Broken Dreams

The Start

Waking up from a terrible nightmare I sat frozen in my bed. The sweat that drenched my body now soaked the sheets I lay between.

The nightmare had been so vivid that part of my sleeping self thought it was real. How could it be real? It was just a nightmare.

Raking my fingers through my hair my lips parted and I exhaled a deep sigh that was no doubt a scream just moments before. Nightmares had always plagued me for as long as I could remember. Sometimes I would wake screaming, other times I would wake crying but lately I had learned not to trouble my parents with such childish things and usually just rolled over and went back to sleep.

Unfortunately for me I could not do that this time.

The terror I had felt was more real than any other night tremor I had felt before. I needed to get up and check on things.

For my piece of mind.

Slipping from between the sheets they stuck lightly with the sweat that remained on my body. The cool air that made contact with my skin and drew little bumps to the surface.

Stepping lightly against the dark carpet that covered the floors in my small bedroom my feet were at least warm. I was thankful for that.

I got to the door of my bedroom and pressed my ear against the cool wood, the light beyond the door burned brightly meaning my parents were still awake. Though they worked long hours they often stayed up late into the night talking over a glass or a bottle of wine. My parents relationship was perfect. It was something I aspired to have when I got older but for now at seventeen years of age I was content with my relationships being played out in the pages of my favorite novels.

Being an only daughter in a family of werewolves my love life would be determined by the Moon Goddess but I knew it would be great. I knew the Moon Goddess would provide me with what I needed in order to survive. I was the daughter of an Alpha. I would not be the next Alpha Female but I hoped to live in a position of distinction, perhaps a member of the Council of Seven.

Placing my hand on the brass doorknob I turned it slowly and pulled the door open to peer out into the hallway. It was typically quiet but by the look and feeling of it there was still life downstairs.

Bouncing towards the stairs I merrily took two at a time till I landed with a thud at the bottom. My feet landed on cool feeling wood. In the middle of autumn it wasn't so bad wearing no socks. It wasn't too cold.

Realising it was too quiet I poked my head around the corner and into the kitchen I saw a puddle of red staining the white marble counter top. Shaking my head I smiled,it was obvious one of my parents had spilled their glass of wine.

Pulling myself around the corner I quickly froze on the spot. There beyond the kitchen and in the dining room stood a monster. While my family were werewolves we very much resembled gigantic wolves. The thing in my families kitchen was something else entirely.

Clasped in on hand it held the lifeless body of my mother. Blood dripping from many wounds on her body.

My father was being held by the throat in the other hand. In an instant I tried desperately not to make a sound but I couldn't help it as a whimper escaped my lips. My nightmare had come true.

The monster turned instantly at my involuntary whimper. My father's almost lifeless eyes landed on me, "run Willa," he chocked out. "Go to aunt Till," his voice was strained as I struggled with what lay before me.

Hearing a crack echo through the house in an instant I saw the life drain from my father's eyes. The monster threw both my mothers and fathers bodies to the side as it's dark eyes fixed themselves on me.

I could feel an evilness seeping from the monsters body, it was something dark and primal and not at all what I was used to.

It growled and huffed as if it were going to charge. I needed to get out. Turning on the ball of my heel I heard a crash behind me as I took the first set of keys I could from the side table in the hallway. Running towards the door I fumbled with the lock as I heard a howl so loud it shook the house all the way down to the foundations.

In a panic my hands fumbled again with the lock and the door handle before finally getting it open. Jumping out onto the patio the wolf type monster quickly followed snapping it's jaws at my heels.

What was I to do? Aunt Tilly was almost on the other side of the country. I couldn't drive that far in my state!

Pressing the buttons on the small black key pad a set of lights flickered and a lock clicked as I ran towards it quickly. Three cars sat in the driveway and I was lucky enough to have the keys for the one closest to the road. I was also unlucky enough to have the keys for the one closest to the road.

After what felt like an eternity I made it to the door and pulled it open. Jumping inside I pressed the button on the car and sighed as it started quickly. Thank god for keyless entry and starting. It was literally a life saver.

Kicking the car into reverse the wolf scraped it's way over the hood of the car as it jumped too high. It's claws marking the hood as I sped down the driveway and out onto the street. I needed to put some distance between me and it.

Adrenaline coursed through my veins as I looked the rear view mirror and saw the monster get to its feet. Much to my surprise it didn't chase after me right away and even when I got to the end of the street I could see it morphing back into its human form.

The panic and fear set in the further I got from home.

This was not what my life was supposed to be like!