CHAPTER 2

I'M NOT A VEGAN

In a swift movement, Feyre was holding a knife. I wanted to do something but my body felt frozen. I glanced at Mr. Archeron, the look of terror on his face made me shivered. Maybe this wasn't a dream after all.

Was this beast here for me? Did I breach some sort of ward by coming into this world? The golden fur beast seemed to watch Feyre, I gulped and deep down inside I knew he wasn't here for me.

Feyre looked like an Amazonian warrior. Her fierce eyes not leaving the beast. I didn't recall her moving but she was standing in front of her sisters. A straight, unwavering and steady shield.

"MURDERERS!" It howled. Dread filled me, I was going to die. Feyre glanced at her family, her father was shaking but he was in front of her sisters. She seemed annoyed by it but took a step closer to the beast. I screeched.

"MURDERERS!" The beast bellowed again, the hair on my arms stood up. Feyre didn't move but I could picture her mind working like a machine, coming up with a plan. I was surprised to hear Mr. Archeron's voice. "P-please," his voice shook, his legs trembled like jelly, "Whatever we have done, we did so unknowingly, and-"

"W-w-we didn't kill anyone," Nesta added, her usual strong sure voice quivered and matched her father's. She tried to steady her bawling. She raised her arms over her head, I saw she was wearing a bracelet. Was that a beast repellent? It didn't seem to work.

"Get out!" Feyre screamed at the beast, she was holding a kitchen knife, I hadn't seen her snatch it. "Get out, and begone." I dared a look at her family, holding each other, the father crouching on top of his daughter and Feyre standing like a lonely warrior. And I realized, her family was used to Feyre stepping out for them, protecting them but who protected Feyre? I didn't want to think about the answer because I already knew it.

The beast's growl interrupted my thoughts a and I swear the small house shook. I was gonna piss my pants. Feyre thought it was a good moment to strike because she threw herself at him but fast as lighting like a whip the beast lashed his claw. Feyre was fast enough to leap away, almost tripping over her father. Her family would get her killed. Without thinking I felt my legs rising from my spot.

"WHO KILLED HIM?" The beast walked over them, interrupting Nesta and Elain's prayers. He set his paw on the table, leaving a mark on it. My inner geek whispered: "That is mahogany." I must have said it loud enough for him to hear because his intelligent eyes were roaming my body. And he sniffed, he actually sniffed like a dog. He paused. He knew he knew I'm not from this world.

As if Feyre could sense his thoughts she took another step forward. "Killed who?" her voice was clear and loud.

He growled, "The wolf," I saw Feyre falter and I gasped. His green and amber eyes were on me again. I wanted to shake my head and say: "Don't look at me, I'm vegan." Not true but he wouldn't find out. Heck, I would even say I founded an animal protection association.

"A wolf?" Elain's voice shrieked, I was surprised she even had the ability to talk.

"A large wolf with gray coat." He howled back at her. Would Feyre blame me to save her family? I knew the answer. I was mentally preparing my vegan speech. Nesta's eyes were on me as if she had the same thought. Already opening her mouth to accuse me of murder, Feyre talked first.

"If it was mistakenly killed," She said calmly, "what payment could we offer in exchange?" I winced again, was she confessing guilt? Rather-my guilt. I was a scapegoat. She was probably excited to have met me, Nesta obviously was I could see it under her fear.

The beast gave a combination of bark and laughter. "The payment you must offer is the one demanded by the Treaty between our realms."

"For a wolf?" She replied and her father said her name in warning. Treaty? I was way over my head. How did I end up here? I want to go home.

The beast ignored Feyre and screamed, "Who killed the wolf?" My heart stopped, my breath was ragged and I tried to calm myself down. I could already hear my name coming out of Feyre's mouth, probably Nesta would beat her to it.

I was surprised to hear Feyre say clearly as the day, "I did." The beast scanned her, trying to push out her thinness out of his mind. Oh, believe me, she's all bones but she's strong.

"Surely you lie to save them." He must think of Feyre as fragile as a twig. However, as I stared at the scene, her family cowardly shaking behind Feyre, if I hadn't read the book, I would still know she was the strongest of her family. The bravest.

"We didn't kill anything!" Elain cried and Nesta hushed her. "Please…please spare us!" Nesta pushed Elain behind her. Sacrificing one sister to save the other.

Feyre's father rose to his feet, quivering, barely able to walk but he limped toward Feyre. "I killed it." She repeated herself, the beast stopped sniffing her sisters. "I sold its hide at the market today. If I had known it was a faerie, I wouldn't have touched it." I could taste the lies in her words, surely the beast could as well.

"Liar!" he bellowed, I was right he knew as well. "You knew. You would have been more tempted to slaughter it had you known it was one of my kind." Faeries must be terrible creatures then if he thought fragile humans would kill one of his kind just for the sake of it. "Can you blame me?"

"Did it attack you? Were you provoked?"

I could see Feyre wanted to say yes instead she said, "No." was it impossible to lie in presence of a Faerie? I tried it out and whispered, "Percy Jackson the movie is way better than the book." Nope, I can lie. However, Feyre was staring at his eyes, maybe I have to look at him. He was, in fact, gawking at me. I opened my mouth to try again-

"But considering all that your kind has done to us, considering what your kind likes to do to us, even if I had known beyond a doubt, it was deserved." Feyre's voice broke his attention, her chin was held high, her feet strongly rooted on the floor.

A deafening growl broke out. I wondered who would die next. Would he spare me if I was honest with him?

"What is the payment the Treaty requires?

The beast's eyes bared on Feyre. "A life for a life." Well there it is, I lived a short happy life. This was it. I didn't dare to raise my eyes. "Any unprovoked attacks on faerie-kind by humans are to be paid only by a human life in exchange." Perfect. Nesta would probably volunteer to kill me. Nesta quieted her weeping. I could imagine a sneer crawling on her lips.

"I didn't know," Feyre said, "Didn't know about that part of the Treaty."

"Most of you mortals have chosen to forget that part of the Treaty. Which makes punishing you far more enjoyable." He said and gave her a sort of smile, showing his fangs.

"You can have her!" Nesta pointed a finger at me, "Have her instead!"

"Maldita Perra," I said softly. They all stared at me. "I'm a vegan!" I aggressively screamed at him, I cursed. That's not how my speech started.

"No. I was the one who killed it." Feyre told her sister, then she said to the beast, "Do it outside." Oh man, I have to do something about this. I need to save her.

The beast was enjoying this, he laughed. Sick bastard. "Willing to accept your fate so easily?" All of us gaped at him, he said, "For having the nerve to request where I slaughter you; I'll let you in on a secret, human: Prythian must claim your life in some way, for the life you took from it. So as a representative of the immortal realm, I can either gut you like swine, or…you can cross the wall and live out the remained of your days in Prythian."

"What?" Feyre Blinked. What the heck is Prythian? Is this why I was called into this world? To look out after Feyre's family? Hell no, this family is messed up. I don't need this. Anyway, who would look out after me when Nesta tries to poison me?

I can't believe myself, Feyre's life is about to drastically change and I'm here being selfish and complaining about her family.

The beast said painfully slow as if Feyre was dumb, "You can either die tonight or offer your life to Prythian by living in it forever, forsaking the human realm."

"Do it, Feyre," Mr. Archeron softly said, "Go."

"Live where? Every inch of Prythian is lethal to us." Feyre bitterly spat those words, not paying attention to her father.

"I have lands," The beast started, sounding as bitterly as Feyre, "I will grant you permission to live there."

Feyre scoffed, "Why to bother?"

I winced at his snarl, "You murdered my friend," he said each word carefully, glazed in wrath. "Murdered him, skinned his corpse, sold it at the market, and then said he deserved it, and yet you have the nerve to question my generosity?" I winced again. When you say it like that it sounds terrible. And creepy. Feyre was in deep-

"You didn't need to mention the loophole." She took a step closer. What are you doing? I tried to send it mentally. His fangs were close to her throat. "Foolish of me to forget the humans have such a low opinions of us. Do you humans no longer understand mercy?"

Feyre had run out of options and time, most importantly the beast was losing his patience. "Let me make this clear for you, girl: you can either come live at my home in Prythian-offer your life for the wolf's in that way- or you can walk outside right now and be shredded to ribbons. Your choice."

Mr. Archeron meekly walked toward Feyre, he touched her shoulder and said, "Please, good sir-Feyre is my youngest. I beseech you to spare her. She is all…she is all…"But whatever he meant to say died on his lips because the beast snarled at him. I felt a pain in my belly, I don't know much about parenting but I know my father would sacrifice his life for me. He would Katniss Everdeen this and volunteer his place for mine. Mr. Archeron trembled and manage to say, "Please-"

The beast growled again, "Silence"

"I can get gold-"Feyre's father persisted, he was trying to save his favorite daughter the only way he knew how. But still not enough.

"How much is your daughter's life worth to you? Do you think it equates to a sum?"

There was a deadly silence. Feyre's mind was in motion and I knew right there and then, I would help her with whatever schemed she came up with.

"When do we go?"

"Now."

Elain lifter her eyes at Feyre, there was pure fear in there. She was still cowering behind Nesta. Feyre studied her house, her eyes lingering at a cabinet with fading paint on it. "The venison should hold you for two weeks," She finally said, her eyes on her father, "start on the fresh meat, then work your way through to the jerky-you know how to make it."

"Feyre-" Her father said, his voice breaking but Feyre continued to gather her clothes. "I left the money from the pelts on the dresser, it will last you for a time if you are careful." She rose her eyes and lovingly looked at him. She blinked some tears away.

"When spring comes, hunt in the grove just south of the big bend in Silverspring Creek-the rabbits make their warrens there. Ask…ask Isaac Hale to show you how to make snares. I taught him last year."

Her father simply nodded, covering his mouth with his hand. The beast growled, telling her to hurry up and walked out the door. She followed him then stopped herself and gazed at her sisters. "Whatever you do," She said softly to Nesta, "don't marry Thomas Mandrat. His father beats his wife and none of his sons do anything to stop it." Nesta gaped, quickly Feyre added, "Bruises are harder to conceal than poverty."

Feyre than looked at me as if she remembered I was there, her voice trembled, "I think I understand what you said back in the woods." I nodded, I remember my words Maybe I'm here to help you. "Please do…take care of my family."

I shook my head because I knew my mission wasn't to protect her family but to be with her, "No," I said, "I'm going with you."

Feyre was stunned for a second, she composed herself. "No. You stay here and protect my family."

"No, I'm coming with you whether you like it or not." I walked to the door, towards the beast. Before Feyre could follow me to the night, her father's gentle voice stopped her, "Feyre." He said almost pleading, before I could hear the rest I said to the beast who stared at me funnily, "take me with you."

"That is not part of the deal." He dismissed me like if I was a fly bothering him.

"I'm coming with Feyre, I won't bother you."

He only growled at me. Ugh, anger issues much? I could hear Mr. Archeron's voice from inside, "You go somewhere new-and you make a name for yourself."

How could I convince this beast to take me with him? He was a magical being he must understand magic. "Please, I don't know how to explain it but I know deep inside that I need to go with Feyre." His only response was to sniff me. "Also I lied…I'm not vegan."

"I've never smelled that scent before-"He sniffed again, a debate was forming in his mind. "Are you from Hybern?" he enunciated his words with a deep growl. Uhh, what?

My puzzled look was enough of an answer for him but I still said, "No…but if it pleases you-the place where I'm from also starts with an H, Honduras."

He barked at me, "I AM NOT FROM HYBERN." I shrieked and maybe tinkled a little.

Ohh man, chill.

Goosfraba.

I stopped myself from actually saying it out loud when I saw Feyre at the door.

"Is she coming?" She asked. I could see she was holding to a bit of hope. She preferred for me to stay with her family but she also didn't want to do this alone. Instead of answering he started walking, I whispered: "Rude." And we followed him into the night.

"Wait," I said and Feyre stopped, I slapped my forehead, "I think I left my Hydro Flask in the snow!"