Chapter 10:Familiar Faces

His boots clicking the pavement following a thin string, searching for this new royal that will set me and my people free. If I fail to bring the royal into our gates Wolves will be extinct that weight on my shoulder crushing my soul knowing, I am the last hope of my people. Picking up my head seeing a man in a brown coat and white clean button-up shirt with overalls and a dusty old hat with a dazzling smile on his face brought an ounce of joy in me feeling the world lift from my shoulder. Searching for the lions and the three crosses brushing my hand on the soft thick fabric remembering the last time I wore a dress in the real world I was...

"Blue is a dashing color on you, "Clyde smiling at me tipping his hat giving me a compliment that wasn't a hidden insult touching the baby blue fabric fixing the bow around my hips. As we walked about to compliment him back a strange aura appeared seeing a man smoking a cigarette a color of mustard yellow surrounding him. A scrawny man with black messy hair as if he hasn't showered in days his red and white striped shirt, as the white as already turned yellow almost as yellow as his teeth coming from behind a woman. Hearing the woman drop her grocery bags with a high scream making my ears tingle as the street rat pulled on her necklace beads. Running toward the scream seeing a woman with porcelain skin with rosy pink cheeks from the sun, a slender nose with a classy bun that was soon tossed as the man pulled her roughly.

"Ah mind your own business streetwalker!" He spat holding on to the woman's poka -dot dress leaving dirt stains on them tainting her skin from the filth beneath his fingernails.

Looking into those seeing tears stream down her face, I knew that feeling just by looking at her. She scared beyond scared knowing when you're about to die and have no control over it. Your mind starts slowing down around you the colors get a little brighter because your eyes are filled with clear shining liquid. Your life plays the happiest moments of your life over and over again while your heart beats out of your chest. Those woman's eyes were as wide with fear as her lower lip trembled as her classy bun was torn down looking a mess.

Hearing Clyde in a whisper "he called you a whore Marcella," as he began side-stepping away from being cornering the man and stepping away from my anger growling at him. The woman paralyzed with fear as her skin turner paler like the winter snow, Clyde revealing his weapons they both jumped at the sight of his guns and the criminal let her go. Snarling at the criminal that began to twitch and scratching behind his ear fueling with rage the woman ran into Clyde's arms.

Shutting my eyes in anger not wanting to shift in broad daylight, "Keep that woman safe Clyde," Staring straight into this drug addict's eyes seeing nothing not even regret.

"Will do Marcella, "As he began holding the woman telling her comforting words pulling her away.

Being left alone with this disgrace of a man smelling his fear from his body," Wanted me alone to yourself get over here !" as he spat at me biting his lower lip undoing his black belt pulling his pants a bit down his waist, smiling at him walking toward him.

His disgusting lips curving up into a smile revealing rotten yellow teeth licking his chapped lips"That's right obey me," His manhood stiffened wanting to vomit in disgust with his hands were behind his head waiting to be pleasured.

"I'll tell you how I like it," He said to me gripping his manhood in my hands slowly moving it. I am not the same protector ... I am no hero. Pure rage shifting my feminine features into a beast mustering up a growl I haven't heard in years it started to grow In the bottom of my stomach feeling my blood cells burning one by one. My sharp canine teeth cutting my gum and mouth wrapping my hands around his waist feeling his manhood poking my stomach bringing the belt up in the air whipping him. Two times that turned into thirty slashes seeing red on his face trickling down his face and arm as he began pleading for me to stop. Slapping the worn-out belt slashing him in the face one more time as it broke into two picking him up letting him see my face.

"Stop please !" The man said frightened how many women had said the exact same thing to every man who did a crime and never got justice. Picking up his scrawny body to the brick wall choking him as he gasped for air clawing at my hands.

" You don't get to treat women with such disrespect! Women are not objects that are yours to claim!" A fire burned in my body knowing how it feels to be an object to be used as someones else's punching bag.

He began choking on his words " I-l m s-orry," Loosening up his throat as he spoke clearly ." I will never disrespect a woman again let me live," As he begged for his life letting him collapse on the floor turning around about to walk away. Like I said I'm no hero.

Focusing on my hand as the claws grew from my nails watching blood trickling down turning around running back at full speed at him clawing his throat as his eyes were wide open in shock and fear. Just the way they left every woman that ever hurt them. Looking down at him people like that never change. Wiping his blood off my hands fixing my hair and my dress walking leaving the dead man on the ground finding Clyde.

Spotting the victim, walking toward her and Clyde as she spoke slightly stumbling on her words "Young lady are you alright that... man ?" pausing swallowing the fear in her throat.

Resting my hand on hers letting Looking into her blue eyes "That was not a man at all," as she nodded at me with her blond hair passes her shoulders smelling lingering fear on her looking at the cowboy.

"May we walk you home Miss?" Said Clyde offering his hand to the woman beside him with a white dress and blue dots along with white glossy heels, peering to the ground at her heels hiding a bit of a blush reaching out snaking her hands around his arms. Walking together like a couple seeing both of them content in each other's arms.

As the strong woman in front of us kept staring at Clyde so intensely " You remind me of someone long ago," she said longingly as Clyde looked at this middle-aged woman in her late forties looking at Clyde who seemed two decades younger.

His blue bright eyes looking into her shiny blue eyes connecting, "I have a similar charming face I've been told," as he rose his chin up to the sun smiling making the lady chuckle, making me roll my eyes.

placing her long slender finger in her chest revealing a shiny diamond decorating her hand resting her hand on her chest keeping the laugh in her heart," And the cockiness too,". The woman and the man looking deeply into each other eyes with matching smiles as they knew each other once.

I dare to admit It was refreshing to see kind smiles but I'm on a mission, not a love story. Getting straight to the point, "Miss do you know where a college is with three crosses a lion and a shield?" breaking the moment between them as they let go of each other and their smiles were soon a memory.

The slender woman with a petite frame slowly grabbing her grocery bags from Clyde turning back to me, "The new college a few miles west, "staring back to the cowboy as if I was invisible.

"Here is my stop," as she only looked at Clyde slightly biting her lower lip "Thank you for saving my life," shutting her eyes ."If you weren't there I don't know what could have happened ?" Her voice cracking.

Reaching out touching her wrists about to grab the bags, "Let me help you take those Bags inside " Their eyes meet again holding that familiarity but time was something I did not have and I couldn't waste it.

Getting in-between them as he let go of the brown bags" Clyde we don't have time," I said in a harsh whisper.

"Clyde... Clyde Rogers?" dropping the bags on the floor as the milk popped spilling on the sidewalk.