MARIÉE DE REMPLACEMENT : UNE DETTE À PAYER

Julian's P. O. V.

"You have to run! Run Julian and never look back," My mother said, while I held on tightly to her hands.

She was badly wounded on the abdomen and blood dripped down freely.

"No mum, I can't leave you, we can still make it together," I said with teary eyes.

She has been wounded so badly that she could no longer shape shift again.

And it was practically useless because, we've been rounded up by so many wolf's.

Another wolf howl from the distance made my body shriek.

"No Julian, please get out of here now!" My mother said pushing me off.

"I'll distract them and buy you time to run."

I stared at my mother knowing that if I left I would never see her again.

"Mom..." I said still holding her hands and crying.

"Go please, go," She pushed me away.

There was loud thumping and rustling of bushes.

I ran off, without looking back.

With my minimal werewolf ability, I could sense the arrival of some wolves.

After reaching a distance and shielding myself by a tree, I saw a wolf brandish itself towards my mother who fell to the ground clutching her stomach.

Another wolf came out, followed by another and soon my mother was surrounded by a dozen of them.

One of them shape shifted into a human and I saw clearly who it was.

Julio!

"Get her," he ordered and all the wolf's hauled at my mother tearing her up into pieces, bit by bit.

I clamped my hand tightly over my mouth, stifling a scream as hot tears streamed down my face.

The pain in my heart sort to choke me as I watched them tear my mother up.

This can't be happening...this is just a bad dream.

"Please let it be a dream," I kept on saying with my inside voice, crying and shaking my head in denial.

"Where's the daughter?" I heard Julio say, and that was when reality dawned on me.

If I don't get out of here now, it would be me next.

Slowly, I took some steps backward, looking around for an outlet or a place I could hide.

It was past midnight and the moon's light was the only source of illumination.

Thorns and woods are what filled my pathway and I didn't know where to turn to.

With my mother's last words still reeling in my head, I cleared a path along the woods with my hand as I ran.

Ignoring the thorns and rough tree barks, that pickled me, I ran like my life depended on it.

Obviously it did.

From behind me, I could hear thumping of feet's and howls of wolf.

They were still on the chase.

I glanced over my shoulder to check if they were still after me but with the little sight I could manage to get, it was all empty space.

I turned my attention back to the path ahead, but the momentary distraction proved costly.

A large chunk of wood was laying in front of me and before I could think of holding a break, I stumbled upon it and crashed into the woods.

The impact left an excruciating pain in my foot and I believed I might have broken a bone.

"Aghhh!!" I groaned despite myself.

I placed my hands on my foot, shut my eyes tight and rolled in pain.

Suddenly, I heard the thumping of feet in front of me.

It sounded like the feet was receding after a run.

I slowly opened my eyes praying to the seven heavens that it wasn't what I thought it was.

But Alas! It was.

The beast stood there staring at me with ferocious eyes.

My eyes glistened with tears, the fear of being mutilated overcoming the painful sensation in my foot.

"Please," I pleaded getting on my knees and clasping my hands together.

The wolf transformed into a middle aged woman whose facial features, I couldn't see clearly.

She got up from her feet immediately and looked around, seeming on edge.

Her lack of interest in tearing me apart shocked me and I just stared at her.

She quickly rushed to my side pulling me up from the floor.

"Come on girl, up," she said, her eyes still scanning the area.

"Who are you?" I asked dumbfounded.

"There's no time for that, we need to get out of here fast," She stated in a rushed tone.

"We have to leave now," She said pulling along.

My legs scraped the thorn bushes and I limped from the injury I sustained earlier.

The woman turned to look at my injured leg and I noticed she became tensed when she saw it.

She looked around again with a frightened expression.

"They are coming," She said with fright.

With a force that I didn't believe a woman her age could pull, she grabbed me swinging me over her shoulders and began to run.

Her werewolf amplified her speed and we scrambled through the bush.

She ran for almost half an hour until we finally came into a large expanse of land.

The land seemed like a farm land as they were rows of crops around.

She slowly put me down, panting heavily.

She produced a small bottle that seemed to contain a black liquid and handed it to me.

I took it from her with questions.

"Take that road leading to the stream. Beside the stream, you'll find a cottage hidden in the bushes where you can spend the night. Rub this potion all over your body, it will cloak your scent but would only last for the night. After that, your fate rests on your hand," She explained.

I listened to her with tears on my eyes. I was battling with my emotions and it felt like a huge lump was obstructing my vocal cord.

"But, how..."

"Go child," She said interrupting me.

"The God's be with you and I pray you survive."

She transformed into a werewolf in front of me and ran off into the woods.

I took the path she described to me and was soon in front of the lake.

The cottage she described was well hidden in the bushes, but I found it.

I pushed the door open with a great force. The hut's interior was pitch black and I couldn't see a single thing.

I quickly opened the bottle that was given to me and started rubbing the content all over my body.

It had a nauseating smell but I rubbed it anyways.

Afterwards, I laid on the cold floor of the hut shivering.

The image of my mother being torn apart kept on replaying in my head depriving me of any sleep.