A Hunter's Keep - #1 of "The Hunter's Series"

Description of brutal child murder ahead – you have been warned!

Lizzy’s POV – Flashback

I remembered walking over to the blanket. The baby was awake. She was crying. I knew it was a she, because that’s who they used for Initiation. Boys were locked up until they shifted. Then they were used as training dummies. Girls were used for Initiation.

It was my turn now. And all I had to do to become a Hunter-in-training was to kill that baby.

I lifted the gun, but it felt heavy in my hand. My hands were shaking. My heart was stuck in my throat.

Her hair was light, almost white. From time to time, I caught a glimpse of her dark eyes. One day they were going to become a beautiful blue color. I just knew it.

“Shoot it!” Dad commanded, when I took too long. I tried to take a deep breath. The floor was already red from the other’s Initiations. I was the last one. All I was supposed to do, was to pull the trigger.

I tried to aim my gun, but my vision was blurry. I couldn’t see…

“Kill it!”

She was crying. She was probably hungry. And cold, laying there on nothing but concrete. My heart aced for her. I didn’t want to kill her! I wanted to pick her up and hold her close to my body. I wanted to comfort her… To tell her, she didn’t need to be afraid. She didn’t have to be like me…

“The runt can’t do it,” my brother muttered, a wry grin on his face.

I hated that name. To be called a runt. That’s what they called weak werewolves. Weak monsters!

I tried to take another aim. I knew they were monsters. I knew why we did what we did. I knew they weren’t part of the natural order. I knew everything about them was wrong! I knew…

Nothing!

I didn’t understand! Why did this child have to die? What did I have to prove? I didn’t even wat this! I didn’t want to be a Hunter and I hated guns!

So why? Why was I here?

Suddenly Dad grabbed the gun from my hands. The shot was loud. And the crying stopped. The only sound remaining was the scream that escaped my lips.

My body felt numb as I watched the mutilated body. The face almost gone. Hands and feet unmoving. Blood everywhere. Running from the small body and painting the gray concrete floor an eerie dark color.

The bile rose in my throat. I turned away and threw up. My body weak and gave away from the pain and shivers, that overtook it. I cried. I tried to muffle my sobs, but it was useless.

I didn’t understand what was happening to me. I should be glad that there was one less monster in the world. But instead, all I felt was heartache. Like someone had shoved their hand into my chest and pulled out my heart.

“I better remind you, why we do this,” Dad said, a disappointed, but sickly satisfied grin on his face. He picked me up off the floor. His grip on my arm was absolute. I couldn’t do anything but follow.