plain room with me to remove my collar. It falls to the ground with a loud clank, and he uses a pair of metal tongs that had been attached to his belt to pick it up and place it in a bin filled with other collars.
I follow silently behind him as we approach the end of the hallway, a single door being the only thing present. He scans his ID and a loud buzz filled the air, followed by the click of the lock on the door.
“Try not to end up back here again, Stevenson,” the officer comments as he opens the door. “Your things are at the front desk.”
“I’ll be back here before you know it,” I quip. “Try not to miss me too much.”
I step out into the main area as the officer shuts the door behind me. I hadn’t been expecting to be bailed out so soon and I wondered who was responsible for it. The main area only had a few people milling about. A small waiting room was to the left of the exit while the main desk was to the right. The white linoleum floors were polished to perfection while the walls were coated in light gray paint.
“Ari.”
I know that deep, gentle voice. My gaze settles on the boy that is in the waiting area. His hair is the same shade of silver as mine, just shorter and a little messy since it looked like he ran his hand through his hair a hundred times. Identical molten gold eyes stare into mine, and when he stands from his seat, he is at least at five foot and eight inches. A pair of drawstring khaki shorts hang low on his slim hips with a plain white sleeveless t-shirt that shows off his toned biceps.
“Seth,” I call out, knowing full well he could hear me from this distance.
All it took was four quick strides and he was sweeping me into his arms. The comforting scent of lemon and pine wafts into my nose and I all but melt into my brother’s arms. My cheek rests against his chest, allowing me to feel the steady beat of his heart against it. His chest rumbles as he speaks.
“I was worried about you.” He releases me from his grasp and looks me over, frowning when he notices the burn marks around my wrists and neck. “I hate these marks.”
“They’ll heal up in a few weeks. No big deal,” I tell him, shrugging my shoulders. I ignore the way he narrows his eyes at my casual statement. “Did you bail me out?”
“Not exactly. I had to convince Mom to bail you out. She was hellbent on letting you stay locked up for at least a month.”
It was my turn to frown. She really made sure I knew how much she despised me. “You should’ve just let her do it. It’s not like she cares about me anyway.”
“Ari-”
“No, Seth. I’m not having this conversation with you again.”
He sighs, but he doesn’t press the issue. “Come on. Mom’s waiting for us in the car.” He grabs my hand and laces our fingers together before pulling me towards the front desk. Once I had collected my things, Seth pulls me to the exit.
The humid summer air greets us when we step outside. I immediately spot the black Escalade parked a few feet away in the parking lot. Our driver, Spencer, stood outside the car awaiting our arrival. We approach the car as a heavy silence settles over us. My stomach twists into violent knots, anticipating how the encounter with our mother would go.
“Master Seth,” Spencer greets my brother respectfully. A cold gaze and a sneer were the only thing I got from him. It was to be expected since I treated him so poorly as a human servant to my family. He pulls the door open for us and Seth let me slide inside first before scooting in next to me.
We had the inside custom made so we had seats facing the front and back of the car. Unfortunately for me, I was directly across from my mother. Her gaze was unreadable, yet I could feel the fury radiating from her body, making the hairs on my body raise.
The door shut once we were settled, and with the tinted windows, there was barely any light flowing into the car. My mother’s eyes gleamed in the darkness; silver tendrils of her hair framed her face as the rest was up in an elegant bun. Her black tie and the collar of her turquoise blouse peaked from underneath her black vest. Paired with feminine tailored black slacks and four-inch black heels and her legs crossed, her essence screamed respect and power.
“Arianna.” My name on her lips was icy with a hint of underlying anger. “Explain to me why you assaulted Nathan Scott.”
My mouth was suddenly dry, and I couldn’t seem to get my mouth to work to formulate a sentence. Her presence alone made me feel fear like I’d never felt before.
“Speak. Now.”
“I was angry,” I whisper weakly as I lower my gaze to the floor.
“Look at me when you speak.” I lift my eyes quickly. “Do you have any idea what your little stunt has caused? Answer me, Arianna.”
“No.” I shrink back in my seat. I hate it when she calls me by my full name.
Her smile is sardonic. “Traitor Kin and humans alike have gathered in front of our council building—protesting that you be severely punished for your actions. They think your attack on Nathan was planned if things went sour during the debate.” She moves some hair behind her ear. “We make the rules for this society, Arianna, and we all have to abide by them whether we like it or not. Now, it looks as if we threw the human’s offering of peace back in their face.”
My spine straightens and I was ready to argue. “We don’t need their-”
“Did I tell you to speak?”
I hold my tongue.
“I’ll make a public announcement of your punishment tomorrow morning,” she finishes. “Is there anything else you wish to say?”
“No,” I grumble.
“Good.”
It all happened so quickly. The force of her slap twists my head painfully to the side, causing me to slash the inside of my cheek with my canines. I feel the sting of claw marks on my cheek and blood dribbles from the cuts and down my face.
She grips my chin and levels her gaze with mine. “The next time you make a fool out of the Wolfkin, I will personally beat some sense into you. Do you understand me?”
“Yes,” I bite out.
Her grip tightens and I feel her claws puncture my skin. “Yes, what?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She let me go then and I lean as far back as I could in my seat as if I could escape her wrath. Seth grips onto my wrist and I had almost forgotten he was here with us. He’d been as silent as a ghost. He may have been our mother’s favorite and he didn’t like it when she was nasty with me, but we both knew that standing in her way would end up poorly for us both. He wouldn’t cross her with my safety on the line. Interference meant a harsher punishment for me.
Needing my brother’s comfort, I slide over to him and hide my face in his chest while he rests his arm over me protectively. I could feel the tightness in his muscles. It was taking everything in him to keep from lashing out.
“Spencer, take us home,” our mother orders.
The car rumbles to life. Seth and I are silent as Spencer drives us home, yet our mother’s eyes continue to burn a hole into my back. My dependence on Seth was another chink in my armor that she loved to poke at.
“He can’t protect you forever, Arianna,” she speaks, referring to Seth. “One day, he’ll leave you and you’ll be all alone. Just how you were always meant to be.”
“Mother,” Seth says sternly, “enough.” He pulls me closer to him. “I’ll never leave my sister and I’ll always protect her. Even if it means standing between her and you.”
“Bold words for you to speak, yet you know better than to cross me, boy. Don’t go down the same path as your sister. You won’t like what you find at the end.”
It was a threat. We both knew it was. She may have never landed a hand on Seth, but she knew she could hurt him through me. As if sensing my thoughts, I felt Seth squeeze my arm. He wouldn’t let her hurt me anymore than she already had, and I wouldn’t let her break my brother’s spirit.
We were in this together, Seth and me. No matter what we’d be there for each other. Always.