Amarah's POV
"I asked, what are you?" the man repeated. He held my chin and forced my face to look at his, but I still avoided his direct gaze.
"Let me fucking go," I muttered.
"Open your eyes," he said harshly, like he would use his claws to tear my body apart if I didn't look up at him.
I had no other option but to look at him. His eyes peered into mine.
"You are not a human, are you? I can sense it. Your scent..." he whispered. Then his face was all over me, like he was trying to get familiar with a scent. He kept on sniffing me as if he were perceiving something specific.
I managed to break free from his grip and took to my heels. I ran as fast as I could, jumping small fences at the few places they existed, until I got to our hideout. I moved quietly inside, calming my nerves before going to meet my Grandmother.
"I am back, Grandma," I said, throwing myself into her arms while she wrapped me in a hug.
"I became really worried, Ama. What took you so long to come back?"
"Nothing, Grandmother. I will prepare the meat that I have. You just wait a little while. Tomorrow is the anniversary of my parents' death and I will officially turn twenty. So I bought extra rice and meat. We can make rice cakes or something." She nodded, and I rushed to the kitchen nervously.
I was scared to death at that moment. I didn't know if the Lycan had followed me.
It was almost dark; coming out at this hour was just for one thing ; a suicide mission. The vampires were out. Those blood-sucking demons. The Lycans, too, should be on the hunt for whoever they had been trailing these past few days.
I arranged some firewood in one corner to heat up the room, then stacked another pile not far from the first one to cook what I had brought.
Our underground space had just one large room, which we used for everything, ranging from sitting room, bedroom, and kitchen.
In less than an hour, the food was done, and I dished out enough meat to feed Grandma. I took the plate to her, acting as naturally as I could. I didn't want her to notice how nervous I was.
I offered to feed her until she accepted, and I did. I made sure she was full before devouring my own portion of food. Hungry as hell and even I felt dizzy at some point while cooking.
I laid Grandma on the bed, covered her with a blanket, and then wrapped her legs with a cloth. I lay close beside her, my face turned upward, staring at the uneven ceiling.
Is this how I would live the rest of my life? This miserably and lonely? I don't even have a mate.
Grandma used to tell me that we werewolves didn't have the full right to choose who we wanted to end up with. The Moon Goddess did that for us. And we were always mated to one man, the one destined to love and protect us forever.
Someone who would free me from the shackles of fear.
Honestly, that was one of the reasons I went out sometimes to see if I'd eventually bump into him and feel my body electrified by his irresistible scent.
I was too scared to know if I had that feeling when I met the Lycan dude, but to hell will I ever be fated to those monsters.
Yet, all I could think about was my encounter with that man. He came as a human, but I was sure he was a Lycan. His face was well-structured and masculine. Only foreigners wouldn't believe that behind that handsome look lived a monster.
He might have figured out what I was that I wasn't human but I'm not going to offer myself up for grabs. If ever I get captured, I will make sure it won't be easy. He was probably out there hunting for me.
I wondered how Grandma would have felt if I hadn't made it back alive.
I wiped the tears dripping from the side of my eyes and turned to look at her. She was sleeping sound, much better than the previous day. I could at least sleep with ease today.
Not long after I shut my eyes, I heard a shrill cry of pain. I sat upright, paralyzed with fear. I rushed to the window, pulled the curtain to one side, and peered outside. They were out there, the Lycans. And worst of all, they were going door to door. With fire flames in their hands.
It was as if history was about to repeat itself.
I looked back at the mattress, only to be surprised not to see Grandma. I searched everywhere, calling out to her until I got to the door and there she stood, precisely, waiting for them to reach us.
"Amarah, it's a good thing you're awake. You must run away now."
"What? What about you, Grandma?"
"You must go now. I think I have fulfilled my promise to your mother. Even if I haven't, my end is already here, and I won't drag you to it. Take the back exit and run. I will only slow you down if I come with you," she said.
I couldn't leave her alone, even though she insisted. I went over to her and dragged her along with me.
"How do you even imagine my life without you? You are my only family, and... you're giving up already? Is that what you taught me? To give up that easily? Without putting up a fight? You are not different from Mother who abandoned me. But I'm old enough now and I swear not to leave you."
She sighed but surprisingly obliged, and I took her with me to exit through the back door. Almost immediately as we were leaving, the front door banged open.
I increased my pace and ran with Grandma by my side. Truly, she was slowing me down. But that was better than leaving her alone to die.
"You have to let me go, Ama. You need to save yourself first; you must do that to save the whole werewolf clan. We will go extinct if something happens to you, my little girl."
"Over my rich, hot, dead body, Grandma. Wherever you go, I go," I insisted.
She stopped suddenly and then dragged her hands out of my grip.
"Try and remember who you are. That way, you can save us all. You can avenge your parents and I." I heard Grandma's voice but I didn't see her lips move.
"Yes, I just mind-linked you. You've got the ability to hear people's thoughts if you wish, as well. I take back what I ever said. There's no limit to a werewolf's ability, especially in your case," she also... said I mean, mind-linked me.
It should have been a happy moment for me. I had always dreamed of the day I would finally have that ability she said werewolves should have. Did that mean my wolf was awakening?
I was still drawn into my imagination and whirlwind of emotions when Grandma drifted away from me and ran back to the sound of the doors clicking open I had heard earlier.
"No... Don't, Grandma. Don't die. It's my fault all this is happening," I cried out, trying to mind-link her. But she didn't respond. Or maybe she was ignoring me. Or… I just didn't have that ability yet.
I heard the sound of claws clashing and then I saw the blood spilling close by.
It was painful to watch as I drew closer to see that the victim was my poor Grandma. Her lifeless body lay helplessly on the bare cold floor. I crouched to my feet and sobbed slowly.
If I hadn't adamantly gone out even after Grandm.a warned me, this wouldn't have happened. That Lycan was definitely looking for me. And then, because of me, they found the others.
Fast footsteps started to approach. I had to run outside if I wanted to keep her last request.
To survive.
At all costs.