The Wolf's Daughter

15 - Shut Out

'You're a monster.'

The very words I'd never wanted to hear come out of Wren's mouth. She stared at me like I was a stranger, hot tears careering down her cheeks. I wasn't sure what to say to her. I couldn't exactly defend myself.

'He's not telling you the whole truth-'

'Did you do these things?' She interjected and my mouth paused, open like I was catching flies. 'Did you?' She pushed the question, fingers digging into the wood of the music box. Pressing my lips back together, I gave a slow nod and a choked sob escaped Wren's lungs. 'It's like I don't even know who you are.' She was shaking like a leaf, her entire body quaking against the altar.

'I'm your dad.' I tried taking a step towards her but she recoiled so hard she almost knocked the altar over. 'Wren, I'm not gonna hurt ya.'

'Forgive me if I don't exactly trust you.' She hissed, voice sarcastic but venomous.

'If you would give me a chance-'

'A chance? A chance?! You ruined mom's life! You tortured her! And you were willing to force her to raise me alone!' Wren wrung her hands over one another, the corners of the music box gliding against her knuckles. 'I think you need to leave Jacob.'

'What did you call me?' I stammered.

'As far as I can see, I don't have a dad right now so...' Wren trailed off, swallowing and turning her head away.

'Do as she says brother. You're making things worse.' Joseph's patronising tone made my blood boil and I whirled on him.

'I told you to stay the fuck away from my family for this exact reason. You're fuckin' spiteful. After everything I've done for ya, this is how ya repay me? All of this because I chose them over you in the end!' Unable to control myself, I threw myself at Joseph and pinned him to the ground.

'God won't let you hurt me.' He gave me that slight quirk of a smile that he always did when he knew he was gonna get his way. Raising a fist, I paused at the sound of a gun safety flicking off.

'Let him go.' Wren directed a pistol right at my leg. Arm still raised, my chest heaved as I stared at her.

'Put the gun down little red. You don't know what you're doin'.' My calm voice radiated through the room but she didn't flinch, barrel still pointing at me.

'I said let him go Jacob.' She growled, thrusting the gun forward threateningly.

'Wren-' A bang resounded at my word and pain tore through my thigh. Reeling backwards off of Joseph, I clutched at my leg and watched my blood run over my own fingers. My eyes met hers staring deeply back and forth. She showed no mercy, still holding the gun upright. The sound alerted the hunters outside and they rushed in, pulling me until I was restrained.

'This man comes here to protest the word of God. Remove him.' Joseph waved a hand and despite my writhing, the many palms holding me under wraps tugged me out of the church. The leather flap closed and Wren vanished from sight, the gun still trained on me until the very end. Tossing me aggressively down the steps, I landed on my front and groaned in pain as the hunters left me on the muddy path. Struggling upright, I looked down at the blood staining through my trousers and huffed.

'So you're my uncle Jacob huh?' My gaze rose to meet the deep brown irises of a young man, probably in his twenties. 'Name's Ethan. Looks like my sad excuse for a father did a number on you.'

'Wasn't him.' I grunted, dipping a finger into the wound and tugging the bullet out. I skipped it across the ground before wiping my brow with the back of my hand. Ethan seemed to study me for a second before speaking.

'You're different to him aren't you?'

'You could say that.' I grumbled, dusting myself off and starting to walk past him.

'The show he's running here, it's not right. He shouldn't be in charge. It should be me. He doesn't even care-'

'I'm gonna stop ya right there kid.' Pressing a palm to his chest, I looked him dead in the eye. 'I'm done with this fuckin' shit show. Done with it. So no, I ain't gonna help ya overthrow my fuckin' brother okay?' Shoving Ethan a little, I limped by without another word. I just wanted to be alone, seemed like it was the best way for me to be in the end. Passing through the gates of New Eden, I listened to them clank behind me without a backward glance. Once again I'd become an outcast. Alone. All alone. Trudging through the woodland slowly, I grunted with each footfall. Pain radiated up my leg from the gunshot, my veins feeling like they were popping as blood continued to spread across my trousers. Wounded, alone and walking across the great expanse, my mind started to waver. The trees melted away into desert dunes, ever-ongoing. My footsteps became heavier as I tried to grip onto the uneven ground, mouth growing dry.

Water. I needed water. The hot Arabian sun beat down on my mottled skin, scars burning a bright pink. They were almost sizzling. Energy levels were low, all the food was gone. All of Miller was gone. I had to fight the urge to vomit at the thought, peeling my helmet from my sweaty head and tossing it onto the ground.

'C'mon. C'mon.' I mumbled, tongue so parched I thought it was going to peel away from my mouth and tumble from my burnt lips. Keep moving, keep moving, keep... moving.

My knees buckled and I landed hard on the ground, spots dotting behind my eyelids. My breath became laboured as I tried to push myself upright again. A shadow cast over my fallen body and I looked up, expression turning to a deep glower.

'No fucking way!' They grinned, placing their hands on their hips. 'It's you!'