Preom

Alina's POV

I dipped my spoon into my cereal bowl and dribbled cornflakes all over the pastel tablecloth and my favorite Braceface t-shirt. I was too engrossed in trying to keep up with watching The Amanda Show on the television plus coloring Barbie that I didn't even notice. I was in my own happy bubble. I sang along to the theme song of The Amanda Show as another episode started up.

My parents bustled into the room I was in, clearly arguing. I turned to face them and they continued whatever they were saying in hushed voices. Unbeknownst to them, I could still hear what they were fussing about. "I can't believe you, Time! She's your daughter!" I heard my mother cry out incredulously. My father snorted and I registered the look on his face as one of disgust. What was going on?

My mother swatted his arm, clearly annoyed. My father shook his head and walked away from my mother. "It's as if you're blind to anything she does, Ellie. Why can't you see her how I do?" My mother was about to say something when she caught the look on my face. Quickly I returned my attention to my cereal bowl and began scooping the breakfast into my mouth.

A hand on my shoulder stilled my actions. I looked up, gazing into my mother's kind liquid brown eyes. "You know I love you, right?" Her gaze penetrated mine. I felt uncomfortable so I eased out of her touch, avoiding her eyes altogether. I returned to my bowl when she pulled me away from the table. Her small hands enveloped mine as she led me out of the room.

We climbed the rickety stairs, entering the tiny bedroom that she shared with my father. She pulled me towards her as we sat on the bed. The bed croaked beneath our weight. I was so accustomed to the noise that I was really focusing on the worry lines etched into Mother's face.

Her sweaty palms reached for my hands again. "Alina, I need you to listen and not ask any questions. Your father and I love you very much, though I know in most cases he does a lousy job of showing you that. But, we will try our hardest to protect you." My mind whirled around as a hamster on a wheel. "Mother—," I began, only to be cut off by her.

She placed a finger against my lips. "Shh! You're not listening. You remember the war that took place last week?" I nodded my head vaguely remembering, even though she hadn't waited for a response from me. "Alright, good. So the same bad men will be returning but Aunt Luna will ensure that you're safe. I need you to cross over with her."

Tears pooled up in my eyes. "Aren't you coming with me, Mother?" She didn't have to say anything for me to get the answer to my question. I flung my hands around her neck and flooded her nape with my tears. "Please come with me," I begged in between my sobs. Mother pulled me away from her just a little. She gave me a sad smile, tilting my chin up so that I was now gazing into her face. "You're my daughter, you'll be okay. You don't need me. And Aunt Luna will be there, too, okay?"

As a response she was given more tears. I knew she hated when I cried, but I couldn't help myself. She didn't have to put it into so much words but I knew how slim the chances were of seeing her again.

Father burst into the room and Mother quickly dried my tears with the hem of her dress. Father always saw crying as a sign of weakness. He gave me the once over look with his eyes before stuffing me into a warm coat despite it being the middle of summer. Father collected a kiss from Mother before he ushered me through the door. An overnight bag was packed for me which Father slumped over his shoulders. We were hurrying through the front door when Mother gave out, "Time, wait."

Breathlessly she rushed down the stairs. Stooping when she was beside me, she drooped an opal necklace around my neck. She murmured something and met my eyes with a smile. "I'll take her down to Luna," she offered. Father protested but he knew better than to fight her on this.

I looked on as Mother hitched a gun into her skirt waist and relieved my overnight bag from Father. I found myself clutching the necklace as we ambled over to Luna's house. I held Mother's hand afraid that if I didn't hold on long enough she would vanish. To ease my nerves a little, Mother started up a song about the birds and the bees. I laughed along with her when she said something funny.

The gay mood was interrupted when something dark blocked our path. Impetuously, Mother hid me behind her skirt as she faced whatever it was without fear. "Just give us the child and we'll be gone, Ellie. You won't get hurt."

Mother spat and pulled the gun from her waist. "Over my fucking dead body." I peered behind Mother's skirt, truly petrified. I was even more terrified at what I was seeing, but Mother stood her ground. Hideous beasts surrounded us from every angle possible. One of the men who hadn't transformed as yet had the audacity to chuckle, no laugh. "Ellie, you were always so brave. In fact, I've heard so much about you. It saddens my heart that this is the circumstances we're actually meeting under. A woman of your class shouldn't be involved in something so dirty."

I was just as confused as Mother no doubt would have been. My hands flew up to my ears as Mother fired off two warning shots. "I'm warning you, stay away," she threatened even though her voice quivered.

Was I ever so glad when I saw Father's beat up truck just mere meters away from us. I had never been this happy to see him! Without a second thought, I ran from Mother's skirt over to him. The door pulled open and he stood in front of me. The expression on his face wasn't something I could read though. I tried to dismiss it. Father was here so all would be well, right?

Father gripped my shoulder roughly, tossing me to the ground as if I was nothing but an insignificant leaf to him. One of the scary, hairy beasts picked me up and threw me over its shoulder. My little fists did nothing to him as I pummeled his muscular back.

"Put my baby down," Mother screamed out, only her final word ended in a grunt as she morphed into a glorious wolf with a tan fur. I knew Mother would protect me, she promised. Mother went into full frenzy mode as she dove straight after the beast who held me captive. Her claws were just inches away from its face when a silver bullet came flying out of nowhere lodging straight to her heart.

I screamed out as Mother dropped to the ground, twitching as the rich dark blood from her wolf decorated the damp soil.

I turned angry blazing eyes on who would have dared to do such a thing. Imagine my horror when I saw the silver bullet gun in Father's hands. "Take her far away from me," he told the beasts in an icy no nonsense tone. "I don't want to ever see her again."