7 Chapter 6: Scarlett

With her eyes shut, she could hear things moving around. Plastic crinkling, cold draft then touched her bare body. She didn't want to open her eyes; her hands and ankles strapped down. Scarlett gulped slowly, her breath shaky as she was wheeled farther and farther down the hall. "P-please.." Even though she begged, she had lost all energy to fight back. She heard a door open and shut from behind, getting sick of the squeaking wheels.

Oxygen was placed over her nose and mouth. She knew what was going to happen. It was a conmen practice done to slaves, both male and female.

Forced sterilization.

They didn't need consent. Scarlett had no rights. Only fourteen at the time, she knew from a young age that she was marked to not have children. Slave owners often decided early in the slave's life, normally having decided by age ten. Scarlett knew when she was only eight.

A ring light floated over Scarlett, causing her to open her eyes. She didn't look around her. She was just too frightened. She's heard of the procedure being done to humans, but not forcefully and also while one would be asleep. However, Scarlett would be wide awake.

She shivered, goosebumps rising on her skin. Her breath fogged up the oxygen mask, chest rising and falling quickly as her emotions took over. She didn't know if the ones performing the procedures were professionals. Even if they were, it didn't matter. It would still be painful, and, life-changing.

"D-Don't! P-please... I.." But no one was listening, not even the ones in white coats—the ones supposedly going to cut her up. Hurt her. Destroy her chance at having what her mother had—to have children of her own. That's the one thing she wanted, but, was never going to have. Scarlett was convinced she'd die by the hands of an owner like her mother did. Scarlett shivered again, people rushing by her. She closed her eyes once more, hoping she would never wake up.

Before she got any further, Scarlett woke up in a pool of sweat. She heaved, frantically scanning the room. When she realized she was safe, and that it was just a nightmare, she leaned back, laying down again. Every now and then, she would get phantom pains, almost like she was reliving the experience—a cruel reminder.

She bit her lip, whimpering. She laid alone, still getting used to it. By then, she was used to waking up beside Jax, or, at least being greeted by him early in the morning. Instead, it was always someone else waking her. She had found a group of former slaves—women, men, and children—on the edge of the kingdom, living together in freedom. Whether they were freed or escaped on their own, they were *all* once slaves. Some, she related to and got along with very well. Others, she hadn't spoken to yet, still trying to get comfortable with everyone.

It's been a year since Scarlett had left Jax. So far, she's only traveled beyond the border of the kingdom, afraid to go any farther by herself. She just wasn't ready to travel on her own yet, but instead, she would wait and travel with the group—as they often did.

Finally, she arose from her bed, the sun just barely over the horizon. Her eyes were bloodshot and twitching with exhaustion. She hadn't spent a night peacefully since she left Jax. Often, she dreamt about him; the dreams reoccurring for more than a few nights. She missed him, but, she continued to stick by her decision that she needed to learn to be independent, completely on her own.

❧

"Oh, hey, Scarlett. The kids and I are making some brownies. Do you want to help?" A woman asked, not much older than Scarlett herself. The woman smiled, who went by the name of Justine. Her two children, Gabriela and Samuel were six. "Please?" Samuel asked, running up to hug Scarlett around the leg. She chuckled softly, petting the boy's hair.

Scarlett smiled gently, looking at Justine. She had chocolate batter on her fingers, and, Gabriela had some smeared on her face. "Y-Yeah.." She answered, walking over to the family. Over the course of her spending almost a year with them, and, multiple others, she began to feel at home.

"Can you stir the batter over there? I need to put these in. I want everyone to have some." As told, Scarlett stirred the bowl full of brownie mix until it was smooth. Justine started washing the used dishes as her children played behind her, in the living room.

"Here, in this pan," She gestured, setting it besides Scarlett's bowl. Scarlett carefully poured the batter in, still thinking over her nightmare. "Are you okay?" Justine suddenly asked, putting the next batch in. Scarlett frowned, running a hand through her hair. "N-No... I.. I don't k-know.." The mother of two sighed, wrapping an arm around Scarlett's shoulders. "It's okay. You'll pull through, yeah?"

"Y-Yeah," Scarlett replied. "Is i-it t-that obvious?"

"Yes. You need to rest. Let me feel your head." Justine pressed her hand to Scarlett's forehead. "You're warm. Why don't I make you some tea and you sit in the living room? Some of the others are out there. Interact. It'll be good for you." She then proceeded to shoo Scarlett out of the kitchen, fixing the female some tea. She stood nervously in the doorway of the living room, looking around for somewhere to sit.

"Scarlett!" Gabriela and two other children called her name as each one came and hugged her. Soon, she had a pile of children attached to her legs. But, she smiled brightly, briefly forgetting about her nightmare. The children laughed, refusing to let go, as they believed it to be a game.

"Kids. Let Scarlett sit down, she doesn't feel well." Someone said, causing the children to disperse off of her. They resumed playing, leaving Scarlett to sit with other adults. Justine had finished in the kitchen, handing Scarlett freshly brewed tea. "It's d-delicious.." She spoke, watching the group of kids play along the floor.

"Do you have a cold?" A male asked, tilting his head to the side. "I d-don't think s-so." She replied back. "Hey, aren't we leaving in a few hours?" "Yeah, I think so." The others chatted amongst themselves, Scarlett commenting here and there when she felt like it. She picked at a scar on her arm, zoning in and out.

"Scarlett. Hey, Scarlett. Come on, I got a brownie for ya." She blinked quickly, shaking her head. "O-Oh, thank.. y-you." The brownie was practically being waved in her face, begging for her to take it. A second later, she did, enjoying the brownie until the last bite.

"Should we start packing?"

"Where are we going?"

Questions swarmed the living room as other members became present. However, Scarlett stopped listening. She would hear the details later. The living room now became rather full with people. Women, men, and children joined together. All in all, the building housed one-hundred people, and, every room was full.

They traveled in numbers, often getting attacked by vampires or other species.

Werewolves roamed the forest, living in packs, killing anything in sight. While Scarlett was a werewolf, she didn't have the killer instincts others did. She wouldn't hurt a fly, that is, unless she came to the conclusion she had to. She rarely ever shifted, seeing as there wasn't a point. The last time she had, a herd of deer tramped over her, breaking her arm and ribs. Since then, she's refused.

"Hey, Scarlett. Pack your bags. We're going soon."

❧

The breeze was slow. Leaves crunched under the groups' shoes as they passed through the dense forest. "Up ahead! Wolfpack on our left!" A voice cried out, in the front of the group. Everyone stopped, quickly shoving the children to the center, where they could be protected.

They all stood back, away from the pack now circling them. The wolves snarled. One shifted—a male. "Where are your werewolves? Show yourselves to us!" To Scarlett's knowledge, she was one of many in the group. She gulped. Justine stood by her. "We won't let them have any of you," She whispered, holding Scarlett's hand.

"Either they come and join us or they die. You pick." No one moved. No one spoke up. When the supposed leader of the pack didn't receive an answer, he frowned. "Have it your way then! You'll all die." He laughed, shifting into his wolf once more. The rest of the pack continued to circle them.

One wolf stood in front of her, growling. Its eyes were narrowed. 'You.' Scarlett paused, accepting the mind-link from the wolf. 'You're Scarlett, aren't you? You're that wolf he's looking for. He looks lonely. Keeps asking if we spotted you.' Scarlett gulped. She knew who the wolf was talking about. The only one to ever possibly want to find her would be Jax. Still, she felt the need to confirm her suspicions. After all, in many eyes, she was still a slave.

'His name is Jax, yeah? A vampire.' 'Yes, that'd be him. I'll let him know we found you, yeah? After we kill the rest of ya.'

Scarlett's eyes widened at the threat, backing up farther and farther into the group. They were all supernaturals, including the children. Scarlett was the only one that refused to use her abilities, as, she hid with the children.

'You're pathetic,' She thought to herself, hugging the children close so the parents didn't need to worry. The battle ensued with both sides holding strong. One other werewolf managed to get through the others, jumping and lunging at Scarlett, who was protecting the children.

She screamed as claws tore into her flesh. The children, although small, fought at the wolf attacking Scarlett. The wolf, whom, was surprised by the sudden attack of the children, also wouldn't hurt a child intentionally. The wolf howled, the last one to run off. Scarlett, however, laid injured in her own blood.

She coughed, blood spurting from her wounds. Somewhere, wherever he was, she knew Jax would feel it. She was in and out of consciousness, pain radiating from her chest. Deep gashes cut through her skin, barely scraping her bone.

"Oh god! Scarlett!" Justine ran to her side, pressing an extra shirt she had packed into her bag on Scarlett's chest. "Do we have another healer? Please!" Others were scrambling to help the rest of the injured. Justine pressed harder on the wound, blood developing in the back of Scarlett's throat.

"Please!" Scarlett sputtered, eyes fluttering. Finally, another member, whom Scarlett knew, kneeled to her side. With the help of the two of them, they managed to successfully stop the bleeding and seal the wound. But, by then, Scarlett had passed out from the pain and the severe amount of blood loss.

There was no way they could travel now, not with two-thirds of their members down. In silence, they trudged their way home, where they would heal.