Inner animal. by Emily Zimmerman. (ebook reader for laptop .TXT) 📕

helping, don’t give up mom, I know you are getting better, I love you, please don’t give up on yourself” I told her, hugging her so tight I wondered if she could breathe.
“Okay sweetheart, don’t worry, I’ll keep trying to get better, I promised myself that I wouldn’t hurt you again, even though I broke that promise, I hope you can forgive me” she whispered, hugging me just as tight.
“I forgive you mom, just remember what she told you, and keep your mind calm and rational” I said softly. She nodded and let me go; I kissed her cheek and got in the car, waving as we drove away.
“She hurt you?” Drake asked. I looked at him in shock, how the hell did he know? “Animal hearing” he explained, tapping his ear. I looked away out the window “only a few times, the rational part of her mind sometimes shuts off completely, and she can get angry over the simplest things, she doesn’t mean to do it, because she can’t rationalize what she is doing. She is doing better” I explained.
“How many times is “only a few times?”” he asked. I fidgeted with my hands as I answered “five or six” I whispered. I heard his distinctive growl, and looked up with defensive eyes “she feels terrible afterwards, because she has absolutely no control over what she is doing, much like when shifters first change, am I correct?” I asked, crossing my arms. I had him there, he didn’t answer. “She is a good mother, and has tried to be all her life, so I would very much appreciate it if you wouldn’t think of her badly” I muttered. For the rest of the ride, they were silent, and I was glad, I wasn’t sure I could take more criticism of my mother without snapping.
chapter two:

I gasped as we entered the tarmac and the privet plane came into view, I got out of the car and watched as a few men took the bags from the trunk and another man took the car. I grabbed my purse from the car and looked up, just in time to see the face of a woman and have arms wrap around me.
“Nina!! My little niece! I have missed you so much!” the girl squealed in my ear as I hesitantly wrapped my arms around her. I looked at Jenna with wide eyes “that’s your aunt Lamina” she said with a laugh. Lamina pulled back and held me at arm’s length, her eyes roaming over me “let me have a look at you! You have grown so much!” she exclaimed excitedly.
“Uh, so have you?” I said in confusion, though it sounded like a question.
She laughed and took my hand, leading me up the stairs and into the plane “I haven’t seen you in eighteen years dear, forgive me if I’m excited” she said with a smile.
I waved my free hand and shook my head “no, I understand” I said. I immediately liked Lamina, her bubbly attitude got to me. I noticed three more people standing by the counters. Lamina dragged me over to them, a boy about my age, a man who looked about fifty, and another man who also looked about fifty. When the third guy saw me he smiled and walked over, pulling me into a tight bear hug “little Nina! I’ve missed you!” he said. I gasped for air “I don’t…mean to be rude…but I can’t breathe!” I gasped. He laughed, a warm and comforting sound, and let me go. This was overwhelming; I had no idea that I had this kind of family, they all seemed so nice. “Nina, this is your grandfather, Laurence. And this is Bane, and his father Hank, Hank is your protector, Bane came with him because Hank doesn’t trust him by himself” Lamina said with a glare towards Bane.
“You know you love me” Bane teased. Hank held out his hand to me and I took it without hesitation “it’s nice to meet you” I smiled, shaking his hand.
“Likewise” he said in a gruff voice.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please take a seat as we begin our departure, fasten your seat belts and make sure any electronic devices are is completely off for the duration of the flight. In the event of a crash, please put the oxygen mask over your mouth and nose and breathe in and out deeply. We hope you enjoy the flight!” The flight attendant announced over the microphone. I took a deep breath and sat down at the first row, trying to calm my nerves. I’m terrified of heights, and flying. The first time I flew, we were in this huge storm, and the plane was shaking and turbulence hit every five minutes. It wasn’t a very comfortable flight. But as we circled the runway, gaining speed, my nerves became lessened as I watched the others, as relaxed as they conversed. Bane and Hank sat across from me, Bane rolling his eyes as Hank spoke to him in a low, but firm tone.
Bane apparently decided to ignore his father, because he turned and assessed me with curious eyes. “So, you are the famous Nina I have heard so much about” he said.
Shock hit me at his words “you mean they talk about me?” I asked softly, touched at how much they care about me, having not even known me.
“Of course, your mom is crazy about you, they had to pry you from her hands when she had to give you up, or, at least, that’s how I heard the story” Hank interjected.
I felt like crying, but I was very good at controlling my emotions and the expression on my face. It was so touching to have a family that you didn’t even know, love you as if they knew you all your life. “Oh” I whispered.
“You should have heard what she said whenever Drake showed her what we are Hank” William laughed. I blushed deep red and looked down. “What? What did she say?” it wasn’t hank who asked, it was Bane.
“She kind of freaked out for a second, then she stared at him after he shifted back, and she said “holy shit” I swear, she almost gave Maria a heart attack!” William snickered.
I grew impossibly darker, looking down at my hands “it was a knee jerk reaction!” I mumbled in defense.
Hank and Bale were laughing too hard to answer me, and Jenna had a disapproving look on her face. Maria’s look mirrored Jenna’s. Lamina dropped her head in her hands and started laughing too. Drake was shaking his head slowly, a small smile on his face. “A knee jerk reaction my butt!” Lamina laughed. Laurence seemed like he was trying not to laugh for the sake of his wife.
“Okay! Enough laughing at my mistake! It wasn’t that funny!” I said loudly, but it wasn’t quite a shout.
Bane sobered first - surprisingly - and went on studying my face, I could see a hint of curiosity still in his eyes, “so when is your birthday?” he asked, seeming like he didn’t want the answer.
“Tomorrow” I said after a moment of hesitation.
“Cool” he replied, his voice still bored.
I wondered why he asked me the question in the first place, if he didn’t want to know. But I just snorted quietly, shook my head, and looked out the window. He didn’t ask me questions after that, but I could feel his gaze on my face.
I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, Jenna had filled me in about the island that we were going to, and who we were up against. They had been at war with these creatures called Jaykoren for eighteen years now, and so far, none of them have made a move to try and take over the island, though, with how weak they have made the shifters, they could probably do it any time. It was a bit scary, going to an island under attack, but Jenna assured me that the sanctuary was very safe.
She told me about the Jaykoren, they are a huge clan of bear-like creatures, only twice as big, with grey and black streaks all along their bodies. They have claws that can grow to be three feet long, and paws that can crush you with one swipe, Jenna said that she has been able to keep them away from the sanctuary, I asked her how, and she got kind of… guarded, like William did. She told me that I would find out soon enough...
“Nina, wake up, we’re home” Drake’s voice woke me.
I opened my eyes, looking around, Drake and Jenna stood beside me, and Drake was leaned over with his hand on my shoulder. I grabbed my purse, standing up with the help of Jenna’s hand. “When we get home, you need to get some sleep; we don’t want you tired tomorrow when you meet the rest” Jenna said as we all piled into the car. I nodded as I laid my head back on the seat. I was asleep again before my head hit the head-rest.
I awoke in my bed, it was my actual bed. I sighed, a mix of relief and sadness going through me that it was a dream, sadness because I didn’t meet my parents and they were not really cool mythical creatures, and relief because I didn’t have to leave my mother. I looked around my room and froze, this wasn’t my room. The walls were olive green, and the floors were hardwood. This was not my room. I sat up a little too quickly, making my head spin “what…” I trailed off, memories from how I got here flowing through my head. I remembered waking up to someone carrying me, but I never opened my eyes to see who it was. All I knew was that whoever it was, it was definitely a guy. I sighed and rubbed my eyes. I decided I might as well explore my room. I jumped out of bed and walked over to a small door, I opened it to find an average size bathroom. The bathroom had a shower/bath in the far corner, and a deep-set sink across from it set in a granite countertop. I walked over to the shower and tried to figure out how to turn it on. The nob on the shower wasn’t that different from mine at home, so it wasn’t that hard to figure out. I turned it on hot and walked out to get an extra set of clothes and a towel while I waited for it to heat up. I jumped in the shower and was pleased to see that my shampoo, conditioner, and body wash had been packed too.
I lathered my hair in my jasmine scented shampoo, the smell seemed to fill the bathroom and it relaxed me. My body wash smelled like jasmine too, and it only seemed to