Chapter # 105

PAST

I was eighteen, humming to myself in the kitchen while eating some cereal and as an everyday matter, the sound of yelling came from the lounge.

“I can’t live with you anymore, Kane! I am just so done with this life!”

“Do you think I choose to be with you!? If it wasn’t for the kids, I wouldn’t spend a second with you!”

Sighing, I put the bowl down, frowning at them destroying the peace of the home and covered my ears.

I was hoping to cut off their sound but it wasn’t enough, I could still hear the unwanted yelling. 

“Why don’t you take your kids and leave!?”

“This is MY home! MY Pack! If you are so sick of us then get lost!”

Hissing, I slammed my hand down, averting my gaze in frustration. My chest clenched, it was unbearable for me.

‘Shit. What is my use? Isn’t there anything I could do to stop them?’ I thought furiously, pulling my hair.

My father was the Alpha of the Crimson Pack and the Alpha and Luna weren’t an admirable couple.

Always fighting, resenting each other and regretting giving birth to us. That was painful.

It wasn’t… a beautiful time, it was toxic, it used to give us headaches.

As I was scowling, my elder brother with dangerous crimson eyes came, pulling my elbow down so I won’t hurt my hair in dismay.

“Denzel,”

Armiz, my elder brother who always stood beside me, held me close whenever I was saddened or scared.

When I saw him, my worry vanished as I forced a weak smile, “Hmm?”

“Olivia will take time to return, let’s go,” He called, motioning me to follow him.

“Where?”

“Far away from this shitty place,” He muttered.

Opening the backdoor to escape from there and let them continue their fighting.

“But, they?”

“It’s their everyday deal, leave them be,” 

Scoffing, he didn’t care much and dragged me along. I was perturbed about our parents, praying they stop detesting each other and mend their hearts.

Watching them express remorse of being together was gut-wrenching, I wanted them to embrace each other once. 

With gloom, I was hanging my head low as he took me away from the pack’s boundary, towards the beautiful cliff adorned with flowers and a sweet scent.

“Where are we going?” I asked quietly as I had never been far away from the pack’s territory. 

“To a better place, at least,” He smirked dryly, climbing the cliff as it was getting late.

“There you go. Look, the sunset looks amazing, isn’t it?” He smiled sweetly, extending his hands out towards the solace-filled sight.

An orangey shade displayed exquisitely at the sky, compelling my heart from the height we were on, bringing instant glow on my face.

My heart skipped a beat, mesmerized for being able to capture such a heartwarming sight in my mind.

“How do you feel here?” 

“Amazing, it’s so peaceful, Armiz! But..” 

Lowering my gaze worriedly, I turned to him, not sure about staying here late, “Isn’t it a restricted area?”

“So what? I am here, why do you have to fear?”

Shrugging his shoulders, he took out a cigarette and offered me one as well. We both lit it up and smoked.

He was the one who made me smoke under the label of ‘shift your mind from stress,’. I used to always follow his advice so I started smoking too.

Hidden from our father, of course.

He was humming, leaning against the tree. His muscles that I admired were visible through his black buttoned shirt.

He was my ideal, the figure I always looked up to in expectations.

He noticed my stare and asked casually, exhaling smoke in the air.

“What happened?”

“Is that how mates are supposed to be, Armiz?” 

Lowering my gaze sorrowfully, I crushed the cigarette and sat down, closing my legs. I was highly dejected by the condition of our home.

And deep down Armiz was worried I might not harm myself so he kept me in his shadow all the time.

“Don’t they love each other?”

“They both are losers, don’t take them as an example. When I will have my mate, I will show how real mates are supposed to be,” 

He smirked proudly, always holding his head high with no sign of wavering.

I seriously wanted to become like this, all my actions, dressing style. 

I followed him, he was the strongest, the most handsome, most intelligent in my point of view ‘once’.

My elder brother, Armiz Reynolds.

“Just because they are like this, doesn’t mean others will be too.” He advised, standing next to me as I was looking up at him.

And I doubt he could witness the shine in my eyes.

“When I will become the alpha of the Crimson Pack, I will unleash our powers,” He smirked.

Finishing his smoke and throwing it from the cliff, stretching his arms when the darkness began to spread, motioning to me to get up.

“Papa says they are we, they will make us evil,”

“The point of insanity our father had reached- is it any better? Physical or verbal abuse all the damn time,” He taunted, walking away before speaking those words I could never forget.

“And besides, one should embrace their powers,”

“I trust your decisions, Armiz, if you are saying this then you must be right,” I hummed, getting up as well, brushing the dust from my dress.

“But, what if you didn’t become the Alpha? What if Papa refuses because you want to release powers?” I asked in curiosity that merely earned a smirk from him.

“Then one day, Denzel, I will take you and Olivia away from this everyday ordeal,” 

My face glowed, believing in his words blindly along with the longing to attain such a moment too.

“To somewhere where you don’t have to cover your ears while sleeping or feel horrible to return home,” 

I was mentally disturbed and required peace so whenever Armiz found a chance, he took me to markets, to gardens, any place that could soothe me.

“We will built a home, my brother, for each other,”

He grinned, placing his hand over my head as I grinned, staring at the darkness with a relieved heart before turning to my brother.

Knowing as long as he stood beside me, nothing could go wrong, he was my protector.

“I will always be there for you, Armiz. I will never leave you,” I whispered, sincerely that made him laugh.

I was tranquilized that in my brother’s presence, no harm could ever reach me.

“It’s getting late, let’s go back. Olivia must be returning home by now,” He said as we decided to go back after being away from home to find a lull.

I mumbled, “I hope they are done by now,”

“If they won’t be, they will take their rage on us.” He smirked.

“Where were you? Why are you such a burden?” 

When I mimicked our mother’s tone, he laughed a little, patting my back as we decided to return although it was highly unfavorable.

But, when we returned, all we greeted in our pack was houses burning along with outsiders ambushing us. 

“Armiz…!”

“Shit! That is why I wanted us to hold dominance, look what those Dark Moon bastards did,” He growled, scanning the place furiously before transforming into his wolf form that scared me.

“What should we do?” I asked, making a crying face, panicking at the state of our beloved pack.

I got terrified, it was a nightmare for me. 

“They have clearly overpowered us. We have to run,”

“And the pack?”

“It’s the Alpha’s duty, we as individuals should think about ourselves. Get Olivia and Mama. Papa will handle this,” I frowned as he looked away.

Always using vague words, forcing himself to act unccaring as he muttered under his breath in the end.

“We will take them to a safe place and then join papa,” 

“O-Okay,” 

Exchanging a nod with him as he went after those wolves that were lighting the houses on fire to stop them and I went to shelter my family.

“Olivia! Mama! Papa! Hurry! We have to leave!” 

I called hastily but the moment I arrived, it was late.

Instant horror crept on my face.

A deadly shiver went down my spine, frightening me to the core when I saw blood oozing from their bodies.

“No… no, no, no,”

Falling on my knees, their blood coated my clothes and the tears I held back began to spill uncontrollably to the point I ended up sobbing.

“Papa… Mama… Olivia,” 

However they were, they were my parents.

And I loved them wholeheartedly. 

Witnessing their miserable state devastated me. The sound of my wails echoed in the burning place I once considered some.

“No!!” 

Gasping for air, I found a suffocation chaining me into anguish. 

The sight imprinted a nightmare on my soul, ruining my growing years with a stain.

And that night, I lost everything, my parents, my sister, my pack… left with my elder brother who promised to look after me.