Invasive Species || Scott McCall

I

Andrea POV

The dream begins the same. It always does.

I am in a house. The Hale house. My house. I assume that I am in the living room, based upon the large grey sofa that sits before a grand fireplace. Above the fireplace resides a family portrait. However, blood splotches cover the picture, and the faces are unidentifiable. All of a sudden, a match is thrown in through the window. As flames consume the room, fear strikes my heart.

Immediately, my body enters a state of paralysis. The world become muffled. My vision is blurry, and I can hear the faint sounds of people screaming. I am trapped in a daze, and not sure if I want to return to my reality. Nevertheless, a burning passion within me allows me to regain control of my legs and snap out of my trance. 

When I exit the room, chaos surrounds me. The flames have reached all parts of the house and has already taken lives. But, I do not see my family anywhere.

"Cora! Laura! Derek!" Desperately, I call out for my siblings as I sprint around the house. I keep calling out their names, yet I do not get a reply. Tears stream down my face. I don't want to die, but I don't want to be alone either. After a few more laps around the house, I finally see a familiar face. My mother, Talia Hale, stands before me. She sees me and smiles. As I am about to run into her arms and feel the warmth of her embrace, a single arrow shoots and strikes her in the back. I stop short and stare blankly at my mother as she falls to her knees. Blood leaves her mouth and stains her lips.

"Andrea, go," she whispers. I can't. Instead, I watched in horror as she took her final breaths. She wants me to escape. She wants me to flee from this hell and find asylum. But I just can't.

"Go," she mutters before crumbling to the hard, wooden floor.

"Mom!" I cry as I awake from my slumber. I am no longer in the house, but in my bedroom. The dream was over, and though I have experienced it almost every night for six years, I always awake with a chill.

"Andrea," a soft voice calls my name. I turn towards the door to see my sister, Laura.

"Hey," I say to her, "I  didn't know you were here."

"I just stopped by to check on you and Derek," she tells me as she walks over and sits on my bedside.

"Same dream?"

"It always is. I watch mom die, and then I wake up, calling out for her like a child." I shake my head, feeling foolish.

"You didn't die in that fire, Andrea. You found the strength to go on. You managed to run out of the house, and find Derek. You survived. You're safe now ." I look into her eyes and snap,

"Then why do I feel so scared and helpless. All the time. I don't know if you realize this, but convincing the whole world that I'm dead, is not the answer. Maybe physically you're protecting me, but mentality-" I stop. We've had this conversation thousands of times, and each time it ends with a disappointing look from both my siblings and a dragged out speech on how the Hales have a target on their back and they refuse to put my life in peril again. Plus, there's no use in yelling at Laura, she agrees with me for the most part. It's my brother that's the problem. Ever since the Hale fire, guilt has scorned him. He blames his ignorance for allowing himself to be deviously tricked by the huntress, Kate Argent. He doesn't take changes anymore especially with me.

"I know. Believe me I know," Laura assures me. She takes my hand and squeezes it tightly. "You are going to be fine, Andrea Hale. It's in your blood." And with that, she stands and heads for the exit.

"I love you," I call to her before she leaves.

"I love you too," she responds, disappearing from view, and leaving me with my thoughts.

I wonder what I should do today. Although I must constantly be on the down low, I am not caged up like an animal. I'm allowed to leave the warehouse as long as I do not go anywhere that requires my name or a background check. That includes school. Instead I spend my time in the park, around town, or the woods. However, there are days where Derek's paranoia is more on edge than usual, in which he require that I stay out of sight completely. Every time I find his fears ridiculous. Hunters have not been in Beacon Hills for years. Though, I find it best not to argue.

Of all the days spent in the woods, my favorite is the night of the full moon. On this night, I shapeshift into my wolf form and run around the woods with an indescribable sensation of freedom. In those moments, it is just me and the elements, the only thoughts that cross my mind are how far and fast I should run. It is ironic that I enjoy the full moon so much, considering  the fact that I despise being a werewolf.

In movies and novels, werewolves are made about to be such majestic creatures. In my opinion, a werewolf is half-human, half-wolf, and a complete monster. If I hadn't been a werewolf, my mother and sister, Cora, would still be alive. If I hadn't been a werewolf, Derek wouldn't be living with a burden of guilt. If I wasn't a werewolf, I wouldn't have to pretend to be dead. But the fact is, I am a werewolf, and there is nothing I can do about that. So, I might as well take advantage of any perks I can discover.

-----

After another uneventful day, I lay on my bed and diverge into To Kill a Mockingbird for the eleventh time. Suddenly, I hear a soft knock on my doorframe. Derek stands in the frame, his face is cold and intimidating (but when is it not), yet I sense the sorrow in his eyes.

"Andrea," He begins,"it's Laura."

My heart sinks.