Blood Queen

Leaving

>>>Atticus' POV>>Echo's POV<<<

Two hours to pack my entire life. This was bullshit. I pulled 3 suitcases out of my closet. I filled one with my favorite clothes. All comfy items, things that were soft, plushy, or silky, some jeans, t-shirts, and hoodies. Absolutely none of my dresses or fancy gowns, he didn't deserve them, and it would get me out of any events I didn't want to go to anyway. 

The other two suitcases I filled with books and art supplies. I looked longingly at the side of my room that was my art studio. It took up most of the room. I couldn't settle on one medium, so I had everything. Oil paint, acrylic, watercolors, ceramics and clay, hell I even had spray paint. I had one wall of just drying racks, with a small space for all of my blank canvases and press boards, and my drawing desk in the corner with a billion different markers, pencils, charcoals, you name it. There wasn't room for hardly any of it to go with me. My heart was breaking more at the thought of losing my studio, than losing my family and friends.  Weird.

My brother burst into the room, angry. He was large like our dad, with short red hair and green eyes like mine. "You can't seriously leave Echo!" He pleaded.

"I have to Apollo. It's the only way to protect the pack, and father already agreed and signed the treaty. It's done." I said sadly, collecting my sketchbooks and pencils.

He slammed the wall with his fist, leaving a huge hole that normally I would have been angry about, but this wasn't my room anymore. "This is bullshit." My normally sweet brother yelled. He stopped me into a long hug. "I will never forgive him."

"Just don't be like him when you take over." I whispered, a tear threatening to escape. I sucked it up quickly, and pulled away from him. He helped me pack quietly. 

"Does Dita know?" He asked. Just then we heard footsteps thundering down the hallway.

"I'm gonna go with, she does now." I said right as she burst through the door.

My little sister looked more like my dad. Dark brown hair and gray blue eyes, but she was wispy and tiny. Her eyes pleaded with me as she closed the distance and jumped into my arms. "No, Echo you can't leave." She cried.

"I have to Dita. I have to protect you." I smothered her hair as she clung to me. "Don't worry about me, worry about the Vampire." I laughed trying to lighten the mood. My brother and sister tried to smile. We finished loading all of my stuff that I could bring. I folded down my easel, and grabbed the picture of my mom with the three of us. We were all smiling blissfully. How things have changed. 

There was a strong knock at the door. My brother opened it and the King strode in, followed by his bodyguards, like he owned the place. He looked around, an amused smirk on his face when he landed on my studio. He said nothing, just nodded and the guards picked up my suitcases, easel, and paint case, and walked out.  

I knew it was time because he stood there expectantly waiting for me to follow him. I showed little emotion as I quietly hugged my siblings goodbye. My father waited at the bottom of the staircase, and I couldn't even look at him. I walked past him without a glance. "Echo, please."

"No. Don't you dare beg me." I said coldly. I kept walking, right out the front door to a waiting suburban, my things being loaded into the back. 

The evening was warm, with a slight breeze and the moon was full, illuminating the forest I would never play in again.