The Paranormal Side

Chapter 12

I breathed deep, focusing on inhaling and exhaling the chilling October air. My hands were shoved in my jacket pockets, my hair pushed over one shoulder. The grass dampened my shoes with it's wetness and the sky was a swirl of dark clouds. Looks like rain again.

The cemetery gate creaked as I pushed it open, the rusted metal freezing my palms. I followed the sidewalk along the markers, not needing to look where I was going. I had it memorized.

When I finally reached my destination, I bent down to glide my fingers over the indented names. My parent's names.

Steadying my suddenly scattered breath, I sank down crossed-legged in front of the tombstone. I began picking at some pesky weeds that liked to grow in the plot. 

"Hey Mom and Dad," I whispered. My fingers numbly placed the flowers I had brought on top of the tombstone.

"It's been a while, I know, I'm sorry. Things have been bad...spiraling downward. Of course, you probably know that right? You're probably looking down at me with a sad shake of your heads, muttering something about how you should have sent me to a better school or moved to California." I let out a strangled laugh, not understanding the words tumbling out of my mouth. I took a shaky breath, clasping my hands together.

"I wish you were here. I...I don't know what to do," I admitted softly. "Autumn's been kidnapped by Brooke's evil spirit and...Brian...he...." I stopped, tears watering my eyes. Brian.

"I can't do this. I can't. Why should I have to? I'm so young. Don't I deserve a chance to live my life normally? I was supposed to grow up and get married...become a writer and have children. Where did that go? That's what you guys wanted for me... What I wanted for me!"

A strong gust of wind blew my hair in my eyes and I angrily pushed it away, surprised to find my face was wet with tears. When did I start crying?

"I just wish you guys could hug me. Tell me that everything is going to be alright and that you'll take care of it," I said, biting my lip.

"I just want to break down. Just stop thinking. But I can't. I have to find Autumn, save the world from those evil witches, make sure Brooke's spirit passes on, and get Brian back. I have to do all of that. It's like I'm living in a dreamworld. Except it's more like a nightmare."

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out to see a message from Taylor saying to come home because Grams was there. I sighed, a raindrop splattering on my screen. I tucked my phone back in my pocket and got to my feet, brushing my pants off. 

"I love you Mom and Dad," I whispered as the sky opened and their tears rained down.

                                                              **(Brian's POV)**

"No. No way. I'm not hurting anybody," I stated, turning to walk off. Liam's hand grabbed my shoulder and spun me back around.

"Relax, idiot. We're not hunting people. Rabbits," Liam clarified, rolling his eyes.

I set my jaw, giving him a steely glare. My blood was running hot in my veins. I was really getting tired of Liam. I don't like him controlling me.

I shrugged off Liam's hand. His gaze darkened and he stepped back to his position in front of us. "Moving on. We've set three rabbits loose in this fenced in property. In your wolf form, you must find one rabbit, kill it, and bring it back as proof. Only kill one rabbit, understood?"

The girl's nodded, Kayla a little more hesitant. I stayed silent, not understanding. 

"I have no control once I shift," I said, "How am I supposed to do this?" 

Liam stared at me, his posture straight. He smirked. "You better learn control then, because if you fail this, there will be consequences," he promised darkly.

I narrowed my eyes at him, my gaze filled with hate. Kayla piped up, her voice soft. "What are the...consequences?"

Liam flicked his gaze to her and said with a small smile, "Let's hope you don't find out."

I saw Kayla gulp, her eyes fixed on the forest in front of us. Danielle seemed ready, intent on this new task. The question was: would I even be able to shift?

"You going to be able to shift this time, loverboy?" Liam taunted as if reading my thoughts. I gritted my teeth.

"Yes," I answered.

"Need a little encouragement?" Liam asked, his fist clenching. I shook my head, too angry to say anything.

Liam stepped away from us. "Okay then. Let's go, " he prompted.

Almost immediately, Danielle's back arched backward and she exploded into a gigantic dark brown  wolf. I noticed she was still smaller since she was a woman. 

I looked over to see Kayla clenching her fists, glaring intently at the trees until she fell to the ground. Her back snapped and she screamed before shifting into a pale blonde wolf, also smaller. Her and Danielle galloped off into the forest. 

That left me.

Luckily, Liam had gone away somewhere so I didn't have to listen to his infuriating, negative comments. I closed my eyes, trying to think of how to make myself shift. Katie popped into my mind, her beautiful blonde hair and blue eyes sparkling as she looked up at me. A smile grazed my face, thinking of our first kiss when we had confessed our feelings to each other. 

Then, I remembered a few months ago when those evil witches had almost taken her away from me. I thought about all the time her life had been in danger. Of the times I had put her in danger.

My blood turned to liquid fire for the hate I felt for myself and suddenly I was on all fours.

I was a wolf.