Chapter 23
The wolf finished chomping on Regina and allowed a slight repose pass through before pouncing on Khalid. She could see braveness spreading on his face. The small boy didn’t make an attempt to run for his life, instead he stood to watch how she was tucking enough strength to pounce on him. He was grit –and that stuttered enough volume that he was his father’s son. Bravery and fearlessness has always been hereditable–so definitely, hereditary was stinking in the air. But the wolf didn’t allow the grimly look on Khalid to debar her from completing the mission. Khalid was it main target, Regina only made herself to be used as cat’s-paw. Khalid was the main reason she was in the woods. Hadn’t his father boasted that his son was still coming to save him from captivity? Well it would be awesome to go back to him and tout about how she snagged his saviour into whits.
“You wanna eat me too ? Tear my flesh into shreds like you did to her ? Like you did to Tamara? Common you monsters; you are free! You don’t think I would be afraid of you. You already took away all what I cherish most in my life–so don’t you ever think I’m also afraid to die! Common! Come and eat me away” Khalid wailed. And even though his words were filled with bravery — still, there wouldn’t be no need for long probing to know he was deeply hurt inside. The wolf could sense that now and it confirmed it with a pur.– an exultant pur.
The wolf continued to prowl towards him while Khalid stayed mummified. He waited till he was able to feel the wolf’s muzzle touching his abdomen. The wolf unlike Luciana’s wolf was denied a reasonable height. The wolf appeared gnomish and relatively dwarfed like a typical gnome.
A whimper now left Khalid’s mouth as he felt the wolf pawing his body. It was obvious it was enjoying that knowing fully well that there was no more place Khalid could to run to.
Khalid closed his eyes to accept his death. But a light wind gushed through his face. The wind was accompanied by a horrid snarl, he opened his eyes to see Meshach standing in front of him while the beast was squirming in agony on the ground. A mouthful breath escaped his mouth. He was happy Meshach came in time to save him but he was surprised at how he pulled the feat to do that.
“Khalid lets go.” Meshach intoned graping his hand.
“She killed mom again. They killed Tamara. They killed dad and now mom. The monsters killed them.” Khalid scried on.
“Everything will be fine Okay ? But right now we need to get out of here and escape before the wolf get hold of itself again.”
“But how where you able to that ? You just grasp the monster and snapped his neck–how did you do that ?” Khalid asked. He had never seen how ordinary human being could pull such a grossly stunt on a beast like that. Meshach didn’t attempt to answer and that very well pleased Khalid than cocking another clot of lies.
They both continued trekking along the bush; with each steps they took Meshach knew they were drawing close to their separation. Meshach had concluded that abandoning Khalid in the city was a kind of imminence way to groom him up to survive in the hostile city. He wouldn’t be able to be there for him forever so it was high time Khalid learned how to survive alone. Surviving alone was the only way to discern his powers and ability and to also acknowledge his destiny. Destiny to save the vampires race.
While all these thought was bestrewn inside of Meshach; Khalid on his own was thinking how he could appease himself to efface the haunting flash back of how his mother was murdered and how he was never going to see Tamara again. His life was in shambles already without the two in his life– but Khalid has envisaged a so glary future if only he would become a medical doctor. The monsters that eradicated all what he cherished in his life were evil beings so he promised himself to be good. And one of the way of being good was becoming a life saver. To be a life saver implied being good– while to take away another person’s life implied being bad. He was going to be a life saver when he gets to city, and his foster father was going to help him achieve that. Though he detested his foster father’s fibbing side, he couldn’t deny he loved him like a father. He would treble the love he nurtured for him so it overwhelm the hate he had for him. Meshach was the only family he had so he better got use to him.
After hours of journeying in the wood, they eventually stepped into the city. The street light and the incessant claxoning of vehicles cruising the tiled road were the first to welcome them. A small smile approached Khalid lips while Meshach face was crestfallen. Khlalid was getting happy but unfortunately Meshach was getting sad. Because Meshach knew what Khalid had no inkling idea of. Their separation right in the city which was absolutely inevitable.
“We are now in the city son.” Meshach muttered while Khalid noticed the words didn’t carry any happiness.
“Yeah I guess this is the only the wish the crimson moon could grant me ?”
“What do you mean?” Meshach stopped walking and stared at Khalid.
“The night I was shot and Tamara was killed by the monsters, she made me make a wish to the moon. I told the moon the I want to go to the city, be a medical doctor and want mom and dad back so we can have a nice family. She also made a wish for us to be inseparable forever but I guess now that at out of the wishes, the crimson moon obliged to one and spurn the rest. Because she is dead now so no way of ever being together and mom is also dead. But here I am in the city. It seems the moon is also fussy.”
“Maybe, maybe not–I’m just sorry about your friend and mom. You need to move on you know ?” Meshach patted Khalid’s head while putting on his charade look to delude him Tamara was really dead. And again–Khalid believed him.
“Yeah I will. One of the reason I want to be medical doctor. I want to save lifes to be a life saver by so doing I would appease my mind from feeling hurt about Mom and Tamara’s death.”
“You wanna be a medical doctor ?” Meshach squeezed his brow.
“Yes father, and since mom is no more I know you would help me become one right ?”
Meshach’s mouth was shut. He could not afford to lie when he was about dropping the bombshell. The poor boy really need him now more than ever but he wasn’t going to be there. He stared at him and saw young innocent teenager who never deserved to be hurt and suffer–something he was about to cause on him.
“You would help me right ?” The question came again and Meshach came back to life.
“Em there is something I want to tell you son.” He said–his voice was heavy that it sounded like a crying lorry.
“What is it father?” Khalid noticed something was not right. His foster father’s face lacked lustre. Khalid could probe that out even in the night.
” Khalid I lied to you sometimes ago. You remembered the day your mom and I told you about your father? We told you about how he vanished without any trace of him?”
Khalid nodded.
“You remember I told you I loved you and that I wouldn’t want let you out of my sight?”
Khalid nodded again.
“I also told you that I wouldn’t let any evil befall you–you remember?”
Khalid nodded.
“I told you I would always stand as a father to you no matter what the condition that surfaces?”
Khalid nodded but accompany it this time with a mutter; “Father what’s wrong?”
“I’m sorry Khalid they were all lies. I can’t fulfil the promises again.”
“What do you mean father ?”
“I’m tired of being a father to you. Khalid I don’t want to have anything to do again. I hate you. I’m sorry to say that but I do. I don’t love you! I don’t like you! And I can’t bear to see you with me again. So we are departing right now.” Meshach said fighting to push back the tears threatening to fall.
“No-no-no! You can’t say that father. You love me–I know you do. You can’t just abandon me now in the city. I don’t have anybody to call a family–you are all I have please don’t go father.” Khalid scried and made to run after Meshach who was already walking away but Meshach pushed him back forcefully– Khalid hit his head on tiled ground. He groaned in pain and lept up to run after him again but this time it was too late because Meshach had disappeared out of sight.
2 MONTHS AFTER
Xtiana was happy, not jut because she finally defeated Luciana to retain the position of the Alapha but also, she was able to convince the council she would be adopting Tamara to live with them. A mere probing would make one think Xtiana was being tenderhearted to have volunteered to adopt her, but little did anyone know that Xtiana did that so it would be easy for her to carry out her inhumane mission.
Luciana had blabbed about her daughter was going to be the last sentinel and the most powerful werewolf of their kind long time ago. This statement had also been confirmed by her witch. After her witch told her about how Tamara would grow to become a very powerful woman that had been destined to be the saviour of Larabas kind, Xtian nurtured and behest herself not to allow that happen. Hence when the opportunity surfaced, she had clasped it adopting Tamara into her home.
Xtiana also had a daughter; Adarian–a very beautiful girl who she bore for her late husband. Xtiana had made sure Tamara served her daughter same way she must serve her. Adarian also; being a full fledged werewolf had got more upper hands on Tamara. Exactly like her mother, Adarian was very hostile and very wicked. Her wickedness was so gravid and would compeer to mountain everest. Tamara had nothing to vaunt off, but that didn’t stop Adarian from begrudging her.
“What’s wrong with you rotten pig ?” Xtiana asked Tamara who knelt before confused.
“I don’t know what you talking about ma ?” The little girl replied feigning ignorance. Of course she knew what Xtiana was suspecting and but wasn’t ready to admit. Admitting it could cause more havoc than denial.
Xtiana rose to her feet and pranced around her. Her eyes circling round her body as she moved then settled them on Tamara’s belly. For the past weeks she had noticed Tamara’s squeamishness–while her nausea was getting worse. At first she had thought it was just random sickness or perhaps the poor girl was on some facade. But now she could see clearly what was wrong with her and that had made poisonous smirk crossed her mouth.
“You don’t know ?” She said and confirmed her rhetorical question with a stinging slap. Tamara slumped down at the impact of slap while her face reddened immediately. Showers of tears fell from her eyes.
“You are pregnant you stinking s–t!” She yelled while her eyes glowed.
“Who got you pregnant?”
The question pierced through her heart like a double-edged sword. Because it made her remember what she could trade her life for to forget and it exhumed what she had long tried to bury. The night of bliss turned blistery it was–and so unfortunate it would leave it scars on her forever. Carrying Khalid’s child made her exceeding happy. She hadn’t regret the act at any slightest time, but then, that couldn’t make her relinquish what she had for him. Tamara still loved him while in death and the reality they couldn’t be together again always hurt her deeply.
“Paaaaa!” Another stinging slap snatched her away from her reverie. “I said who got you pregnant you shameless s–t ?”
Another rain of tears emerged from her eyes. The pain was too much to bear.”His-s name is Khalid and he is dead!” She snivelled.
Story continues ..