The Titans

Chapter 3

I heard small voices filling the room from the doorway and stretched up. Looking around, I must have fallen asleep on the sofa. I had a blanket over me, and Nightingale was asleep next to me. I reached out and stroked her soft fur. She purred almost and I smiled before a familiar face appeared in the archway.

"Ah, Autumn. It's been a long time. You've grown up." I looked at my uncle and pulled the blanket tighter around me even though I was fully clothed. It didn't help his glare.

"Why don't you get changed?" My mum asked and I nodded quickly walking past them both and heading for my room. I shook off the creepy feelings and began looking through my drawers for some clothes.

My uncle had always been an unusual character ever since I was a child. He would make me do strange things and hit me when I couldn't do them. The one that always stuck out was when he blindfolded me and made me walk around a dark room to reach the other side.

"B-b-but I can't see." My arms were out straight in front of me trying to feel around.

"Autumn, use your abilities. Find the door." His voice was stern, and I began to cry. I heard my mother trying to make him stop but he refused.

"You make her weak!" He yelled and I jumped. I heard something hit the wall.

"P-please l-let me o-out." I sobbed as I slumped to the floor.

"She's a child, Icarus!"

The day continued and I was locked in the dark room, unable to escape. I wasn't allowed to eat or drink and ended up pissing myself. Eventually, I made it to the door, and I hit it over and over until someone unlocked it.

My uncle took the blindfold off me and stared into my eyes, "A fucking disgrace." He spat on me and walked away.

My mother held me as I cried, before bathing me. She slept beside me and promised I would never have to see my uncle again. I hadn't until today.

I picked up a long-sleeved black jumper and light blue dungarees. Picking up my small backpack, I put in my book and some treats for Gale. I stripped off changing quickly and went back downstairs slowly. I stopped on the stairs when I heard my name from the living room.

"-Autumn will be ready. It is your fault she is not."

"Icarus, she is still a child. She is not ready for anything."

"Yes, well in your haste to protect her, she has no idea what is expected of her. If anything, that works in my favour."

"You cannot force her to marry your son. She deserves to make that choice." Marry who?

"She will do as I say, just like you have always done. She is as weak as you."

I stumbled on a step and was instantly called into the living room.

Nightingale was at my side, and I smiled at her as she kept her body in contact with my legs.

As we walked into the living room, mum was sat down on the sofa her head hung low whilst my uncle was stood looking out of the glass doors facing the garden.

He turned as I walked into the room and grinned mischievously. I gulped and half smiled back.

"Well, let's go. The celebration cannot wait." I didn't say a word, afraid of what would happen, and just followed him out of the room out of the house.

I walked towards my car before the honking of a horn got my attention. Greyson was sat in a black SUV with the driver's window down.

"Don't worry, we can go in Greyson's car. Your wolf, she can travel with my friends." He gestured to the other SUV parked further up. I looked at mother, but she couldn't even look at me. He placed his hand on my back and forced me towards the car. The door opened and I climbed inside slowly. I clutched my bag. As soon as the door was slammed shut, I heard whimpers and howls from outside.

In a panic, I tried to force open the door.

"What are you doing to her?" I screeched as I realized, I was locked in the SUV and couldn't see out of the tinted windows.

"She is fine, Autumn." Greyson turned to look at me with a face of false innocence, "Would I really hurt her?" It was as if there was a switch on him which he turned on and off to be a decent person. I was right that he would never redeem himself.

The noises stopped and it was almost as if I could feel her pain through me. I fell silent and slouched in the seat. My seat belt was put on for me as tears fell down my cheeks.

I kept my head down the entire journey as we powered out of the town towards the woods.

"Get a good look, Autumn. It may be the last time you see all this." My uncle smirked from the passenger seat, but I didn't move.

"The bond is stronger than we thought, son." I began to blank them out as they spoke about me as if I wasn't there.

I began thinking of what I could do as soon as the door was unlocked next to me. I clutched my bag and realized the small wooden box was still inside of it: hefty enough to do some damage. I tried to keep myself calm as I thought of the steps over and over again.

"Autumn, we're here. Your new home." I looked up and saw a large black house with large windows and dead plants all around the entranceways. Everything looked dead, but it felt designed that way as the house was not falling into disrepair like the garden was.

The door lock clicked, and I undid my seatbelt. I waited until my uncle came to open the door. I pushed the door open, hitting him in the face. He stumbled back in the shock, and I took that moment to jump out of the seat. Still clutching the box, I knocked the next guy out over the head. I took a brief moment to see Nightingale in a cage and muzzle. She was collapsed on the floor, but I had to get to her. I ran full speed, fighting off every guard that tried to stop me, using the skills I learned in self-defence classes. Once I reached her, I undid the cage and pulled off the muzzle.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The voice of my uncle echoed through the air, and everyone stopped. I turned to see my mother on the ground quivering with a gun pressed against her head. My heart stopped and I approached him slowly.

"You would shoot your own sister just to get me?" He laughed as if it were truly funny.

"I would do anything to have you, girl." I looked at my mother and saw her mouthing for me to run. I shook my head and held up my hands in surrender.

"Fine." His guards came forward and put me in chains, forcing my hands behind my back. I looked to see Nightingale had been put back into her cage. She was whimpering but still couldn't move.

"Happy now?" I asked him as he smiled and approached me. With one hand, he grabbed my chin, forced me close to him, and with the other fired two shots into my mother.

I screamed, almost falling to the ground if it weren't for the guard holding me up.

As I sobbed before him, he just whispered, "Very."

AN: Vote and comment, please. Happy reading!

Not the happiest turn in Autumn's life as she has to witness her mother's death. What else is on her path?