4— Hunted

Ice-cream is best during summer! This scorching hot is nothing in comparison to ice-creams! I was on my way back home from the store when I saw a group of people holding a tray of eggs and rotten vegetables in their hands surrounding Mom in front of our mansion.

One protestor threw an egg on Mom. "How can your evil child still sleep? You must be killed in front of your demon child as well! Just like how you killed those innocent mortals!"

Innocent mortals? What do they even know? And why do they keep accusing me as a devil by just stating the truth, my truth? I dropped my freshly bought ice cream and run in their direction and used myself as a barricade to protect Mom. I am still confused as to why they are doing this. How could they do this to a cop who works hard in protecting them?! Mom just did her duty, so why are they throwing hate at her?! Those mortals they are defending weren't innocent at all!

"Hey, here's the daughter of the murderer!" A nasty-looking middle-aged man smiled sinisterly while pointing his finger at me.

"Please have mercy on the child!" One of the protestors shouted, her tone being a mixture of hostility and sarcasm. "If you smack her, please smack her hard such that she is promptly beheaded."

"What do you think you are doing on our property?!" I shouted.

I will protect Mom at all costs! I don't care if they are five or even ten times bigger than me. What makes them different from us anyway? They harassed us and judge Mom. For all I know, they are simply jealous of Mom whose life turned upside down when she married Father, so, they took it as a chance to bring Mom down. She deserved it and they love each other! Their hatred is unfounded. Most of them stopped to look at me. I looked straight at their scornful eyes filled with resentment that was directed at me.

"Aren't you ashamed trying to bring down a noble cop who was just doing her job because of your jealousy?" I snarled, crossing my arms.

Many cops have sullied their hands for the sake of the peace of Algard but they only made a big deal out of it because Mom was real-life Cinderella!

"What a thick-faced, cold-blooded psychopath," the middle-aged man roughly pushed my shoulder as he talked. "Your mommy just killed two powerless mortals and who knows how many more in the past, but you don't seem to care."

Why should I care if it's just perfectly normal? We don't deserve this hate! How can these people be filled with so much hate and judgment without even knowing the whole truth? They just believe in what they want to believe in or what suits their beliefs.

"Demon's daughter! I pray terrible karma on your entire family. Do you think you are Almighty to simply take someone's life?" Someone added.

"Please spare my daughter, I beg you," Mom cried, hugging me tightly. "It's all my fault. So, please, don't hurt my baby."

I was about to say something when Father Farsak appeared and escorted Mom inside the mansion as his men guarded us against the angry mob.

"Get inside your room, Renee," Father ordered, his tone stern.

My furrows furrowed, and I looked at Mom and back to Father. Mom gave me a soft smile, urging me to follow Father's order. I reluctantly returned to my room. Those people are really too cruel! Mom didn't have a choice, she was only completing her job as a cop! They are all so mean! I don't understand why they did that! 

An image of blood in Mom's mouth and Mom's pale lifeless body flashed in my mind. I felt like my stomach was flipping upside down. Even after all these years, I can't shake off these feelings whenever I remember Mom.

I screamed at the top of my lungs in a desperate effort to forget those memories. I don't want to think about that day! That day was the start of my torturous days... it was when I lost the only person who truly cared for me. The next day I was sent to a secluded estate owned by my stepfather in our hometown and that's where my more horrifying and torturous days started.

"How many more important persons in my life do I have to lose in order for these people to be satisfied?" I tightly grip my phone.

It's like their only purpose in life is to make my life miserable just because I was a werepire and from lowly origins. I know, I understand that werewolf and vampire relationships are a huge taboo, however, my parent's mistake should not be mine to be burdened. And just how did loving become a sin?

I wasn't even able to attend Mom's burial. Those terrible memories, those terrible people who held prejudice against my mom who just did her job and protected them all from danger.

My arms started tingling and my chest is tightening. I can't seem to get enough air, and I'm feeling terribly dizzy as I pant for air. Can my day get anymore worst than it is?

"She's there!"

I turned to my right and saw a group of men pointing their weapons at me. My brows knitted as I stared at their shirt... Hunters Association? I was still having a hard time breathing but the next thing I heard from hunters from a distance made me forget that I can't breathe.

A small voice behind them announced. "The order to hunt and bring Renee Crimson of Silver Night Pack to the headquarters has been widely disseminated. Hunters, be careful. She has a keen sense surpassing those of vampires and werewolves. Kill her if you must."

Kill me? What is this now?! Why am I being haunted down when I didn't even do anything?! I wanted to die so much and even cursed at the moon last night, so, what am I doing running away from these people who want me dead?