Hands soothed over my hair and my eyes immediately drifted shut, cheek nestling into my mother's chest, her slow heartbeats calming my rapidly beating one.

The smell of smoke and dirt was heavy and suffocating, thunderous roars and yells piercing the air, mother's hand drifting from my hair and wrapping around my waist instead, hoisting me upwards, pressing me closer to her body as she advanced unsteadily towards the thick of the crowd.

My eyes burned when I peeled them open, grimacing at the heat and stench, wondering how both my mother and father hadn't complained about the environment.

"Move faster!" A command yelled by my father, who walked briskly, glancing to the devastating events around us. The protests had once again become violent and I watched quietly as a massive lycan slit the throat of a young boy, his sign with words of the need for peace clattering to the littered sidewalk as he crumbled to the floor, blood spurting.

Screams of anguish and horror sounded soon after and many humans began to surround the lycan, blocking my view of the beast, hearing its echoing roars as it fought back against the surrounding persons.

I looked away then, feeling my mother's fingernails through the thin jacket I wore as they ran over my back. Her pace had increased, like my father's, and she urged that I hold her tighter.

Fear spread in my stomach, growing like an uncontrollable disease as I sensed the lycans closing in, felt the rising alarm from both of my parents, people who were usually so calm and brave, qualities which I had hoped to attain myself one day.

My head jerked up and down as my mother broke into a sprint, easily carrying my light weight. My father grabbed at her hand, pulling her forward as we attempted to seek the exit of the town, hearing the sob from my mother as she stepped over the body of a dear friend, boots splattering in her pool of blood.

I lifted my head, unable to hide my whimper of fear at the sight of lycans rapidly approaching, their slow jogs morphing into strong runs. My eyes flickered to the silver symbols adorning their uniforms before meeting their eyes, closing my own at the gleam of hunger evident in theirs.

"Just hold on baby," Shaky, whispered words from my mother. My arms tightened in response, the wind battering my hair and back.

Something crack behind us, and I dared to look up once more, watching in awe as a building behind us slowly crumbled to the ground, effectively kicking up dust and crushing the few lycans who had pursued us.

The noises of cement and wood falling rang in my ears long after we had left the town and tears ran freely down my cheeks, knowing that even though there were no lycans in sight, we still were not truly safe.

We never were.

**********

“They are here.” Helda spoke once the bedroom door closed behind us, but I placed a finger upon my lips, catching the soft tone she used, understanding that what she intended to say was supposed to be for my ears only.

My head bowed, fingers gently strumming up and down my bandaged ankle as I listened for the retreating footsteps of the guards, straightening once satisfied and taking Helda’s arms, drawing her closer to me on the bed.

“Who are here?” I asked quietly.

“My aunt, uncle and several cousins,” Helda glanced behind me to the barred windows. “They are speaking with Elijah, the beta I believe. But I saw them with him, walking into a building after Elijah notified the alpha.”

My lips pulled into a tight frown. It was surprising that they managed to travel here without any harm coming to them. “And will you be leaving with them?”

“Not without you.”

At my blank stare, Helda explained, “I know you are not comfortable in this pack, so I have asked my family to allow you to come with them. But I must tell you,” Her voice dropped and the bed creaked as she leaned forward, closer to me.

“My family lives in a community, where people are trained daily, in case lycans attack and it is expected that you will also be trained as well if you decide to stay there. Most of the people there make several trips around towns, helping humans flee from lycans and guiding them to the community, assisting them in settling down in the area. You will be able to have your own home, food and other necessities you need.” She paused, shrugging a shoulder. “Of course, there is always the possibility that lycans could attack the community, but that has not happened since the lycans have made themselves known.”

Something warm swarmed in my belly as I listened to Helda’s hushed words and I could not deny my interest. But I knew there would also be difficulties which could arise if I choose to leave this pack; a particular lycan would not be very happy, but I was tired of fearing whether a lycan would be pleased or not by my actions; I needed to put myself first for once.

“My uncle,” Helda’s voice broke me out of my thoughts and I focused on her. “Has also alluded that the Alpha is not as kind as I believe him to be. He could not go into further detail, because it was then that the beta made himself known.” She shook her head at that, ran a hand down her face. “I am confused, though. The Alpha has brought us into this pack and promised no harm shall come to us. He made sure we all had medical treatment, gave us-”

A knock came from the door and Helda’s mouth snapped shut, eyes widening. I swallowed; I had not heard anyone’s approach, but chastised myself anyway, knowing that lycans had the ability to walk soundlessly if needed.

The door opened and I watched as Helda scrambled to her feet at the sight of Hannes. My heart raced in my chest but I kept my eyes steadily on his, until his own moved to Helda.

“Your family is in the brick home opposite yours. They have asked for you.” He gruffly spoke, striding further into the room, hands tugging on the collar of his shirt. Helda locked eyes with my own before she told me goodbye, softly closing the door behind her when she left.

Silence fell over the room and I kept my attention towards the night sky, fingers continuing their gentle strum over my bandages as Hannes went about doing whatever he was doing in the room. The ankle was healing well, and I suspected that I could walk on it properly in at least a week’s time.

“Have you eaten dinner?” Hannes inquired, stepping away from the fireplace, facing me. My eyes skipped up and down his body, noticing that he wore the strange light blue uniform I had seen him in whilst in prison, and I opened my mouth to respond, albeit reluctantly at that, but then I caught sight of the silver symbol on the upper sleeve of his uniform.

For several long seconds, all I could do was stare at the symbol, one which was burned into my mind. It glistened under the light emitting from the flames, and I felt a shudder of repulsion trickle down my spine as I examined the clear, strange yet so very familiar symbol of fangs, in the middle of a triangle.

"Olivia?" Hannes voice had raisen in concern and I broke out of his reach when his hand began to lift towards my shoulder.

“I’ve lost my appetite.”

His eyebrows furrowed, but he pressed on. “Why?” He grabbed at my shoulders when I said nothing, pulling me to my feet, searching my face with desperation. My body immediately racked with trembles, eyes becoming fixated on the symbol once more, a symbol which I had seen many lycans, who had killed humans, had stitched onto their clothing.

Hannes followed my gaze, and his fingers around my thin shoulders tightened. Breathing suddenly became difficult and my vision blurred with tears of sadness and bitter anger as I hoarsely spoke, voice barely audible over the sound of crackling flames,

“Please let me go.”

Hannes hold only strengthened, bringing me closer to him, as if to offer comfort, but he halted at the sight of tears breaking free, streaming down my cheeks. He released me finally, watched as I slowly lowered my body to the bed, cursing inwardly at my tears, wiping them away hurriedly, but shedding more as memories flooded my mind.

“I will have dinner brought up to you.” Hannes said, but I didn’t bother to acknowledge his words; he left then, sensible enough to know that I did not want to be near him, but seemingly unaware of why.

***********

I told Yanneek of the symbol the next day and he listened with a solemn expression, eyes flickering behind me every now and then, as if expecting some lycan to appear. He gestured that I join him on his patio and I did, taking the short walk to the house which he was temporarily living in and we both sat on the very cold, wooden bench.

“I have no doubt in my mind that Hannes has killed humans before,” Yanneek told me, hand moving to scratch his beard, eyes following the slow drop of snow. “But I am unsure of what his motives were for doing so."

Lycans entered our line of sight, trodding through snow and entering the surrounding trees, none of them giving us a second glance.

“Wouldn’t his motive for killing others be the same as other lycans?” I asked, making myself as comfortable as I could on the bench, Yanneek following suit as well. He scowled at that, meeting my eyes.

“Perhaps.” He had a tone of uncertainty and my eyes narrowed in curiosity as he continued to speak, rubbing ungloved hands together. “But what you must understand, Olivia, is that some lycans had strongly disagreed with the actions of some of their kind, and it was quite often that humans attacked lycans who had only wished for peace, and had no choice but to retaliate when their patience broke.”

I gritted my teeth. I had heard of this. Some humans had, at times, attacked and murdered lycans simply because they were lycans, with the idea in mind that they intended to take over their town eventually. Some of the packs however, had no intention of doing so, and would lash out in response, effectively killing humans who refused to believe them and resorted to violence.

However, the numbers of these events were low compared to the horrific situations of lycans destroying homes and seizing control of towns after killing so many humans.

I knew Yanneek was alluding to the fact that Hannes could have been one of the lycans who wanted peace, but the symbols which he wore was one that I had seen lycans also with, and they had, in my mind, recklessly and viciously killed humans; it had seemed that they had been like most of the other lycans, cruel and filled with greed.

“Do you think Hannes was one of the lycans who wanted peace?”

Yanneek shook his head, lips pressing tightly together, eyes flickering ahead as we both turned to observe the few lycans around, barely clothed.

I was confused as to why he wasn't answering, but then I realized; the lycans were listening to our conversation. They tried to do so inconspicuously, but a handful were standing just a few feet away from the patio, saying nothing, backs facing us, but both Yanneek and I knew they were.

So we said nothing and sat in silence, listening to the wind and watching the snow.

Yanneek gave no response to my question, even after the lycans left.

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