Once upon a full moon

Chapter Seventeen: The Old Factory

EVA

"Where is everyone?" I asked. It didn't feel right. Something was wrong. My mum seemed to sense it too.
"Why would the werewolves leave this place unprotected?" My mum said. "What are they playing at?" We were in an abandoned factory, which was about 5 miles away from the cabin. They probably set up here when they found out we were near by.
"If Lucas was here then wouldn't they have people guarding him?" I asked. Why does this suddenly feel like a trap? I pushed that thought aside. Lucas needed me and I wasn't going to let him down. Not after everything we've been through.

Melina was in the lead, ushering us forward. In my head, scenario after scenario took place. Each worst than the last. Melina stopped dead and suggested that we do the same. I tensed waiting for something bad to happen. But it never did. Melina placed a frown on Danielle's face. One that showed that she wasn't comfortable either. We waited for what felt like an eternity. Then everything happened at once.

A wolf charged through a closed door. His eyes set for me. My mum moved in front of me at the last second. She went down in a tidal wave of fur and claws.
"Mum!" I screamed. I tried to run over to her but Melina pushed me back. I fell and slide across the floor, hitting my head on one of the factory's old machines. Disorientated and swearing an oath promising vengeance, I attempted to get back on my feet.

"Tramortire." Melina whispered and I was suddenly knocked off my feet again. The werewolf had been knocked off my mum and bashed against the solid wall. Melina walked over to where the werewolf was attempting to get back up and whispered.
"Dormire." The effect was instantaneous. The werewolf was out like a light.
"What did you do to it?" I asked.
"Sent it to sleep." She replied. I ran to my mum and grabbed her hand. Blood was oozing from her face, neck and stomach. Her breathing was shallow and uneven.
"Can't you heal her!" I demanded. Melina shook her head.
"Her wounds were caused by a werewolf, they are cursed. There's no way I can heal them." Translation, your mum's going to die.

Tears came before I could stop them. Hot miserable tears. They fell like heavy rainfall. This wasn't right, this can't be happening. My mum squeezed my hand and turned her head to look at me. Her mouth mumbled something and I couldn't hear it. She grabbed me and pulled me to her.
"Don't let my sacrifice be for nothing." She whispered. Her grip on my hand lessened. I looked into her eyes and saw nothing there. I froze in place. I was not able to think or move. I was frozen in a tidal wave of despair. It was Melina who kneeled beside me. She wore an odd expression. Was it pity?

"She is with the light now. She's at peace." She said. I shook my head.
"No, that's not good enough." I said. "Why did she get in the way?"
"Julie believes what we all do. That you are our last hope."
"What good is it if I can't save the people I care about?"
"Being a witch isn't about saving everyone. It's about knowing who you can save." That didn't make any sense but then again, nothing did with Melina.

"We need to go back to Ginny." She said as she steered me to my feet and turned me towards where we had entered.

"What about Lucas?" I asked.
"I have him here." She said gravely. It was the werewolf that attacked my mum. It was floating in mid air, right behind us.
"What are you doing with that thing?" I said in disgust.
"That thing as you put it, is the person you came here to save."

Lucas killed my mum. This isn't happening. That's why Melina hadn't killed the wolf when she had the chance. I started to hyperventilate. My heart was lying heavy on my chest. I can't do right for wrong these days.
"Why is he in wolf form?" I asked. "The full moon is not for another 2 weeks."
"That is a good question. One that we'll need to figure out if we are to stay ahead of the werewolves." I thought about that for moment.

Could I forgive Lucas for killing my mum? I have no idea. If he wasn't aware of his actions, maybe. Who am I kidding, there's no way that I could see him as anything other than the monster who killed my mum. It seems that fate had doomed our relationship from the start. We never stood a chance. The tears leaking from my eyes now were not just for my mum. They were for what could have been.