1 Amira

I carried the last box upstairs in to the room that was now mine. I slid it across the floor into some of the other boxES that were already scattered on the floor. I exhaled as I sat on the box nearest to me.

"Ahhh!" I should have read the box first. I struggled to stand as I looked down and seen my bedding peeking through the now destroyed box.

"Hey Angel you okay." My dad said after knocking on the slightly open door.

"Yes" I said kicking the box annoyed that it did not support me.

My dad is very protective of me. Every little scratch, cut, bruise, he is worried. If I so much as bump a knee he is racing to my side.

My dad took a look around my room at all of the mess. "We should at least get your bed set up tonight."

"Dad did you even get you and moms set up yet?" I asked knowing that he was centering on me rather than taking care of himself.

"I can put my bed together dad. You know I am 16 now, I can start taking on some responsibility."

"I know Angel." He smiled. Every time I try to tell him I am getting older and can take responsibility for myself, he pacifies me, simply stating 'I know'.

"I'll get mines set up and then come in and check on you." He left the room closing the door slightly.

I grabbed the tools from the kitchen and put together my bed myself. I then made it up and unpacked some of my clothes into my dresser. I was not sure this is the way I wanted to keep my room but it was a start. By the time my dad made it back to my room I had showered in my personal bathroom and was lying in bed watching videos on my phone.

My alarm went off and I got up and showered again. It was hot outside already and I could feel myself sweating all over. After I plugged up the fan in my window and began unpacking some more. I know how my mother would react if I did not get my room unpacked by the end of the day. I was just about to open the last box when I heard my mother call me.

"Coming!" I yelled as I headed down the stairs.

I found my mother in the fully unpacked kitchen. She turned around with a stack of pancakes and laid it on the island next to the stack of bacon.

"Did you stay up all night unpacking the kitchen?" I asked as I opened one of the cabinets seeing all the plates neatly inside.

"Not all night. Just while your dad put together the bedroom and master bath."

I shook my head as I opened the fridge. 'my mom is insane.' There was already food in the fridge. I pulled out the orange juice and grabbed three cups.

"Were going to eat in here because I haven't finished the dining room yet."

Dad walked in carrying a box labeled pots. And placed it in the corner, "I found them."

"Thank you hun, sit down and eat."

Dad sat next to me, mom next to him. It was quiet as we began to eat. My mom was one of the best cooks I know. Granted I eat her meals all the time, so I could be biased. Her and my father take turns cooking, usually its whoever gets to it first. Though dad can cook I still prefer moms cooking, she always tends to make dinner seem gourmet. Whereas dad's meals are real basic.

"Angel, I found a doctor and we have an appointment today."

I rolled my eyes, hiding so mom does not see my actions. My dad only lets me see herbal doctors, which I don't understand because mom gets to see a regular doctor. It's not like I get sick a lot. Sometimes I have these episodes where I get killer headaches and sometimes I hear almost like a murmuring noise. It tends to mess with my eye sight and it can be crippling. I didn't always have these episodes, it started when I was 8. As I got older the episodes increased and I had to take more and more of these herbal pills to keep them away. Lately I have been having them again even with the medicine, but they are rare and usually happen about once a month. No not during my period. I looked at the bottle on the table in front of me Otiosis.

---------------------------------------------------

I slowly walked to the car and got in. I fastened my seatbelt and crossed my arms as I sat there pouting.

"Amira, it is not the end of the world." My dad said as he shifted his body towards me.

"These places are always creepy." I said pulling my arms from their current position and slapped them down by my side in an over exaggerated state.

I jumped when I heard a knock at the window. Placing my hand over my chest I looked to the window to see my mother. My father rolled my window down as I continued to catch my breath.

"Amira, you did not take your medicine." She said holding my dosage out to me. She must have counted the pills.

I took the pill from her hand and swallowed it. She brought a bottle of water up from her other hand, and I took it without retaliation. I took a swig and handed it back to her.

"Thanks" I said before I rolled the window back up.

The window stopped midway and I looked over to see my dad locked the windows, "We'll be back soon hun."

Her smiled brightened as she turned with the bottle in hand to go back in to the house.

"You know she is just making sure you keep up with your health." He turned his head and pulled out of our drive.

I plugged in my headphones as we drove through town. I peered out the window and watched the small town slowly pass by us. After about 20 minutes the house began to become sparse and appeared as if we were traveling through the woods. 45 minutes into the drive my dad turned down a dirt road and we drove for about 15 more minutes. The road suddenly stopped and the car did to.

"We're here." I heard the muffled voice of my father through the ear buds.

"Where is here?" I asked as I pulled them out of my ears and began looking around at nothing but trees. In front of us was a small grass cover inclination. I unbuckled my seatbelt as my father got out of the car. I tucked my headphones into my pocket as I closed the door.

This place was creepier than the last one we went to. At least the doctor I seen before was on the edge of town. I got out of the car and stood next to my father, as he patiently waited for me to join him.

"Come on we're a little late." He tugged slightly on my sleeve to follow him as he began his trek up the small hill.

I followed, once at the top of the hill I seen a small cottage. It was a dark wooded color that almost assumed the color of red. The wrap around porch was a dark green woodsy color. It was not as creepy as I would think a cottage in the middle of the woods to look. Who ever lived here kept up with the upkeep. On the porch was a stack of fire wood and rocking chairs. I looked up and saw my dad had continued to walk. I caught up to him as he knocked on the door. An older lady answered the door.

"Lucinda?" My dad asked

"Yes come in." she stood aside to let us in.

I admired her beauty even in her old age. She appeared to be in shape as she stood their smiling with her boyfriend fit jeans and loose fitting washed out grey shirt. Her snow white hair pulled back in to a long braid that reached the top of her behind. Lucinda stood with confidence as she continued to wait for me patiently, as I slowly walked into her home.

"Amira, I promise you are safe here." I held a fake smile and moved a little quicker.

She shut the door behind me and directed us to a small living room on the right. At the entrance, to the living room, on the north facing wall she had a fire place which was burning bright.

"Amira why don't you stay here while I talk to your father in my office. I have all the information I need on you but your father needs to just update the current events."

I nodded as she walked back out of the living room. There were three wooden chairs that lined the hallway. At the end of the hallway there was a door that looked like it was constructed out of left over wood.

I walked back into the living room and peered around at the rustic room. The couch looked old and worn with a knitted blanket thrown over the back. Two lazy boys sat on either side of the couch on the side of two side tables. Though everything looked worn … no not worn loved, it still felt homely. I instantly felt at home with the scent of the woods plaguing every corner. I jumped when I heard the door open. A tall guy with dark hair walked in as he dropped a huge bunch of wood on the floor. He wiped his feet on the mat and shook his hair out as droplets of water sprayed around him. It must have begun to rain.

He took off his jacket and paused and turned his nose to the sky as if catching wind to a new scent. He instantly turned and I swear his eyes glowed a golden color.

"Mine." He growled with an animalistic sound

I stood frozen as he walked towards me and gently stroked my cheek. My face instantly leaned into his palm as I felt tingles over my skin. He buried his nose into my neck, and I don't know why but I let this boy invade my space and loved every second of it.

"Mine" He said again with a low growl vibrating from his chest.

I didn't have a chance to think before he captured my lips. I wanted every second of this and I didn't want it to end. My migraine dissipated all within seconds. I heard a voice in my head saying 'ours'. I heard it. I heard a door being barged open and slamming against a wall and a lowed growl came towards me before I seen my father. I pulled away from this strange man whose name I did not even know. He pushed me behind him and faced off to my father.

"Let her go!" I heard my father's voice as a weird growl came from him

"Mine!" the stranger said as he continued to hold me close behind him.

"That is my daughter!"

"You cannot fight what is destined." He spoke the words but I felt it, the draw, the pull

"Amira, come to me." My father said with a demanding tone.

I peered from behind my stranger. He felt me move and instantly turned to me pulling me to him and buried his nose into my neck.

"Amira, listen to me and step away from that boy." My father's voice tried to soften but I could still hear the stress in his voice.

I wanted to listen, but for some reason I just couldn't move. Especially with this stranger's hand wrapped around my waist. I didn't want to move.

"Caleb, this is not the way to handle it. Let her go." Lucinda came into the room trying not to make any sudden moves, speaking in a gentle tone.

"Mine!" he said gripping me tighter as his eyes glowed again.

"I know, but you don't want to scare her."

"Mine." Caleb spoke softer nuzzling again.

I heard a deep growl coming from where my father stood. Caleb released me instantly and stepped back looking pained. I felt the void of his arms from around my waist. I looked between him and my father before I slowly took tentative steps toward my father completely confused. With each step I looked back at Caleb, waiting for him to change his mind.

"You know the pain you'll be putting us through. The pain she'll endure." Caleb said through gritted teeth still peering down at the ground.

"She has never even experienced mūtāre."

I watched as Caleb's eyes snapped up to my fathers and once again his eyes glowed gold. "How could you be cruel enough to block her senses. Is that why I cannot hear her?"

"If it is up to me then you never will." My father pulled me behind him and slowly walked us towards the door.

The car ride back home was silent. Well on my dad's side, he avoided all of my questions.

Who was that? What just happened? What was that weird growling? I bombarded him with questions.

He held the steering wheel tight and I was surprised he didn't break it. That night I heard my father and mother arguing. I can count on one hand how many times they have argued. Now that I really think about it, it was only one other time. I had just turned 8 and experienced my first migraine episode.