“It’s disturbing.” Savior murmured by the doorway of his house, looking to my sisters. “That little girl was not born out of love; the male werewolf had to force himself on her mother. Werewolves aren’t capable of loving humans. They care nothing about humans.”

“Lies!” The girl shrieked hoarsely from where she was bound. The collar tightened around her neck as she tried to move forward, her white dress becoming smeared with mud. “My father loves my mother!”

Savior’s back tensed and he whipped around to face her when he saw the trickle of doubt on my sisters’ faces. I, however, chose to keep my expression passive as I stood by my Savior’s side. He was right; I needed to be an example for my sisters. However, the sight of the helpless girl and her passion filled words that opposed Savior’s had awoken my curiosity and I wondered, as my sisters and I left to return back to our home, what other things did she claim to be false.

Days passed and Savior never revealed how he came to know about the girl being both human and werewolf and no one questioned it.

“When the time comes,” Savior began speaking one night after he had caught me giving food to her. My heart felt like it had lept to my throat when I had turned to see him and the empty dish that she had eaten from clattered and broke into peices on the grass after it slipped from my hands.“which will be soon, you will be the one to kill her.”

Savior had taken me by the hand after that, and showed me the gun he wanted me to use when I killed her; the small pistol that was kept locked in a wooden box under his bed felt light in my hands. He looked at me as I lifted it, stared at the barrel. “You know how to use it.”

I had nodded after he said that, remembering the times he showed my sisters and I how to handle one of the five guns he had locked away.

Savior also did not travel back to the city after confronting the girl, choosing to visit my home instead and watch my sisters and I read books that I had already countlessly as a child.

Some books spoke of the different vehicles used in the city, the several different everyday items werewolves used and the electronic devices they had, as well as the tall buildings constructed. There were also other books that he had written himself, and they described the ways werewolves use and abuse humans, and how werewolves slaughtered thousands that actively tried to oppose them. With each page I read, my hatred towards them became more and more ensured and Savior noticed this.

“You should be angry.” He breathed into my ear when I passed by him to put up the book after he declared that we would break for lunch. “They deserve your anger. They’re heartless beasts who crave power and submission.”

His fingers gently pulled at the edge of my hair, icy blue eyes never leaving mine. “Do you remember what I told you about how they killed your father, Anya?”

I was unable to stop the tears from rising and my chest rose as I shakily inhaled. “Yes.”

Savior nodded. “Tell me.”

The little girl outside was watching Savior and I. Her face was twisted in disgust and concern as he pressed closer to me. My body automatically moved away from his, back hitting against the door frame when I saw the mounting rage on his face when I hesitated to speak. “Tell me, Anya.”

“They stripped him in front of their friends,” Salty tears rested on my lips. “Made him get on his knees naked, bound. Listened to him plead for his life, made him think that he would be spared, but whipped him to death.”

Wrinkled fingers touched the healing cuts on my cheeks. “Werewolves are manipulators, Anya. They mess with your mind and take pleasure from doing so. I’ve seen firsthand how they managed to convince a group of humans who needed to take shelter from a storm, that they would be safe in their warehouse and would be free to be on their way after the storm passed.” Savior paused, his thumb stroking away my tear. “They left in body bags instead the next day.”

His fingers caressed my face one last time before he pulled away. A satisfied smile was on his face as he watched me regain my composure, my hands going behind my back in a polite manner.

“You’re ready.” Savior’s voice was soft as he slowly ran his eyes over me. “You’re ready.”

************

“Werewolves keep humans in cages,” Savior said out of nowhere later that evening, even though I had already known this. “They invite their families and friends to their houses and the humans are displayed, used for the werewolves’ entertainment. They mock them, laugh at them.”

“You’ve told us this in the past.” I could hear the anger in Sam’s voice, even though I knew the anger wasn’t directed to Savior. She felt what we all felt in this house, that searing, almost uncontrollable emotion that would rise whenever we were reminded about the ways humans are treated.

And Savior knew this as well. His eyes went to mine briefly, his command firm, “Keep on reading.”

I could feel him watching me throughout the rest of the time he stayed inside the house.

**********

The sharp blade of my knife glinted in the moonlight as I sharpened it, the heavy fur coat I wore a strong protection from the midnight chill. The little girl was not asleep despite the late hour, and she had been quietly watching me for awhile after I had thrown at her a blanket to keep her warm.

A drop of blood came from my finger when I gently ran it on the tip of the blade. Pleased, I lowered it to rest by my feet, squatted to lift another knife up to sharpen it’s blade. Tomorrow morning I hoped to go hunting with Sam and Brenda also wanted me to join her to gather herbs.

Water sloshed in a bowl and I watched as Naverna left Savior’s house, barely paying any attention to me. Her gait was fast and her thin arms shook under the heavy weight of the bowl. Her shoulders lowered when she tossed out the dirty water, and I wondered why Savior needed his feet massaged even though he hadn’t walked to the city today.

“You remind me of a woman I know.”

The girl wrapped the dark blanket closer around her body as she moved close to me, her voice low. Hair which had once been bound tightly was loose and stopped by her chin.

I made a small noise in the back of my throat, eyes flickering to Savior’s house. The door was closed.  

“Her daughter went missing fifteen years ago. Her daughter would’ve approximately been three or four when she was kidnapped.” The little girl continued, staring at me hard. My face hardened and a muscle jumped in my jaw.

“Interesting.” I cleared my throat, squeezing the hilt of my knife tightly. The girl recoiled at my snarky tone and she went quiet for a long while, watching me sharpen my blade.

“Your...Savior has been lying to you.” The girl spoke quietly and I dragged my eyes away from my weapon as she continued speaking. “I’ve heard everything he’s been telling you, and they are complete and utter lies.”

I lowered my knife, looking over her skeptically, making her uncomfortable under my blazing gaze. "Why should I believe you?”

“I have no reason to lie to you, Anya.” The girl snapped. “Your Savior has been filling your brain with so much bullshit and it’s unbelievable how he has you and your sisters under his control.”

“My Savior has not been filling my mind with bullshit. His words are true." I hissed, throwing the knife down, outraged that she would say such a thing.

The girl lifted her head heavenward, as if exasperated. As she did this, I could see the red marks on the skin of her neck as a result of the tight collar on it. “Look, Anya. I’m from the City. I’ve grown up in it and I know exactly what goes on in it.”

I leaned forward, resting my hands against my knees. “And Savior has been to the city countless times and knows what exactly goes on inside of it as well.”

A door opened and I watched as Savior leaned against his staff. He quickly took in the scene before him and scowled at me. “Get inside your house, Anya.” He spoke calmly and I rose without a word, only stopping to pause to look over my shoulder as he strode over to the girl and yanked the blanket she held away.

My mind reeled with thoughts of what the girl had told me when I laid down on the cold floor in my house, and that night, sleep did not come to me.

*******

A shadow dropped in front of me and I raised my head to look across blankly to Ivy. A Violet flower was perched behind her ear and her eyes dropped to the wild mint and juniper in the basket I held. She took it from me, leaning forward to say before she left,

“Savior wants to see you.”

I looked down at my clothes, sighing at the green stains that had came from rubbing against wet grass and the mud that caked the soles of my old boots. I looked anything but presentable, but I had no time to change. The urgency in Ivy’s voice was not be overlooked and I sighed, running my hand over my shirt and walking to Savior’s house.

When I first entered, I didn’t see him. The windows were shut tight, and alarmed, I eyed it apprehensively. Throughout the years that I’ve spent in Savior’s house, he had never closed these windows, even if rain was to fall heavily.

I sprang around when the door slammed shut, my hand going to the knife attached to my side. Fingers slowly dropped away when I realized that it was only Savior, but then wariness grew as I watched him shuffle wordlessly to me. A particular piece of wood in the floor creaked under his weight, the staff he usually walked with gone.

“Why did you close the windows?” I took a couple steps away from him as I asked him this, almost stumbling in my hurry.

He walked past me, sitting and exhaling loudly on a chair. The robe he wore was large and the strings which held it on him were loose. His grey beard almost grazed his chest and his fingers delved through the hair, pulling at it thoughtfully.

“You’re nineteen years old now, aren’t you?” He asked this, even though he knew the answer already. He had also completely disregarded my question and I repeated it politely.

“I’ll tell you soon, Anya. I have to say a few things first,” There was a bite to his voice and I felt reluctant anger trickle down my spine. His fingers went to the thick ties of his robe and I followed their movements as he absently pulled at them. My leg hitched backwards when Savior continued speaking.

“When you were a child, your father spoke to me about developing a community with persons strong enough to be able to destroy the werewolves. And I want to carry out what he would’ve wanted. I wanted to save more humans in the city, but that is now near impossible, because of the new security measures they have in place. If it wasn’t like that, then I would be able to create the community that your father and I desire with them joining us here in the forest.” Savior released a long sigh, even though his face looked anything but regretful. “But, there are still other ways to grow a community, you see.”

He stood, the robe parting half-way and I turned my head sharply, closed my eyes, horror surfacing as I realized what he was trying to get at.

“You having my children would be contributing to the expansion of the little community we have here.” His breath tickled my cheek. “And to answer your earlier question, those windows are closed because we will need some privacy when we have sex."

“So what shall it be?” Savior asked when I opened my eyes, head high so I wouldn’t see past his bare chest. “You wouldn’t dare deny me, would you?” His voice took on a dark tone. “I’ve raised you better than that. What will it be?”

I remembered one of the times in which I had denied him of something he asked from me. I had been nine years old, and had refused to continue to weave a basket. My fingers had been sore and my eyes had been tired because I had been up all night doing some of it. But I had received a punishment because of me declining and still remember the irony taste of blood in my mouth after he had struck me.

I knew, deep down, that what happened that morning many years ago would happen again if I refused to abide by him. But my skin crawled at the idea of him touching me intimately and my chest seemed to burns as he watched me.

And so, I braced myself for what I was to receive, my arms going behind me, my voice barely audible as I responded, “No. I refuse."

*********

Just wanted to say thanks to all of those who are supporting the story. (: