Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I´m running as fast as my legs will carry me. I dodge outcropping rocks and roots. My footing is sure and agile, adapting to the uneven terrain. But I have no control.

It´s as if my instincts have taken over me.

The full moon beckons. I run beyond the tree line that opens on to a cliff overlooking the whole Wolf Springs.

The moon is calling to me.

I collapse to the ground right beside the cliff edge as my transformation begins. The pain begins anew as every bone in my body seems to break, reforming into something inhuman. My limbs bend in weird angles, bones cracking.

My skin grows a coat of white fur, and my mouth elongates into a snout of sharp teeth. My scream fills the otherwise quiet night.

The transformation feels like an eternity of pain. Yet as it finally finishes, my scream turns into a howl. The pain is gone as if it was never there.

I´m a wolf. I feel powerful. I feel free. This feels like the most natural thing in the world. It´s as if this is who I´ve been all along. 

“Perhaps you were destined to be a wolf.” Liam in his silver wolf form pads slowly towards me. “You look beautiful.”

“I can hear your thoughts.”

“And I can hear yours. But only the ones on the surface. This is how we communicate when we are in wolf form. There´s so many things you have to learn about being a wolf. I can teach you.”

That´s when I recall what Liam told me back in the garden.

“Maybe you can start by telling me what being marked means?”

“Laura, have you been in contact with any other wolves apart from Lucas and I?”

“Not that I know of. Why? What does it mean? Is it bad?”

“I don´t know how to tell you this. But being marked means you´ve been selected as a permanent mate by the werewolf who marked you. It´s the werewolves' version of being married.”

“What?!”

“However, since you didn´t mark the other werewolf, it´s not going to work. So don´t worry. But who could have marked you? It couldn´t have been Lucas because I know for a fact that he´s --. It can´t have been anyone of us.”

The moment when Patrick bit me back in the hospital flashes into my mind.

“That guy. Is he a werewolf?”

“You can see what´s inside my head too?” “Only because you can´t control your mind yet. With training, you´ll be able to hide your other thoughts.”

“I wish I can learn that soon.”

“Don´t worry, Laura. I will teach you.”

“Thank you, Liam. That means a lot.”

“So, who´s that guy, Laura?”

“That´s Patrick White, my boss at the hospital.” “Evidently he´s the one who marked you.”

“So that means he´s a werewolf. It makes sense now. The way he healed very fast the last time --”

I stop myself, careful not to reminisce about my sexual encounter with Patrick.

“Patrick and I have a lot to discuss.”

“Be careful around that guy. I don´t trust him.” “I will. Don´t worry.”

Liam stares at me, his eyes narrowing at me as if in scrutiny.

“There´s something different about you. I just can´t tell precisely what it is.”

“Everything looks different to me now. I´m a wolf.”

“No, it´s not like that. It´s something else --” 

Liams´ ears suddenly perk up. And I perceive the presence of another. Another wolf.

“Do you feel that?”

“Yes."

"That´s good, your senses are beginning to adjust.”

“Who could it be? Lucas?”

“No, I´ve been around Lucas long enough to tell when it´s him. That´s not him.”

We wait guardedly. It could be another frenzied wolf.

After a few moments, a red wolf emerges from the woods. This one is clearly smaller than us. But certainly, a werewolf.

“Who are you?” I asked.

The red wolf appears to hesitate. It seems scared and confused.

“She´s just a child. My name is Liam. We´re not going to hurt you. We´re just like you.”

The red wolf moves toward us.

“I´m Laura. What´s your name?” I´m able to see what´s in her mind. It´s an image of a little girl. And she seems familiar. “Liam, I think I know who she is. She´s one of my patients back at the hospital.”

“One of the victims of the werewolf attack?” “No, we found her the night before. She was abandoned outside the ER. We call her Elise. I´m able to see what´s inside her head. Can´t you?”

“I can´t. There´s something wrong with her.” I sense her inside my head. Whatever she wants to tell me, she presents to me in images. “Her name is Wendy. She says she´s unable to transform back into a human. She´s been like this for two nights.”

“Sometimes when a child turns into a werewolf, it´s very simple for their wolf side to suppress their human side. And given that she doesn´t belong to a pack, there´s no one to guide her. I can help her with that.”

“You can trust Liam. He´s a good person.”

Liam glances at me.

“She wants to understand how she can transform back into a human.”

“Close your eyes. And listen to my voice inside your head.”

The little wolf does as she´s told.

“Do you feel this power inside of you? Let it go. Return the wolf back into its cage.”

Wendy struggles for a moment.

“Remember who you are, Wendy. Come back. I call on you.”

Nothing happens. Liam attempts to coax her human form out but to no avail.

“She says she can´t do it.”

The little wolf gives up.

“Liam, why is it not working?”

“I don´t know.”

We all hear a howl from afar.

“That´s Lucas. He´s calling us back.”

“Wendy, come with us. Maybe our friends can help.”

“Let´s go.”

>Lucas´ house. Garden. Night<

We return to Lucas´ house. Lucas, together with Tank and Amelia, are waiting for us in the garden.

“I see you found a friend in the woods.” Lucas puts a blanket over my back, and then proceeds to do the same with Liam.

“This is Wendy.” I explained.

“He can´t hear your thoughts when he´s in human form, Laura.”

“I see.”

“Now try and turn back into your human form. I know you can do it on your own. I believe in you, Laura.”

I bow my head and close my eyes. I will myself to revert back to my human form. I discover that it´s far simpler to trigger the transformation than I had expected. It is still painful to rearrange all the bones in my body, although this time it´s quicker. After a few moments, I have returned to my human form, naked underneath the blanket. It´s supposed to be a cold night as winter approaches, but I feel warm inside.

“You did it. How does it feel being a wolf?” “Liberating. Like the release of a chain that´s been holding me back. And now I´m free of it.” Lucas smiles approvingly. “I´m so happy for you, Laura.”

After a few moments, Liam, stands there in human form, then he puts his clothes on.

“What happened during your mission Tank?” “The victims, they´re all gone. They´ve been taken into custody by the Center for Disease Control.”

“They have them under quarantine in an undisclosed location.” Lucas added.

“Do we have any way to confirm the veracity of this information?” Liam asked.

“I believe it´s a load of crap.” Amelia insisted. “If those people have turned into werewolves, surely we would have heard about it on the news. But other than that, we can´t really know for certain whether the CDC has them or not.” Lucas pointed out. 

“I think I know someone who might be able to help us.” I heard myself say. “My ex-boyfriend Robert has dealt with the CDC numerous times in the past. I believe he has contacts there.” “You can call him later. There´s not much we can do at this time of night anyway. Firstly, I think we should try to assist our little friend here.” Liam pointed at Wendy.

We all look at Wendy.

Amelia moves to her side and strokes her fur.“What´s wrong with her?”

“She´s unable to transform back into a human.” “How long has she been in wolf form?” I hear the tone of concern in Tanks´ voice.

“Two nights.” I spoke.

“She transformed during a waxing gibbous. We perceive the moon to be full around this time. But technically, it´s not the full moon yet. Although it still affects us werewolves.”

“What´s the difference?”

“According to werewolf lore, humans that have their first transformation during a waxing gibbous have a very powerful werewolf side. It means the wolf in them can overpower the human side.”

“I´ve heard about this. Addes to the fact that she´s only a child makes her case worse.” “Tonight, is the actual full moon. Tomorrow is the waning gibbous. If she doesn´t revert back into a human soon, her humanity will fade with the wanning of the moon. She´ll be a wolf for life.”

“But how can we help her?” I asked.

“Liam is an Alpha. He can guide her back to being human.”

“We´ve already attempted that. It didn´t work.” This is not good. I feel sorry for Wendy. And I hate this feeling of not being able to help her. I feel like I failed her once as her doctor. And now this.

“Well, there must be another way. Any ideas?” Lucas looked at the others.

“I think I have one. But we´ll require the help of an oracle.” Tank said.

“No.” We are all surprised by Amelias´ response.

“I will not permit some oracle to meddle with this child's destiny.”

“Are you being serious, Amelia? This is a child we are talking about here. She hasn´t lived her life yet. And now she´s about to lose her humanity.” Lucas bursted out.

This is the first time I´ve witnessed the two of them interact. 

“Once she knows what it´s like to live as a wolf, she´ll learn that it´s better than being human.” “Amelia, this is not for any one of us to decide. Wendy has already expressed her desire to become human. And we are going to help her.” I turned to Amelia. Liam took my side.

“Laura is right.” 

“In that case, I don´t want to be a part of this.” Without another word, Amelia leaves. I glance at Lucas, who seems nonchalant about her departure.

“She´s made her choice. It is well within her rights to choose a different side if she doesn´t believe in this cause.” Lucas just nods. 

“Tank, how do we go about helping Wendy?” “We´re going to require Seven.”

“Seven oracles?” I gasped

“No. Seven the Oracle.”

Interesting name. I wonder what an oracle looks like?

“So, how do we find Seven?”

“You don´t find Seven. She finds you.”