CHAPTER 5
ANNA'S VIEW-
My legs are killing me. I have been working nonstop for the entire day. I think I might collapse if I don't sit down right this instant. I miss my old life and my friends. It has been a year since I have seen them. I can't go back ever to Develontes Peak.
There's nothing much I can do but embrace my fate of being a waitress and a single mother to a baby boy.
I often think about Drake, the father of my son. I frequently think about our weekend together. It was one of the best days of my life, even though he was so cold-hearted at the end. I still have unresolved feelings for him. He said he didn't kill my father. I believe him. I was so stupid for believing Colonel James and getting involved in their scheme to bring down Drake's family. I never should have messed with the most prominent family in Develonte's Peak.
Drake's great-great grandfather was one of the founding fathers of our town. How could I be so careless? And not know that he has eyes everywhere. It cost me my life. I should've dug deeper, but it's too late now-my fate is sealed.
I wonder if Mathew, my son, has the werewolf gene. He hasn't changed into one for the full moons that have passed. Legend says that on his eighteenth birthday he will change. That was his destiny, and there was nothing I could do to change the fact that he's a werewolf.
I love my son, but sometimes I can't stand to look at him because of his father's wicked family. Even though Drake didn't kill my father, I bet that one of his family members did it, and Drake covered it up. I saw on television that the murders of Develonte's Peak were rising every month. It gave me shivers down my spine. I thought about my friends. They were the ones I considered family. I often prayed for their safety. I didn't give a damn about the committee. They left me out to die.
I can't worry about Develonte's peak. I am in New York now. I am safe from werewolves. I am a waitress now at one of the busiest diners here. I weigh on people for a living. It was something I never dreamt I would be doing, but I am glad to be alive.
No one from Develonte's Peak is aware of my whereabouts, and I am happy with that. Drake banished me from there forever, and he destroyed my phone as well as all the evidence I had of him. I don't care about that life now. I am a mother now, and my son is my life.
My shift is almost over, and I get to go home to my son. It has been a long day. The sun was already down and the moon was out. It was a full moon already. It didn't bother me. I never needed to worry about getting home after dark.
That's the difference between Develonte's Peak and New York. There's no woods here, just bright lights and homeless people on the way home. They were harmless. I grew to like it here, although I miss home, but I keep comforting myself that maybe Drake would show mercy upon me and allow me back to town.
My boss Greg called out to me. He called me by another name. I am no longer Anna. I call myself Nancy now. I forged a story that I am a former druggie with a crack baby who wants to better her life. That's how I landed this job. Some of it is true. It is a new life. I wanted a new start and, leave my old one of supernatural occurrences behind.
I swung around to find Greg behind me. "Hey! Nancy! Didn't you hear me call out to you? Are you deaf?!" He growled at me. "No, I am sorry, Greg. I was attending to this table before I left. My shift will be over in fifteen minutes, so I just want to wrap things up here.."
My voice trails off. I couldn't backchat with him even though I evaded most of his sexual advances he made toward me. He was a vile man, but I had to suck it up because I needed this job since it had daycare. "Whatever!" He shoed me. "You can leave early, Nancy," he said.
"Thank you, Greg," I said in a grateful voice. This was the first time he'd ever sent me out early. "I will be here early tomorrow, I promise." I told him. "If you are alive, that is," he mumbled to himself. "What?" I said, looking all confused at him. "I said nothing, so get out of here, before I change my mind!"
I raced out of there in no time. I was getting chills running up my body as I walked in the streets. Normally I would have felt safe, but not today on this particular night. I took the short cut I always took. There were no lights there, and I was often warned that 'no good thugs' hung out there. I didn't care. I felt brave, and I told myself that if I could encounter a werewolf and still be alive, I could deal with anything. I wondered around the alley, but today, it was different.
I couldn't explain it, but I felt afraid as I did that night at Drake's mansion in the woods. I could hear panting- it was unusual, not like a normal dog. My body felt cold, and my instincts were off the charts as they warned me that I was in danger. I tried to ward off my feelings and just carried on walking.
I sensed that I was being followed. I heard footsteps behind me. When I turned around, there was no one there. That was awfully strange, I thought to myself. Probably I was imagining it all. This was New York, not Devolonte's Peak.
I heard a growl, and I didn't look back. I ran, and the growls got louder. I was too afraid to turn around. My wildest nightmare had come true. A werewolf was chasing me in the night. I panicked. It was like dejavu. Was it Drake? Did he track me down to finish the job? I gasped for breath as my legs pelted. I never knew I could run that fast. It was almost like I had some kind of strength from a divine superpower.
My legs were suddenly not giving up anymore. That surprised me. I was still fearful, and I prayed that I would reach safety as soon as possible. I was cornered by the beast. I had accidentally run into an alley. There was no way out. The creature came and scraped my face. Blood dripped from my face. He then scraped my leg, and I cried in pain.
I was helpless yet again, and I thought I was going to die this time for sure.
His jaw opened, and all I could see were massive teeth. I closed my eyes and prayed silently. My son's face flashed before my eyes. I didn't want to die this time. Last time this year I was prepared to die because I didn't have anyone to live for. Now it was different. I was a mother. My son was my salvation. I could feel the wolf being pulled off of me. I opened my eyes, and I saw a familiar wolf, warding of that wolf that attacked me.
It was Drake. I recognized his eyes. He was far different from the wolf that tried to harm me just minutes ago. Drake was bigger in size, and his eyes were more subtle. My feet turned to cement. Blood was dripping from my legs. It hurt badly. I stood there like a statue, only my body trembling in fear. I heard Drake commanding me to run, but I couldn't.
"Run now! You idiot!" Drake shouted. "I can't!" I yelled out to him. "My legs are bleeding, and I don't think I can move them," I said, seeping with physical pain.
"Then hide, or else you will die!" Drake instructed. "She won't escape me, Drake!" The wolf shouted out to Drake. "Leave her alone! Drenmore!! Your fight is with me." Drake ordered the wolf. "I think not, my dear brother! I told you that day at the woods that I was going to come after her and kill her!" Drenmore said.
"Why do you want to kill me?" I asked the wolf with fear in my voice. "Don't get involved, Anna. This is between my brother and me!" Drake shouted at me.
He caught a hold on the wolf and held his neck. "Go now or else!" Drake ordered me in a high- pitched voice. The wolf growled and tried to get away from Drake's grip. I had no idea what was going on. Why was this wolf after me so badly? Did Drake tell him I knew their family secret? There were so many questions that I had.
There was no time for that now. I had to get away from here as soon as possible or, else I would become 'wolf food'. I was lucky that Drake came here in time to save me. Drake had much more strength than the wolf that tried to kill me. I didn't look at them, and I limped as fast as possible. I had to go far away as fast as I could without turning back. I tried to run, but my legs couldn't make it.
I held the walls and made it out of the alleyway. It seemed like Drake made sure that the wolf didn't chase me. It was completely dark, but the moonlight shone and directed me out. Finally, there was light when I came into the bright streets. I told myself that never again am I going to take a short cut home, especially through a dark alley. I knew now that I wasn't safe anywhere. The werewolves were after me, and now I have to be on the run with my son.
I gasped for breath and collapsed on a bench on the sidewalk. I was too tired to go any further, and I was in immense pain. I wiped my face; luckily it stopped the bleeding, but I couldn't say the same for my leg. It was covered in blood. An elderly lady found me on the bench. She insisted that she take me to the hospital. I declined, and I told her that I would be fine. She warned me that if I didn't attend to my wound immediately, I could lose a lot of blood.
She immediately called the ambulance, even though I protested. The paramedics came immediately and questioned me about the wound. I couldn't tell him that a werewolf scratched me. He would've never believed me, and beside, I couldn't tell anyone about Drake and his family or else I would be killed.
I told him that stray dogs had scratched me. He told me that it was strange because there was no news about any stray dogs in the area. He notified me that he would have to report this incident to the police and the dog pound. My heart sank. I thought of Drake, and I hoped that he wouldn't think that I was the one who had reported the incident.
There were so many details that needed to be clarified. I didn't know what was going to become of me. I didn't know if the wolf was going to come after me wherever I went. I was afraid for myself and my son. I lay helpless in this stupid stretcher when I needed to go home and escape with my son. Trudy, who looks after him, had no idea where I was. What's going to become of me? What's going to happen to my son?
Oh my God! My baby.
I was in the stretcher stressing myself out when I took a glimpse at the corner and I saw Drake the wolf hiding. I had mixed emotions. I was scared yet excited to see him. I then wondered what happened to the wolf that attacked me. Is he going after my son? I was too groggy to think anymore as the paramedic administered a sedative for the pain.
As the ambulance door closed, I thought I saw Drake look at me. Probably I was hallucinating. I didn't know. I dozed off …..