Chapter 1: [REVISED]
1309 Words
[REVISED]
N: Daily Updates starting Oct. 1. Happy Reading !
Seri's POV
"Run, Seri, run! Run!" my mother shouted as I watched the flames behind her get bigger and bigger. It was quickly engulfing our territory. Our home. My home.
The sound of death screams and the smell of blood and smoke from the fire filled the air.
"Sweetheart, please!" my mother grabbed me by my arm as she looked at me in desperation.
Tears streamed down her ash covered face, and she cupped my face.
"Seri, you need to go. Run as fast as you can. Run as far as you can go. Get away from here. Quickly!" she said.
"But mom you...dad..." I said in a tiny voice as my own tears streamed down my own face.
"We'll be right behind you, sweetie" she choked out.
My mom gave me a small smile before giving me a kiss on my forehead.
Then, I saw my father running towards us.
"Seri, cupcake, you need to go now" my father said with urgency as he pulled me away from there. Despite all the chaos, he still managed to call me ‘cupcake’ with his ever so gentle eyes.
We stopped just meters away from all the chaos and both my parents looked at me with a sad and worried expression.
"You need to survive, Seri. You must, okay?" my father said.
"Dad..." I muttered as my tears kept falling.
"It's going to be okay, cupcake. We’ll come looking for you. It’s a promise." he whispered into my ear, and he hugged me before planting a kiss on the top of my head.
"Now, go" he said and gently pushed me.
I looked back at them before I started to walk away.
And then I ran.
I ran as fast as I could. As fast as my little legs could manage.
The screams and the scent of blood and fire still lingered in the air as I ran through the dark woods.
Tears streamed down my face non-stop as the wind hit my face.
I wasn't the fastest runner nor was I the most coordinated, but I was doing my best to get away from there just like my parents instructed.
As I was running, I suddenly heard rustling not far away from me.
My heart thumped inside my chest as I kept running without a break.
Then… I fell.
I felt extremely terrified and instead of getting back up, I ended up staying on the ground.
I crawled to a bush nearby and I covered my mouth to stifle my sobs.
From the tiny space of the bush, I saw a dark gray wolf.
And then suddenly, its eyes pierced through mine.
I gasped awake.
My eyes lingered around as if trying to search for those eyes, and I gulped as I sat up.
I was sweating like crazy.
I sighed as I held my head.
Another night. Another bloody nightmare.
Or should I say memory.
10 years.
It's been 10 years since everything happened.
10 years since my whole life became all messed up.
10 hunted years.
My parents never made it.
They were not able to get back to me.
I survived but almost everyone else from my pack is gone.
They're all...dead.
It’s just me now.
And me?
I ended up in a werewolf orphanage.
I was only 8 when it all happened.
I lost my pack.
I lost my home.
I lost my parents.
I lost my family.
I lost everything and everyone.
At the age of 8 years old, I lost everything there is that I knew of.
I don't how I even survived.
Or how I even managed to end up where I am now.
And today...today is the same day I lost everything.
It's also the day of my birth.
Unfortunately.
I looked at the clock on the wall.
5:55am
I took a deep breath and carefully got out of bed.
I grabbed a change of clothes and a bath towel before walking to the common bathroom.
I quickly washed up and got dressed for the day like usual.
As soon as I was all freshened up, I went to the kitchen and saw Mr. Adams helping everyone.
Then, he turned around and he saw me.
"Seri. Good morning, kiddo" he greeted me.
"Good morning, sir" I greeted back politely.
Mr. Adams gave me a smile and motioned for me to come to him.
"Let's get ready for the day, shall we? We've got a lot of mouths to feed" he said.
I nodded.
Mr. Adams runs the orphanage with the help of many others.
They get their funding from donations from other well-off packs and wolves from all around.
Mr. Adams is a wonderful person. He is the orphanage’s foundation.
He took me in when no one else ever dared to.
After looking around, I started helping in preparing the already cooked breakfast.
Everyone was busy so early in the morning preparing meals for the other orphaned young wolves here.
The cooks normally wake up at 4 in the morning to start preparing everything and I usually wake up at 5 but I woke up late today. It’s not much of an issue but I always feel guilty when I don’t wake up early to help out since everyone else was doing such big parts to accommodate us.
I've been helping out for as long as I can remember.
I'm quite close with the older people here and the little kids as well.
Well, it's not a shock considering how I grew up here.
I spent most of my life here because where else will I spend my life, right?
No one else will take me.
No one.
I'm not the type to be picked to be a pack member or to be part of another family whatsoever.
Why?
Because I'm just this weak she-wolf who is considered ’not-worthy’ at all.
I've been hearing that since I was kid and even more in my teenage years growing up as the orphaned she-wolf.
It especially got worse when I finally got to shift into my wolf.
There are a lot of things that other wolves will say about me.
None of which are good.
And I get it. I get them.
I get why everyone is always looking down on me.
Even I look down on myself.
Even I doubt myself way too much.
Even I question my presence and existence.
Even I despise my whole existence.
I understand. I understand it very well.
I sighed at the thought.
"Are you okay?" Mr. Adams suddenly asked, and I snapped back into reality.
I nodded.
"I'm fine, sir" I said.
"Are you sure, Seri? You don't look too good" he commented.
"This is how I always look, sir" I said.
"Seri, that's not it" he said.
"I really am fine, sir. You don't have to be bothered because of me. I apologize for being a little bit out of it" I said.
"Seri..." he muttered.
"Mr. Adams!" someone called for Mr. Adams.
Mr. Adams looked back at me and sighed before excusing himself.
I continued preparing breakfast for the kids and when we finished, we got into our stations as the clock hit 8:00am.
The kids started coming and we served them their food as they lined up.
When all the kids finally sat and settled down while eating, we got ourselves our own breakfast and sat at a table together.
I put down my food tray and I too started eating as the older women started chatting amongst each other.
Just then, Mr. Adams came, and he suddenly put something on my plate.
I looked at it and saw a chocolate muffin.
I looked up at Mr. Adams and he smiled at me. A warm and genuine smile.
"Happy 18th birthday, Seri"
- Writer
