Something to Prove

VIII

"Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is."

It's interesting the way the body reacts to danger before your mind can even comprehend what is really going on. My muscles tense on command, my palms become clammy, and my vision becomes heightened in the dark. There are three men rushing into my room, each with weapons in their hands with the intent to kill me.

I only have time to sit up before one of the men grabs my foot that's outside the covers and pulls me off the bed. I hit the hard wood floor, hard, and groan. The man holding my foot begins to pull me again so I use all my strength to push myself up and wrap my arms around his neck. With my weight and force combined, I'm able to pull him down over me. I push him over me and he lands heavily behind me with a thud.

Another man grabs me by my shoulders and pulls me up. He pulls a knife out and thrusts it forward at me, but I block it by forcing my hands around the knife and pushing his arm to my left. I use the force I've already created to push him forward into my side table where he hits his head on the corner and goes limp beside my bed.

The last man grabs me from behind and slams me against the wall, with my back to the wall.

"Daddy can't save you now," he grunts from behind his mask. He has my hands pinned to the wall on either side of my head. I struggle against his grasp but it's no use.

I glare at him through the slits in his mask and raise my chin a little higher. "I can save myself," I respond confidently and then throw my head forward. My forehead connects with the bridge of his nose. There's a loud crack at the blow and the man immediately pushes back from me, clutching his nose and yelling. He tears off his mask to reveal a man I've seen before. A warehouse worker, an older man with freckles all over his face.

"You've betrayed the gang," I say angrily, my hands balling into fists at my sides. "You've betrayed your family."

The first man that attacked me hops up quickly and throws me against the wall, my head hitting it hard. I cradle my head, waiting for another hit but nothing comes.

"You've betrayed us, and now you've caused a war. We'll be back Skylar Morris."

The three of them stumble out of my room and once I know they're gone for good, I let out a cry of pain. I keep my eyes pinched shut, trying to get the stars to fade from my vision. It feels like a lifetime before I hear someone run into the room.

"Sky!" Zack yells and rushes to my side. "Oh jeez, Sky. Don't worry, you're safe now."

~~~

"I'm fine, really," I say quietly as I press the bag of ice onto my head. We're all sitting at the dining room table in our pajamas. I'm in the middle chair, Bash to my left, Marilyn to my right, with Zack, Jax, and Dean across the table.

The guys had explained how the three men that came into the mansion had tied something around their door knobs so they couldn't get out of their rooms when they heard all of the commotion.

"What I don't understand is why the alarms didn't go off," I mumble. I set the bag of ice onto the table and sit back in my chair, rubbing my temples. "I set them before I went to bed. There's no way they could've disarmed it. We're the only ones that know that code."

I look around at my family. Bash runs his hand through his hair, looking just as confused. Marilyn looks stressed, but seems to be holding it together alright. Dean is sitting with his arms crossed, looking exhausted. Zack chews his nails nervously, glancing at Jax every so often. My eyes finally land on Jax who looks sick. His naturally tan skin looks paler than normal and he won't lift his gaze from the table.