Chapter 6
I texted Carmen to tell her I wouldn’t be at school for a couple days because I’d caught the flu. She was mad at me but she sent me a bunch of smiley faces and a big GET WELL SOON text anyway. Hunter made me swear not to tell her. He also told me that when I shift, my wolf self will be hungry and I’d have to hunt. I imagined myself killing and eating a bunny and I about threw up in my mouth.
And I’m still scared shitless. What if I can’t do it? What if I don’t make a very good wolf? What if I refuse to hunt? What if I skill someone instead of something? Hunter tried to reassure me that my wolf senses would kick in and combine with my human senses so I’ll only eat animals and no humans. I’m not so sure. Adam is almost as jittery as I am and he’s already a werewolf.
Victoria hands me a pink hoodie. “We’re going to our regular meeting ground. You should already know where that is.”
“Yeah,” I say, and head back to the living room with Victoria. Hunter, Adam, Anker, Deon, and a very pissed-off looking Mercedes were already there. She gave me a disapproving look. “Where’s Blaine?”
‘He’s not coming,” Adam doesn’t elaborate. He takes my hand and squeezes it reassuringly. He’s not wearing his hat so I see the worry in his blue eyes right away. I know he never wanted me to be a werewolf. Neither did I really but I’m an idiot so I got myself turned into one.
Hunter comes to stand in front of me. “I need to take the bandage off the bite,” He says, looking at me fiercely but carefully at the same time.
I nod, staring into the mirror behind him. I can see my bandaged shoulder in it. I slide my sweater down over my shoulder and I see Adams’ eyes narrow with disapproval. Hunter starts to peel it off at my neck first, and then he rips it off quickly. It stings and I whimper and shut my eyes. Jeez, Tess; don’t be a cry baby.
“That healed nicely. Almost too nicely,” Mercedes remarks. Deon slaps her arm. I can see a red mark winding down her neck and disappearing under her black shirt.
I open my eyes slowly and gaze into the mirror. The same red line comes down the side of my neck and stops where my arm meets my shoulder. I have the scar of a werewolf bite. Lovely. No more tank tops for me.
Hunter throws the red-tinted bandage in the garbage and brushes his hands on his jeans, “Let’s go. I don’t want her shifting in my house.”
***
We’re almost to the clearing when I start to feel funny. My muscles ache and everything is louder and a lot clearer. The ache turns to real physical pain and I grit my teeth to keep myself from wincing and hug myself.
“What’s wrong?” Adam asked, panicked.
“You’re probably starting to feel the shift,” Deon guesses, “Muscle pain? Heightened senses?”
I nod. “Yeah. Is that good or bad?”
“Depends.” Anker says from in front of me.
“On what?’
“Depends on the situation you’re in. Imagine sitting in the middle of a class with 300 other people and you get those feelings,” Hunter answers, glancing at me and throwing a look at Anker at the same time.
“Oh,” I say, hoping this doesn’t happen every time.
“Here we are,” Hunter announces, and we enter the clearing. The remnants of last night’s fire were still in the middle; I can even see the blackened wood with gray ashes spread around it even though it’s almost completely dark out.
The muscle pain gets considerably worse and I realize I am hungry. I’m craving steak. I never crave steak. I don’t think I even like steak.
Hunters staring up at the sky and everyone one else is staring at me, obviously preparing for something big. Anker is actually in a really weird poise that makes him look like he’s gonna pounce. Adam still holds my hand, almost too tightly.
“I’m sorry you have to go through with this Tess. I never wanted anything to happen to you. I love you,” he whispers in my ear. I’m about to answer him but Hunter locks eye contact with me.
“Moon. Talk to you in wolf intuition, Tess.”
I panic and desperately want out but it’s too late. My body convulses and I feel my legs give out under me and my knees hit the dirt. I scream and I feel the oddest sensation, like my bones were moving and changing and lifting me off the ground, which is probably what they’re doing because my scream changes into a howl. I can’t move anything.
My vision focuses and my hearing clears and I feel my feet hit the ground. I look down, the world surprisingly light for it being night, but I don’t see feet. I see two gigantic brown paws with sharp claws and tiny golden flecks.
I think I might pass out.
I look up with my new sight, and I see other, massive wolves before me. The one directly in front of me is midnight black with blue eyes. It bows its head and I suddenly feel something like a presence in my mind. It’s sort of unpleasant.
So what’s it like?
I jump, shocked at hearing Hunters voice in my mind. I go to answer him but my tongue won’t form words. Instead it brushes up against something hard and sharp. The word canine pops into my head, which is a freaky thought. I have canine teeth!
Hunters’ wolf form is practically smiling. Just think what you want to say. I’ll hear it. And by the way, we call each other by our last names while in wolf form and while undercover, McKay.
Last names? Well okay. He called me McKay. It makes me feel like a troublemaker. I try to do what he says. I feel different. Everything is…What do I look like? That’s the first thing I thought of? Don’t be shallow, Tess.
I hear something move and I twitch my ears. That’s probably the weirdest thought I have ever come up with. I see a hazelnut brown wolf come towards me, his eyes hazel also.
You look amazing. Adams’ voice. Then an image forms in my mind of a massive brown and gold wolf with gray-blue eyes and the ears all perked up and cute. That’s you.
It’s scary really to see yourself as wolf.
Yeah, stunning really. Mercedes retorts. I don’t like having her voice in my head, but I gotta admit: her red and black fur is gorgeous. But her eyes and voice are plain scary. I sense she’s rolling her eyes. Strange.
None of us like having her voice in our heads. Anker says. His wolf form is dark gray with black spots here and there.
It’s not like we get a choice. Victoria says sadly. I realize she’s the pure white wolf standing next to Hunter. Deon is the tan wolf that looks a little like a fox.
I don’t look like a fox. Deon snaps.
I was about to talk again but I smelled something it caught my attention without me even trying.
That would be a deer. Adam says, answering some mental question I must’ve asked.
Deer?
Well, let’s go then. Deon turns and runs off into the trees, disappearing quickly. Adam nods his wolf head at me and runs off too.
I follow, and I’m surprised to say, running in wolf form is the most exhilarating, adrenaline filled thing I’ve ever done. I could get used to this. My feet (well, paws, but I don’t like calling them that) dig into the dirt and I surge forward, wind rushing through all this fur I apparently have, and this tail that I’m not sure what do with yet.
The forest flies by as we run like its on fast-forward. Then I hear a howl and Anker the gray wolf jumps in the air and pounces on an adult deer. He tares open its neck and stops. There’s a bloody deer on the ground and I can’t believe I’m about to eat it. I feel so horrible and cannibalistic.
But it tastes really good.