What I'm I!

~Ashley~

Willow took my hand and led me out a little farther from the spot I was attacked, then she let go of me. 

Now, I laid naked on the sand as I hadn't gotten to where I left my clothes. 

"I don't know what you're trying to do, but I want you to stop coming around Marcellus. Marcellus is my mate and I will not condone someone like you going close to him." She said with an evil smile. 

It was cold outside, and because I had used up my strength when I let Kiara be in charge, I nodded weakly. 

"You answer with your tongue when you talk to me. However, I can tear it out of your mouth and render you mute so you can nod your head whenever you are asked a question." She grinned. 

I looked down at the sandy ground and supported my weight with my hands. "I've heard you, Willow. I promise you, it won't happen again." 

I could see Willow was not ready to relent. She glanced around and walked up to me, then she squatted and drew closer to my left ear. 

"Ashley, I don't care if you're his real mate, but if I see you close to him again, I will make your life worse than it already is." 

After saying that, she got up and walked away. I stared at her back for a while before getting up. 

I glanced around the woods again to make sure no one was in it, before I got up and limped over to where I had hidden my dress. 

"Well, that wasn't fun because all I wished was for you to reach out and rip out her heart." Kiara aired her evil thought. 

"I want to do nothing less, but believe me when I say it's a suicide attempt." I huffed as I put on my pants, then my shirt. "Although it's been a long time, I once fought with and she did me dirty. I was downhearted for days." 

"You know, I noticed something. You lost control when I came out, letting me do whatever I wanted. Why was that?" 

"I just believe freedom is everything. And guess what, I'm thinking of relocating to the city soon. Far from this pack and far from Willow and the mate she stole from me." 

Kiara said nothing else. I pretty much appreciated the silence as I had a lot to brood on. 

When I got home, I met mother in the living room. I greeted her, but heard no reply from her. 

When I tried to walk past her, her harsh voice stopped me. "You caused trouble for Marcellus and Willow. Why, are you jealous you haven't found your mate yet?" 

"I was attacked in the woods by some rogues. Marcellus happened to hear it and came to my aid. Willow came after and... Helped me." I said. 

"Really? The rumors on the street says otherwise." Mother said again and raised her head to look at me. "They said you tried to steal Marcellus. Because that's what you always do." 

I forced down the bitter taste that came from my throat. However, I couldn't stop the tears that filled my eyes. 

With blurry eyes, I looked at my mother. The un-consoling look on her face made me doubt if I was really her daughter. 

Slipping my hands inside my pocket, I said. "You know, mother, sometimes I do wonder if we're related by blood. Tell me the truth, are you really my mother?" 

She had the same look in her eyes when she got up and proceeded towards me. "I carried you for nine months and I gave birth to you. And here you stand, questioning me about your authencity. I see you've grown. You've grown so much that you now talk back at your birth mother." 

I smiled. "You say this, but tell me, you're a werewolf, and I am a Hybrid, yet, I have no idea who my father is. Neither do I have any resemblance to you in any way. That is enough to suspect that we're not related!" 

The moment the words left my tongue, I felt the a stinging pain on my cheeks.

"After so many years, you still deem it fit to hit me. Why don't you hit me again, mother?" 

"I will not stand here and watch you insult me! Go to your room right now and reflect on your behaviour!" She thundered. 

For the first time, I saw the raw hatred in her eyes. 

"Don't worry, mother. I will leave. I will leave your goddamn house and never return!" I replied and walked to my room. 

I pulled up my bed where I was so sure I kept my money to see it empty. 

With frown, I pulled it out of the best stand and dropped it on the floor. I searched my entire room for five minutes in search of the money all to no avail. 

That was when I realized something was wrong. I turned around to see mother standing at the door post, watching me with a callous smile. 

When a realization dawned on me, I laughed nervously before asking. "Mother, don't tell me you really took my money?" 

"Ashley, you've been living under my roof your whole life without paying. It just so happens I was in need of money this afternoon, when I didn't find you, I decided to check your room to see if you have any money. Thankfully, you did, so I took it and solved my problem." 

"Mother, I've been saving that money since I was ten." I said in a low voice while I pinned my eyes on her. "You once said I was a burden to you. I want to elevate that burden which was why I started saving up so I can leave. However, now you've taken my money I have no choice than to ask you to replace it."

"I am your mother and your money is the same as mine. I've also been feeding you for years and I've never asked a dime from you. This is the first time I'm taking your money and you're making it look like I stole it? Can you be more ungrateful, Ashley?" She replied and stepped forward. 

"I just want my money, mother. Only when I get it can I leave your side and stop being under your roof! My whole life I've done everything to please you, but each time you act like my efforts worth nothing!" 

Mother looked at me for a full minute before walking away. 

I fell to the floor and drew my knees to my stomach. I don't know how long I cried, but I do know when I stopped, everywhere had gone extremely calm. 

Judging by the starry night, and the sounds of crickets chirping, I concluded it must be deep into the night. 

Grabbing an extra clothes from my drawer, I tucked it into a mini-school bag and quietly left the house. 

I got to the the river and took off my clothes, then I submerged myself in it. My blood which seemed to have been boiling inside of me became warm and continued flowing just like normal. 

"Kiara, are you alright?" I asked out loud and waited close to a minute to hear a reply, but got none. 

When I left the water, I felt a living thing inside of me and instantly felt my stomach churn. 

"I forgot to eat the whole day because of unnecessary dramas." I sighed and began dressing up. 

The night had a half-moon so I wasn't really bothered about being seen naked. Nonetheless, I got dressed as quickly as possible, then stuffed the other clothes inside my bag. 

However, I decided to take a stroll inside the woods despite the chilling wind. When I strolled for a bit, I noticed someone was following me. 

I continued walking and acted completely oblivious to it. I guess whoever it was really took my bait and decided to attack. 

I swung a foot backward which startled him. Before he regained his stance, I grabbed him by the neck and sank my fangs in it. 

I tried to remove my fangs, but when my tongue tasted the warm, sweet blood, I continued sucking it until I felt him go dry then I tossed him to the ground. 

The realization of what I just did dawned on me and I was horrified. I frantically turned my hands over hoping what was supposed to happen wouldn't. 

I was so wrong because the next second, I felt a sharp pain go from my brain to my entire body. A pain which sent me sprawling on the ground.

I could hear my bones cracking. I thought I could endure it, but when my back cracked, a painful scream escaped my lungs before I fell to the ground and my vision went black.