Chapter 2

I have never been someone who loses their temper quickly, but ever since I started attending city college, Rita has always been a bitch to me. Today, I can’t possibly be held responsible for what happens to her.

“What, Elisabeth freak? Cat got your tongue?” she laughed, turning to look at her friends' faces.

Her head turned slowly but didn’t move past the available position because I held my hand and twisted the bone in her neck.

“Ahh!” Rita yelled. “Let me go, you freak!” she said, but my hands were still squishing her neck.

Immediately, her friends got scared and ran away, leaving Rita, their queen bee, to suffer alone. With my hands still on her neck, I grabbed her so tightly and dragged her over to the fountain outside the school gate. Everyone who passed by stopped and watched, and even the guards at the gate became too terrified to come between Rita and me.

“Let me go, or else you’ll be sorry!” Rita warned me.

But I didn’t stop there. I grabbed her hair and was about to dip her head into the water of the college fountain, which I knew everyone peed in when they were drunk.

Rita continued to scream and try to get away, but she was finally saved by the college principal, Mrs. Weston.

“What the hell is going on here?” Mrs. Weston demanded as she walked over, standing in the midst of the entire school, with students rampantly recording the scene with their phones.

She saw my hands on Rita’s hair and requested that I let her go. At first, I didn’t want to, but I couldn’t help feeling compelled to release her.

I let Rita go, and she fell on her face and then ran away with her shoes forgotten on the pavement.

“Miss Elizabeth, my office right now!” said the college principal.

We went to her office, which was filled with plants. After a while, Mrs. Weston was seated at her desk and asked, “Can you please tell me, why did you almost kill Rita?” 

I went quiet for a moment. Did she say “almost”? I wasn't going to kill her. I just wanted to scare her. If I really wanted her dead, I could have left her at the pack house during the full moon to be attacked by my pack. She was lucky that I chose to scare her and not kill her.

“Mrs. Weston, do I really have to answer your question?” I said.

“Yes, you do! Don't you think you made a mistake? Why are you acting this way toward Rita?” Mrs. Weston asked.

I couldn't help but smile. 

“Did I say something funny?” she asked.

“Not really, ma'am. I'm shocked because you should know how my family treats people who disrespect us. And as for Rita, she was a bitch to me. I only gave her a little dose of her own medicine,” I laughed in her face. “May I please be excused? I have duties to attend to for my family,” I said, waiting for her to give me permission to leave.

“You can go now,” said Mrs. Weston.

“Thank you,” I nodded and left the office. As I walked down the hallway, everyone looked at me. They either called me a freak or discussed how I almost killed their queen bee. After all, Rita Hampton was a bitch, and I did them a favor in keeping her at the place she belonged.

I arrived home after finding a cab. As I walked towards the stairs, I overheard my mom singing along to the songs of her favorite pop star, Maria Peggy. Mom couldn't resist having her songs playing loudly around the house.

As I passed the kitchen, she caught sight of me just before my hand touched the stair bars. “Baby, are you back already?” she asked.

“Yes, mother,” I replied. I turned to face her and realized she was standing uncomfortably close to me, her breath hot on my face.

“Ahhh! You scared me!” I stepped back, avoiding my mother's cake-covered hands.

She laughed and walked towards me, leaving smudges on my dress. “Why are you backing away?” she asked.

“What do you mean?” I replied, giving her my attention.

“Didn't your daddy tell you what today is?” she grinned.

“What's today?” I asked.

“Your grandma's birthday. Don't tell me you forgot,” she said, letting go of my hand, which left a smear on my clothes.

Mom walked back to the kitchen, and I made my way up to my bedroom. I wondered if Grandma Molly was coming home. It had been ages since she last visited, especially after her big fight with Mom.

Grandma and Mom didn't get along, and the only thing that kept them from tearing each other apart was my dad. He was the only connection that held them together.

In the evening, both my parents walked down to welcome Grandma. I was already at the door when she arrived. Her eyes landed on me before turning to Mom and Dad.

“Welcome, Mommy,” Dad kissed her on both cheeks. 

Mom said hello from behind Dad's back. Grandma pulled Dad away and turned to face Mom, grinning as Mom's face turned pale.

“How are you, my dear?” Grandma opened her arms to embrace Mom, who looked at my dad seeking his help. Dad nodded his head, urging her to hug his mother… Mom’s worst enemy and my role model.

Grandma has always been one of the long-lived badasses in the Werewolf Kingdom. Especially when the news of the triple gifts got to her ears, she advised my parents to take special care of me. That’s why my mom was always trying to smother me.

Mom went to set the table for tonight's dinner. I walked there holding hands with Grandma. At the table, I turned to help Mom as soon as she placed the bowl of hot soup on the table. I grabbed the spoon, and just when I thought about taking Grandma’s plate, Mom seized the spoon from me.

“Don’t, I’ll do it,” she said and served Grandma a plate full of her soup. She went ahead to serve Dad, and I was the last person she served.

At the dinner table, we all quietly ate our food. Although we might not have anything to say, I couldn’t help but notice Mom’s eyes slowly talking with Dad's. Their eyes were firmly fixed on each other’s. What exactly were they talking about?

After dinner, I went to my room to rest. I changed my clothes, and on my way to getting into bed, Grandma walked inside my bedroom. I turned over, and she was standing at the doorpost.

“Grandma, what happened?” I asked.

She shook her head and slowly walked further towards me. “Nothing, baby,” she smiled. “I wanted to see how you’re doing. You okay?” She sat on my bed and faced me. 

I sat next to her, and then I said, “Nothing, Grandma, I’m fine, but...” I looked at the door before facing her again. “I have been acting strange,” I confessed.

“What kind of strange?” Grandma asked.

“That kind,” I said, facing the door and then turning back to her. “I feel compelled to do some things, Grandma,” I explained.

I told Grandma what happened in school. While I was talking, Grandma's hand was firmly placed on her lap as she listened to me.

“Elizabeth, tell me something,” she said, shifting closer to me. “Have your parents done your initiation?”

Grandma's question made me confused. I don’t think my parents initiated me, but what does my initiation have to do with the strange compulsion I've been feeling?

Mom walked in, found Grandma and me talking, and walked over to where we were seated on the bed.

“Is everything okay?” she asked me. “Elizabeth, are you fine?”

I shook my head, but just as I was about to reply, Grandma got up from the bed, took Mom’s hand, and said, “Dear, we need to talk.”

She led Mom out of my room, and before leaving, she asked me to rest. I knew I should, but the way she had dragged Mom away made me curious. I grabbed my night jacket and followed them.

As I walked downstairs, I heard whispering coming from the kitchen. It was Mom and Grandma talking to each other.

“Hey, what do you think you’re doing to your daughter?” Grandma said to Mom.

“What do you mean? Did Elizabeth tell you anything?” Mom asked.

I heard Grandma grunt in exhaustion before responding. “Yes! Didn’t Elizabeth tell you about the strange compulsion and the strange urge she gets?” Grandma was pissed off.

Mom swore to Grandma that I had not told them anything. However, when Grandma requested that my initiation begin, Mom declined her request.

“No! Elizabeth has to be eighteen before being initiated,” Mom said.

“Really?” Grandma grunted. “Do you think that Elizabeth is a child? Although she isn’t eighteen yet, which is only a few days away, her powers are getting the best of her. If we don’t do anything to help her control her powers, she’s definitely going to blow up. Trust me, with a power like hers, she should be taught how to control it, and the sooner we do that, the better it is for everyone.”

I heard footsteps approaching the kitchen door. I ran behind the kitchen corridor and hid. Grandma walked past me, and I watched as she went up to her bedroom.

I knew that I was quite different from my parents, but I didn’t want to be too powerful so that I couldn’t control my powers. But what would happen if a girl powered by being a werewolf, a vampire, and a witch got loose from her power?

A tribrid...