Chapter One

The panting of my breath, the echo of my paws hitting the ground, the jerk of my head as I ran through the forest. The feeling of flying, leaping from fallen tree to fallen tree, felt so freeing. All the different smells lingering in the air all at once. It was unlike anything I could sense in my human form. There were no words for how at peace life felt like a wolf, wandering the world. Finding new lands, places no human could easily travel to. Secret caverns untouched by the dreadful spray paint, and toxic trash that litter these once beautiful hideaways nature created.

Coming to a stop, I found myself next to a small stream. Panting, I walked over to the water's edge, staring down into a bright blue-eyed wolf. My chocolate coloured fur looked like it could use a good grooming after the run I just experienced. Quickly taking my fill of water, my wolf senses spiked. A smell much like my own lingered in the air. Perking my ears, an overwhelming sense I was being watched clawed away from inside me. Danger bells rang in my ears as I heard the silent footsteps of another predator. No, pausing, I can smell the shifting breeze again, there’s more than one.

Was this a normal pack of wolves? Or were they… like me? I quickly push the thought away as I turned back the way I came. 

Jumping into a fast pace, we gallop through the forest. I thought back to the time I ran into a pack of wolves, normal ones that couldn’t turn into humans. At first they had been curious and stayed back, I didn’t give them a chance to get too close, so I fled but they followed me for miles. It was a terrifying experience, one I will never forget. They followed me to one of my foster homes, and wouldn’t leave. The forest rangers in that town forced a hunt on them as they were too dangerous to be so close to town. I’ll never forget the cries they let out as the hunters forced them back into the forest. At least none of them were actually caught. 

Picking up speed, I ran through the forest, the sound of crashing bodies and panting breath chased after me. They were in hot pursuit. My camper van was still further ahead. If I could get a lead, I could jump in and drive off before they could catch up. Sprinting harder, faster then before, I left them in the dust. The whining and crying of the wolves could still be heard in the distance, following my scent, but I was too quick. Seeing the tan-coloured van through the trees, my heart sprung. 

“Almost there”, I thought. 

Jumping one last leap into the air right towards my van I had left parked on an unused forestry road, I felt my bones crack and grind as my human form took over. The once painful experience, I felt nothing more than a few pins and needles now. Picking up my clothes I left aside earlier, by the back bumper, I stumble for my keys that I often hide in the wheel well just above my tire. 

Grabbing the key, I could hear the wolves crash through the forest on the other side of the van. The pounding of my heart filled my ears as I made quick work of the door and jumped into the driver's seat, throwing my clothes somewhere in the back, while locking the door behind me. 

Sighing in relief, I started the van. It slowly rumbles to life. Putting it in gear, the vehicle jerks forward. Sending reminders to put my seatbelt on as I fall towards the steering wheel. Snarling and snapping, the wolves stand at the tree line to the right, not willing to come onto the dirt road in front of the running van. These wolves stood much too tall to be an average run of the mill wolf. Fear struck me as I watched one straighten, slowly standing on its back feet and shifting. 

Panic rushed through me as I slammed my foot into the gas pedal, sending the van rushing forward before I could fully witness the change. Animals were predictable. Humans were monsters, and a mix of the two… I didn’t want to wait around and find out. 

The unforgiving gravel road tore my camper van apart, the dings and grinding I heard the whole way down cried out. I cried along with it. My poor van, my poor pocket! 

The shock of running into others like me left me shaking. Should I have stayed and talked with them? Do they have a pack like the animals? Would they even accept a loner like me? So many questions ran through my mind. It felt like the gravel road went on forever just like my thoughts. By the time I hit the pavement, night had fully taken over. 

This should be far enough away from them that it’s safe to pull over for a minute. I flick my hazards on and pull off to the side of the road. Putting the van in park, I quickly dashed through the front two seats into the back of the van. 

Directly behind the driver and passenger seats was my very make-shift small kitchen, complete with a mini fridge and tons of storage. Along the floor was my tank top and leggings I had taken off prior to my wolf run so they wouldn’t rip apart. Quickly taking my clothes in hand, I sat at the end of the van on my bed, throwing my shirt and leggings on. A few cars passed, none paying any attention to me or my van. 

Laying on my bed was my hair brush and make-up bag that had toppled over during my escape. Ignoring the mess, I grab the brush and a hair tie. Making quick work with my long brown hair, I tie it back into a phony-tale and got back in the front seat, grabbing a bottle of water along the way. 

Opening the water, I glanced at the time, 10:35pm. I groan as I settle into the driver's seat, set aside my drink and switch the hazards into a right turn signal. I was planing on spending the night up there. But now I guess I’ll have to drive into town and park for the night. I need to apply for college tomorrow, so I may as well drive there and get first pick at some parking, and maybe a few more minutes of sleep before my meeting. 

* * *   

“It doesn’t look like your transcripts have been entered into the system, do you have them with you?” The guidance counselor asks as she looks over her reading glasses towards me. Her bug eyes with long eyelashes coated in to much mascara somehow made me nervous. Maybe it was how far apart her eyes were? Or how big and round the seemed. 

“Oh, uh…” I fumbled the papers and binders in my arms, searching for that big yellow envelope containing my entire future. “Here they are.” 

She took the papers out and smiled. “Yes! These are them! One moment, while I photocopy them and get them scanned into the system!”, She quickly got up from her desk and disappeared out of the office. 

The office is nice, filled to the brim with plants and books, but it also had a welcoming scent to it that I couldn’t place.

“Hello!” A cheerful voice seemed to bounce in the air beside me, startling all my wolf-like senses. Turning on my heals towards the source is a small woman, just a little shorter than myself. Her hair was cut short but fluffed out in every direction, her smile huge and her brown eyes very welcoming! “It’s not everyday a lone she-wolf is in town!” 

“Whaaa” I couldn’t form words. She-Wolf…? Did she know? Totally blown-away, I dropped everything. Her cheerful laugh felt light in the air as I fumbled between picking everything up and responding to her. Ultimately, I decided to gather my things. My binder, papers, pencils, even my phone were scattered across our feet. 

“The name’s Emma, Emma Lewis.” She smiled as she bent down to help me sort through my belongings on the floor. Picking up my phone, she passed it to me, “Unlock it, I’ll add my number!” 

“Okay!” Excitement rang in my voice. I’ve always been a loner, never one for making friends, or meeting someone else like me. I unlocked my phone and passed it over, letting her put her number in. Thinking about running through the woods with someone else was already a forethought in my mind. 

“There is a party tonight, up on old Elbrus rd, not too far from town. Wanna come?” She asked as we stood up, I of course, still jumbling my belongings in my hands as to not drop them again. 

“Sure!” I replied, giving her a soft smile in return. Letting my excitement show. 

“I hope I didn’t keep you waiting long.” The guidance consoler huffed as she sat back down at her desk, giving me an apologetic look. “Oh hello Emma! Do you need something?” She asked as the girl next to me smiled and waved. 

“Oh no! I was just chatting to the new girl! I had best get going to class! Cheers!” It felt like she floated out of the office, her high spirit and energy following close behind. 

“Okay Melody, it looks like all we need now is an address, then we can get you ready for your classes.” My instant high of making a friend turned sour. I didn’t have an address. 

“Oh um, would a PO box work?” I asked as I bite my bottom lip, knowing full well I didn’t have an address. 

“A PO box should work but we really do need an address. Are you in the dorms?” She asked, looking rather annoyed. 

“Oh uh, no, not the dorms. I’ll get back to you on that! I just moved into town a night ago, I totally forgot the address already!” I gave a small chuckle to best hide the deceit in my voice. “I’ll stop by later today or tomorrow morning!” giving her a small half wave as I tried not to drop my things once more, and backed out of the office. 

Getting to my van was super easy from the office. I opened the sliding door, placing my stuff down inside. Face palming as I totally forgot to stop by the post office to set up a mailing address. I had been too impatient to let my wolf out for a run. It slipped my mind. Sitting on the floor of my van, I let my legs dangle out the side. The sun feels hot against my skin, but the soft cool air of spring helps sooth the harshness of the sun. It was a beautiful day. 

The scent of wolves, stale but still in the air lingers around the van. We were too deep in the small town for wolves to walk around freely, they had to be a human cross like me! A feeling of excitement crept forward. Being orphaned at such an early age meant I had no idea what my family even was or if they were like me at all. I didn’t find out I could change till I was eleven and boy was it a shock. I just remember being terrified, and in so much pain the first time.

After I changed that first night, I remember reading so many werewolf stories or werewolf lore, but nothing really helped. Was that what I was? I had no idea. I ended up just living life and embracing this part of me, it was a moment where the real world didn’t matter anymore and I was free of all the responsibility and restraints of the human side of me. 

Finally, after all this time, maybe I can get some answers to all my questions? What am I? Where did I come from? And what's next?