by S Bolanos
“Good grief, Sara, would you sit down already?” Charline fussed from her corner of the couch.
“You don’t suppose Bittens are prone to being moonstruck, do you?” David asked with a chuckle.
Michael’s face soured. “Don’t joke about that.”
“What are you talking about?” Charline asked.
I finally stopped my pacing. “What’s moonstruck?”
“Well, some weres go a little batty around the full moon,” David supplied.
“I’m going to turn into a bat?” I screeched, then promptly fell on the couch.
“No.” I could barely hear Michael's response through David’s laughter.
“It’s not funny,” I mumbled. “I feel like I’m all over the place.”
“I mean-”
“You’re just anxious from being cooped up,” Michael cut David off.
“And being chased by a homicidal psychopath,” Charline contributed. I glanced up from my misery to see Michael intensely glaring at his best friend.
“I’ve been meaning to ask something,” I said, changing the topic. “Is it normal to shift like that? Because I don’t think I could do it.”
David looked at Michael before responding. “Weres are no different than people. We all have our strengths, the things that we are innately good at.”
“Like what?” Charline asked.
“Like not every were can be built like a cement truck,” he said with an goofy grin.
“Yeah, with brains to match,” Michael added and I snickered.
“You’re just mad that you haven’t been able to out wrestle me since we were fifteen.” When Michael rolled his eyes and returned to his coffee, David let it go and turned to me. “I would definitely say yours is speed. You’re faster than a hare in spring.”
“Speed, huh? I’ve never been fast before. I never even ran the mile.” I glanced over at my unflappable boyfriend drinking coffee at a time like this. “What about Michael?”
David snagged Michael around the shoulders nearly causing the half-empty mug to go crashing to the ground. “Big fluffy here is a natural born tracker.” Michael smiled at his friend’s over-the-top praise. “You got something that needs finding, you find a Howell. His whole family was like that. Best trackers this side of the Mississippi. Come to think of it, I’m surprised Alexander waited so long to reach out.” Michael’s smile slipped and he shrugged David off. “Oh man, I’m sorry. I didn’t think.”
“Who’s Alexander?” I asked, sensing the tension.
David hesitated. “My boss.”
“Like work-boss or wolf-boss?” Charline asked.
“Both,” he said flatly while Michael wordlessly retreated to the kitchen. I wanted to ask what was going on, but before I could, David spoke up again. “I think it’s time we called it a night. You ready to go?” he asked Charline.
Her mouth hung open. She didn’t look the least bit ready to leave, especially now that there was intrigue afoot.
“But…”
“We need to get you packed.”
She scowled at David. “I don’t see why I have to leave town during the full moon. Seems excessive to me. And besides, you won’t even…” she continued to talk as David ushered her out of the house.
When I was sure they’d gone, I turned to ask Michael what that was all about, except he was gone. I found him in the main bedroom already in bed. He didn’t say a word as I stripped and maintained his silence as I slipped beneath the covers. We lay there for who knew how long in silence before I finally fell into a fitful sleep.
Two days later, the three of us piled into David’s truck and began the lengthy drive to Raven Rock.
“I think it might be better if Sara went first after all,” Michael said from the passenger seat.
David gave me a sidelong look. “Probably for the best.”
“I’m right here.” Neither responded. “Hello? Are you two seriously going to talk about me like I’m not here?”
Michael turned toward me, his face deceptively neutral. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re excited.”
A half-baked retort died in my throat. “Oh my god, you’re right.”
“There’s no need to be self-conscious. I’d be more worried if you didn’t look forward to it,” David said, catching my eye.
I gave him a small smile. “This should be interesting. It’ll be my first with someone besides Michael.”
“And I’m sure it will end a lot differently too,” David responded casually and my face burned crimson.
“Michael!” I shouted, my embarrassment spreading like a rash, as I reached forward to smack him.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“That’s not what I meant at all.” David looked mortified. My arm froze mid-smack.
“Oh,” Michael and I chimed.
“What I meant was…” He cleared his throat. “That if our friend does make an appearance, it won’t be the usual fun-filled adventure.”
“There’s no need to sound so melancholy.” Michael gave him a shove.
“Yeah, I’m sure we can scare up a rabbit or two,” I said. That brought a smile to his face.
“Oh, she’s done for,” David said.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked.
“You haven’t even changed yet and you’re already dreaming of all the rabbits you’ll catch.” I stuck my tongue out at him.
“I haven’t caught one yet,” I corrected him.
David laughed and Michael gave me a knowing look. We joked the rest of the way until we pulled into the same clearing Michael had brought us before.
“Okay,” Michael began, “I know we’re all feeling the effects of the moon, but we need to be careful.”
The reality check had an unpleasant sobering effect. Duffels in hand, we began our trek deeper into the forest.
“Michael, if we go any farther, we’ll pop out the other side,” David said after an eternity of walking. He dropped his camo bag into foliage so thick it barely made a sound.
“Fine.” He nodded to David who began walking away to give us some privacy. “Are you going to be okay?” he asked when David was out of earshot.
“I’ll be fine,” I reassured him.
"I know you will." He leaned down and snared my lips with a delicious kiss that set my pulse racing, then released me and walked off in the opposite direction with a smirk.
I smothered my own stupid grin and started removing my clothes, then hid everything like before. Once that was done, I squared my shoulders, took a bracing breath, and got down on all fours.
My head hung between my shoulders as I closed my eyes and thought about the moon. I pushed all other thoughts aside and focused on the growing awareness and the primalness it brought. My body shook with a need I finally understood, a need to be more, a need to be free. An image of the moon full and white eclipsed all other thought.
I gritted my teeth and tried to relax as pain radiated across my body. All of my muscles tightened and I panted heavily, resisting the urge to tear at my shifting skin. A fresh wave of pain washed over me and I fell to the ground, losing my perfect image of the moon.
A slight breeze ruffled my fur as I panted into the earth. I shakily got to my feet unsure of how much time had passed. The crisp leaves let out tiny crunches as I trotted off in the direction David had gone.
He laughed when I appeared. “You look happier.”
I wagged my tail then left him to his own transformation.
In far less time than it had taken me, David stepped into the clearing, his sandy coat easily distinguishable from the shadows. He sat at the edge and we waited for Michael to join us. Not long later, David lifted his muzzle to the sky and set free a single, pure note. Almost at the same time mine and another voice climbed into the night.
An elation I’d never experienced filled me to the point of overflowing as the song reached for the stars. The sound trailed off and I dropped my head in time to see Michael’s darkn
ess walking towards me
We rubbed faces and he nipped at my shoulder. I gave him my own toothy rebuke, and he barked a laugh. Then I turned to see David shamelessly rolling around. I gave a short bark. He popped up, looked around for a moment, then took off. Michael and I plunged into the dense undergrowth in pursuit.
Damp leaves stuck to my paws as I wove around trunks eager to find the lead. In no time at all, I surged past them. I enjoyed my victory by pulling farther ahead, until a whiff of something floated on the breeze.
Rabbit.
I veered and the others followed. A small form rocketed out from under a bush scaring me half to death, but I didn’t freeze this time. My claws sank into the soil as I adjusted course. The rabbit zigzagged through the foliage, gave a hop, and vanished.
The others skidded to a halt behind me as I uncovered the burrow the crafty bastard had disappeared into. Disappointment permeated the air like I'd lost dinner despite the fact that we’d eaten before heading out. Between the three of us, we were bound to catch something, but that didn’t diminish my dejection.
Giving it up as a lost cause, I turned to find the guys roughhousing. I barked a laugh and stepped forward to join. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught some movement and renewed hope swelled in my chest. Maybe my little friend wasn’t so clever after all.
I turned back to the burrow and something substantially larger than a bunny burst forth. A scream tore through the night as razor-sharp teeth sank deep enough into my shoulder to scrape bone. By some miracle, I kept my footing, though I had no idea what had attacked me.
Then I smelled him.
The rancid odor of wrongness clogged my nostrils. Between the pain and the smell, I could barely breathe. The mutt released my shoulder, spinning me around and I stumbled. I tried to regain my bearings, but pain shot up my left foreleg when I put weight on it and I almost crashed face first into the ground. I curled the injured limb against my chest and blinked the tears from my eyes as I took in the scene unfolding before me.
David circled Michael and my attacker, all three growling loud enough to shake the ground. Unlike before, the mutt was fully shifted. Michael snapped at a paw that didn’t move fast enough. I limped over in an attempt to cut off any escape route. The rogue’s eyes shifted at my movement and his growl deepened.
Michael took advantage of his distraction and lunged, only to soar right past him. The mutt bolted through the opening David was too slow to close. Michael scrambled to his feet and all three of us tore after him, but even with adrenaline pumping through me, I couldn’t compensate for my injury.
The others pulled farther and farther ahead until I lost all awareness of them. My shoulder throbbed in time with my heartbeat and my vision refused to hold steady. A howl rose up and I did my best to orient myself to the sound. I managed one stumbling step before it faded out.
It’s no use. Even if I figure out which direction, I’ll never be able to catch up. Not like this.
I tentatively put more weight on my leg and immediately curled my paw back under my body. With a whimper, I sat in the damp undergrowth, my sides heaving as I tried to control my panic. I looked around at the world that I'd been so excited to explore only a couple hours ago. What had been fun obstacles to swerve around, now stood like ominous sentries. Even my wolf seemed at a loss for what to do.
If I can just find my way back to where we changed.
My body lurched forward with new determination. Each step presented a new challenge. I jumped at every sound, and while the pain in my shoulder had dulled to an ache, it still felt like my arm was going to fall off. I could’ve howled with relief when I finally stumbled on the clearing.
I stepped clear of the trees and immediately went on high alert. Thirty feet away stood another wolf. Every hair on my body stood on end, the resulting static crackling through my fur. For a brief moment, I forgot about my shoulder. I couldn’t smell him, but I knew. I knew.
The beginnings of a howl rose in my throat. I quickly suppressed the human instinct to call for help. He’d rush me and my throat would be bare. Pain shot up my arm as I planted my feet. I pushed the agony back and did my best to focus.
His eyes glinted in the moonlight and a chill rippled across my body at his toothy grin. Leaves crunched like death knolls as he walked towards me, each step deliberate and drawn out. The wolf in me wanted to gnash her teeth, rip and tear, while the human wanted to scream in terror. I didn’t waste breath on either.
A furious snarl replaced his open-mouthed grin when I didn’t react to his scare tactics. The savage growl hit me like a physical blow and despite my best efforts, I flinched. The forest crashed around me and it took every ounce of willpower I had not to react to the deafening noise. The alarm on his face registered right before the world slid into darkness and I collapsed to the wet earth.
I awoke miraculously human again and looked around bleary-eyed, willing the world back into focus. Across the way, Michael and David stood changed and dressed, their voices as indistinct as their images. Belatedly, I realized I was in the back seat of the truck with all the doors open.
“She’s awake.” An edge of something I couldn’t place undermined David’s calm.
“How are you feeling?” Michael asked as he brushed sweaty strands of hair from my face.
I blinked at him not sure how he’d gotten there and managed a noncommittal groan.
“Try not to move around too much, your shoulder is pretty messed up,” he said softly.
“Mike, I don’t see anything. He’s long gone by now.” David’s words reminded me of the danger we were in.
“What happened?” I croaked, my mouth drier than sandpaper. As if by magic, a water bottle appeared. I drank greedily, not caring that I choked on half of it.
“Easy,” Michael cautioned, his hand on my hair.
David walked closer, his right leg jerking unnaturally with each step. “You passed out and he ran. And someone refused to give chase.”
“What would you have had me do?” Michael’s question had the sound of a tired argument.
David leaned down to massage his leg without responding.
“What if it had been Charline? Would you have left her defenseless?”
David sighed, but said nothing and Michael returned his attention to me.
“What do you remember?”
“How did I change?” Water dribbled down my chin, but at least the words didn’t hurt as much.
There was a tense pause. Awe tinged Michael’s voice when he finally answered. “You changed while you were out.”
“That has to be the smoothest transition to human I’ve ever seen.” David’s words struck something within me. I struggled for a moment to identify it and then it hit me like a wall. I felt violated. It must’ve shown on my face.
“Don’t get upset with him, it took us both by surprise.” While I could understand that, it did nothing to soothe my ruff.
“How is that possible?” I flashed back to all of the times that would’ve been helpful.
“I’ve heard of it, but honestly, I never really believed it.” David sounded like he wasn’t sure if he believed it now.
“Can we please go home?”
Michael took one last cautionary look around the clearing. “Of course.”
30
Lone Wolf
Michael insisted I wear a sling while my shoulder healed. While I couldn’t fault the logic, I couldn’t understand why the damn thing was taking so long to heal. I shoved my hand beneath my thigh in an effort to stop fiddling with it and blew out a frustrated breath.
“What happened to your arm?”
I glanced over at the inquiry, surprised to find Bob standing at the entrance to my cubicle. “I went for a run last night and fell on it pretty hard. I’m trying not to make it worse.” I mentally crossed my fingers and hoped the explanation had enough truth to be believable.
“I didn’t realize you ran. Where do you go?”
Maybe I should have lied
more.
“It’s a relatively new pursuit…” I trailed off, not sure how much detail I should give the story.
“We go running in the state park when we can,” Michael’s timely answer materialized out of thin air.
Bob took in the image of us standing close together, Michael’s hand placed familiarly on my non-injured shoulder. “I would say you should notify HR of your new status, but I suspect HR has already been made aware. In any case, be sure to read the memo in regards to inter-office dating and appropriate behavior.”
He glanced down the hall leading to our corner of the office. Sure enough, Charline was making her way towards us. Bob gave us a wink then disappeared back into his office. While I was glad to see we were apparently on good terms, I wasn’t sure about this new interest in my personal life.
“What was that about?” Charline eyed the closed door. Before either of us could answer, she turned back and asked, “How’s your arm?”
“I see David was unsuccessful in convincing you to extend your holiday,” I sighed.
“Quit stalling.” Yep, a determined Charline was a persistent Charline.
“It hurts.”
“Shouldn’t it—you know—have healed by now?” she whispered.
“Bites are a little different.” My shoulders slumped at Michael’s succinct answer and he gave me a gentle squeeze. “You seem like you're in good hands. I’ll see you later.” He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and left me on my own. So much for coming to the rescue.
“He’s in a surprisingly good mood, all things considered,” Charline said when he walked off. I groaned inwardly. Despite her amazing grasp of everything, she couldn’t quite accept the enhanced hearing.
“What can I say? Nothing like an attack in the woods to put things into perspective and bring everyone together.”
“I’ll say.” I raised an eyebrow at the response that clearly had nothing to do with me and Michael. “I’ll tell you about everything when all of this is over.”
“That seems a little one-sided,” I quipped. She floundered a moment, but didn’t cave. “I’m assuming you’re here because you want the full story?”