Stand Tall, Mate

NINE

Avery

Pure bliss. That's how it felt to let my Lycan free. I sat back and watched as she tore Xavier apart, limb from limb. My Lycan was hungry for blood, and I had no issue letting her have free reign. I have kept her locked away for too long. 

I heard the tearing of flesh and continued to watch as she tore through everybody that tried to hold her down. When I had first shifted into my Lycan form, I was alone. The transformation was so painful, I thought I was going to die. My bones broke in odd ways that I had never seen before, and my skin stretched so far, I thought I would split down the middle. 

After I had completed my shift, I finally had the ability to speak to my Lycan. She had told me that the reason this shift was so painful compared to another normal werewolf or Lycan, was because she wasn't a normal Lycan. I had been given a gifted Lycan, one that stood taller than any Alpha male, one that could conjure fire from the depths of Hell itself. My Lycan was the colour of black ash and smoke, her eyes were the colour of a blue flame and her claws made from obsidian. 

I felt the sharp pain in my side before I snapped back to reality. I watched as a man, half-shifted, looked into the eyes of my Lycan with a smug look plastered on his face. As my Lycan continued to have no reaction to whatever he thought he had done, the man's face slowly fell into one of helplessness. 

I asked my Lycan if I could take control back, and she willingly stepped back. I rush of air hit me as I was thrown to the front of my mind. I looked down to see the man had sunk his claws into my side, almost puncturing my lung. I look back into the eyes of the stranger and smile the same smug smile he had given me. 

I lifted my arm above his head and watched in glorious fascination as his face filled with horror and fear. I breathed in deep, relishing in the scent. I brought my arm down quickly and stuck my claws into his neck, half severing his head. The man's gurgles floated through my ears, and I cackled as his blood coated my already drenched fur. 

I felt a presence behind me, and quickly dropped the body of the man I had just killed. 

"Avery, that's enough now." I spun around, snarling at the new creature gracing me with their presence. I scan the body from head to toe, trying to clarify where I know him from. 

Black hair stood all around his head, and his eyebrows were thick and of the same colour. He was tall, stood at over six foot. He was built like a warrior and scars adorned his exposed skin, bite marks and deep nasty scars that looked as if someone had taken a chunk out of him. I continued to stare, not realising I had shifted back into my human form, completely naked. 

I took a step closer to the man and noticed he didn't even flinch at my sudden movement. Curiosity got the better of me and I sniffed the air around him. Lime and peaches. What an odd combination, where do I recognise it from?  I continued to sniff and get closer to the man, and he continued to stand still, watching me as I advanced cautiously towards him. It was then that I looked into his eyes and froze with horror. 

Green eyes bored into my own and everything around me stood still. I couldn't breathe. My lungs refused to cooperate and my Lycan howled in the back of my head. I continued to stare at the stranger in front of me as his eyes softened, realising I knew exactly who he was. 

"Ave ... I am so sorry." My brother. My only brother, was alive? He never come to look for me, why was he showing himself now? What was happening? I stepped away from him as he reached out to me. Immediately, he pulled his hand back. I looked into his eyes as anger was the emotion to settle. 

"Where were you?" I spat, finally being given the ability to breathe. I stood tall and held my clenched fists at my sides. Wayne opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He looked at me helplessly as he tried to come up with an explanation. 

"I was four, Wayne. Four-years-old when I had to start defending myself. When I had to protect myself from men that only wanted me to breed. Where the fuck were you?" I snarled and took a step closer to him. My heart shattering as all the pain I had to go through without him came rushing to the surface. A sob unintentionally broke through my lips as my brother stood before me, alive and well. 

"I was taken away. I was locked up by the Council for ten years and by the time I got out, I had no idea where you were. Every time I thought I had a lead on you, you disappeared. I have never stopped looking for you. I found out that Xavier had been tracking you, had been following your every move. So, I followed him, hoping it would lead me to you." Wayne sobbed as he sank to his knees before me. I looked down at him as tears fell freely from my eyes and down my cheeks. 

"You left me." I couldn't see reason. I tried to understand that he had been locked up, but I thought him to be dead all this time. It was partly my part because I never sat in one spot too long but I thought he would figure out the clues I had left, a small part of me hoping he was still alive. 

"I left clues for you." I spoke, wiping the tears with the back of my hand. I had always went to states, towns or cities in the order of his name.

W - Wyoming

A- Aspen

Y - York

N - Nevada

E - Edison

I never ever went to any other area without it starting with something in his name. I had hopped he would figure that out and try and track me down that way, he must not have picked it up. 

"I'm so sorry Aves, I never picked up on your clues. I'm here now. I found you." Wayne looks up at me and smiles a little through his tears. I sank down to my knees in front of him too and felt the tears well up and fall from my own eyes. 

"I never went to places that didn't start with a letter of your first name." I sobbed as I covered my face with my hands as I realise that Wayne has been all over the continent tailing me. If I had of slowed down and stopped, I would have my brother with me sooner. I feel Wayne's arms wrap around me as I cried. The first good cry I have had in years. 

"You have grown into such a strong and beautiful woman, Avery. I am so beyond proud of you." Wayne whispers to me as he strokes my hair, just like he did when I was a child. I continue to sob as he whispers soothingly into my ear and I couldn't help but cling to him, feeling a safety net form around me as he held me.