Alpha Vaughan

Chapter 4

My mind instantly got thrown into a mindless turmoil, and my senses clogged with scents, sounds and sights of things that weren't there.

The putrid smell of urine and aconite. The sweat trickling down my clammy skin. The feel of my bones melting. . . The sound of slow, approaching footsteps.

A whimper filled my ears and I realized I was now sat rocking on the floor, back in Eunice's car. I tried to hang onto the present, but the memories were relentless.

Like a large sea monster, it threw me back into the ocean of my spiraling thoughts, holding me down until I couldn't breathe, until I was drowning, drowning in my sea of memories. My chest constricted and a wet substance slid down my cheeks. I realized I was crying, inside the ocean?

The pungent smell of urine filled my nose, and when I opened my eyes, it was to see father advancing towards me with a large syringe. The point of the needle glinted menacingly before it came descending into my skin.

A faraway scream hit my ears, increasing in volume with each trace of consciousness that slipped into me, until I heaved a large breath and my eyes flew open. In a split second I realized the screams were coming from me.

With a loud creak, the boot opened above me and cool moonlight kissed my skin.

"Shit. Shit. Shit," Eunice frantically muttered above me, pulling me out.

When my feet landed on the concrete, I fell on her.

Eunice's voice cracked as she hurriedly spoke to me, "Oh, Hil. Who did this to you. I'm so sorry. You know you can talk to me. Tell me w..." Her incoherent muttering slowly faded into the back of my mind. I buried my face deeper into the material of her dress, shivering, finding I was really tired. I always got drained after experiencing an episode, as if I had all the life sucked out of me with a giant tube.

We stood there on the empty curb for God knows how long. Cars wheezed past us, windows sliding down to reveal puzzled and suspicious gazes.

When I was sure I wouldn't trip on my feet if I decided to walk, I disentangled myself from Eunice. "Come on, let's get going."

Her teary gaze watched me wearily. "Are you sure?"

I automatically bristled. "Hey, stop that. Stop treating me like that. I'm not fragile, neither am I a child." I turned and made my way over to the car.

I paused when I opened the passengers door. Turning to look at her, I asked, "Well, are you coming or not?"

For a while she stared at me, before seeming to snap herself out of something.

When she got into the car, she started the ignition and I laid my forehead against the window, watching the buildings we passed by.

Termination dust had started to coat the vast mountains, and the people on the road were all bundled up to their teeth. It was nearing winter in Alaska, and unless you had a death wish, you'd do well to go out with ammunition. Ammunition being sweaters, beanies, puffer jackets and whatnot.

"So, here's what we're gonna do tonight," Eunice began resolutely, drawing my attention. "When we get to the club, we're gonna drink our asses out until we get wasted."

Opting to not remind her werewolves couldn't get drunk, or wasted, I nodded.

"And we're going to dance until our feet hurt."

"Got it."

"And not think of anything else apart from the music and alcohol. Not our pack-mates, not your dad, not Lizzy, not... Not your episodes."

With my middle finger, I tucked my hair behind my ear. "Roger that."

"Good."

After a while of navigating our way through twisting roads and forking routes, we drove into a well-lit lawn. Other cars were parked on it, the vehicles extended throughout the wide pasture.