Song of The Moon Artemis Lupine

by Banks, Catherine

  Blood started to run down the sink and I pulled the meat out holding it in my hands. I licked my lips hungrily and looked around for a plate. Ares, who was standing beside me, handed me a plate. I took the plate quickly and placed the meat on it. I sat on the ground, and started eating the ground beef. I groaned in happiness as I swallowed the beef and blood. Someone's hand reached towards my plate and I snarled and pulled the plate away. The hand disappeared, and I went back to scarfing down the food. When I had finished the ground beef, I stood up and put the plate in the sink. I went back to the fridge and took out the milk. I turned for a glass, but Ares was already handing one to me. I took it and poured a glass of milk, then swallowed it quickly. I put the milk back and put the glass in the sink, before sighing in contentment. I looked around at the three men staring at me, and felt self-conscious. I wiped at my mouth and ran to the bathroom to see if I had food or blood on me. My face was clean, so I walked back out into the living room where they had moved and begun to whisper together. I sat down on the couch and stared at my hands, as they finished talking.

  Ares cleared his throat making me look up at him. "How are you feeling?"

  I shrugged. "Fine. Why?"

  "You don't know what just happened do you?"

  I shrugged. "I started to get shaky and I calmed myself down, but then I was really hungry so I ate."

  He laughed and turned to Koda and Matt. "You see? She has no idea what just happened."

  "You want to explain to me what happened?" I said angrily.

  "You just stopped your transformation again. This time you stopped it so fast that the only need you had was food. Usually you are extremely tired when you stop it too, but you stopped it so fast and so early that you aren't tired."

  I stared at him in shock as I comprehended what he said. I smiled at him and laughed. "So, I stopped the transformation again?" He nodded his head. I smiled wider. "I told you I could."

  Koda snorted. "Just because you said so doesn't mean you can. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would have told them they were crazy."

  "Oh. Well, can we go see Darren and Bret now?"

  Ares shrugged. "I guess it is safe, since you didn't change."

  I stared at him in shock. "You thought I was going to lose control and try to eat Bret, didn't you? Is that the main reason you wanted Koda with me?"

  Ares nodded his head. "You would never forgive yourself if you hurt him."

  I nodded my head solemnly. "You're right. So, does this mean I can meet with him alone?"

  He sighed and rubbed his temples. "You are so pushy, but since it’s your birthday, I’ll let you."

  I smiled at him and walked towards the door. "Come on. Let's go. You can decide when we get there." I walked out the door and stopped in my tracks. Bret stood a few feet away from the door staring at me in shock. I shook my head and whispered, "Bret? What are you doing here?"

  His surprise turned into a wide toothed grin as he picked me up spun me around. "Oh thank God you're alright. Come on let's get you home." I shook my head as he set me down and started to pull me down the porch. I grabbed his arm and pulled him back. He stared at me in shock. "Come on, Artemis."

  I shook my head. "Bret, you need to leave, now. It's not safe for you here."

  "Why? Because of all of the big wolves around? I can handle myself. I need to take you out of here." He said fiercely.

  Ares, Matt and Koda walked on to the porch and stared in shock at Bret with his hand on my arm, and mine on his. I sighed and placed my body in front of Bret's. "Just listen to me for a second, okay?" Ares, Matt and Koda nodded their heads in unison. "He thinks you are going to hurt me, and he came to save me. You can't hurt him for that."

  Ares shook his head. "No, but he can't go free."

  I shook my head. "He doesn't know anything. He hasn't figured it out."

  Bret pushed me to the side and asked, "Figured out what? Why do I feel like I am missing some big secret?"

  I smiled and turned to Ares. "See? He doesn't know. Just let me take him home. You want to talk to my dad anyway, right?"

  Matt snarled. "You plan on telling him anyway. Then he will know how to get here. We can't let him go."

  I snarled back at him and put myself in front of Bret again. "You are not going to hurt him."

  Koda smiled. "We never said we were going to hurt him."

  I snapped my teeth at Koda. "You aren't going to kill him either."

  Ares waved his hands in the air. "Calm down Artemis. We aren't going to kill him. But he can't go free. He is going to have to stay with us."

  I looked from Ares to Koda to Matt and back to Ares. "Why do I feel like I'm missing something now?"

  Ares sighed. "If I tell you, you are going to freak out."

  I shook my head and took a step back pushing Bret back with me. "Then it's definitely no."

  Bret asked, "What is going on Artemis?"

  I snapped. "I'm trying to save your life Bret. Just shut up and let me handle this." He stared at me in shock, but didn't say anything. Ares and Matt took a step towards me while Koda took one to the side. I snarled and crouched down. "Please stop. I don't want to fight you."

  Ares stared in shock at me. "You are willing to fight us over him?"

  I nodded my head. "He has done nothing wrong and you are trying to do something horrible to him."

  Ares smiled. "You don't even know what it is."

  I snarled. "No! You told me that he would be unharmed."

  Ares nodded his head. "Yes, but that was when he was at your town. Now he knows the way here and will tell the others."

  Bret shrugged. "Why would I tell anyone about this place? Just let me take Artemis back and we'll forget about it."

  Ares shook his head. "She can never go back."

  I felt a tear fall down my face and shook my head. "Shut up. All of you, just shut up!"

  I heard someone behind us and spun around to see Koda coming towards us. I growled loudly and jumped in front of Bret as Koda ran towards him. Koda smashed into me, sending me flying through the air. I felt my body hit the wall and shook my head to clear my daze. I jumped up and saw Matt and Ares holding Bret. I snarled loudly and snapped my teeth at them as I moved towards them. I felt my body begin to shake and sighed. I breathed slowly and stopped the shaking. I looked up at Bret's face and stopped moving. He stared at me with a mixture of horror and fear on his face.

  Bret asked, "What's wrong with you?"

  I shook my head. "Nothing Bret."

  He shook his head at me. "You aren't human are you?"

  I looked at Ares and snarled. "Let him go. Please!"

  Ares dropped Bret's arm and moved towards me. "Artemis. I didn't want this to happen."

  I shook my head and moved away from him. "Bret you need to leave."

  Bret shook his head. "Whatever you are, I…I can deal with it. Come home with me."

  I laughed bitterly and shook my head. "It's never been my home, Bret. I can't go back there again. You're right, I'm not human. That's why I never fit in."

  Bret asked, "If you aren't human, then what are you?"

  I looked up at Ares' worried face and sighed. "I'm a werewolf."

  Bret laughed loudly and said, "Yeah, right. So, really though. What's going on with you?"

  I looked Bret in the eyes. "I'm a werewolf, Bret. So are the three men around you."

  Bret looked at three men holding him who were all shorter, but more muscled. He shook his head in disbelief. "No way."

  "Bret. You remember Ares was there at my house, right?" Bret nodded his head. I went on, "So were Koda and Matt, just not in human form."

  I watched as Bret comprehended what I said. "The wolves? The giant wolves?" His face grew more worried as he looked at the men holding him.

  I nodded my head. "Yes. And I'm one of them, but I haven't changed shape yet."

  Bret shook his head. "Then how do you know that you are one of them?"

  I looked at Ares who nodded his head. I groane
d. "Because my dad is one." Bret's face fell and he stopped talking. He stared at me for a full minute before shaking his head. I walked towards him, but he backed up as much as Matt and Koda would allow. I stopped walking and looked at the ground. "I would never hurt you." I looked back up at him and smiled.

  Bret shook his head. "You can't be a werewolf I can't be in lov..." He stopped talking and looked up at me. I let the pain and shock show on my face. He sighed. "I won't believe you are a werewolf until you change."

  I groaned. "I'm not going to change. I refuse."

  Bret smiled. "Then it's alright. We can go on with our lives like normal."

  I groaned again. "Don't you see Bret?! I'm not normal. I don't belong with you and your friends. I belong here with other wolves. Eventually I'll change and I know that. I won't be able to hold it off forever. When that happens I don't want to be near you. I could kill you."

  "I don't believe you. If you don't love me or don't want to be with me, then just tell me. Don't make up these crazy lies." Bret said with pain pinching his face.

  Ares laughed. "Damn, you are persistent. Would you rather I changed and showed you?"

  I snarled at Ares. "Don't even think about it."

  Ares snarled back. "Do not threaten me. I have the power to force you to change if I want."

  I snapped my teeth at him. "Let Bret go, and you and I can finish this."

  Ares shook his head. "I already told you that we can't let him go. He knows too much."

  I shook my head. "No way. You are going to make him a slave or something and I won't let you."

  Ares growled. "You wouldn't be able to stop me, even if that was what I was going to do."

  Koda cleared his throat, "Prince." Ares looked at Koda and stopped snarling. Koda smiled. "Perhaps I should just get this over with so we don't have to stand here and talk all day?"

  Ares nodded his head smiling. "Okay." I took a step forward as I saw Koda open his mouth. I watched in amazement as fangs extended. I finally knew what they were going to do and ran forward. I dodged around Ares as he tried to grab me and lunged at Koda. Koda grabbed Bret around his arms and bit into his shoulder. Bret yelled in pain as Koda bit down harder drawing blood.

  I screamed, "NO!" and charged into Koda knocking him backwards and away from Bret. Koda landed with a large thud as I rode his body down to the ground. I pushed off of him running back to Bret. Matt was kneeling beside him and I charged forward smashing into him and sending him flying backwards into the side of the house.

  Ares snarled at me from the other side of Bret. "Stop Artemis. It's too late now. He's already infected."

  I shook my head and charged forward, picking Bret up in my arms and running as fast as I could. I had to fight to keep a hold on Bret because he was too tall to be carried easily. I could hear someone following me, but I didn't care. My only concern was getting Bret to safety. I ran faster and weaved in and out of the trees trying not to hit one. I saw a clearing and ran for it. I set Bret on the ground and ripped open his shirt. I stared in shock at the wound which was still bleeding. I placed my lips over the wound and sucked as hard as I could. Bret screamed in pain as I sucked his blood and another bitter tasting substance into my mouth. I sucked until my mouth was full then turned and spit. I clamped my mouth over the bite again and sucked. Bret screamed with every suck and thrashed his legs.

  Ares sighed beside me. "It's no use Artemis. Even if you suck up what is there, some has already gone into his bloodstream. Look at his eyes."

  I pulled back from the bite and spit what was in my mouth. I looked at Bret's eyes and gasped. They were wolf amber and glowing. I shook my head and let the tears fall. "No! No, I can stop it."

  Ares reached towards me and I snarled at him. "Get away!" I clamped my mouth over Bret's bite and sucked as hard as I could making Bret scream in pain. No more bitter taste came and I stopped sucking. I spit what was in my mouth out and stared at Bret. He breathed slowly staring at me with amber eyes. I cried harder and hugged him. "I'm so sorry Bret. I'm so sorry. I could have tried harder. Now you are going to be like me and never be able to go back to our town. Never finish football."

  Bret laughed. "It's alright Artemis. I don't care about that as long as I have you."

  Ares growled. "She is not yours."

  I pushed off of Bret and shoved Ares in the chest. "I am not yours either you asshole! You think after you take my friends humanity away, that I am going to stay with you?!"

  Ares frowned. "I did not bite him."

  I snarled. "But you let Koda. You could have told him not to, and that makes you just as liable. It was your plan all along to have him changed, wasn't it? That was what you didn't want to say to me. You bastard."

  Ares sighed. "I'm not going to fight with you anymore tonight. He is changing already and there is nothing you can do about it."

  Bret stood up behind me and grabbed my arm hard. I looked up at his black eyes and said, "Bret, just calm down. You can fight the change."

  Bret snarled. "I'm hungry."

  I smiled. "Well, let's go get you some food."

  Bret shook his head then inhaled above my head. "I have food here."

  I felt my mouth drop open as I realized he was talking about me. Ares moved forward so that he was standing beside me and Bret. "She is not food." Ares said in a strained voice

  Bret turned to Ares and snarled. "She smells like food."

  The tension in the air was growing thicker. Ares shook his head. "You do not know what food smells like. Come with me and I will show you real food."

  Bret snarled and pulled me against him. "You just want her to yourself. No!"

  Matt and Koda jogged into the clearing and came to stand behind Ares. Koda whispered, "What's going on?"

  I cried softly and whispered, "Bret wants to eat me."

  Matt and Koda looked from me to Bret to Ares and back to me. When they settled back to me their faces held more of a softer look. Matt said. "Love, I'm sorry. This has never happened before."

  Koda nodded his head. "Never. Maybe it's because you haven't changed yet."

  Matt nodded his head. "That's it. You need to show him who is dominant to convince him that you aren't food."

  "So I have to fight him?" They nodded their heads. I looked up at Bret who was staring intently at Ares in a battle of wills. I groaned. "Shit." I yanked my arm from Bret's arm and ran away from him as fast as I could. I heard rustling and yelling, but kept running. When I was far enough away that they couldn't see me clearly I jumped up the nearest tree and climbed up. They came running and pushing each other searching for me. Why are Ares, Koda and Matt pushing each other? I didn't have time to decide because Bret passed under me. I jumped down from the tree on to his back forcing him to the ground. I drove my knee into his spine as he fell making him scream in pain. He rolled over and I jumped up straddling him. I bent to press my knee into his throat when someone slammed into me and grabbed me. I grunted from the impact and said, "STOP!"

  The person stopped and I looked up to see Matt's excited amber eyes. I shook my head. "Matt, what the hell are you doing?"

  He inhaled loudly then sighed. "Sorry. You got us all excited when you ran away like that. Our wolf sides kicked in."

  I groaned and pulled away from him going back for Bret who was standing up now. He smiled and licked his lips. I shook my finger at him. "I am not food. I am your alpha."

  He snarled. "You are not dominant to me!"

  Ares appeared behind him. "I am." He grabbed Bret around the neck and proceeded to choke him until he passed out. He laid Bret on the ground and wiped his hands off against each other to symbolize he was done.

  I snarled. "I was supposed to dominate him. Now he is still going to think I'm food when he wakes up."

  Ares shrugged. "He won't wake up for a few days anyway. We'll worry about it then."

  Koda ran to us. "You really have to learn not to run like that. I got all excited and almost ate you."

  "You were nowhere near me.
None of you knew where I was,” I said with a suppressed laugh.

  Ares looked up at the tree branches above us. "Yeah, how did you get up that tree so fast?"

  I shrugged. "My life depended on it."

  The three men laughed loudly at my joke and the tension disappeared. Koda reached down and picked Bret up under his arms. "We better get back and put him in the hibernation room."

  Ares nodded his head. "We'll leave him here while we go talk to Darren."

  "I'll stay here with Bret," I said.

  Ares shook his head. "He tried to eat you. I'm not leaving you here. You have to come with us."

  I groaned. "Why are you always so pushy? Can't you just suggest that I go with you and then let me decide?"

  Ares thought in silence for a minute before speaking. "Then I suggest you come so you don't get eaten."

  I nodded my head. "Sounds like a good idea."

  Ares laughed. "You agreed with me for once."

  "Trust me it won't happen again. Besides, as soon as I can, I'll be leaving." The words left my mouth before I could stop myself.

  Ares and Matt stared at me in shock. Ares asked, "What do you mean by that?"

  "Nothing. Forget I said it."

  Ares grabbed me by the arms and stared into my eyes. "I am sorry that we turned your friend. You have to forgive me."

  I laughed bitterly. "I told you that I wasn't going to stay with you."

  Ares face fell into sadness pulling at my heart. "How can you say such a thing? Do you not feel for me?"

  I stared at his handsome face and desperately wanted to kiss him, to heal the pain I had caused. I shook my head. "I refuse to admit anything."

  The pain in his eyes made me flinch, but I held my ground. Ares asked, "Do you want to leave? To go back to your father and the little town you came from when Bret won't be there?"

  I groaned and looked at the ground. "I can't believe you allowed this to happen."

  Ares whispered, "If I had known how you would react I would not have let it happen. I figured you would be happy that your friend is now like you, and will live almost as long as you."

  I shook my head. "But he is in love with me. The day before you came, he was trying to make me his girlfriend. Don't you get it? You have just prolonged his life, to watch me be with you."