Pure Breds

CHAPTER TWO

I snapped my head up to stare at Zephyr numbly, shocked. His eyes flashed to meet mine for the briefest of seconds before he quickly averted his gaze. His expression scared me. I saw pity, and sympathy, but... nothing else. No, this couldn't be right, could it? What was happening? I searched each and every elders face, desperate to find something that could prove my worst suspicions wrong but they all shuffled awkwardly, avoiding my eyes. Shock melted into impending horror as I choked on my dry throat, trying to form a sentence. 

I turned to Zephyr again, panicked, but his face had turned into a blank, stony canvas. Devoid of emotion. No kind smile, no reassuring words, no "Oh Rune, don't look so worried, there's obviously just been some mistake!" This didn't mean anything...right? They had to let me stay, right? I was only one off from 75%!

"How old are you?" Amris whispered quietly and I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me.

"Ei-eighteen..." I managed to croak. Amris looked back at Zephyr slowly, with an unreadable expression. But the stony faced elder just shook his head very slightly, still staring solidly ahead.

"Sorry, little one." Amris bent to murmur in my ear, his words so soft even I struggled to hear them. I was sure my face was still twisted into one of bewildered shock, and I couldn't seem to find the muscles to change it, let alone answer him. He turned to face the crowd with a defeated expression. 

"Seventy-four percent." His voice was low and resigned, but it carried through the clearing and cut the air like a paper cut; quick and clean, trivial at first until the words sank in and collective gasps travelled around the circle. I stared dazedly out at the crowds faces, none of them distinguishable in my dumb stuck state. I wondered if this was really happening. This could just be a nightmare, right? 

There was a stunned silence that seemed to last forever. Everyone seemed to look either shocked or horrified. Join the club.

Suddenly, a hoarse cry arose from the near the back of the crowd, and everyone turned to see where the noise had come from. My mother was rushing forward, shoving people in front of her out of the way as she frantically scrambled toward me. Oh, god...Mum! My sensitive, loving mother...what did this mean? Would they - would they actually make me leave? Banish me? I was a teenager, for crying out loud! How could I leave my mother to fend for herself? I loved her more than anything, more than I loved myself. I couldn't picture myself without her. We were both too shy - too sensitive - to bond with the rest of our loud, boisterous pack members. Oh, Mum...

She stumbled her way until she was standing in front of me, bringing me out of the desperate  thoughts I could feel myself beginning to drown in. "Rune," she choked out, eyes wide. They racked my body up and down desperately, before shifting to stare - no, glare - at Amris who was next to me. 

"This...this can't be right! She's only one off, exceptions have to be made!" Her voice grew higher in pitch, breaking at the last word. My lower lip trembled.

I didn't even realise my eyes had started to swim with overwhelmed tears until I saw my dads fuzzy, watery figure come marching in my peripheral vision. He strode up behind her, his walk just a little too fast to match his carefully calm expression. Probably worried about his reputation - his mate making a scene was unacceptable. I could almost laugh, it was so obvious - though I had known deep down all along, he wasn't going to do anything to help me. Nothing at all.

Grabbing her wrist, he leaned his head down towards my mums. "Liloa," he muttered in her ear, although I knew the whole pack would be able to hear him. "Stay calm. Come back a bit."

"No!" She whirled round to face him. "Tell them she can't leave! The trial is outdated now, you know this!" Leave. Someone had finally said it out loud. Everything felt so surreal as another tear dripped off my chin.