The Beast Within Us

Chapter 10: Familiar Faces

Candice instantly jumps to her feet. Anger burns in her eyes. She walks up to me, so close that I can feel the heat that radiates of her body from all the rage she is producing.

Why do I have to be so foolishly brave?

Candice scans the crowd. They all take small steps back, maybe to avoid her wrath or to avoid my blood that she may splatter everywhere.

No matter the many outcomes that now run through my head, I never break eye contact. I clench my fist and wait for whatever is to come.

After some time her face softens.

"We start training very early in the morning," Candice says. "Don't make me regret this... Dalia..."

The crowd disperses and Candice walks away. I slouch over, placing my hands on my knees, and take in deep breaths. A figure clouds the sun and I look up to see Jason looking down on me.

"Can't believe you fought Candi. Again!" He says.

"Wha- You told me to!" I exclaimed.

"I didn't think you were actually going to fight her." He shrugs.

I stand.

"So you would have let me get killed?" I asked.

"Better for me." He says. "I wouldn't have to babysit you anymore."

I roll my eyes and walk away from him. He follows.

"I should be the one complaining how I am stuck with you." I point out. "If you hadn't found me-"

"If  I hadn't found you, you would still be wandering aimlessly around until you end up being killed by a more aggressive pack!" He says.

I sigh. I didn't want to say he was right, but he did have a point. If I had not gotten into that little scuffle with him I could still be moving around looking for a place to hide until eventually I am caught and killed.

"So... did your family disown you?" He asks suddenly.

I look at him, confusion plastered on my face. "Why would you ask such a question?"

"I mean your mate rejected you, you ran away, I'm just trying to connect the dots here." Jason says.

"No," I respond. "No, they didn't hate me. They have always loved me as if I was their own daughter."

"Own daughter?" He repeated. "So you're-"

"An orphan? Yes." I answer. "They found me as a baby with only a few possessions on me. They took me in. I owe them my life."

"That is... nice." Jason says.

"Things didn't stay nice," I say. "Years later, when I was around 3 or so, my step-father was killed in battle. He died saving others, giving them another chance at life while his was taken away. What hurts the most is that he was never honored as a fallen warrior should be."

Jason knit his eyebrows together. He frowns, "That's not right."

"Yet it still happened," I say. "But we moved on and grew up. We never forgot. My family is strong. I love them."

I stop instantly.

"My family..." I quietly repeat. "I have to call them! I need to call them! They have to know I'm ok!"