Broken: Chapter Two

Nathaniel had arrived, as promised. He had said the pard would be behind me and he would stay beside me, because I was now one of their owns. Lower in the pecking order, but still one of theirs. My heart clenched in my chest and skipped a few beats in fear. What were they doing here? I didn't want them here at all. I thought I'd be able to handle it. Then again, Theodore had been ruling for decades despite his young looks and might have gone through this with another family. Besides, not even a quarter of the pard was here; just six.1

My father stared from Theodore, the Wereleopard Nimir-Raj, and me. "Are these the people you left with, shacked with?" He growled dangeriously. I suddenly realized he was holding a bat.2

I shook my head. I didn't "shack" with anyone. "Excuse me, father, but your being very disrespectful to the Nimir-Raj of the wereleopards." 3

The look on my father's face was priceless. He dropped the bat and paled considerably. He was a big man, a very big man, and yet he seemed to cave in on himself and suceeded in making himself look smaller. He knew exactly what a Nimir-Raj was and he knew exactly who stood in his house now.4

He didn't appologize, but his tone was now more subdued. "What are you here for, Nimir-Raj?"5

Theodore smiled, though this smile never reached his eyes. "We are here for your daughter. Nathaniel," He nodded his head towards me and the dog still cradled in my arms. My cats were furiously rubbing against my legs. 6

Nathaniel parted from the group and walked across the living room. The space had gone completely silent. Tom came out of his isolation and stared at me. He was only fifteen, my brother. His green eyes shifted from Nathaniel to me, then to Nathaniel again.7

Nathaniel didn't dare touch me while my dog was in my arms. Odin was already snarling, razor backed, and baring his sharp little fangs. It wouldn't exactly be fun to be bitten. Bending down slightly, I put Odin down and watched him run off a bit into the kitchen, behind me. From there, he snarled and barked and spit. No amount of words would calm him down now, he seemed a rabid dog.8

The wereleopard gently took my hand and walked me towards the group. I felt in a dream, everything was moving so slow, so tedious. Blinking seemed to last thirty seconds instead of a split second. My breath had caught in my throat and I was on the verge of passing out from oxygen loss, but still I held it. I didn't know what was going to happen. My uncle wasn't home yet, as far as I could tell, and my father looked ready to piss himself. My mother, however, was the candidate who seemed more likely to attack than sit patiently.9

"Why are you taking my daughter, Nimir-Raj?" She stressed the word vehemously and a dangerious gleam bit into her hazel eyes.10

Theodore's head swiveled towards her and he raised a brow. He must be thinking the same thing I was. How stupid could my mother be? And yet, she returned his stare with her hands folded in her lap. "She's one of us now, part of our pard, and therefore belongs with us. I have the authority to take her from your family now."11

"You have no authority. She is not yet eighteen-" My mother started, but Theodore spoke over her, cutting her off.12

"-and she never will be. She is already a Leopard lycanthrope, ma'am. Melody is part of my pard."13

"Like Hell she is!" My mother had gotten to her feet and reached for the bat on the floor. 14

Nathaniel had a tight hold on my wrist, but I broke loose from it and pushed past Theodore. "Mother!" I said the word as sharply and as coldly as I could; the better to stop her in her tracks.15

I was horribly surprised when she actually did stop, bat raised dangeriously. She hadn't yet reached Theodore, but the bat's length would surely strike him. I didn't want her killed because of her foolish actions. Theodore calmly reached forward and wrenched the bat from her hands, then took it in both of his and cracked it in half. A simple movement that left my mother in awe, jaw dropped.16

"Ma'am, we offer you no harm. But your daughter is mine. If you wish to fight me, we can finish this outside, but I can't guarantee your life." Theodore's voice was calm, so outrageously calm. 17

Nathaniel's hands dragged me back to my place in the back of the group and I watched the staring contest between Theodore and my mother. Tom, Michelle, and Skyler were just staring at me and at my pard with wide eyes. I doubt they expected me to go do something as stupid as joining a wereleopard pard. There was such a high possibility of death, mostly because of the lycanthropes that fought against the wereleopards occasionally.18

"Mom...I'm sorry, but I'm leaving." I whispered from the back, near the door. I heard a wretched sob and turned my eyes down. I didn't want to see her crying. "This was my choice, they didn't force me."19

"Your not even done with high school, honney. Your not even eighteen and already your leaving me. Leaving me for a bunch of...a bunch of mangy animals!" 20

That stung, but it also made me catch my breath. "Mother!" I practically screamed. It was one to insult the Nimir-Raj indirectly, it was another when you made it a point. "I am finishing high school, mom. Well, I can't assure you I'll be back, so this is good-bye. Bye...everyone." With that, before anyone else could object, I threw open the door as far as it would go and left the house.21

I'm not too sure what happened after that. I remember falling down after heading off the porch. I remember the smell of leaves, and my pard's calming words. But after that, there was darkness. I couldn't feel, couldn't think. It scared me.22

But it was also bliss.23