Hi guys I'm back! You should know that this chapter is heavy with angst and reader discretion is advised. There will be descriptions of physical and emotional abuse, if these topics make you uncomfortable, skip to the end for a summary of the chapter.

Emira POV: (oooh new pov!)

I heard father and mother arrive out front. Ed stood with me at the door.. All we had to do was stall long enough for Amity to get back.

"Hello mother," I said as she opened the creaking door.

I nodded at her and looked at father, "Good evening father."

Ed nodded at both of them, "Good evening."

"Hello childre—" started father, but he was cut off by mother.

"Yes, yes very nice welcoming. Now, where is your sister?"

Great. We were getting straight to the point. I looked at Ed for assistance, but he stared blankly back. He always let me do the talking, "Well, I believe she is at the—the basement," I said, holding back my anger. I hated the way they treated our little sister. Mother always acts like Amity is a huge threat to us or something.

"Good. Yesterday was its shifting day, correct?"

"Yes." I cringed at her word choice. She never viewed Amity as a witch, to her she's just a creature.

"Well, may we go see it?"

Panic arose in my chest, luckily father spoke up, "Dear, why don't we wait till we put our bags away? I'm sure Amity is alright." Father was always gentler on Amity; I even remember seeing him play with Mittens in her cat form once.

"Go put the bags away then. I'll head down myself."

Ed looked at me with concern. I knew if father wasn't there things would be way worse for Amity.

"Here father," I said as politely as I could, "Let us take the bags."

Ed nodded, "Go with mother. We'll put them away."

Father nodded knowingly, "Alright thank you children. I'll come, Odalia."

She smiled, her corrupt smile, "Wonderful, let's go."

Ed and I watched in dread as they descended down the steps toward the basement. Please be there Amity.

Amity POV: (angst incoming)

"Welcome home, Amity," father's words rang in my head. I wasn't fast enough..

"AMITY!" Mother's voice screeched like glass breaking, "What are you doing?"

"I—I figured it had been over a day and that it.. it would be safe for me to come out now."

"How did you get out?"

"I.. well," I needed an excuse. Come on Amity, think! "Well, you see. It—it was unlocked!" Not my best lie ever.

"Unlocked? How come!"

"It.. it just was. I'm not sure how. I pushed the door and it opened."

"LIES! How DARE you lie to ME! You were outside, weren't you!"

Her sudden raise in volume stung my ears. I fell onto the basement door from the force of her words.

"Now Odalia," said my father who was visibly straining his voice to sound calm, "Don't you think you're overreacting?"

"Over—overreacting?"

I covered my ears.

"That thing had been out and about! Do you know what could have happened," she paused. Mother looked down at me before grabbing my arm and pulling me to my feet.

"She could have been seen—IT COULD HAVE BEEN SEEN!" Mother still held my arm tightly.

"Look at me child!" I looked, her menacing stare was but a few inches from my face.

"Odalia.."

She slapped my father's hand away from her and threw me back against the basement door. My arm hit the metal. I yipped in pain, but neither of my parents took notice.

"We need to discipline this creature!" Yelled my mother who stared angrily into my father's eyes, "Do you know what would happen if people found out about it? What that would do to us!? It would disgrace the family name forever.

I closed my ears shut. No matter what I do, I'll never be more than a creature.. than—than a monster in my mother's eyes.

"Well, she will be careful, won't you Amity?" Father looked at me with the same calmness in his eyes.

I nodded rapidly.

"NO! It will lose control. It could easily escape and then everyone would know, and that's NOT a risk I'm willing to take."

Father stayed quiet, and I knew she had won.. she always did. She sharply turned back toward me and kicked me in the stomach. "Oww—"

"Get up."

I slowly stood up. I looked into my father's eyes pleading for help, but he turned away. COWARD! I hated him, I almost hated him more than mother. He never did ANYTHING! We used to play when mother was away. He would bring out the yarn and string; now, he locks me up in the basement when mother tells him to.

Alador POV: (we gettin' all the new povs!)

I hated this. I hated myself for letting it happen. I was too scared to do anything. Amity stood up, I turned away only to be met by the sound of Odalia slapping her. I looked back; Amity was holding her cheek. I reached out my hand in Amity's direction but put it back down. I couldn't do anything. 

By now Amity was starting to cry; this made my wife even more mad.

"WEAK, USELESS MONSTER! Go.. GO INTO THE BASEMENT.. NOW!"

Amity's hand shook as she unlocked the door and entered. I saw Odalia snatch the keys from her, then she shut the door without another word.

I heard my wife push Amity to the ground. I could hear my daughters whimpering as my wife 'taught her a lesson' as she would say.

"Transform!" I heard the voice loud and clear, even through the heavy door, "TURN! You don't deserve to keep a witch's form."

"I—I can't," Amity said shakily.

"You can and you will! DO IT!"

I heard Odalia kick Amity followed by whimpering. "If you won't turn, I will make you!"

A spell circle was drawn, and I couldn't bare to stay anymore. I knew a forced transformation was not pleasant. I walked away and back up the stairs as the sounds from the basement faded out of earshot, leaving only the increasingly loud yelling of my conscious.

I saw the twins sitting together at the couch. When I walked into the room, they looked at me as if they'd seen a ghost. I didn't look back. Too ashamed to say anything, I went up the next flight of stairs to my room. It had been a long day, but it would be an even longer night.

Ed POV: (yo we got the whole family— Odalia doesn't count)

After we put down our parent's luggage, Em and I sat on the couch in silence, worrying our heads off. It felt like ages before father came in.. in.. alone. I looked at my sister in fear. Nothing ever good happened when dad came back alone. He didn't even dare say anything but went toward the staircase without looking at us once.

"Em—" I said shakily.

"I know, Ed. But we can't do anything right now."

I nodded and hugged her. I couldn't wait to get out of this household. All of mothers' praise was empty. She never cared about our emotions, only our grades. I remember when I received a B, I spent days in my room alone after what.. what she did. After I returned to school, people would ask me what happened. Em responded for me, "Grudgby practice gone wrong." We laughed it off, no one expected a thing. Sometimes I wished I could just be vulnerable. Being vulnerable can be a nice feeling, letting someone be there for you.

Now we would do the same thing for Amity in school, although a lot more often. Sometimes we had to use illusions to cover up her bruises. I tried not to imagine could be happening right now.

I let go of Em, who was crying. Soon, I felt my eyes grow wet as well.

She wiped them off my cheek. "Come on," she said, sniffling, "Let's clean up and go to bed. There's nothing we can do tonight."

She got up and I followed. We headed to our bedroom and washed up before changing. I stared at Em one more time across the room before turning off the light, "Good night Em."

"Night Ed."

We had our separate bedrooms, but we always slept in a third room that we shared. It was comforting to have each other, yet tonight, I couldn't help but feel a little empty on the inside.

Alador POV:

I entered my bedroom and began reading a book in an attempt to take my mind away from Amity, but that was impossible. Every second of my life I regret what I've done to her. Soon a maid knocked at the door, "My apologies, Mr. Blight. Do you need anything?"

I thought for a moment, "Yes, actually. I would like some apple blood." I really needed it right now, "And please, call me Alador when my wife isn't around."

The maid nodded smiling and went downstairs to retrieve the drink. I didn't even attempt to pick my book back up, knowing it would get me nowhere. I stared blankly at the wall, attempting not to cry. Why couldn't I stand up for my daughter? She didn't deserve this.

I quickly wiped away any evidence of tears as the maid opened the door with the apple blood. She handed me the drink, and I nodded my thanks. She smiled and left me to my thoughts; I sipped on the beverage in silence.

Soon I could hear the dreadful sound of my wife's footsteps. I hid the apple blood and picked the book up again to pretend that I was reading. I heard the ominous creaking of the now open door.

"Hello dear," I said blankly.

She frowned at me, "Alador, do stop reading that book. There is no point in fiction; it's no wonder our daughter takes such a liking to that one kid's story."

She turned away with her chin held high. Before I could say anything she walked into the bathroom.

I sighed; put the book down, and left the room. I did not feel like spending the night with my wife today. I went toward the library and unlocked the door. The room hadn't been opened for a good while now. I lit the fireplace and sat down in my favorite chair. I then looked up at the shelf with Amity's ball of yarn. Next to it was a photo of me holding her in her cat form. I hadn't seen her in that form in a long while—months.. years. Odalia always refereed to her as a beast or a monster. I didn't see how—she was perfect. Someday I would stand up for her.

"I promise Amity." I stared at the photo. I couldn't help but feel a little empty on the inside.

SUMMARY: (narrator POV)—you can skip this if you read the rest

Em and Ed attempt to stall their parents from going to see Amity; however, Odalia is bent on checking on her. Alador makes a pitiful attempt to stop her but quickly falls back into obedience. The siblings insure that he goes with her, knowing Amity might have a better chance if Alador is around.

Amity is putting the key in the basement door when Alador welcomes her home. She can hear her heartbeat loud and clear in her chest as her mother starts yelling at her and questioning why she is outside the door.

Amity makes an excuse, but Odalia has none of it. The situation escalates into a somewhat violent punishment by Odalia. Alador is too much of a coward to stop his wife. Instead he watches from the sidelines as Odalia claims Amity to be unfit to keep a witch's form. She forces her to transform, and Alador leaves as the situation becomes too much for him to handle.

The twins are attempting to comfort each other as they know what is likely happening. Ed dreams of leaving the manor when they're 18 and thinks about how little his mother actually cares about them—only their grades. He remembers when she punished him for getting a B. He and Em share a hug as they can't imagine what Amity is going through.

Alador attempts to read to get his mind off what just happened. It doesn't work. He asks a maid for apple blood but is soon disrupted by Odalia, who seems almost to be taking pleasure in what she just did. Alador who is sick of her, goes downstairs and unlocks the long untouched library. He sees a picture of himself and Amity in her werecat form and reflects on how weak his is in being unable to stand up for her. He makes a promise to save her. Even still, he can't help but feel empty on the inside.

I wonder what Luz is doing.. maybe looking for a vote?

Well that was a lot of angst. I just realized that it's 1am.. whoops I got caught up writing. Also do let me know if you want me to change/remove any parts. Well anyway, next chapter there will still include angst but will be more focused on Luz's pov.

Anyhow, hope you have a fantastic day/night!! Imma go sleep :P

Word Count: 2245