Chapter 2: Alarmed

Delaphine and I made our way to the front of the large crowd waiting for the meeting to begin.

"What horrible news will they give us now," I heard a female worried voice within the crowd.

"I don't know," someone answered her. "It must be about more hunters being killed by werewolves."

Delaphine right hand held mine tightly, I could feel how scared she was of what horrible news we were about to receive. I could feel her hand trembling. I stared at her seeing her lips too began to tremble. I wished I could tell her that everything will be alright, but I didn't know if it was going to be so. Over the years werewolves seem to grow in numbers and have been killing an insane amount of our kind. Everyone was very worried that one day they will attack us over the wall and kill every one of us, causing our kind to be extinct one day. They were too great in numbers.

The loud chattering of the curious crowd became silent as we saw our leader Bazaar Wharr accompanied by 7 of his strongest werewolf hunters. Werewolf hunters were the ones who search for werewolves and capture them so we can learn about their weaknesses. Over the years they have managed to find one weakness of them and that was metal or the piece of iron I saw within the werewolf boy I foolishly saved years ago. It can weaken and kill them if aimed at the right spot of their body.

All eyes gazed upon Bazaar a 40-year-old white hair and dark eye man. He was in his armour with his sharp sword at his side. He was quite fit for his age and looked younger.

"Everyone of Dumble Dock, we have brought you terrible news," he spoke loudly staring at us above the stage.

My eyes widen frighteningly like I was stabbed in the heart with a knife, and I looked around me petrified. Everyone stared at Bazaar alarmed and very curious to know what the news was about.

Everyone soon began to panic shouting that they were all dead and the werewolves had won.

"Calm down everyone! calm down!" Bazaar shouted.

We all did, but still, I could feel my heart racing within my chest and my best friend's hand clutching mine tightly with great worries.

"Don't you all worry, the werewolves can never attack the walls for we have found another weakness of theirs and that is wolves' bane," said Bazaar.

The crowd was so silent been told about a new weakness of the wolf that if you drop a pin, you would surely hear it.

"This plant is so powerful and deadly that it can weaken and kill a werewolf right on the spot, Bazaar continued. We have managed to find some deep within the forest and are now planting a number of them to kill those horrible creatures that have made our lives miserable."

Everyone shouted.

"So, what bad news have you brought us as well!" I heard a man yell behind me.

The crowd again was very silent.

"We've made an encounter with a powerful werewolf that had killed a dozen of our men by just howling at them," Bazaar told us.

The crowd again began to worry, that werewolf can be a great danger to our wall. He could destroy what had been protecting us from being attacked by them for years.

"Calm down everyone, I said calm down now!" Bazaar yelled hitting his sharp sword at the edge of the stage.

"Let us not have a panic attack over this werewolf, he warned us. My men had been investigating him. So far, we found out that he's the leader of all the werewolves, they do whatever he howls to them to do, and he seems to be the most powerful of his kind because of his supernatural powers and his blood-red eyes that make him look like a devil werewolf."

The description of the new werewolf leader hit me hard, knowing who exactly he was. Suddenly, I felt like I couldn't breathe. My heart was beating too fast, my feet were becoming weak, and my head felt dizzy. I felt like I was going to faint.

"Red," Delaphine called me.

Both hands shook petrified as I felt like I was going to die. I grab Delaphine. I found myself falling onto the ground.

"Someone help me!" Delaphine yelled for help.

I lay on the ground gasping for air. I saw everyone surrounding me and Bazaar our leader who was now standing before me looking down at me.

"You're going to be okay red-headed girl you're just having a panic attack," he told me.

"Someone help her home!" Bazaar shouted.

I found myself being lifted by Turner.

"I'm going to take you home," he told me as he held me like a baby in his arms.

I nodded as I cried.

"I'm right behind you," I heard Delaphine as she followed us.

Before I got home, I found myself getting back to my normal self. I could now breathe properly, and I too could walk on my own now.

"I'm fine Turner, you can put me down," I told him.

Turner didn't, he continued to walk with me.

"Turner please put me down," I again told him.

"I won't let you walk home you still look a bit lightheaded," he retorted.

"I can walk on my own now," I fought my way from his arms.

"Red, please stop it and allow him to help you," Delaphine said as she stood before us.

I stared into Turner's eyes gravely and came out of his arms.

"Thank you," I acknowledge him.

Turner gave me the deadliest look I've ever seen him give me and spun around walking away from us quickly.

"Why are you being so rude to Turner when all he ever did is be nice to you?" Delaphine argued with me.

"You should go home as well, I can walk on my own," I told her wanting to be left alone.

"Fine! Delaphine yelled. I hope along the way you fall," she quarrelled as she ran off upset.

I watched her with tears in my eyes as I did, hating by sudden rude behaviour. It was not who I am. I was miserable hearing that the blood-eye werewolf boy I had saved was now the most powerful werewolf that could be the one who end all humans. I cried running home.

As I reached home, I went to my room remaining to cry knowing that everything that was happening was my fault. If I had allowed him to die none of this would have happened. I wished so badly that I could turn back time and change everything. My dad, my brother and all the people within my village would be alive now.

"It's all my fault," I cried. I allow him to kill my family and the people of my village."

My eyes were soon swollen from crying.

"Red," I heard my mom call outside of my bedroom.

My door slowly opened, and she came in, a beautiful blonde-haired female in her late 40s. I had her green eyes but my dad's bright red hair.

I sat up.

"Are you feeling okay now?" she asked concerned as she sat on my bed and her hand rested on my forehead.

"Hmm...," I answered her.

"Good, I cook some stew do you want some?" she asked.

"I'm not feeling hungry right now mom," I told her.

"Okay, get some rest for tomorrow is the partner selection day," she told me.

I nodded knowing no matter how I wasn't interested in it I had to be a part of it, what was worrying me was being a mother at the age of eighteen when I didn't want to. I wish I could escape from it, but I couldn't.

The entire evening, I sat in my bed staring at the walls of my room while I recalled repeatedly the horrible mistake I did. My horrible mistake had taken many lives and now I was going to make it take even more lives.

I heard the trumpet. It was normal to hear the trumpet coming into the dust. Every 7 pm as soon as the place had started to get dark. We were signalled to lock ourselves within our home and our farm animals safely within their pens.

"Red please help me lock up!" I heard my mom.

I ran from my room ensuring all iron windows were closed and the door was. We then locked ourselves in our room with a sharp piece of iron for protection. It was a procedure we had to follow even though no werewolves ever managed to come over our walls still we had to do it. I place my sharp iron before me and lay on my bed covering my entire body with my sheet.

"Hah...... a werewolf is within the wall! I heard a loud shout that made me sit up frighten in my bed.

"Everyone don't come out of your house so we can protect you!" I soon heard one of our werewolves' protectors.

My mom ran into my room and we both stood with our backs turned against each other preparing to put down any werewolves who ever tried to enter our home. I could feel my mom's body shaking against mine, as we heard loud screams outside.

"Whatever happens promise me you will run," my mom told me with tears in her voice.

I shook my head not wanting to as I cried.

"Mom," I called to tell her what I foolishly did years ago and that was I had allowed the blood eye beast to be alive today.

"False alarm," We both heard our werewolves' protectors.

I exhale in relief and didn't bother to tell my mom the horrible secret I had been carrying for 12 years. That night my mom didn't leave my room she slept beside me, I watched her as she slept knowing I was the cause of her being a widow and for losing her only son.