Howl - Brieanna Boyce (free novel 24 TXT) 📗

looks like.”
I blinked in shock, I had never seen one before, or at least I had thought.

“Leeches like her killed your mother.” Shawna hissed accusingly.

I thought back to my mother, her motionless body, it was odd than to think that no emotion would ever light up her eyes again. To know that this girl, was like the ones who took my mother’s life away… I felt my body shake with rage. Her lips were stained with blood, she had taken another’s life, and it was obvious.

The girl hissed, everything of her demeanor was animalistic and cruel. I walked toward her and Shawna let her go. The girl bolted her feet moving lightning fast, but I launched myself behind her changing in mid air. “You must kill her Kale” the alpha male’s voice echoing in my head. We both were joined together although he controlled most of the actions. We both ripped her apart as she screamed loudly than I bit down on her breast, ripped out and ate her heart, than the girl grew silent, her body limp. Only then did I change back, panting due to the adrenaline rush.

Most days and nights from there on out we spent hunting vampires. Cyrus, O’Leary, and Shawna all taught me how to better my speed, my fighting, my killing, and even hiding the bodies. They taught me everything they knew. Than later on O’Leary would teach me what he had to go through to be an alpha male. “When you’re an alpha male,” he explained, “your life no longer belongs to you, you live to serve others, although you lead everyone it also means a certain amount of commitment and dedication. You are responsible for maintaining balance throughout the other pack members and you must put their feelings, and their thoughts above your own. You must make decisions that will decide whether the pack will live or die. So a great burden is placed upon your shoulders. With all that said,” he smiled, “it can be very rewarding.”

I gulped nervously, “Do you think I can do it?”

O’Leary grinned, “I think you’ll be the best alpha male that ever lived kid.”

I couldn’t help but respond with my own wide grin, although it scared me, although I wasn’t too sure, O’Leary had confidence in me and that helped me bear it.

Than on the morning of my fifteenth birthday I walked out into the kitchen and sat at the table. I waited patiently as the hours ticked by, but at midnight no one was around, I looked into the living room “Hello?” I peeked into the bathroom and when I saw no one I checked Cyrus and Shawna’s room, to no avail. Finally I went into O’Leary’s room, no one was there either. At first I thought maybe they had just gone to get something at the store, any store but then I looked down and saw a note by O’Leary’s bed, I picked it up reading.

Hey Kid,
I think this is the hardest and will be the hardest thing that I will ever have to do. I know it’s your birthday and today of all days was probably not the best time to do this, but Cyrus, Shawna, and I have to leave. We dragged this out much longer than we should have and for that I apologize. You cannot come with us to our great despair, and although we all love you like a son we cannot hinder you anymore. We have taught you everything you will need to know to survive on your own. You are an alpha male Kale, you cannot deny it or try to stop being it. It’s a part of you, you need to leave, to start your own pack, and if we did not let you leave, we would eventually fight until one of us dies. If that were not the case than I would not be leaving at all, I know you will make a great leader and I know you’ll make me proud. Someday we will meet again; I hope it’s sooner rather than later.

Love Your Family,
O’Leary, Shawna, and Cyrus


That was the beginning of me being an alpha male, of starting my own pack. I still kept that letter with me and often hoped to see them all again. I didn’t tell the others about Cyrus, O’Leary, or Shawna. That wasn’t important, like O’Leary had always said; I have to put my packs thoughts and feelings before my own. However hard that may be.

I wondered why I was remembering all that just now, I was supposed to be following Skylar’s scent but for some reason it reminded me of the past, I couldn’t help but wonder what O’Leary, Shawna, and Cyrus would think of her. I would like to think that they would like her. I followed her scent to a home belonging to two leeches, I felt my heart beat painfully onto my chest and I hoped, I prayed that Skylar wasn’t becoming one of them.


Skylar
I sat up right away and sniffed the air, there was a new small that wafted in between the scent of Jessica and Lestat, it was a comforting woodsy/earthy smell that was so familiar, I hopped out of bed and looked around sniffing the air again. It couldn’t be… was it Kale? I must be going insane, and yet I couldn’t help the nervous fluttering in my stomach, or the quick beating of my heart, or worse yet the idiotic hopeful smile that spread over my face. I ran out of my room and darted outside, barefoot. I looked around but I saw no one, I sighed and rubbed my head sadly disappointed.

I groaned, “Kale you’ve turned me into an idiot.” I shuffled back inside disappointed.

Jessica walked up to me and touched my shoulder, “Are you okay dear?”

I shook my head at my own stupidity, I had completely forgotten about how I’d cried and stormed into my room when Jessica was just trying to feed me breakfast. Not to mention I kicked Lestat.

I sighed, “I’m terribly sorry I haven’t been very polite to you and Lestat. You both have been so gracious to me.”

Jessica shook her head smiling, “No dear, it’s alright, changing and going through a new life can be very challenging, and leaving your brother and father cannot be easy.”

“No,” I sighed sadly, “not in the slightest, but I have no excuse to behave the way I did toward you and Lestat, I apologize for my behavior.”

Jessica smiled sympathetically, “No need, here follow me,” she brought me into the kitchen and reheat up some of her breakfast which I devoured, not without feeling guilty.
“This is amazing,” I said, well that’s what I had meant to say but my mouth was full so it was more like, “Thishfkh isjdk amajskjdlk,” Jessica chuckled and scolded lightly, “No eating with your mouth full.”

I heard a knock at the door and I felt my head pop up, I couldn’t help but hope it was Kale I shoved food in my mouth as quickly as possible. Jessica raised an eyebrow, “Are you expecting anyone?”

“No,” I blushed, I wasn’t expecting someone but I was defiantly hoping to see Kale.

Jessica looked at me skeptically obviously she didn’t believe me. I heard Lestat open the door, “Who are you... you’re a friend of Skylar’s I trust… alright just a moment. Skylar a boy’s here to see you!”

I jumped off my stool and bolted to the door, than as I saw the figure there I slowed down my hopeful smile once again turning into a disappointed frown. Tristan was at the door his arms were crossed and his look was brooding, “disappointed?”

I sighed, was I really that predictable? Oh well, it was my fault, what was I expecting Kale to walk straight into a vampires home? “What do you want Tristan?”

Tristan frowned, “I want to talk to you.” He then looked at Lestat with a polite “this is a private conversation,” look. Lestat looked to me and I nodded than he left the room.

Tristan walked into the living room and sat on the couch I sat in an armchair across from him. Tristan looked down at his hands twiddling his fingers.

“Tristan, which you is the real you?”

“What?” Tristan popped his head up looking surprised and a bit caught off guard by the question.

“Well… I loved the Tristan I knew all my life… The kind one, who would never have done half the things you’ve put me through since my transformation… you’re another person.”

Tristan sighed and rubbed his head, “Skylar there are still so many things you don’t know about… it’s not… that simple, when I am a “human” I don’t have to worry I can live an average life. When you were human I could act human around you… I planned to.”

I frowned, “and you would’ve never told me?”

Tristan sighed, “No I would’ve seemed to grow old with you, you would die and I would leave.”

I thought about it and it didn’t seem too bad, growing up with the old Tristan, in fact that is what I often dreamt of, but now we weren’t the same people, neither him nor me. I hoped that changing species didn’t mean I changed but through all these experiences it would be foolish to think I hadn’t. I was different and so was he. It was odd really, us reminiscing a not so distant past. I closed my eyes and envisioned it all than opened them. That door had closed like so many others and now I had to accept the present situation. I would be lying if I said I didn’t have any feelings for Tristan but that didn’t matter.

For awhile our conversation was overwhelmed by silence but then Tristan cleared his throat. “Be very careful Skylar, the queen’s changed her full attention on you; she’s brought her top guard’s to investigate the murders, she now knows you are in New York.”

I gulped, “Should I leave?”
“If you do,” Tristan said thoughtfully, “You should be really inconspicuous.”


I rubbed my head and paced, “okay, I think I can manage that.”

Lestat walked into the room and wrapped an arm protectively around me, “That is all you may now leave.”

I gaped at Lestat who was glaring at Tristan, It was astonishing really, Lestat was being really rude but he was being protective… like a dad. I felt tears well up, was this how normal dads were? Did someone actually care about me that way, I should have been mad but I couldn’t help it, I was touched and a little happy. Jessica walked in and pet my head, “No honey, no more running.”

Tristan looked at the two, “ignore them Skylar, I know the queen personally and you can’t imagine how evil she is. She gets enjoyment out of suffering, she will find you and make you suffer, of that I am positive, right now she sees you as a threat and she will make an example of you.”

Jessica hissed darkly, “We know more what we are talking of than you do.”

Lestat smiled a dark shadow crept over his expression mixed with a mischievous grin, “We have put one queen down now we will do it again.”

Jessica pouted looking deeply vulnerable to this. “Leave us,” she said frankly, “Leave us now!”

Tristan looked at them both and grimaced but bowed and left the home with a more than disdainful look in all of our direction. Lestat pulled