The Human Mate

CHAPTER EIGHT -- Attacked

 Raven Lynn Stone

The Hunter Organization training grounds were not really that far, so we just walked to get there to warm up. I was really curious about something, so I asked my company on the other side of the street.

"Tell me, Jason, why do the people in our school treat them differently?" I curiously asked, causing him to look at me, and smiled.

"I thought you weren't going to talk until we get there," Jason chuckled as he decided to walk towards me. I glared at him, I have noticed that's he's wearing his hunter clothes again.

"Fine fine, there was a big terrible issue that has happened before that includes them, rumors spread that they can change into a werewolf form," Jason explained, causing me to stop on my tracks, so he did the same.

"What?! What issue? And that rumor was the reason why some of the students call them an animal?!" I shouted out in rage causing his face to crunched up in confusion.

"It's odd... I thought you would freak out about why they can change into a werewolf form," he mumbled causing me to raise my right eyebrow.

"What's weird about that? I can watch 20 movies on Netflix for just a day that's weirder for me and isn't it cool to have mythical creatures as your friend? And was it confirmed before they have believed it?" I asked, causing him to be more confused about what I have said. He shook his head and laughed before answering me.

"You see, an animal has attacked the University a year before you got here, they were called Rogues," before he can even continue, I have asked him a question again.

"Wait, what are Rogues?" I asked him innocently.

"Rogues are werewolves that have run away from their pack to live on their own in the wild. Usually, rogues run away because they don't like their Alpha or the pack itself, other than that they're very evil. I think someone has noticed that their group were the only MIA when werewolves suddenly appeared out of nowhere and started attacking the rogue for the safety of the students, there they have concluded that animals were studying with us in our University," Jason explained patiently, causing me to be more confused.

"How could they treat them like that? They have saved them and how sure we’re they if they're really werewolves?" I bit my lips while asking, I don't know why I wanted to defend them so badly. Maybe this is the reason why they're being isolated from the rest of the students, it's really cruel!

Again for the second time, I saw the side of Jason that doesn't go out very much, he smirked wickedly and said:

"I was the one who saw one of them changed Raven and I won't tell you who it was cause we have made a deal. Unfortunately, some of my so-called friends accidentally spread the rumors that their group was the only ones missing during the attack," Jason mumbled making me frown. Seriously? Should I believe him about this? I want to ask him about that werewolf, but it looks like he won't really say a thing. I stared at his face for a long time and it looks like he's telling the truth though.

"Why did you tell them?" I asked slightly disappointed, causing him to shake his head exaggeratedly.

"N-No I wouldn't do that! We have made a deal, what I mean was my friends might’ve spread those rumors making the whole school hate them and started bullying their group because they're always together," Jason explained himself, I forced myself to breathe heavily to calm myself down. Students inside that University were really a pain in the butt.

"Do you hate werewolves, Jason?" I asked him a personal question this time, and he stopped walking again.

"More than anything else," he said with hatred etched into his bare face.

"What? Why? But you have made a deal with one," he must be thinking I'm being too inquisitive right now, can he blame me? I have lots of unanswered questions in mind.

"It's different, one of their kind killed my mother and the deal was to help me find the killer of my mother so I will keep his identity hidden," he said as he continued to walk, leaving me in shock upon hearing his statement.

"I-I'm sorry that I asked but are you sure it was a werewolf that has killed your mother? Wolves and werewolves are very different from each other," I tried to explain, but he just shook his head.

"It's okay we have been moving on but whatever it is, I know that it's still one of their kind that has killed my mother. I have studied about them before so I know some stuff" he said and we continued walking in silence, maybe this is also the reason why Jason Lee became a hunter. After we have finally reached the training grounds he faced me like he was going to say something, so I waited.

"I won't let you be unsafe especially when you're with them you're too important to me right now and you should know that," he said as he pats my head, flashing his genuine smile showing his cute dimples before leaving me. Weird, what does he mean about that? I shook my head and approached the woman that was been waiting for me.

She has this ginger bright hair and brown eyes, weird tattoos covered most of her arms. I coughed when she blew the cigarette that she was puffing right in front of me.

"Oh? Hey there you must be Raven Lynn Stone," she said while throwing her stick on the ground and stepped on it to let the fire die.

I waved my hands exaggeratedly, so the smoke won't get to me. I really hate cigarettes, they smell awful.

"Y-Yeah I am," I answered, but she only smirked and told me what I have to do first.

The training grounds were placed on an unused, abandoned Gymnasium with an enormous oval. It was a perfect place to train your stamina, agility, strength, speed, and more.

"I'm Poms since this is your first day, go run 10 rounds on the oval, 50 crunches and 50 push-ups got it? After that approach me so I can teach you the basic self-defense tactics," Poms informed me, so I just nodded and did what she had told me.

After my 10 rounds on the oval, I desperately tried to inhale a lungful air trying to regain the air that has escaped my whole body. It's really been a long time since I have run so this is a bit exhausting.

After resting, I did my 50 crunches and 50 push-ups of course I have the time to complain about how much it hurts on my upper and lower abs, but I still managed to finish it. After that, I went to see Poms again.

"Defensive Tactics focuses on principles and practical aspects of personal safety, it also covers methods and tactics of practical self-defense including alternatives for situational defense strategies. It also provides rigorous conditioning exercises such as developing skills in perception, analysis, escape, compromise, avoidance, blocking, and many more," Poms explained, so I just nodded. She also told me that since wild animals were mostly our enemy she suggested focusing more on critical thinking skills and how to escape especially when I'm not using any weapon when I have accidentally encountered one.

Everything we did was exhausting, other than the lessons of how to think critically she has also taught me some skills like Krav Maga. It combines wrestling, boxing, judo, karate, and other forms of martial arts. Krav is known for being a great use in fighting or an actual self-defense scenario, Poms said that Krav Maga was really easy to learn since it focuses more on reflexes and natural reactions.

I don't really know what happened today, but I just know that after my training, Poms complimented me saying that I'm a quick learner so I'm sure I did great even though I feel like I'm going to die because of exhaustion.

After I went home, I can feel my knees wobble like springs after it was stretched. I drained myself too much today, I need a sweet long rest.

I immediately went upstairs after reaching our house my mom called me to eat dinner, but I didn't bother answering her, I took a bath and change into my nightdress before jumping on my comfy bed.

After I have closed my eyes, Images of Zionel and my friends flashed through my mind like a movie scene. Instantly, I have remembered what Jason and I talked about earlier, is it really true that they're werewolves? I sighed remembering their hurt expressions.

If they are, there's nothing wrong with it right? As long as they won't hurt others, I admire wolves and werewolves, so I hope they won't mind if I still want to be their friend. I shrugged and snuggled on my warm blanket to rest. I'll just talk to them tomorrow.

**

I was planning not to go to class today because my body was still exhausted, but my ego betrayed me so here I am, alone in the center chairs again. I've glanced at my watch, it's almost 6 p.m. they haven't attended three subjects today. How long will they avoid me that they have to skip classes?

I also tried texting Zionel, but he hasn't been replying.

I immediately felt a pang in my heart, what did I do to make them hate me this much? I don't understand... I sighed when the bell rang, I haven't seen one of them anywhere in class, the lockers, or even in the cafeteria. I went to my lockers to get my things before going home my class is done for today, I can hear the human bees buzzing around the corners saying that they have abandoned me.

I bit my lower lip and slammed my locker the moment I have heard that, I felt a tear ran down my cheeks so I immediately wiped it, what is wrong with me? I exhaled and thread my lavender bag lightly on my shoulders as I went to my car and drove home.

"Mom? Dad? I'm home, are you there?" I called out after entering our house, but no one answered. It's really quiet, I went to the kitchen and saw a letter plastered on the fridge.

"Darling we have a meeting today in the Organization. There's a cake in the fridge and we will be back late. Love, Mom,"

I sighed. So, they're out huh? I just shrugged and went upstairs to get change after that, I have decided to watch a movie on Netflix to buy some time before my training when I heard something crashing in the living room.

What was that? I immediately grabbed the lampshade near my bed and went outside to check. I was planning to call mom if she was that, but then I remembered they will be home late and if they ever get home early they will call me immediately so that sound downstairs was definitely not my parents.

My heart was pounding rapidly, I just had my first training yesterday why is this happening now?! I tried not to make a sound until I have reached downstairs, it's so freaking quiet I tried to peek from the living room and was shocked seeing the door and the center table were wrecked.

What the heck happened here?! I gasped when I heard something growled behind me. I slowly eyed our kitchen and saw a big black wolf with intense blue eyes growling at me like it was ready to attack. I covered my mouth due to shock, I slowly tried to move my feet to go upstairs, but it just growled even louder and ran after me.

"AHH!" I screamed and threw my lampshade at the wolf which was a bad idea cause I made it angrier. I ran upstairs, stumbling while trying to get to my room to lock it. I screamed hysterically when the wolf banged its head that almost destroyed my door. I ran to open my two-way door towards the terrace s**t! Dead end? Think Raven! Should I jump? I'm going to die!

When the wolf finally destroyed my bedroom door, I locked my two-way door and didn't think twice to jump on my terrace, maybe because of the adrenaline rush I didn't felt the pain after I have landed on the ground on my bare feet, I ran so fast away from our house and went towards to the woods, the leaves and bushes were like slapping my whole body as I ran towards it.

I tried to glance back to see if the wolf was still following me, but before I could even check I didn't notice the large root of the tree on my way causing me to roll many times on the ground after I have tripped. I groaned in pain after my body slammed on some tree, my breathing was almost close to hyperventilating as I checked my aching legs.

"S-s**t! Ahh!" My legs were bleeding because of the large wounds, my arms were now covered with bleeding scratches and bruises, I started to cry so loud after feeling all the pain that has suddenly affected my whole body.

To be continued...