A Story To Tell Pt.2
A small yet intimidating Auburn colored wolf held his life in their hands; or mouth to be exact. It was a wolf, with a long ginger mane of wavy hair that was longer than the rest of the beasts hair, running the length of its back like a wavy mohawk, starting at the top of its head and ended at the tip of its tail.
Charlie had never seen a beast like this ever before. But he had never seen another Werewolf besides himself.
The beast held him in place not with it's bone crushing strength, but with the promise that if he attempted to move his throat would be ripped out.
The ginger wolf stared down at him with a hypnotic glare, it's eyes pulsing like a rapid heart beat. The green glow round it's eyes intensifying.
Charlie could feel himself let go and mentally drift to the forefront of his mind. All of this happening against his will. His bones crackled and his muscles readjusted all at once as he morphed back into the boy that he was.
The entire process taking less than one minute, but it was brutally painful and against his own will. Though he tried to fight it, he had no power to stop it.
In defense Charlie held up his small hands, guarding his face. "Please." He begged as the beast snarled at him.
Another voice from behind silenced them both, "That's enough Scarlett."
The wolf looked at the man approaching them. The Auburn colored wolf removed it's mouth from his throat and it's large paws from his chest. It's claws had dug into his skin piecing the top layer of flesh, it looked like he had just lost a fight with an angry feline.
Charlie stayed where he was, laying in the damp leaves and twigs. The man stood there shirtless, staring at him confused, his crescent eyes omitting a golden glow in the shadows. He was a tall Korean man with a jaw line that looked like it could cut glass, long black hair thrown up into a bun and a flaming wolf head tattooed over his left pectoral.
His deep raspy tone frightened him, "What are you doing out here little boy?"
Charlie was scared to speak, "I...I...-" all he could think was how he sounded like his brother stuttering like a broken record. "I.."
"Speak up." The man said calmly but with an intimidating presence.
Quickly he spat the words out, his voice trembling, "Miss Marian said that there were others here. Others like me. I wanted to see for myself. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"Are you here alone? Where are your people? Your parents?"
"I don't have any people. I'm alone." He cried.
"Alone?" The small preteen girl with wavy Auburn hair standing next to him said.
He gasped clutching his bloodied chest. Charlie hadn't seen her transform into her human self and her new presence surprised him.
"You look like you've seen a ghost." The girl said twirling her finger around a wild wavy tendril of hair nervously. Her hair was a long and waist length, a rich red color that made the freckles on her face stand out. She was beautiful and very naked, her hair was the only thing covering most of her body.
She pulled a long terry cloth tan dress over her body without a care in the world. She stared dagger at him when she noticed him gawking. "What are you staring at perv?"
Charlie immediately looked away, realizing he had been staring at her like she was a goddess. Feeling awkward and exposed himself. His hands covered his private parts. "Nothing. Sorry."
"It's not safe out here, follow us." The man said walking backwards into the shadows and slowly contorting his body in the darkness.
A large gorilla like wolf beast five times the size of Charlie's emerged jumping over their heads and galloped into the forest. The girl stayed in her human form and nodded her head with a wink to follow.
She picked up a large t-shirt that belong to the Alpha that had just left and tossed it to him. "Put it on. I'd hate for you to feel uncomfortable in your own skin." She smirked in a judgemental tone.
"Thank you. What's your name?"
"Scarlett like the man said." She said rolling her eyes. "You know you interrupted my training."
"What kind of training?" He asked shyly.
Charlie quickly threw on the shirt suddenly feeling dwarfed in the large black T. Barefoot he followed her threw the trees for several yards.
"I am going to be a great warrior for my pack one day. Jihae is teaching me how to use to Pull and Bend. I've gotten better at it recently. Nothing like the slaughter of your family to fuel you with a burning reason to learn and train."
"Pull and Bend?"
She stopped walking looking at him as if he were crazy, "Wow you really don't know shit do you?"
Defensively he replied, "No I don't."
When she saw the hurt in his face she backed down, "It's okay. I hear lone wolves have it hard. Is that what you are?"
"I guess so. I was abandon by my family because I was born...like this." He admitted.
"You were born a wolf? Wow, so was I. Do you know how rare you are?"
"Why does it matter?"
She flashed him a huge smile putting her hand on his shoulder, "That means you are a going to be a powerful wolf one day. You have a stronger wolf. You will be able to Bend and Pull other wolves easier. than others. Your Pull will be stronger."
"Really? What is it?"
"It's the ability to command a pack without words. Like how a flock of birds moves and follow the lead bird. Bending mean you can make other wolves want what you want, to influence the beast. Not the man. Pulling means you control a Lycan physically, especially those of a weaker mind. You can force someone to walk, to crawl, to run, to stay in place." She said like she were fantasizing about her future abilities.
"Whoa, like a Jedi." Charlie said with wide eyes.
She laughed, "Exactly."
"I can't imagine being able to do that. Like you could make someone walk off a cliff if you wanted them to?"
"You could tempt or Pull the wolf to do it...if that was something you wanted to do." She asked cautiously.
"I would never do that." He quickly replied.
"I've never met anyone who was born Lycan before. Jihae says there's less than a hundred in the world."
This time it was Charlie that stared dumbfounded, "There's more than a hundred wolves in the world?"
"Duh. Of course there is. Last I heard there were 7 or 8 thousand on record. We use to have a large pack..." She pushed the long waves of hair from her face with frustration. "Hunters." Was all she added for explanation.
The Boogeyman, was what he thought.
Charlie let that number sink realizing just how NOT alone he was. They continued on for 5 more minutes before she stopped near a large mass of boulders. Inside the rocks was a hidden entrance. She pulled back a large mass of vines that were hiding the opening of a cave.
They slowly went inside finding a large door built into the cobblestone. It looked like an old Gold Mine left behind from the 1910's. Inside it was dimly lit with candles along the carved cave walls, the air was cool and smelt of rain, strange spices and rich soil.
The slight breeze hissed against his skin, and he swore he heard the echo of voices calling his name. But he didn't feel fear, curiosity captured him more than the uneasy feeling of being underground. Or the voices whispering against his ears.
There were three large corridors leading in different directions. Charlie followed Scarlett to the left down the third path, the arch way carved in stone was beautiful and must've taken years and years to build. Charlie wondered if this was a Gold Mine at all, it looked like a temple hidden away from the world, barely damaged by time.
They came to another door along the path. A door with a large knocker of a wolf's head. Scarlett grinned at him and went inside.
Inside was a large round table in the center of a stone room and a wall of bunk beds lined one side. There was a fireplace with a large cauldron cooking over the flame.
The man she referred to as Jihae was there fully dressed talking with four other adults at the table, all with serious expressions on their faces. They all turned their heads to greet them with stares as they entered.
One other girl with short brown hair sat on one of the beds, carving into the wooden post with a butterfly knife. She looked like she was no older than 10.
An older boy, 12 years of age stood behind Jihae listening to their conversation. He had the same crescent eyes as Jihae and long hair, the same cheekbones and nose. Another boy about 8 years old stood behind him hiding shyly, peaking his head out from behind him.
Jihae stood as Scarlett closed the door. "Hello again." He smiled at Charlie pulling out a chair for him to sit.
A woman with bright blonde hair and diamond like blue eyes smiled at him. She was dressed in a a black T-shirt and ripped jeans, a short leather jacket thrown over her chair. She looked like a biker from the neck down and and an angel in the face "Hello. Little one. What's your name?"
Charlie stood there scared to speak as the entire room turned to look at him.
"Don't be scared." The woman said patting the chair Jihae pushed out for him, urging him to sit.
Scarlett nudged him to sit. Slowly he did. "My name is Charlie Talley."
"Where's your Mother Charlie?" The beared man holding a beer to his lips asked.
He looked around at all the eyes staring at him, his heart racing. His wolf growled in a panic fighting to get free,wanting to run. "I'm sorry I have to go."
Before Charlie could get out of the over sizes stone chair Jihae grabbed his hand and locked eyes with him. "You're alright. You are calm, we are your friends."
Charlie repeated every word in a trance, his wolf slept as Jihae stared into his soul. This is what Scarlett meant by bending the wolf to your will. "My Mother abandon me here."
The adults around the table looked at one another with sympathetic expressions. The blonde woman smiled again and replied, "Do you have any one looking after you?"
"Miss Marian. She saved me from the Hunters who shot me." Charlie was alarmed at how honest he was being but knew it was the influence of Jihae, who was still holding his hand.
The group froze, "Hunters?" Jihae asked.
"A man and his son shot me."
Everyone seemed to relax when they realized he was talking about wild game hunters. The blonde grabbed her drink and slid it across the table to him. "Here."
Cautiously Charlie picked up the cup and stared down into it's contense, it was red, smelled like blood and spices. Nervously he took a sip expecting it to taste terrible. But the warm, thick liquid was the best thing he had ever tasted. He guzzled the entire drink in one sip. It was blood, mixed with spices and ground chunks of meat.
"This should help you feel better."
"What is it?"
Scarlett chuckled, "A deer heart and liver smoothie."
"Gross."
The group chuckled.
Scarlett quickly retorted, "Yet you're still drinking it." Watching him guzzle it down.
"I should probably get back to Marian. She will be looking for me. I wasn't supposed to leave the house. Do you all live here?"
"No," jihea answered. "We came here for refuge. Hunters killed our pack, killed our people, our children and torched our land. All but us were lost. We are searching for a new home and the Honey Hills have always been a place of safety for our kind. Delroy left this place to us all. This is a spiritual place for all wolves. So we came here hoping our ancestors would here our prayers and send us a miracle."
"Delroy...Marian told me about him. She said he died."
"Yes. We heard. His ashes are at the top of these hills in the creek that feeds into this very cave. Many alphas ashes are here. One day mine will be as well."
"You're the alpha? Does that mean you're the leader?"
"In a way." Jihea said staring at the defeated faces around him.
Scarlett cut in, "He is Wolf born like me."
"Really? Very interesting..."Jihae thought for a moment before he spoke again, "Would you like to come back and visit with us Charlie?"
The other girl came to the table listening, fascinated by their new visitor.
"Yes, I would. I've never met others like me before." He didn't tell them his real father was a wolf just yet. Charlie was still having a hard time believing Wes Daniels was his father at all. He wasn't yet ready to talk about him and his mother's lies. "Can you teach me how to be a Wolf like you?"
They had all taken notice of the scars around his wrist, knowing he had spent years being restrained. They all felt for him but didn't question his past.
Jihae smiled pleased with the boys question, "Yes you can. This is my son Jeon. He will take you back to Marian's. Jeon will stay and talk with Marian and make sure it is alright for you to come back soon."
Jeon looked at his father and nodded. He snatched a blue hoodie from the top bunk of one of the beds and didn't bother with shoes. His father kissed him on the forehead and gave him a respectful nod goodbye. The little biy that had been hiding behind him stared with sad eyes as Jeon walked out the door.
Charlie followed the boy out the door, giving the group of wolves a friendly wave as they left. A part of him was happy to have found them. Not one of them looked at him like he was a monster. The other part of him was nervous, they were strangers and all Wolves who could kill him with ease.
Jeon and Charlie walked in awkward silence for 5 minutes before Charlie could no longer stand it. "What's your Dad like?"
"He's the Alpha. He's a good leader, he is strong and powerful. One day I will be just like him." He answered proudly.
"Where's your Mom?"
Jeon looked straight forward trying not to show any emotion. "Hunters killed her, she died protecting her people two months ago. She died with honor... she was a fighter."
"Oh I'm sorry."
"It's okay, she has joined our ancestors. I will honor her by being Alpha one day, unifying the Clans, Tribes and Packs and ending the Hunters once and for all."
"Wow." Like the excited child that he was Charlie asked, "Can I join your pack when you're Alpha?"
"Maybe. I need fighters. Brave warriors."
"I can be brave." Charlie said even more excited.
Jeon smiled, "Okay but you have to prove how brave you are. Words mean nothing." He said trying to sound like a leader and not the child that he was.
"How can I prove it?"
"I don't know. I'll let you know when you've done it." Jeon said with a small chuckle.
"How big is your pack right now?" Charlie asked feeling like he was joining a cool gang for kids.
"There's me, Scarlett, Veronica and my brother Blue."
"Blue?"
"The packs been calling him Blue since he was born. He has a blueish birth mark on his back that looks like Florida. But that birthmark turns into a blue streak across his body when he turns wolf. It looks so cool. I wish I had something like that."
"Whoa!"
"You can't join my pack yet Charlie, but we can be friends." Jeon said with a smile. "Then maybe."
Charlie smiled covering his hands over his mouth bashfully, his heart bursting with excitement. The only friend he had was his little brother. Now he could add one more person to that list.
"Okay. So... Scarlett."
"Yeah?"
"She's pretty, and funny in a scary way. I... I like the way she smells." Charlie snickered.
"Huh? Scarlett I think she smells like a wet dog. Eww do you like her?"
It was obvious Charlie had a small crush on the girl, she was gorgeous to him. "A crush? No, I don't even know her. That's silly." He lied.
Jeon laughed out loud, "Eww Charlie wants to mate Scarlett." He teases him like boys do until he got serious again, "Scarlett is like a sister to me, we are pack family. So be careful." He said letting him know he was protective of her.
"Yeah of course." Charlie answered clueless of the deeper meaning behind Jeon's words. "We're almost there. Quiet so we don't wake up Miss Marian."
~~~
The next morning Marian woke up bright and early just as the sun was rising. She began pouring pancake batter in the skillet, cracking eggs and humming a soft tune, ready to start her day with Charlie.
She tapped on his door lightly, "Charlie wake up." She opened the door and she stared strangely at not one, but two boys in bed.
Charlie yawned sitting up in bed, still in an over sized t-shirt, a pair of boxer shorts were added to the ensemble once he got home. His hair was a mess all over his head. Then the other boy rolled over with a growling yawn.
"What the hell? Charlie!" Marian said with surprise putting her hand on her hip. She immediately recognized the boy as Jihae's eldest son. "Did you happen to take a trip last night? Perhaps sleep walked your little ass up the Hill?"
She frowned disappointed. Charlie smiled scratching his head and stretching high to the sky. "Marian look, I made a new friend." His eyes were big and full of joy. A look she had never seen on his before.
Though she wanted to yell at him for defying her, she simply couldn't. Ruining his happy moment seemed cruel in light of all he had been through. With a heavy sigh she shook her head, "Well get up, brush your teeth, wash your faces and get in here for breakfast. Both of you."
"Yes ma'am." Jeon said still stretching.
"Yes Miss Marian."
The boys pulled the covers back to reveal the muddy mess their feet had made on the bed sheets. Streaks of dirt and mud had been wiped all over the bed from the boys barefoot trek through the woods.
"Oh my fucking goodness. Both of you, showers, now." The look in her eyes let them know she was not messing around.
"Yes ma'am."
"Sorry miss Marian."
She rolled her eyes and laughed to herself as the two boys scattered, running down the hall to the bathroom.
~~~
For the next two weeks Jeon and Charlie were inseparable. Jeon stayed the night every night. They snuck out the house every night to train with Jihae and Scarlett and Veronica. Blue kept his distance still shy of the newcomer. Never speaking to him, but he lingered in the background curiously. Blue was too young to train with them just yet, but he watched listened and tried to learn what he could.
The kids spent their free time at Marian's large countryside home and for a moment Marian felt like she had her own little family again. Kids running and playing through house, scarfing down whatever she cooked. Playing tag in the yard. The everyday sleepovers.
The laughter throughout the house warmed her heart, watching them climb the large trees better than any monkey could, made her smile. Seeing the joy and life come back to Charlie made her heart swell with a love of her own. Scarlett and Charlie we're both orphans and they both looked at her like a surrogate mother.
One day she took Scarlett, Jeon, Veronica and Charlie deep into the woods near the lake to her husband's old hunting blind and let them play. They stayed up there for hours pretending to be pirates sailing the seven seas. Days later they had put blankets and pillows inside and made themselves a fort. They had painted the name 'Misfits' across the outside deck. The kids had renamed the Hunting Blind the Misfit Manor and made it their own sanctuary away from the world.
It was in their Misfit's Tree house that Charlie first held a girl's hand. When he had stopped Scarlett from falling from the large oak tree. It was there that Scarlett thanked him with a kiss on the cheek and held his hand as they watched the sun go down over the Hills.
It was there that Charlie told her he would make her his mate one day. With a smile she replied, "I know."
The heart aching sadness Marian felt couldn't be expressed with words. When she realized none of the children got to play as normal children did, it broke her heart.
This was their moment to be kids and she let them have it. She gave them the hunting blind and told them she was glad they had a place to feel like kids again.
All this gave the adults time to grieve away from the children and think of a plan for their future.
The Elsefire Clan was appreciative of Marian's constant generosity. And the children acted as if they were away at summer camp. But all these perfect moments wouldn't last forever.
The clan had decided it was time to find a home. Charlie had begged them to stay in Honeybee. But they knew the land was inhabited by The Cadence Clan and the Sunset Pack. The Alpha of the land was Donavan Cade, the Overseer and they needed his permission to stay.
Jihae went into town to find the Alpha, Marian told him look at the Sheriff's station. He knew that the Sheriff, and almost all of the Sheriff's Department were Lycan. They would smell him coming and outnumbered him 10 to 1. All he wanted was to have a peaceful conversation.
When Jihae found Donavon Cade he greeted them with kindness and compassion and mourned the Packs great loss. But he told him that he alone could not make this decision. If the Elsefire Clan were going to stay in this county or Honeybee they would have to discuss it with the Sunset's Alpha as well, Wes Daniels.
What kept the peace in Honeybee was the open communication with the two packs in town and the neighboring Raven Pack. The three packs that protected the county, in their own respective territories. But Donavon Cade ruled it all as the Overseer.
Upon the Overseeing Alpha's request Wes agreed to meet with the Elsefire Clan in the Honey Hills alone, to discuss this possible treaty of clans. He claimed he would to with an open mind ready for peace talks. But it was that day that everything changed.
~~~
The children were told to stay in the temple until the meeting was over. They expected everything to go smoothly since Donavon was so kind and sympathetic to their loss.
Though their parents had instructed them to stay in the temple Veronica, Scarlett and Jeon climbed the biggest, tallest Elm they could find, half a mile away, to watch. They wanted to see this Alpha.
They all covered themselves in oils and spices to mask their scent, waiting for this meeting to take place. The youngest brother Blue tagged along as well. Though he was scared to climb the trees as high as they did. Quietly he sat on a low branch waiting for the others to tell him what was happening.
Running late, Charlie dashed through the hills and found Scarlett and Jeon, "Did I miss anything?" He asked leaping from branch to branch.
"Not yet. I can see a truck coming up the Jeep trail though." Jeon said scooting further along the edge of the thin branch he held himself to.
"Shut up, we won't have to worry about them smelling us if you two don't stop flapping your gums." Scarlett shushed them with a hateful eye.
Veronica nodded in agreement, though the only reason she had come was to stare at Jeon. Her crush on him was no secret, she had already told him when she was 16 he would be her mate, no question.
The 12 year old girl had staked claim over him and Jeon never disagreed with her, he would smile and nod his head like a gentleman. Jeon knew he would be Alpha of this clan one day and he accepted that Veronica would be by his side at a very young age. They weren't dating, but they were promised to one another.
When the truck came to a stop at the top of the hill the left over members of the Elsefire Pack stood with their hands to their sides ready to greet this Alpha.
Charlie's heart jumped into his throat as he watched Wes Daniels get out of the truck.
The last time he had seen this man he was yelling at him to run away from this place and to never come back. He didn't know what to think or what to feel. He said nothing just watched as his heart beated out of his chest.
Jihae left the ceremonial circle they all stood in front of, it was all remnants of a time when Wolves use to gather there for sacred rituals. Steel lanterns and stone benches and a stone circle in the ground made of cobbles stone was all that was left. All from practices that had not taken place since Delroy had been killed over 25 years ago.
Jihae held out his hand to shake his and walked towards him. Wes approached with his hand out as well and with a smile as if he came in peace. But his actions were anything but peaceful.
One hand reached out to greet Jihae and the other pulled a revolver from the holster on his hip and without hesitation he fired a shot to Jihae's head. A long string of blood and shards of skull flew back painting the sacred stone circle.
The loud bang of the gun echoed across the Hills like a clap of thunder. Everyone's hearts stopped with one gasp.
Before Jihae's body could even fall to the ground Wes was already firing another shot at the blonde woman behind him frozen in a state of shock.
The Hills were a sacred place, no weapons were allowed on these holy grounds. Yet there Wes was blasting round after round at the last 5 members of the Elsefire Pack.
The attack was so sudden, so fast that none of them saw it coming. One of the men leaped into action his wolf bursting free and pounced on Wes but in one swift motion Wes had grabbed the beast from behind and snapped it's neck. Killing him with ease.
"Oh my God." Scarlett squealed through tears, her hands covering her mouth.
None of them saw Jeon jump from the trees and soared like he never had before at Wes, his wolf morphing in mid-air. The loud roar that sliced through the air scared the all.
"Jeon!" Veronica screamed but her voice was over powered by his roar.
The young wolf pounced on top of Wes his nails immediately digging into his shoulders. But Jeon instantly stopped moving.
His body twitched and the beasts whined. The group watching in terror Wes punching through his chest in mid air, ripping a hole through his chest. His hand smashed through the other side of back, his fingers and nails covered in fur and chunks of the young boys heart.
Blue screamed, feeling the loss of his brother. Scarlett jumped down to the lower branches and grabbed Blue was now crying, and screaming out for his father and brother. She pulled him up to the upper branches and covered his mouth
"Ssshh." She said rocking him in her arms.
Utterly terrified Charlie held onto Veronica as she fought against him to go fight. He held her as tightly as he could.
Wes fired a shot in the air staring into the dense forest around them, waiting for any one else who might attack. The children all stopped, frozen by fear and terrified Wes had heard them.
Their faint smell in the air was too hard to track, Wes knew there were others there, but he didn't know where. Blood from the young boy had splashed his face and all he could smell was his blood.
He walked the line of trees around the ceremonial grounds. The children watched on as he walked under them, searching for them. They all held their breath, covered their mouths and froze like statues.
Wes circled the area twice before he gave up looking convinced he was alone. Instead of getting in his car and leaving, he walked down the other side of the hill and went towards the temple.
Scarlett, Veronica, and Blue sat in silence for what felt like forever their faces drenched in tears. Charlie put a finger to his lips shushing them. He let go of Veronica and slid down the tree. Quick, then slowly he ran towards the crime scene. Hoping someone had survived.
Jeon was dead, his body lay on his back his lifeless eyes staring up at the sky. Charlie quickly checked the other bodies. It was Jihae who still had life in him. When Charlie rolled him over, he let out a short breath, blood bubbling out of his mouth. The hole in his head poured blood, the sight of his shattered skull and fading body left him petrified.
Jihea couldn't see him, but he could feel Charlie standing over him. Slowly his hand reached out for him. Charlie fell to his knees and took his hand, his bloody finger tips grazing his cheek.
Though his lips moved, but no words came. Charlie sat there holding his hand as his human heart thumped, thumped, and then finally stopped. Moments later the soft thud of his wolf's heart stopped too.
Heart broken and in tears Charlie walked away back to the other children. "I'm sorry. They're dead. All of them." He said holding onto Blue.
None of them moved until Wes emerged again. They watched him climb the top of the hill, get in his truck and slowly descend the Jeep trail. When they felt it was finally safe, they dashed out of the large tree jumping down to the ground and then they ran.
Hard and fast they ran. They ran until their lungs burned, until their legs ached, they ran the 6 miles to Marian's place.
But when they got there Wes was already parked in front of her home. They all gasped when they saw his truck. They sat in the bushes and laid in the tall grass terrified. Charlie prayed that Miss Marian was alright.
But when they saw her come marching out of her home pushing the Sheriff out on his ass, they all breathed a small sigh of relief.
She screamed, "I told you he was shot. Charlie's dead! He's not here. Thanks to you."
She held in her hands the blood stained clothes she had the night she saved him from the icy waters. She balled them up and threw them at Wes.
"I burned his body in the woods you bastard."
"Fuuuck!" Wes yelled punching the ground. His face covered in blood and tears. Taking long deep breaths he tried to calmed himself. "Marian, out of respect for Delroy-"
"Don't you dare say his name you miserable Fuck." She spat crossing her arms. "The only reason you haven't came for me is because you're terrified of the Cade's. So don't feed me your bullshit about respect."
The sheriff didn't correct her, they both knew how true her words were. "Marian, stay away from my family, I want Caleb to have a normal life. Something you wouldn't understand. Stay out the Hills, you are not one of us. I won't say it again. If you see another Clan here report it to me. This is your final warning."
Unafraid she looked at him like she wanted to rip his head off, "Or what?"
"Or I'll bury you beside my son." His eyes were deadly serious and tone was final.
Marian said nothing more, though she had a whole book of four letter words she wanted to throw at him.
Wes drove off but not back towards town, but further into the woods. He was still searching for more Wolves. Searching for them.
The children slowly slipped back into the woods, Charlie locked eyes with Marian who was now in tears on her porch.
She held out her arms for him, but instead he gave her a small sorrowful nod and walked away with the rest of the children. The best way to protect her was to stay away.
Though she wanted to, she didn't chase after him. She returned a knowing nod and watched them move through the tall grass at the edge of her property. She watched until they were out of view. Her heart breaking with every step they took away from her.
The kids moved in silence through the woods. They had covered themselves with mud from head to toe to mask their scent. Finding the hunting blind that Marian had given to them. But not to play pirates sailing the high seas. It was to hide from the man who wanted them dead.
Staring out through the thick tree branches the kids looked out at the Lake half a mile away, holding one another tears in their eyes and vengence burning in their hearts.
I don't know why this Part was so hard to write but, here it is. Thanks to this quarantine and virus, I have plenty of time to write 😑. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Trying to tell Charlie's story was a pain.
Stay safe and healthy out there.