Crescent World

13

Terrifying didn't even describe the creature that stood before me.

It stood like a human except its legs were curved inwards like a canine's, claws in place of where feet should've been. The hands were human, black, rotting fingernails that looked on the verge of falling off. Fur covered every inch of its body except for the hands and face. Its face was completely canine, though hairless, revealing black, leathery, raw skin.

Its eyes were the most horrifying. They were pitch black oblivion. If it ever had humanity before, it was completely gone now.

It roared again, shaking the entire room. The roar spoke of attack, of rage.

Of devastation.

I knew I needed to get my ass out of there but I was completely frozen. My mind screamed to get out of there but my body wouldn't cooperate. I couldn't move at all.

The creature lunged forward. I knew in that instant that my life was over. I was dead.

I was going to die.

"DEMON, RETURN TO THE RUINS IN WHICH YE CAME!" a voice roared, somehow managing to be louder than the deafening screech the creature was still unleashing.

The creature let out an ear-piercing screech that caused tiny rivers of blood to trickle from my ears and down my neck. I cried out and clapped my hands over my ears, tears of anguish rushing down my face. It felt like my skull was going to split in two.

I watched as an invisible force dragged the creature back to the chest. The creature screeched and thrashed, clawing at the floor, leaving deep scratch marks on the glossy wood. It grabbed at the chairs and table, dragging it with it for a moment before tossing it aside as it tried to hold onto anything to prevent it from going back inside the chest.

Then it was fully back inside and the lid shut on its own. It shook once as a muffled scream could be heard.

Then silence. Complete silence.

I stared at the chest, breathing heavily, my chest rising up and down rapidly. My heart was beating so hard I thought it'd burst out of my chest. I tried to gulp down air, a part of my mind wondering if I'd ever be able to breathe properly ever again.

I kept staring at the chest, in case the lid opened again and the creature jumped out.

Donald walked over and stood by the chest. I slowly raised my eyes to meet his, a fresh wave of fear washed over me.

It was right then and there I realized I messed up everything. I blew my cover.

It was over.

I could feel the blood drain from my face as I sat there, a statue of fear, waiting for my fate. I couldn't believe how reckless I was.

I watched Donald pick up the chest with unnerving calmness and placed it back in the cabinet under his desk. My anxiety increased with every second as I waited for him to say or do something.

He closed the cabinet door and turned to me. "So you found it."

The statement hung between us.

I had no idea what to say so I remained silent. I knew whatever I said would determine mine and everybody else's fate.

He crossed his arms and arched an eyebrow at me. "Have any questions?"

"W-what?" I stuttered in a wobbly voice, not expecting him to say that.

He walked over and helped me to my feet. My knees shook and I nearly fell face-first on the floor. He reached out and steadied me. Still keeping one hand on my arm, he reached down, picked up one of the chairs that'd fallen when the creature was being pulled back into the chest, and righted the chair. He had me sit down and I stared up at him, wondering what he was going to do or say.

He started pacing back and forth in front of me, hands clasped behind his back. "I knew it was only a matter of time before you found it. You take that after me: always having to know everything that's going on."

"You meant for me to find it?" I asked incredulously.

A sickening smile twisted his lips. "Of course. That's why you've been so cooperative since you got back. You don't care about getting to know our family. You want to get answers."

"I -"

He held a hand up, stopping me. "I'm not mad. I'm impressed, actually. It's something I would've done. I would do whatever it takes to get the answers I need. I would want to know everything that's happening. I would want to know what my Apex's doing and what his plans are."

He tapped his finger on the door of the cabinet. "What you just saw is what's going to end all the other Packs in the world."

"End the other Packs?"

"To make sure my family will have the ultimate power, to make sure they're taking over and nothing gets in our way, I had to resort to drastic measures. Of course, it's not going to happen all at once. Morgan's Pack is the first, then all the other Packs in our county."

I stared at him speechless, at a complete loss for words.

"The creature you just saw is nearly indestructible, made from wolf and man, humanity completely lost. It will rack havoc everywhere it goes. It will destroy Shifters in a matter of seconds."

There was a crazy, calculated gleam in my eyes that told me he was gone, that there was no hope in trying to reason with him, even if I considered it. He would never stop this. He was dead set on destroying the world and there was nothing that was going to change his mind.

He suddenly kneeled in front of me and took my hands in his, his movements a blur of motion. Startled, I shot to my feet and tried to yank my hands away from him but he merely tightened his grip.

"Just think about it, Ava," he said. "Doing this will make sure no other Shifters will ever do this to you again. This will make sure you and Sarah are safe."

"Are you out of your effing mind?!" I yelled and he suddenly released my hands, causing me to stumble backward.

I shook my head vigorously. "You are crazy. You are absolutely effing crazy."

He stayed kneeling on the floor, staring up at me with calm yet crazed eyes, a combination I had no idea could exist.

"Please understand I'm doing this for our family, Ava. I want the Gray bloodline to continue as well as the Apple Valley Pack. What the textbooks don't tell you is that the Apple Valley Pack has been ridiculed, been taken over countless times, Shifters being taken from it, and being reduced to slaves. I want to make sure that never happens again and I will die making sure it never happens."

I wanted to scream at him about what a hypocrite he was, how he was killing Shifters left and right, that he was a complete psychopath and out of his mind, that he was a terrible father and Sarah and I deserved better, but all the words wouldn't leave my throat.

He leapt to his feet, moving so fast it caused me to jump again.

"Our guest should be here soon." He turned and gestured for me to follow. "I'll have someone clean up the mess. Be on your best behavior today. This guest is very important."