Gemini Lycans the Next Generation

Ch. 24 Strain

I woke the next night after sleeping all day feeling more depressed with each passing day. I dragged myself to my bag pulling on jeans, a red tank top and a black leather jacket. I lazily threw my hair into a ponytail as I walked into the kitchen. My family eyed me worriedly but said nothing. They knew nothing they could say would fix this situation. I drank a cup of coffee before leaving the apartment. The moon had began to rise and soon the pack would turn. That left Ariana and me to defend us all. I sat on the steps with a sigh.

"Becca," Ariana said taking a seat next to me.

"Its the first full moon since Rick took Henry," I said softly. "I wonder what they will do to Henry tonight." My mother stood on the grass waiting for the moon to take her over. My mother gasped as her body crumbled in on itself. Her Lycan formed before us as I calmly got to my feet. "I'll patrol you stay with her."

"Be careful Rebecca," Ariana said as I walked through the cold night. I reached the edge of the woods as the orange leaves crunched beneath my feet. I heard a twig snap to my left. I spun to see a Lycan standing before me. My lips parted slightly, I didn't know this Lycan. The bright green eyes seemed to analyze my movements. Something was different about this Lycan, no Lycan had bright green eyes. I gripped the gun tightly as the Lycan stalked toward me. I shifted into my Lycan form as it jumped at me. I dodged its teeth as the Lycan's jaws reached for me.

"Who are you?" I snarled as the Lycan shifted. My eyes widened Lycans couldn't turn at will! I shifted human as Rick laughed.

"Miss me?" He asked as my heart raced. He couldn't be a Lycan let alone be like me.

"How are you a Lycan?" I asked firmly as he gripped my throat. He pinned me to a tree with a smirk.

"I have your pretty flesh to thank for this gift. Without your blood I never would have finished the formula," Rick said as I grabbed his wrist.

"Where is Henry?" I demanded as he squeezed my neck. I struggled to breathe as spots floated across my vision. I kneed Rick in the stomach slipping from his grip. I sprinted away from him deep into the woods. The branches scraped my face as I ran recklessly through the darkness. My feet pounded against the uneven dirt as Rick's laughter filled the woods.

"Come with me and I'll end you quickly. I'm here to thank you Rebecca," Rick yelled but I didn't slow. I kept running through the dense forest. My heart beat irregularly as I rushed away from my family and away from Rick. I needed help but I couldn't risk Ari and my mom. "Which are you Becca, predator or prey?" I knew I had more strength than Rick but my resolve to hurt people was nonexistent. I couldn't kill as easily as Rick. I breathed heavily as my body begged for me to rest. I couldn't run forever and Rick would eventually grow bored with his game and just kill me. I slowed shifting into my Lycan form before I headed back toward Rick. I strained my ears listening for Rick but all I got in return was silence. Where did Rick go? My body went ridged as a gunshot echoed through the still night. I took off toward the sound as fast as possible. I reached the apartment building to see Ariana holding a gun and a woman on the ground. I shifted human as I approached Ariana. I looked down at the woman, Tasha. Her eyes stared blankly at nothing. She had the same green eyes that Rick had.

"How are humans able to turn at will?" Ariana asked as my mother's Lycan sat beside me.

"They used my blood to complete the formula," I muttered as Ariana looked toward me for the first time since I returned from the woods.

"What happened to you?" She asked motioning to my scraped face.

"I saw Rick and had to run through the woods," I said calmly. Ariana turned her attention back to Tasha.

"So what are they exactly?" Ariana asked pointing at Tasha.

"I'm not totally sure. I think they are a new strain of Lycan and just as strong as a Gemini," I said crouching down to look at Tasha's body. "I think we should move her somewhere."

"Where?" Ariana asked as I picked her up.

"Stay with mom and yell if you need something," I muttered as I carried Tasha's body into Henry's apartment. I set her on the floor before rushing out of the apartment. I grabbed a gun on my way out. This was going to be a long stressful night. I could hide my mother easily any other day of the month but a full moon prevents me from keeping her safe.

"How many are out there?" Ariana asked as I shook my head.

"I don't even know how many people he turned," I whispered as I looked around the dark streets.

"Why didn't Rick kill you?" Ariana asked, I could tell she was trying to distract herself.

"He is toying with us," I said flatly. "He taunted me as I fled from him."

"I hope the rest of tonight is uneventful," Ariana muttered. We couldn't get that lucky.

"We need to inform the council about the situation before this escalates further," I said softly. The tension in my body faded as the pink hue filled the sky. Morning had finally arrived and I could hide my mother indoors. My mother turned human and I led her inside. Ariana followed closely behind us. My mother sat on the couch tired from her transformation.

"Get the phone," she said as I ran to get her cellphone out of her room. I walked back into the living room handing the phone to her. She instantly called the council filling them in. I only hoped the council would help us fix this mess without more pain.