Shadow Breeds

Chapter 13

Clovella's brows furrowed and she looked to August, "if she's friends with both of them then why can't she know?" I bit my lip nervously and Oakley looked uncomfortable, but spoke up before August could explain his side. "Savanna isn't exactly a fan of this stuff, there's no telling how she would react. She's actually talked about killing a creature if she ever came across one..." Oakley said quietly, "her family was apparently harmed in the last war between humans and non-humans."

She was staring at the floor and twiddling her thumbs while the four of us sat in silence for what felt like ages. I'd never heard Savanna make threats like that, but I'd definitely heard how horribly she talks about the island and its inhabitants so I didn't doubt that she'd say those things. Considering my hard-headed interest in the island, I understood why she didn't say those things while I was around, but it also made me worry.

"She told me she wouldn't make the threats in front of you because she didn't want to upset you too much, she knew you felt incredibly drawn to this place," Oakley said so quietly that I almost didn't hear her over my own thoughts. "You didn't think to mention any of this sooner?" I heard August's voice boom next to me, pulling me out of my thoughts completely. "If her family was in the war that means they're almost definitely hunters, which makes her a hunter in training, being around that girl has now not only endangered the two of you, but all Shadow Breeds, how stupid can you be? You've been aware of the truth all day and you've had so many opportunities to tell us this shit." I placed my hand on his knee in an attempt to stop him, Clovella shut him up quicker though.

The sound of her fist crashing against his face was so loud I thought I almost felt it against my own face. My fight or flight kicked in immediately and flashbacks of my survival days covered my vision of reality as if I'd blacked out into a nightmare. I couldn't remember where I was or who was with me, I just threw myself as hard and as fast as I could at the blurred figure slightly in front of me and upon tackling them, I began punching at whatever I could. I had  completely forgotten where I was and the only thing running through my mind was 'protect.'

Seconds later I felt someone lift me off of whoever I'd tackled and as I prepared to elbow them in the throat, August's voice brought me back to reality. I felt myself trembling and I could feel the dampness of my cheeks where tears had fallen, I glanced at my hands and cringed at the blood on my knuckles before quickly looking around for who I'd hurt.

Panic began to set in and I rushed back to Clovella's side, dropping to my knees, "I'm so sorry I don't know what happened, I-" Clovella held a hand up to stop me as she coughed and caught her breath. "It's okay, I forgot about your condition," she said slowly, causing confusion to arise in me. I looked back at August, "condition?" I asked. He shuffled nervously before speaking, "I'm not a doctor so I can't diagnose you obviously, but considering everything you've been through and other stuff...you show a lot of symptoms for post-traumatic stress disorder, as anyone who's been through what you have, likely would."

I glanced at Oakley, who'd been quiet this whole time as far as I was aware. She was nodding as if that information had pulled some key points together, but she didn't seem upset with me. I looked back at him blankly and just stared.

I wasn't sure how to feel about the fact that he'd tried analyzing me that hard, or the fact that he'd discussed it with others before me. Clovella had wiped the blood from her face and sat up now. She watched me for a moment along with the other two, I started to feel uncomfortable. Really uncomfortable.

I felt exposed, almost like I was naked in front of them all. Clovella softly put her hand on my back but immediately pulled away when I flinched. I pulled my knees into my chest and hugged them as I whispered "I'd like to go home."