B.A.D

by Caitlin Moran

  As soon as I am almost within touching distance from Rane, Mr. Evil seems to snap out of it. He catches me by the arm and slings me back to him. I flinch a bit too but I know he wouldn't hurt me.

  Yet Rane is there now and growls so loud, Mr. Evil cowers and lets go just a fraction. I use that to my advantage and sprint back to Rane, my head and hands burying in his neck and fur.

  I suddenly feel all the pain I had stored away and I fall to my knees. Rane's head pushes me under him, just in-between his legs. He's really big, like huge and I'm able to fit snugly just below his head.

  He growls at anyone who comes close and I feel tears pour down my cheeks. I look around for the first time.

  Jayden is doing the same with Layla but she doesn't seem worried. She has a smile on her face, looking towards the woods. I am confused, who's in the woods? I look to it and gasp.

  Things are coming out from in there. Like, actual things.

  Goblin like creatures, trolls, fairies, weird different looking creatures with wings, fangs, or anything imaginable, just walk out of the woods. Rane is frozen above me, looking at two other wolves with them. They seem to be the only normal looking things to me out of them all, even if they should be ten times smaller to look like regular wolves.

  By the colors of their blazing eyes, they seem to be Rane's parents. They are both a mix of black and white fur. They're beautiful, just like Rane.

  Loud buzzing fills my ears and I look up. Four black helicopters hover just above the trees. Rope ladders fall, the ends hitting the ground near them. One big crate falls to the ground, the top popping open to reveal guns - big guns.

  If Obama wants to take back some guns... I wouldn't argue with him if he banned those. There was like machine guns and rifles, bombs and machetes. Are they going to war?

  People then start dropping to the floor from the helicopters and I wonder what the purpose of the ladders were for. I frown and look closely at them. I swear I see sparkles come off of them, falling to the floor around them.

  "B.A.D has arrived! The party may commence!" one guy says, his arms full of tattoos as he raises them, a big gun in his hand. I don't know which side they're on but if it’s against us - we're all dead.

  About twenty people have fallen to the ground, geared for battle. Girls and boys both.

  Rane suddenly changes forms and I am left there, on the ground. He pulls me up into his arms and holds me against his chest. I sigh and lean back against him.

  "B.A.D? I thought you guys were a myth..." Wonder and adoration coat his voice.

  "No. We just haven't been out in a while, keeping to ourselves." A guy says behind us and we turn around. I gasp as we do. He has the same blue-grey eyes as Madella and Shane. I stare at him in curiosity. He smiles at me.

  "Dear Elaina... I have heard so much about you. You're the one my family has been talking about." I stare at him in confusion and curiosity now. He sighs and looks around. "We have much to talk about... But first, we have to get rid of these rogues."

  Everyone cheers and starts after the rogues, a war starting between them all. Yet, the little brown wolf stays in the shadows, seemingly waiting.

  Rane starts to talk to the man while I look around. They all fight and I know we will win yet something feels off.. But what?

  I hear a loud growl from behind me and I freeze. I slowly turn to see Linda, in human form. She holds a knife.

  "Finally... I have always wanted to kill you..." she says and then lunges, her eyes a fiery red.

  But before she gets the chance, someone attacks her. All I see is brown hair and a flash of silver from their knives. I stand frozen. The tumble around for a bit, fighting.

  I hear one of them cry out and I know it's Linda. I sigh a bit in relief. It's a bit mean of me but she tried to kill me...

  The fight stops and I see Linda, a dark gash across her stomach, the shirt torn. I can’t look away. Her dying pale eyes stare wordlessly up at me. Her mouth slightly opens in a gasp. The red leaks out of her eyes like the blood coming from the gash or a disease, finally leaking away.

  The brown haired lady turns and looks at me. I freeze, not staring at the dying body in front of me anymore.

  "Ma-Madella?" Is all I can say. Her head turns to look at me, noticing me. Her blue-grey eyes tearing up. She nods. Her hand slowly opens, the bloody knife sliding out. It hits with a light thud and falls on its side.

  "I think.. I think I just killed my mother."

  Chapter 24

  Just as Madella's eyes roll back, Jason is suddenly there, catching her. He lifts her easily, bridal style. He smiles at me and then grimaces at Linda's pale body.

  "Hi, Elaina." he says while walking over to me. "Sorry you had to see that."

  "I'm sorry too." I immediately say. He looks down at me, confused.

  "Why?"

  "Because I didn't listen to you, your warning." he shakes his head and sighs.

  "It's alright." he looks around. The fight was clearly over now. All the rogues were dead or in chains as humans. I could tell because of the red in their eyes. "Come on. We all have much to explain." I nod and follow along.

  Everyone was seated in Rane's office. Everyone as in the guy with Shane and Madella's eye color, Rane's parents, Shane - who someone brought, me, Rane, Jason and Madella, and then Jayden and Layla.

  "You probably have many questions... all of you." the guy with Shane's eye color said. "I'm Leo. Just so you all know." That's convenient.

  "We'll start off with the basics." he continues. "I am Madella's father. Linda was her mother. Shane was my twin brother's son... After I left Linda - who was pregnant and I didn't know until later - I met my mate. I was with Linda because I didn't think I had one and Linda convinced me that she didn't have one also. It just so happens that Linda did have a mate, which was my twin. They got together a lot later though. Madella was already about 11 when they got together. Around Madella's 12th birthday, Linda got pregnant with Shane. Things were going good until my twin, Carter, died by a rogue attack." People gasp. This was so much information.

  "Linda went crazy. She turned to violence. Her eyes turned red and she became a rogue, just as bad as the wolves who killed her mate." Leo says softly. "I couldn't get Shane away from her, couldn't get him out of that crazy house. I don't know why and I still don't but when Shane was about 1, she adopted an 11 year old girl." Everyone look at me, including him. "She adopted Elaina. I'm not even sure if that's your real name. I don't know anything about you. You were just suddenly in that house. That's still a mystery, unfortunately." he looks around, thinking on where to go with this now.

  "You took to Shane-"

  "How do you know all of this?" I interrupted.

  "B.A.D has been watching Linda. Seeing what she was doing with you. You must have been of some importance to her for her to take you at the middle age of 11. I am one of the major leaders of B.A.D so I had people watching. After a while of nothing going on, I assumed that we had jumped to conclusions, that you were just a little human girl. But then Linda got hostile towards you and you turned out to have a werewolf mate. Both signs mean that you do have some significance in Linda's life, we just didn't know what."

  "We obviously can't ask now, as she is dead... Do you have any questions?" he asked everybody.

  "What happens to Shane? He has no parents." I also wanted to ask what happens to me but I didn't.

  "Shane will be adopted be me and my mate. You will most likely stay here, with Rane and his family." I nod. It didn't sound too bad to me. Jason and Madella were still talking in the corner.

  "I am a part of B.A.D. I was sent to protect you, a guardian. Your guardian." Layla suddenly blurts out. I look at her, stunned. I had a guardian?

  "Jason and I were a part of B.A.D too. We ran and used the whole eloping thing as a cover up but we were really just going to my dad..." I nod. I understood. If I knew who my dad was, I would go to him too. "Linda... tried to keep everything from me. She gave me a type of medicine to suppress
my witch and wolf side. Always lied to me if I started to have symptoms anyway."

  I suddenly understood what she had written:

  Dear Elaina,

  My dearest sister, I have left, of my own desire I assure you. I just couldn't stand living there anymore, with Mother. I couldn't stand all of the lies, the deceit. If only you knew, you would feel the same. I believe I knew too much in that house, about that house. I wouldn't have been there long if I had stayed anyway... I love you, Elaina. Watch out for Shane and watch out for yourself. Watch out for who you trust. Layla is a good person and I trust her to help you with the times to come. Be careful...

  Love,

  Madella

  All of the lies, the deceit. Linda had lied to Madella about who she was and somehow... she figured it all out by herself. I'm pretty sure it was Jason though, I believe they're mates.

  I looked around. That they weren't my real family, it didn't matter. They were there for me. And as much as I want to know who my parents are, that's a feat for later. I will find out though. I will find out who my parents are, why Linda wanted me, and who I am in all of this.

  I will.