I didn’t hear Naomi’s scream after the spell hit me, or Shadow’s rage attack at Ren after. Neither did I hear Naomi’s tears or Shadow attempting to comfort her while trying not to break down. Naomi told me later that it took about 45 minutes longer than Shadow or her would’ve liked for me to wake up. The next thing I remember is my eyes fluttering open and seeing Naomi and Shadow talking in hushed tones nearby. I didn’t see the twins, and instantly assumed the worst. Then I caught what Shadow had said; the twins were almost done finding a way out. Naomi whipped around at the sound of my gasp when I regained consciousness, and quickly knelt beside me. Shadow climbed into a tree above me; whether to keep guard or to jump on me, I wasn’t sure. I struggled to try and sit up at first. “Don’t sit up yet,” Naomi advised. I took that advice, and stopped trying. “W-what happened?” I asked. I remembered clearly jumping in front of the curse to save Naomi, but I didn’t know what had happened after. “You almost died to save Naomi is what happened,” Shadow told me from above. “Worth it,” I decided, cracking a weak grin. If Brazen could hide behind humor 24/7, then so could I. Naomi smiled back. After roughly 10 minutes, I was more or less okay. The twins informed Shadow, who informed us that they needed about 5 more minutes, then we could get out. Good news. Harlow climbed down from one of the trees a few minutes later, her brother behind her. “Done. Ready to leave?” “Did you really think I would let you get away that easily?” A voice said from behind us. I spun around at the same time as Naomi. Ren had awoken and had gotten out of his bonds. He had two pain curses at the ready, aimed at both Naomi and I. I swore under my breath. None of us were at full strength, so Ren was more powerful at the moment. Unless we could come up with a decent plan... I met Naomi’s eyes. She transmitted a memory - one of a plan she’d made. She would get a mirror from a memory and use it to deflect the pain curse back at Ren. I gave her a slight nod and tried summoning Beorf. Nothing. No wolf howls, no nothing. “I should have known you would try and save the girl. But it doesn’t matter. I can still kill both of you at the slightest movement - your friends as well,” Ren told me, pacing back and forth, keeping the curses aimed at Naomi and I. I clenched my fist again, but nothing happened. I tried about 5 more times while Naomi worked on her plan. The twins distracted Ren in the meantime, while Shadow hid. “If you knew Wolf was going to protect Naomi, then why didn’t you just aim it at him? You could have gotten him easier that way,” Brazen pointed out. “If I had aimed it at Acwulf, Naomi wouldn’t have been blaming herself for what had happened. It would have worked better if Acwulf wasn’t so abnormally strong,” Ren gritted his teeth and glared at me. I stood taller. I wondered if Ren was playing with us, or if he was right. Hopefully the first, but it was impossible to tell. Brazen didn’t know how to reply to that, but Harlow saved him. “Then why didn’t you shoot one at Naomi and Shadow? Wolf could have only saved one. That would have broken 3 people instead of 2.” Now that idea scared me. I’d have been dead, Shadow would’ve been dead, and Naomi would have been mourning the loss of her boyfriend and her friend. “You raise a good point, Harlow, but I know that Shadow has potential to get on the right side. She doesn’t know who her father is. She even thinks he is dead. But little does she know that I am her father.” Ren looked up at Shadow’s hiding place. “You know which side is right, my dear. Choose wisely, or you and your friends are dead.” “No.” I didn’t realize I’d said it aloud. Ren was Shadow’s father? Her face had paled and she almost fell out of her tree. She seemed paralyzed in shock. Harlow seized that moment to envelop us in darkness. “What do we do now?” Harlow whispered, quiet enough so that only her brother, Shadow, Naomi, and I could hear. Harlow climbed up and Shadow followed her down, silent. “Run.” It was the only option I could think of. “I can’t find any memories at the moment with mirrors, so that plan is out. We should probably run for it,” Naomi agreed. Harlow nodded, and, keeping the darkness low, we ran for the exit. The darkness covering us, we managed to get out. We stopped at the Wolf Tree grove, panting. Brazen quickly scaled a tree and looked behind us. “Safe,” he reported, climbing down. I sighed in relief. Shadow had climbed up a different tree, and was staring off into space, facing away from us. I silently climbed up and sat next to her. “You okay?” I asked. (Cont. Below)
(Story Cont.) She turned to look at me, hugging her legs. “Not really. I’d always just assumed that my father died a heroic death or something. My mom spoke so highly of him. And now...” Her voice broke and she turned away. I put a hand on her shoulder. “You do realize that your family doesn’t change who you are, right? Just because your father is an evil werewolf doesn’t mean you have to be as well.” She sighed. “But, you know when he asked me to choose sides? I would have chosen his side in order to keep everyone alive. I would have let him take me, and do anything. Mind control, kill my mom, whatever. Just to keep you guys alive.” “We all would have chosen that. Naomi would have. Brazen would have, especially if Harlow was threatened. Vice versa for Harlow. Even I would have done that.” Especially if Naomi was threatened, I thought. “What I’m trying to say is, all of us are vulnerable just because of our loyalty to one another. I’m not saying that should stop, but maybe Ren was right. Maybe I do have potential for his side.” “You would never do anything evil to harm us - or anyone - intentionally, Shadow.” “That’s the thing. I wouldn’t do it intentionally. But if you were threatened, especially you, Acwulf.” She looked me straight in the eyes. “If you were threatened, then I would do whatever it takes to prevent that. He can - and already has - used that against us.” I held her gaze, trying to make her see that this wasn’t her fault. But what she was saying had a ring of truth to it. She’d do anything for me, I’d do anything for Naomi, Naomi would do anything for me, and the twins would do anything for each other. And Brazen would do anything for Calli. We were all vulnerable. Shadow held my gaze for a minute longer, then turned away, jumping from tree to tree. I watched her leave, wondering what we’d just gotten ourselves into. Notes/Credits: So, I am writing a story. It's called the Wolf Boy, and it's about a werewolf. This is Chapter 22. New chapters will come out every Sunday, Friday and Wednesday. Chapter 1: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/534060010/ Chapter 2: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/534063855/ Chapter 3: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/524407102/ Chapter 4: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/535116523/ Chapter 5: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/539191166/ Chapter 6: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/541091515/ Chapter 7: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/542478639/ Chapter 8: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/543943477/ Chapter 9: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/545518981/ Chapter 10: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/547310742/ Chapter 11: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/547908874/ Chapter 12: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/548716751 Chapter 13: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/548720777/ Chapter 14: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/548720823/ Chapter 15: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/548720878/ Chapter 16: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/548720909/ Chapter 17: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/548720955/ Chapter 18: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/548720993/ Chapter 19: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/548721015/ Chapter 20: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/548721051/ Chapter 21:https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/548721077/ Chapter 21.5: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/548721102/ Credits: Me, for writing it. @aqua_di_angelo for being the first reader & giving feedback. J.K. Rowling for some inspiration.
