Inevitable // Chapter 4

•

Haille Calista

My hands shoot up to my eyes, shielding from the unexpected blinding light that seems to light up the entire room. I ask Chandler what was happening, nothing but silence came out of my mouth.

My eyes uncontrollably began blinking rapidly, adjusting to the intense lighting. Doing so I heard faint voices around me. Surely no one else was in the room, so where on earth did the voices come from.

Seconds ticked by, slowly my vision came back to me allowing me to see that I was no longer in a very expensive and pristine office where a very annoying but attractive man stood. Instead, I lied on a bed in a familiar room whose own I realize belongs to Zoe.

Over me stood mom, Zoe, her parents and a guy I failed to recognize.

"Who are you?" I asked the unknown guy who stood over me. Though I doubt he understood because of how raspy my voice was. It felt as if I had just woken up but at the same time, it feels as though I was never asleep, to begin with.

The tall guy looked skeptically at mom as if he was silently asking for permission. Mom gives him a mere nod which rose my suspicions.

"Tony." The guy said, "Are you feeling okay?" He suddenly asks, guilt filling his eyes as he studies me with his brown eyes. He looks to be about my age with his short chocolate hair done in a boyish haircut, his tall slim figure leaned over me studying my face waiting for an answer from me.

I sat up from my position of laying down not liking the feeling of being looked down upon by everyone as if I was a fragile glass that would shatter at any second.

"Yes, I'm fine," I say waving him away. "What's going on?" I finally ask, noticing everyone shoulders visibly relax, yet, the moment the question was out I felt a new thicker tension fill up the room.

"Mom?" I ask first hoping for some sort of answer. Her eyes immediately widen as she glance over at Zara for assistance who looks over at Mr. Venera who looks over at Tony whose gaze finally lands on Zoe. "Zoe."

Her eyes slowly drag over to me widening when she realizes I was talking to her now. She not-so-discreetly looks around the room for some sort of escape from my oncoming wrath.

"Zo–" Her name wasn't even fully out of my mouth before she runs straight out of the room. I stare at the door in shock at how quickly she disappeared from the room. Before I knew what I was doing or anyone could stop me, I was jumping off the bed and chasing Zoe.

There was a restraint on my legs keeping me from running as fast as I'd like, looking down I notice I was clad in Zoe's black dress. Despite the tight material wrapped around my body, it didn't stop me from actually noticing how fast I was running as well as Zoe who seemed to be moving twice as fast as I was and I, myself was running surprisingly fast for being in a dress.

My determination set on catching Zoe kept me from fawning over how fast I was moving. Zoe made a sharp turn around a corner heading quickly for the exit to her backyard. I followed after her, finding myself slowly gaining up. She makes it to the backyard and takes a leap over her fence surprisingly not getting caught on the tall height of it.

"What the–". My mind couldn't process what was happening. The only thing I could think was to catch her and get some answers. Nearing the fence, I inhale deeply, silently praying I didn't nick myself on her fence or worst, get stuck, I jumped in time to grab the top of the fence to haul myself over.

When my feet lands with a thud on the other side of the fence I grin in triumph. Almost tempted to do a little dance at my small achievement. I look up and notice Zoe halted running, staring at me from a few feet away. I bet she assumed I wouldn't have made it over the fence.

"Zoe, please. Stop running" I say loud enough for her to hear. I took a step forward the same time she took one back. The sky was starting to grow darker with every passing minute, making our surrounding seem eerie. Behind Zoe's house sat a large forest which we stood at the edge of. I took another step forward and as if her life depended on it she turns and sprints towards the woods.

My teeth clenched, annoyed as I once again take off after her. I could feel a change in my entire body almost as if I was made for running through the dark woods, hunting. My senses are sharper, clearer, my speed increases, and my reflexes react faster. The next thing I know I am on top of Zoe, pinning her down to the forest floors.

A surprised scream flew past her mouth as she frantically began squirming in my grip trying to get away. "Zoe," I said, my voice sounding thicker, raspy probably from the chase, trying my hardest to keep her still. "Zoe." I try again

Why was she trying so hard to escape me? It was honestly becoming annoying. I only want answers and everyone keeps avoiding or dodging my questions. "Zoe!" I say more forcefully this time ceasing all movement.

Slowly her eyes met mines reluctantly, and I felt her whole body tense up. "Deli-Haille" she breathed as she stares at me with frantic eyes.

"What? Why are you staring at me like that?" I asked feeling myself becoming anxious before I noticed what she was about to call me.

"W-what did you call me?" I asked incredulously. She didn't nearly call me that. She couldn't have. It's impossible she nearly said the same things as Chandler. It almost sounded like she was going to say–

"Haille?" She uneasily questions still staring at me with wild eyes and an unreadable expression.

"No, before that. You were going to say Delilah" I say, hoping she would prove me wrong.

Her face completely pale and stares at me in horror. "How–What–Who told you?" She stutters over her words in disbelief. "How do you know that name?" She finally asks.

I open my mouth to respond only to close it back. She was going to answer my question before I would even think about answering hers. I was fed up with everyone avoiding my questions.

"What is going on?" I countered. "Why was that guy there? What is happening to me? Why were you looking at me like that? And why did you almost call me Delilah?" I fired one after the other.

Zoe stared at me as if she wanted to be anywhere other than here. Realizing that I wasn't leaving until I got answers she sighs in defeat and finally replies"It's a long story. You have to promise me that you'll keep an open mind and not freak out until after I finish.

I frowned not knowing what she meant but nodded nonetheless. This is what I wanted, hopefully, things would make more sense when she finishes.

•

I had no idea how long Zoe and I had been out here, in the middle of the forest leaned against a tree as Zoe explained everything to me.

To be honest, I almost laughed in her face when she told me she was a werewolf and I was both a werewolf and a vampire. Ridiculous I know. However, her glare was enough to make me shut my mouth and realize how dead serious she was being. As she continued I note how smart she had been to make me promise not to freak out.

She explained how she was a she-wolf and the club we had been to was a supernatural club.

"Wait, The name WV–" I trailed off, hoping she'd understand what I was trying to say.

"Yes, it meant Werewolves and Vampires" she answered.

She also explained the reason why nobody interrupted her and David during their whole escapade, because that was her mate. Which is in her words "Your other half, your destined soulmate."

Tony, the new guy from earlier, turned out to be a vampire who knocked me unconscious with his weird superpowers or whatever she said. Her parents also turned out to be werewolves. Her dad is the Beta wolf, and Mom being a fighter wolf.

"What about my mom?" I ask "And what is happening to me? I keep hearing things I shouldn't and I was just running inhumanly fast!" I point out still waiting for answers to my question.

"I told you already." She sighs exasperatedly "You're a hy–" her words were abruptly cut off by loud rumbling growls. They sounded as if they were coming from all directions.

Zoe's head whipped from left to right, scanning our surroundings. "We're surrounded." She confirms. I stare in horror as her teeth start to elongate and her nails turn to sharp claws. I stumble back against the tree still not used to...that.

"S-Surrounded by who?" I ask, not taking my eyes off her bared teeth. In a word, they looked terrifying. I've never seen anything like it before, but I couldn't find myself getting to worked up about her when I felt as if something more threatening was out there.

Turning away from her, I scanned my surroundings only to find trees and darkness. Although I couldn't see them, I could definitely feel their presence lurking around us, watching us. And it was a lot of them.

"Lone Wolves," she says, letting out a snarl towards the trees ahead of us. "They're the idiots who either left their pack or was kicked out of their pack." She quickly explains, almost as if they heard her they let out another snarl.

I hear a twig snap making me turn in the direction it came which was behind me. "When you say lone wolves, do you mean were–"

"Yes," she cuts me off her voice becoming gruffer. "When I say run, you have to run. Get back to the house and get mom and dad."

Just as I was going to ask her what she meant I heard blood chilling cracks coming from Zoe's small body.

"Run!" She screams, her voice sounding nothing like her. It was more of a beastly growl rather than her usual loud feminine voice.Her bones began snapping in ways they were not meant to bend, her clothes ripping to shreds, and a long coat of fur protruding from her once smooth skin, her small body slowly grew bigger and wider fully shifting to a large wolf-like animal.

This is not happening.

I'm a werewolf. Her words echo in my head like a broken record. I didn't believe her, yet here she is fully transformed into a- dare I say it- werewolf.

Her head snapped towards my way, her eyes glaring at me upon seeing I was still there. I finally released the scream that was lodged in my throat as I saw something large, bigger than Zoe, lunging straight for her. It knocked her down onto her side, pinning her down as it bared its teeth to her, foamy saliva falling from its mouth.

Her head turned towards me as she let out a loud growl, almost as if she was telling me to run. I refuse to leave her here alone with God know how many of these wolves and whatever else is out here. I couldn't leave anyhow. My body felt stuck watching the horror in front of me.

I feel useless, I can't even change into anything to help my best friend. I can only stand here and watch as these animals attack her. The large wolf snapped at Zoe who used her hind legs to kick the wolf off of her. Another wolf appeared out of nowhere chomping down on Zoe's front leg earning a whimper. Suddenly I snapped out of my daze, realizing that wolf, my friend, needed help.

I turned and ran, feeling my adrenaline pick up as I sprinted through the trees back towards the house. As soon as the house came back to sight, I already saw both Zoe parents running towards the back of the house.

"Where is she? What happened?" Zara asks looking behind me probably looking for a sign that Zoe had somehow escaped with me.

"She's still out there" I explain breathless pointing the direction in which I came, still not believing of what I just witnessed.

"Get into the house." Mr. Venera shouts as I watch both of Zoe's parents charge towards the woods. They dashed towards the wood ripping off their clothes as they neared. Suddenly both of her parent's body transformed into large wolves seconds before they disappeared into the darkness.

I couldn't wrap my head around everything. Everything I thought I knew was a lie. My best friend was a wolf-beast and apparently so am I, and half Vampire.

So many questions swarming around my head, yet so little answers.