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Scarlet's POV:

Panic and Rage

I am pretty much always on the verge of panic at this point. Giant wolf attacks seem to be happening every day, and they're starting to claim casualties. Sometimes they strike at night, sometimes in the day, sometimes at twilight, I swear it's like these things never sleep. Normally, I'd feel safe-ish because I have a gun tucked in my waistband, but dear old Dad decided that I shouldn't have it and locked it in the apartment safe. I remember him yelling at me, "Women shouldn't have guns! They should have frying pans!" Ugh, what a sexist. Though it was very satisfying to hit him with a frying pan.

I've been trying to crack the code on the safe and get my gun back for weeks, but so far no luck. If I didn't know for a fact that Dad was a total moron, I'd think he was changing the code every day.

Not having my gun alone would have been enough to freak me out, but to pile on to that, my boyfriend is missing. Huh. It still feels weird to think of Wolf like that. I guess because we shared a total of one kisses before he up and vanished. I'll admit, I'm a little annoyed about that but mainly I'm worried. As far as I know, Wolf had no reason at all to run away. He seemed happy enough when I last saw him, and the police were nice to him. From what I can gather, they view Wolf like he's a nephew, or maybe a younger brother. And they obviously care for him, judging from the way they've been freaking out. A part of me wonders if I was the reason the he ran away. Which of course makes no sense, I didn't do anything wrong! I think… no, I definitely didn't do anything wrong. So what gives his sudden disappearance?

I think I'd be dealing with all this better if I had someone to vent to. But I don't know any of the kids at school well enough to feel comfortable telling them, my therapist's job is to help me and Dad get along, not to listen to my rantings, Dad is a jerk and I can't talk to Grand-mère without my phone (which Dad still hasn't given back. I did mention that this guy's a jerk, right?). But I have to talk to someone, otherwise I might just explode from frustration! Which I why I'm stuck scribbling a letter to Grand-mère, a letter which I'm probably going to have to wait weeks to get an answer to.

I raise my head to look out the window and smirk to myself. The sun's only just setting. I have plenty of time before Dad drags himself out of the bar. If I'm careful, I might just get away with writing these letters. After all, what's Dad going to do? Throw all the paper and pens into the trash? Cancel his mail account? Really the only thing he can possibly do to stop me is steal the letters themselves, and he can't exactly do that when he's not he-

"What are you doing?"

I start in surprise. Since when was Dad home by sundown?

"Don't you have an appointment with a bottle of alcohol?" I growl at him.

Dad strides forward and snatches the paper up, ignoring my cry of protest. I jump to my feet and try to snatch the paper away from him, but he's holding it just above my reach. I grab his arm, trying to pull it down so I can grab the letter, but Dad just shoves me away and I end up tumbling to the floor. I scramble to my feet, but it's too late. Dad's lowered the letter, and has fixed me with a glare.

"You were trying to write to your grandmother?" He shouts at me.

I jut out my chin defiantly. "Yeah, so?"
"She's not your guardian anymore Scarlet! I am!"

"And why does that forbid me from talking to her?" I spit back, "It's not like you care about me, no matter how much you bring up what you pay to feed me or whatever."

"Oh, would you rather I let you starve? Would you rather I root through bins to get you clothes? Would you rather I home-school you instead of paying for your education?" He hisses.

I let out a sharp bark of laughter. "You say that as if you actually do any of those things! Do you remember how you treated me when I first lived with you? I do. I remember having to borrow some of my friends' lunches because you couldn't be bothered to pack me one! I remember having to go and buy my own clothes because you wouldn't buy new ones for me! And I went to a public school! I still go to a public school! You don't pay anything for my education!"

Dad throws his hands up in frustration. "I don't know why I even bother with you! It's not like you're doing anything worthwhile!"

"Oh, would you rather I get a job and buy all your food and clothes and cook you dinner and clean your apartment while you laze around on the couch drinking beer?" I reply scathingly.

"I would rather you were more grateful! Here I am, practically feeding you money with all I pay on you."

"You've never spent so much as a dime on me in your miserable life! Why did you even bring me back here if I take so much out of your bank account? You could have just left me on the farm with Grand-mère!"

"If I'd known the welfare payments were so small I'd have done just that!"

I blink at him in bewilderment. "Welfare payments?"

Dad glares at me. "The government gives money to single parents to help them take care of their kids. Since my job doesn't pay squat, I figured claiming that would help me along. Unfortunately, I had to actually have my kid in my custody, which is why I'm stuck with you and your constant complaining."

I clench my fists at my sides and open my mouth, but nothing comes out. My mind is filled with a red cloud of fury, fogging over my thoughts. Not a single coherent word forms within that crackling red haze. If they did, they'd probably scorch my tongue once I spoke them.

A strangled cry of rage tears through my throat and I shove Dad aside, ignoring his outraged protests as I throw open the door.

By the time I register the angry tears sliding down my cheeks, I'm far away from the apartment. I swipe at them furiously with one hand and glance around my surroundings, but nothing is familiar. Great, just what I need. I'm lost.

Tired and frustrated, I aim a kick at a nearby lamppost, but all that does is hurt my foot. Not helping my mood.

"What's wrong?"

I raise my head to glare at the person who'd spoken. A beautiful woman with warm honeyed skin and long black hair that shines in the lamplight smiles back at me. Everything about her seems warm and comforting, except for her eyes. Slate grey, and cold as steel, like twin blades.

"None of your business." I reply rudely. I turn to leave, but the woman's hand suddenly grips my shoulder like an iron clamp.

"Now, now, no need to be rude." She says, "After all, I was just trying to help."
"Well I don't want your help." I reply firmly and start tugging on the woman's hand, but it might as well have been made of stone.

"Of course you want my help! I can make this anger melt away, leaving you as joyful and light as a bird. Wouldn't you like that?"

The woman leans closer and fight back a gag at the sickly sweet scent of her breath.

"No, actually, I wouldn't." I tell her and try to pull away with renewed vigour.

The woman sighs mockingly. "Humans. They never know what's good for them."

I frown. Why did she say "humans"?

But before I can puzzle out her weird way of speaking, the woman lunges forward, and a sharp pain tears up through my neck.

A/N: Sorry this is late!

Cliff-hanger everybody! What will happen to Scarlet? Who was this lady? Why didn't I make Wolf come in and save the day?

Please review!