A plate of baked macaroni pie was placed on the table, and my already budding smile widened as I watched my mother place a fork beside it.

"Thank you." My eyes watered as I restrained my tears of glee, and my stomach clenched in hunger. I could feel my mouth salivating the longer I stared at my first meal in two days, but concern for my mother halted me from eating.

"What about you?" I asked my mother, fingers hovering over the metal fork as I stared expectantly up at her. "Where is your food?"

My mother's eyes lowered to my plate briefly, and when she smiled, the tightness on the corners of her lips made my happiness damper and concern increase. "Don't worry about me. I will...I'll find something later to eat. And no." She held out a hand, palm facing my way when I began to protest, began to say that she could share the food with me.

Her smile softened into one which was much more genuine, and she leaned down to press a chaste kiss on my temple. "Eat your food before it gets cold." She murmured, straightening, and only leaving once I'd gathered a forkful of the macaroni and began eating it. Her footsteps were soft against the wooden floor, but the wood itself creaked noisily with each step she took.

I absently ate, guilt making my stomach churn as I listened to my mother speak with my father. He was in his bedroom, but because of the size of the house, I could easily hear the words being exchanged, words which I'd heard repeatedly for many years. Concerns for food were once again stated. Worries about having to move house again was also brought up, and talks of who would be teaching me today was also discussed.

My parents and I had only recently moved into this house. Staying in one home was difficult because most lycans would often seek to imprison or drive out the humans who lived in the towns which they invaded. My parents had caused up a stir in the previous town we'd lived in, and had been some of the few who'd protested the actions of lycans. Things had spiralled dangerously out of control, and we'd had little choice but to flee.

Most of the individuals in the previous town, who too had protested, had come to reside in the one which my family and I were presently in.

My plate was empty by the time my mother left the bedroom, which was ten minutes later, and shadows of her sadness and stress were evident on her face. Silently, she lifted up the plate and went to the kitchen sink and I watched her back for a little while until I heard my father approaching, dressed to leave the house.

His hand rested against my hair as he asked my mother what she wanted from a nearby town, and worry filtered into her eyes as she paused to watch him. There was a tired smile on my father's lips, and when he saw that I watched him, he shot me a wink that immediately made me giggle and press closer to his side.

"We don't need anything else, Oliver." My mother's voice was stern, and I flinched as she slammed the now clean plate aside. My father's hand dropped away from my head and lifted to touch her shoulder, but the sound of a gunshot halted any further movement.

With wide eyes, I stared ahead at nothing, but could feel panic seeping in me, as well as confusion as I stayed steadfast by my father's side.

The gunshot sounded again, and my mother shrieked as a bullet penetrated a window. My father's hand guided me to the floor, where he hissed for me to keep down. My mother was already scrambling away, moving towards our bedroom. Tears momentarily blurred my vision, and I coughed at the scent of old wood as my face was pressed against the floor, my father keeping my neck down in almost a painful grip. I knew he was not aware of his tight hold, but fear clogged my throat, making it difficult for me to object against his grip.

My mother returned, and a blur of movement came when she tossed a shotgun at my father. He caught it before it clattered to the floor. More gunshots rained from outside, and I winced at each sound. My hands lept to my ears, palms pressing against them as a strangled scream escaped me. My father cursed, hissed that I keep quiet which I immediately did.

My mouth snapped shut as I heard the engines belonging to lycans' vehicles roaring outside. I could hear the cries of my neighbors as they were forced out of their homes, and heard the spitting, biting words of a few men and women. When I straightened once again, I caught sight of a lycan slicing one of the men's throats with it's claws, and heard the gurgling noises as he choked on his own blood.

My gaze jerked away from the man at the sight of a lycan by the front door of our home, and I scowled at her through the now cracked kitchen window. Behind the woman were several female and male lycans, some who had no weapons except for their claws and others with clear, visible guns.

I turned on my feet, hearing footsteps of persons behind the house, and I locked eyes with my father as my panic strengthened. We were surrounded.

"Ruby and Oliver!" A female lycan roared, fist banging repeatedly against the front door. Her face was flushed red with anger, and her hair stuck to her forehead because of sweat. "Get the fuck out of this house!"

I crouched down once again, and my mother nodded her approval at my actions. Licking her lips nervously, she faced forward once more, following my father to the front door. I watched them from the doorway of the kitchen, holding my breath as I waited, eyes trailing every now and then to the guns in my parents' hands before going back to the closed front door.

Surprise ate at me, especially because it was unusual for lycans to simply wait for a person to leave. I've experienced them barging into our previous homes many times.

I finally exhaled when my father reached forward, and with little hesitation, opened the door roughly, causing it to do bang against the wall once fully opened. I crept further into the kitchen as gunshots ricocheted in the air, and swallowed the bile that threatened to rise up my throat.

"Olivia? Are you watching me?" Hannes yelled, his eyes averting from his target and towards me. He had been firing a gun, and although he had paused from shooting, the noises of the gunshots echoed in the room. I sighed quietly, resuming my focus on Hannes.

It had been almost impossible to focus after I'd finished my attempts at shooting at the targets standing in the room, and my fingers, hidden in the depth of my pockets, still felt odd and shaky despite me long ago completing practicing my aims.

Memories had flooded my mind throughout me watching him, and the continuous sounds of gunshots had caused this.

I nodded at the Alpha, but he sensed my lie. The frown of concentration before he'd started shooting deepened and for a long while, all we did was stare at each other before he placed the gun into the box he'd carried.

My fingers rested against my earbud as I adjusted it, feeling tension rise as Hannes became frustrated at my lack of wanting to share my thoughts with him. I breathed a soft sigh of relief when I heard the door open, and saw several lycans enter. They were warriors of the pack, and I easily spotted Lilith amongst them.

She, like most of the lycans who entered, looked surprised at seeing Hannes and I, but she made her way over to me. She stood by my side whilst a warrior began speaking with Hannes.

"I was wondering who had been shooting so early in the morning." Lilith tilted her head, and I rocked backwards until my back grazed the wall behind me, watching what unfolded before me as warriors began putting on their eye protection and ear protection.

"Athena has said that it seems like you two have gotten closer." Lilith jerked her chin to Hannes and then myself. I finally looked directly at the female who was failing to hide her smile. I didn't deny her words, and she nudged my side with her elbow. I watched as she wiggled her eyebrows. "Are you in love?"

My eyes narrowed sharply, and before I could speak, she went on, eyes examining me with an acute eagerness that made me uncomfortable, eyes searching my face as if I was a newly discovered insect species. "Hmm, maybe not that. But you are attracted to him. I can see it in your eyes."

I was confused, as I was pretty certain that what she could see instead was my blatant discomfort, but her smile remained and she seemed convinced at her words.

Eventually, Lilith saw my reluctance to speak of Hannes, so she nodded and moved from my side.

"I may pop by the house later. Well, if I'm not too tired." Lilith said, flashing a smile once again, and then headed towards where most of the warriors had formed a circle, conversing.

There was at times an invisible barrier between Lilith and I, because after she'd behaved the way she had previously, I was wary to speak with her about anything personal.

However, Lilith was right about one thing throughout that awkward moment we had briefly. I did feel attracted to Hannes, and I also somehow knew it had little to do with the bond which had developed between us. Instead, the bond seemed more responsible for allowing Hannes and I to understand each others' emotions, and it also urged me to be near him whenever he was close by.

After or whilst Hannes had kissed me repeatedly, the onslaught of emotions I'd felt was almost alien to me. It was not something I'd quite experienced beforehand, so identifying, accepting and realizing these emotions that Hannes made me feel had only caused my lust towards Hannes to intensify, especially since I found that I enjoyed his kisses or touch. Simply being around him, at times, whilst listening or watching him, would arouse those emotions too. So, I couldn't really deny Lilith's words; I am indeed attracted to the Alpha.

***********

Athena, myself and less than a handful of warriors arrived at the store which she'd asked that we go to the day before. My eyes immediately took in the sight around me as I stepped out of Athena's vehicle, it's small size causing several muttered complaints from the warriors who'd sat in the backseat throughout the drive.

Two of the four warriors left with Athena as she made a high-tail towards the store, whilst I observed a young girl riding a bicycle, legs pumping furiously. There were several garbage bags on the sides of the road, and it's scent was strong despite the distance.

There was a small, quaint house nearby, the only house that I'd seen since arriving here, and I could see a young woman who looked to be my age on the porch of her house, sitting on what looked to be a rocking chair.

Her piercing grey eyes held mine for a long while before she looked away, a hand going to tug at the sleeve of her shirt, hiding her forearm. I swallowed thickly at the eye contact being broken, and couldn't deny that a heavy feeling had begun to weigh on my shoulders when she had watched me.

"Aren't you going to go inside?" The female warrior, Elle, asked me. There was no impatience in her voice, just curiosity. I snapped my eyes back to the store and nodded, pace fast as I hurried to it. The door chimed as I opened it, and I waited until Elle and the other warrior entered before allowing it to swing close.

My hand searched for the paper in my pocket, and I withdrew a shopping list that Hannes had given me. The weight of his money rested heavy in my left pocket and I absent-mindedly patted it as I began searching through the aisles for what was needed for the home.

I could hear Athena humming whenever I passed by her, and my eyes would now and then go to the elderly woman sitting by the cash register, her attention mostly on a magazine in her hands. I managed to find most of what was scribbled on the shopping list and pushed the full trolley I'd used to help gather the groceries to the cashier. After paying for the items, Elle and Thunner, one of the warriors, helped put them into the trunk of Athena's car.

I found my eyes averting to the house once more, and saw the young woman once again. Her eyes were closed this time, and strands of her long black hair flew about her face as a result of the gusts of wind.

"That's Skylar." Athena murmured, startling me. She only held a few bags in her hand, and I could hear the murmurs of the warriors behind me as they waited for us.

"I've known her since she was a little girl," Athena went on. Her lips lifted in a half-smile. "She usually keeps to herself."

"Is she human?" I asked, because it was truly difficult to tell. She certainly looked human, but there was something about her that was a bit...off.

Skylar's eyes slowly opened when I asked this question to Athena, and my stomach twisted as I watched the way her eyes narrowed, body slowly straightening on the chair. Athena raised a hand, and Skylar barely gave a nod before standing and entering her home, the door closing soundly behind her.

"She...is not like most humans." Athena's voice dropped considerably after she glanced over her shoulder to the warriors, to ensure that they weren't listening.

"What do you mean?" I asked quietly. Athena's eyes lingered on the house before she faced me.

"Her mother was a powerful witch. Skylar has inherited some of the supernatural abilities or magic her mother once had." Athena pulled at my arm, ignoring my surprise. "Let's head home. Hannes had been mind-linking me constantly since I left the damn store, asking me when we'd be returning."

***********

Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Also, Skylar will be having her own book. I probably won't start writing it until this one is almost finished, or is completely finished.

Chapters 38-53 are available on Inkitt for free. The link to read them is in my bio!