9 Lives

It was happening again, the terrified screams of the dying rose up through the floorboards and filled the room. It drowned out Bria’s sobs; her small body pressed up against mine, causing tremors to roll through me. The wolves had shown up at the front door; posing as lost travelers they had been able to infiltrate what is normally a well-guarded home without a second thought from Nora.

She was the first of the many to die in the chaos of the initial fight. Like the good wife she was she had answered the door only to be found dead on the floor a moment later a trio of claw marks marring her once beautiful face.Bria screamed so loud a couple of the wolves in front crumpled to their knees, covering their ears. It was like I wasn’t even there everything accruing around me as if I was invisible; it was only when one the wolves began to stalk towards Bria that I snapped into action.

Running across the room towards her I tuck and roll, dodging various fights as I tried to get to her. Everything went in slow motion as I fell on my back sliding between someone’s legs and crashed into Bria who feel on my stomach, just as the wolf got to her. It was instinct what I did next; still laying on my back I kicked my foot up and it connected with his face, the sound of breaking bone and soft tissues rupturing made my stomach roll. His eyes would be forever burned into my memory; a bright glimmering shade of blue, slowing darkening as the life drained from then. I had killed him; in my haste to save Bria I had killed a man, I would never be the same after that.

I turned and found myself being watched by another one of the fallen’s companions; I could almost see the wheels turning in his head as he wondered how I had taken down one of his own. His eyes flashed red as he lunged towards me; an Alpha, I couldn’t fight him off even if I wanted. And more than anything in the world I wanted to survive if not for me then for Bria and Elena, they would need me. Just before the Alpha crashed into me Bria’s father Jacque tackled into him taking the brunt of the wolf’s fury. He gave me only the briefest of looks his grey eyes filled with the knowledge that he would die and so would many other this night.

“Run” He yelled

His pained cry knocked me out of my shocked state as I bolted up the stairs avoiding the bodies that littered the stairs and jumping over the already pooling blood. I ran until I reached a reinforced door at the end of the hall and started to dial in the code to open it. Bria began to stir in my hold her little arms tightening around my neck as she pulled herself up to whisper into my ear.

“Ivy she’s coming.”

I shoot a look over my shoulder to find a beautiful platinum haired woman standing at the end of the hallway, or at least she would have been if it weren’t for the claws and fangs. By now I’m panicking pressing every button on the keypad trying to remember the pass code they had always use to open the door, you would think I would know the code to open my own door. Just when I think we’re going to end up as puppy chow, Bria’s hand shoots and and presses a combinations of keys and the door swings open. Not too soon because the she-wolf just threw herself towards us but just as soon as she hits the arch of her jump she is shot out of the air by a wolf bane laced bullet. I turn back to the door to see Elena holding a shotgun, shaking violently as if she was going to collapse.

Quickly I scoop her up and carry both of the girls into the room before locking the door behind us, right as a hand shots through the crack and grabs ahold of my arm. Bria screams while Elena disappears into my closet, seconds tick by while I struggle to pry the hand off my arm. I can feel the claws digging into the skin and the sight of my own blood pouring down my arms maddens me as I try to close the door. A streak of sliver goes pass my face, a loud wet thump and the sound of something hitting the floor can be heard.

Everything goes quite not even the growling and yelling on the other side of the door could penetrate the silence in the room as we stared down at the disembodied arm lying on the floor in front of the door. Three of the claws have broken off in the flesh of my arms and I shudder as I turn and stumble to the other side of room where the girls curl into my side. And that is where all of the truly horrible things begin.