Halfbreed

Chapter 4

When she entered the woods, the thought hadn't crossed her mind that she didn't know her way, especially through hundreds of large trees. Heavy pants left her plump, pink lips as she continued running, tears brimming her eyes for the second time that night. Her heart pounded so hard that she heard it loud and clear in her ears, her legs moved so fast she actually considered joining track for a moment, and fear filled her veins faster than an Olympic runner. She was terrified and lost in a large dark forest, and she wasn't the only one occupying it.

Stumbling, she took yet another right turn, nearly tripping on a fallen branch as she did so. She hadn't looked behind her. Not even once. The thought of looking behind her and seeing a golden-eyed creature following her terrified every cell occupying her body. When she still saw only trees and more trees in front of her, a sob escaped her lips. She didn't know where she was, and she had no idea how to get back. She wanted to keep running, but her legs were getting weaker and weaker by the second, and her lungs felt like they were about to burst right out of her chest along with her pounding heart.

Finally, her legs gave out and she tripped over an old trunk, landing with a thud on her shoulder. Lilith groaned loudly in pain, another sob leaving her lips as she slowly sat up. She was in pain, everywhere. Her head pounded and her chest hurt. The soles of her bare feet were torn and battered, bleeding onto the leaves beneath her. Her eyes burned with the tears and her shoulder throbbed from the fall. And talk about unattractive snotting.

Looking around, she forced her blurry eyes to focus, frantically looking all around her in search for the golden eyes that she'd spotted only minutes before. But there was nothing. Just the sound of the night air and the brisk wind ruffling the leaves above. Still panting heavily, she slowly allowed her body to fall back, her eyes sliding shut briefly. Lilith knew it wasn't safe to just let herself succumb to the exhaustion clouding her brain, so she forced her eyes open, tears continuously sliding from the ducts of them and onto the flushed, pale skin of her cheeks.

Just when she thought she was a bit safer than before, the crunching of leaves startled her, making her heart jump with fear once more as she stood up quickly and faced the direction the sound came from.

What she expected to see when she turned around was the golden eyes that were probably going to haunt her dreams. But she most certainly was not expecting to see a male standing in front of her, staring down at her with confusion and slight concern.

Lilith backed up a bit, gulping as she wrapped her arms around herself in a protective sort of manner. She didn't get a good look at the male, all she could make out were the curly black locks and bright blue eyes that seemed to glow with the moonlight above them. Or, at least she hoped they were glowing because of the moonlight. Her hands shook with fear as she took another step back, almost jumping out of her skin when his voice cut the silence in the air.

"I'm not going to hurt you.." He spoke, his voice soft and sweet, smooth like honey. And if she wasn't so terrified at the moment, she probably would have melted at the sound of it.

Lilith swallowed thickly once more, staring at him with wide and frightened eyes. She considered snorting at his comment, thinking how cliche it was for him to say that, but once again she was terrified so the only movement or sound she made was the heavy breathing and the quick and shaky movement of her chest as she did so.

The male took a careful step towards her, causing Lilith to jump once more as she attempted to step away. But luck was not on her side and the trunk she tripped over a few moments before was back for revenge. The back of her knees hit the hard oak, causing her to stumble as she let out a startled yelp, but before she could fall backwards onto the trunk, a hand caught her wrist, keeping her from falling to her possible death. Or, unconsciousness that is. The male gently pulled her, lifting her back into standing position. The movement was so quick that it caused her head to spin, and she stumbled forward and onto the stranger in front of her.

And at that moment, she had no control over the darkness that swallowed her.

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Deja-Vu was an understatement when she woke up, aching all over and staring up at the familiar brown ceiling of the cabin. A soft sigh slipped past her chapped lips as she let her eyes slip shut, attempting to block out as much light as she could considering it made her head hurt more than it already was.

After a few moments of allowing her body to get used to the fact that she was conscious, she took one large breath of air, filling her lungs with the oxygen, before letting it out slowly as her eyes fluttered open again. This time, instead of staring up at the ceiling, her eyes met with her mother's bright blue ones, which were currently laced with worry and concern. A soft sigh escaped her lips, avoiding her mother's worried gaze as she slowly sat up and rubbed her temples, attempting to make the pain go away even just a little bit.

"Lil-" Her mother started after a moment, but Lilith held her hand up, halting her mother's words as she took another deep breath.

"I'm fine. Just a headache." She spoke, her voice raspy and harsh against the sensitive skin of her sore throat.

"Are you sure? You're quite pale, honey.." Her mother spoke softly, worry dripping from every syllable. Lilith nodded and glanced towards her mother, her eyes softening ever so slightly at the sight of her mother's puffy red eyes. She cried...

"I'm sure, mom...I just had quite the scare in the woods, so that probably explains why I'm pale.." Lilith spoke, her voice soft and sad. Her mother nodded and stopped speaking, looking down at her own hands before carefully reaching out to grab Lilith's.

No matter how mad she was at her parents, the feel of her mother's touch calmed her and she was able to relax against the bed she was sitting on.

"I'm so sorry, Lilith..I really am. Don't be mad at your father, it wasn't his fault. I was the one who made the call to not tell you about what you really are. But I did it for you, baby girl...I did it to give you a normal life...." Her mother sighed softly and squeezed Lilith's hand gently as a soft sniffle filled the air.

"But I guess I didn't take into consideration the consequences of my choices...It never crossed my mind that when you came of age, the Sagewater mark will appear before you...I'm so sorry, my baby.." Tears slipped down her mother's cheeks, startling Lilith. She'd never seen her mother cry. Not once. Her mother was always so strong and smart, and it broke her heart to see her mother cry. Sighing heavily, she pulled her hand away from her mother's hold only to pull her mother into her arms, burying her face in her shoulder.

"It's okay, mom...I understand...I'm sorry I freaked out on you guys..I was just scared. I am scared..terrified actually. All my life I've been convincing myself of something that I'm not, and now that I know the truth, I don't know what to do...I don't know where I'm going to go from here..." Lilith spoke softly after a moment of silence between her and her mother. Sniffling softly, her mother lifted her head and brushed the tears from her own cheeks, which were already drying, before pushing Lilith's pure white hair back behind her pointy ear.

"My sweetheart, I know you're scared. I know. I am here to help you through it." Her mother smiled softly at her, putting Lilith's heart at ease.

"This is just the beginning, the first chapter of your life just started. Don't be scared of what the next will bring. Or even the one after that. Just look forward and keep going, and everything will fall into place for you. We will be here by your side through it all, baby girl." Her father spoke from behind them, causing Lilith to turn her head and smile softly as she grabbed his arm and pulled him into the hug with her mother.

"I love you guys..." She finally said, softly as she sniffled lightly and hugged her parents closer, whom, in return, held her closer.