Killing On Command

Chapter 8

Zach

My arms ached, and my legs felt numb. I didn't understand what had happened until I looked down at myself. I was lying in my bed, my sheets messy from my usual movement in the night. The odd few smudges of blood on the usually crisp white sheets concerned me until I remembered the previous night. I ran my fingers across the claw marks down my arms, which were now crimson and beginning to fester. My legs were in a similar condition, only they were wrapped up in fresh bandages which I had certainly not put there. 

I sat up, feeling a horrible aching feeling as I rubbed my eyes. It made me feel a little sick, but I still wanted to get up. Alex and Scarlotte were getting married today, and I'd been promising myself that I'd go no matter what. As much as I knew it would kill me, I knew that it would be in my best interest to help her in any way I possibly could. In my state now however, I knew that I would struggle to even do the most simple tasks. Like standing. I called out to my Father, who walked into the room with a glass of water. It was a little dirty, like the usual water in our district of the kingdom. 

"What happened?" I asked the older man who I knew as my Father. My voice was raspy and sounded like I hadn't had anything to drink in weeks. He sighed deeply before even trying to respond to my question. He took a seat at the end of my bed cautiously, obviously knowing about my legs which were not only bandaged, but wrapped up in the bed sheets.

"You don't remember, eh?" He asked, his voice a little sarcastic. He glanced at me quickly before fiddling with his filthy hands, covered in black soot. I shook my head slowly, trying to add up the last few days in my head. Yesterday was a blank canvas from the point of me leaving Alex at the carriage. I don't even remember coming home.

"What happened?" I repeated, slowly and more serious this time. He sighed deeply once more, as if he was trying to avoid the topic. "Tell me." I demanded.

"Okay..." He started. He pointed to the curtains hanging open, which would have been covering the small window if it weren't for the large tears leaving only rags behind. I looked at him questioningly, then gestured for him to go on. "Michael came back last night-"

"I remember that..." I uttered, suddenly remembering the walk home. "Why did he come back?"

"He came to tell us about the Pups," He told me. I laughed. Michael didn't have a dog.

"But-"

"I know what you're going to say, and no - I'm not talking about his new pet." He told me, his face deadly serious. "He was talking about Iris; she's pregnant." He said.

"That's a bit offensive," I joked, smirking a little.

"Zachary, I don't think you quite understand..." He pointed out. I didn't, which said a lot about me. For one, I was suffering from light memory loss, which I was sure would soon return. Secondly, him speaking in riddles wasn't helping the situation at all. "Our family; right the way back to the dark ages - have been a pure blooded Lupine family." He confessed, watching my face drop. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before... But it was too risky. Young Lupines are usually captured and killed by the Lamia family as thanks for the murder of their only born son. I couldn't loose you; any of you." He explained. I merely nodded.

"So what? You decided I looked like a tasty snack or-" I started, but pausing as sudden realization hit me, I saw my Father nodding. "You-"

"We turned you. You're of age now, of course we did." He said simply, as if it were nothing. He stood up. "Drink up, kid. You're gonna get thirsty after the running you did last night." He said I looked at him, confused once more.

"Can I physically turn or something?" I asked stupidly. Of course I could. I'd seen the Lupines in the forest do it as a kid; and it was painful for them too. Especially when they returned to human form.