Root Of My Curse

Chapter 4 - Curiosity Killed The Cat

JESENIA

USA – CALIFORNIA

"Didn't think I would get the chance to ever see a lycan in my lifetime" Mr. Elliot says with a certain curiosity in his voice. I spin around to look at him like my hair was on fire. My eyes wide, I look at the gorgeous human in shock. "What?" I ask, my voice shaking slightly. The pairs of Azatelia behind me have now turned around to look at the curious human. This can't be happening. If humans know, there is only one thing to do and that is to follow the law. No one likes taking innocent lives, certainly not humans.

The last time I had no other choice than to take a human life was in 1567. A girl had been walking in the forest at the wrong time. My heart clenches each time I think of the horrified look on the young girl's face. I'll never forget as I ripped her heart out, making the death as swift as possible whilst tears were streaming down my face.

The look of terror in her eyes never left as she drew her last and final breath. I dropped her off near her hometown. For the entire night I sat in the forest, listening to the heartbreaking wailing from the girl's parents, whilst crying my own heart out. I vowed never to be as careless again.

"What did you just say?" Alarico asks whilst gritting his teeth, eyes wide with shock. Words can't describe the feelings of guilt and shame flooding through my body, as I know one of us will have to take this man's life. "I said, didn't think I would- ", he started but I cut him off. "We know what you said, but you don't understand" I snap, walking back into the classroom, hating the harsh way my voice came out.

My family follow after, locking the door behind them. I just want to run away and pray that I heard wrong, but I didn't. This young man's life is going to end because of us. An innocent human life ended at the knowledge of the monsters that lurk in the night. Us. And there's nothing I can do about it, the law is hard, but it is the law.

I look at my family with sheer desperation in my eyes. They look at me and Mr. Elliot with uncertain looks in their faces. Turning back, I see the same look of curiosity in his eyes, making my heart sting painfully. He looks at us expectantly, as if something magical was going to happen. But this was far from magical.

His life will be ended in the next 24 hours, that's the law, and we stick to the law. "How did you know? You're human" Grim states, with the same strong voice as always, however I know he's fighting an internal battle at this very moment. I admire his strength.

"I may be human, but my family is not. My great-grandmother was a lycan but had a child with a human" Mr. Elliot says with a hint of pride at the mention of his great-grandmother. I can sense the confusion and shock from everyone in the room. Why would a lycan have a child with a human when she knew she had an Azatelia out there? It doesn't make any sense. "Why would she bear a child with a human?" Alouette asks baffled.

I'm torn between two options, I can either kill him or I can hear him out. Although none of our elders, or any other lycans, are around anymore does not mean we'll sit around and forget our laws and traditions. We'll honour them.

"My great-grandfather, the human, was her Azatelia" he states, making my jaw drop to the floor. Chills run through my body at this exact moment, could it be? No. It can't be. That isn't possible, we only breed within our race. "I don't believe you, Azatelias are for lycans only, not humans" Lucine says, crossing her arms defiantly.

I feel sympathy for the human in front of us, knowing we will have to kill him, lycan family or not. My mind is drowning in possible outcomes. He can tell the world for all we know. This human that makes my heart beat for the first time in a while can hold vital information of our race that will be left for anyone to discover once we kill him.