"What's your name?" Ash asks turning his attention towards me. His voice was sexy and deep, his dark hair casting dark shadows over his face. The way he stood made him look dark and tall. He seemed to take up too much space and I was scared if he punched Bray he's break the guys jaw. He seemed to be 60% sexy, and 40% menacing.
"Irana," I state watching him walk towards me.
He had thick dark brown hair and grey eyes, the kind that seemed to look through you. His skin was sun kissed and suddenly made me feel pale as paper, and his eyes seemed to entrance me in the way that made me forget what was happening, which would explain why the next thing I know he's standing over me, a tall, menacing tower that seemed to take all the air from my lungs.
"Well come on," he says frowning at me slightly.
"What? Sorry, I blanked out." I confess sheepishly.
Ash cocks his head so slightly I'm wasn't even sure he'd moved until he straitens his head. "Outside," before I can say anything he walks towards small hallway which leads towards the stairs, the kitchen and the backdoor. I follow him out, hearing Carson sings along to some music she had playing over the radio.
We step outside, the warm sun barely touching my skin thought the think clouds. The slushy snow turned to soggy mush under my feet, instantly making my feet numb. Ash looked over the lawn at the boarding trees which seemed be closing in closer to the house over the years. There branches extending towards the grey sky like dark haunting fingers from some horror movie. The wind whistled through the branches and a bird—I think it was a crow- cried out into the cold.
Ash turned to face me. The slightly haunting backdrop suited him perfectly, made him seem taller and more terrifying and I was suddenly afraid for my life. We seemed to miles away from civilization, with no one to hear me if I screamed. He suddenly reminded me of the wolves, he was silent and dark, lurking just beyond my sight, just as the wolves had til they were on me, ripping at my flesh.
"Tell me what you remember," Ash suddenly says.
I blink at him. "What do you mean?"
"After you were...," he trails off, as if trying to figure out how to place his words. "Pestered by the wolves."
"Pestered?" I exclaim. "I wasn't pestered, I was attacked!"
Ash cocks his head again, looking down at me with hard eyes. "Attacked? If you were attacked by wolves you would be dead," somehow his tone of voice made me feel as if I was playing with matches while gas was leaking into the room. If I did something wrong—
Bang!
The whole thing would explode in my face.
"I could have died," say trying to keep my voice even but it comes out small and meek.
"But you didn't," Ash says without missing a beat, his eyes seeming colder than the ice which had frozen my feet.
"But I could have."
"But you didn't," he repeats glaring.
I shake my head, ready to withdraw from the game. I didn't feel like playing with fire, let alone one which seemed ready to drag me to hell. "Anyway, I remember waking up in pain, seeing two wolfs, one was sniffing around in the snow or something, and the other one licked my face," I grumble unhappily, grimacing at the thought of a wolf licking my face. I didn't want to imagine where its tongue had been before it licked me.
Ash made a grunting sound, somewhere between thinking and disagreement.
I bristled but he still seemed to menacing to fight. I turn my head towards the tree, sensing something lurking in the trees shadows.
"What if I told you something that was something you thought was only in books and movies, something that you would instantly say was impossible. Would you believe me?"
His voice made me shiver, cold fingers crawl along my spine. I don't know how he got behind me, but that'a suddenly where he was, so silent I hadn't noticed til he's talked. It took me a minute to realize the cool draft creasing the back of my neck was only the wind, and a few more seconds to compose myself.
Finally I look over my shoulder, trying to think of something witty. "If you're going to say you're the devil and you want to drag me to hell...I could actually believe it," I say and my hopes for a snarky comment go down the drain. I turn back to Ash watching the shadows so I wouldn't see Ash's face.
"Tempting, but I think I'll leave you on earth a bit longer," he says smoothly, his voice somehow even sexier as he spoke in a low voice.
I refused to shiver, to show how much it had affected me.
"Promise to listen to me, no interrupting before I finish?" Ash questions walking around so he was facing me.
His stormy eyes seemed to lure me again into forgetting what he was talking about. Finally I lick my dry lips and nod.
Ash studies me for a second, his eyes watching my face. I suddenly remember I had no pants on the shirt I was wearing just covered my ass-literally. Why hadn't I asked Carson for some pants? "I'm sure you've watched twilight, or watched some old movies, London Werewolf..." he trails off, looking at the sky. "Anyway, what if I said Werewolves were real? And I don't mean the ones the size of houses like in twilight, or half wolf half man ones in old movies. What if these werewolves were like people that changed into your average day wolves?" He stopped there and watched me.
I try to keep my face blank. I cock my head slightly, than remember that what Ash had done only moments ago. "I would say you're crazy. Cause the next thing you're going to say is these 'werewolves' attacked me."
He just blinked at me, watching me in his dark, easy way that unnerved me. And because of that I felt myself get a prick of anger and annoyance in me. "Next you're going to say I'm one now too."
Ash shakes his head, a slow, relieved like way. "You just made it easier for me by being smart."
I glare at him. "I don't believe you."
Ash looks away, letting out a frustrated sound. At last he goes over to the door and opens it. A wave of warm air floods out, drifting along my bare legs and away. The sounds of the game he was playing drifts into the cool air too. "Christian, get your lazy ass out here and help me," he says loudly, not quiet shouting.
I hear mumbling then the faint guns and explosions creased into silence. A second later Christian, the guy Ash had been playing with on the game, walks out. "What? I was about to beat your high score"
Ash rolls his eyes, something I hadn't expected him to do. "Shift. She doesn't believe me but I'm worried that if I shift she will run away screaming, possibly into the house where she'll lock me out," Ash explains, but somehow he didn't look worried, he looked sexy, dark and composed.
Christian lets out a low sound, something oddly like a growl before trudging away from us and further into the snow. "Fine," he replies bitterly. "But then I'm going to kick your ass."
"I'd like to see you try." Ash smirks.
I turn to Christian, sceptical about this. But somehow I had a weird feeling, like my stomach was about to empty it's self all over the pure white snow. My skin blistered with unexpected heat, like I wasn't standing in snow, but instead like I was wrapped in an electric blanket which clung to me, skin tight.
I stiffen as Ash grabs me from behind, his arms pinning mine to my side, his chest to my back. I bristle at Ash's touch, trying twist out of his grip but it was clear he wasn't letting go til he wanted to. I let out sound of frustration and am surprised it sounded like its own growl. I let my shoulders sag and glare at Christian like it was his fault Ash's arms had snared me.
Christian puts his hands out, palms down, and then flipped them over, showing nothing was in his hands. Then he pretends to empty a non-existent sleeve. "Nothing," he observes. He takes in my unamused expression and stands up straighter. He clears his throat and suddenly I see something change.
His eyes seem to become bright orange for an instant, than change back. The next thing I know bones a breaking and his back arches unnaturally backward. Fur spouts from his skin like from some horror movie and his fingers change to ones of a wolves.
The next thing I know Christian was gone and in his place stood a grey wolf. It was oddly beautiful and horrifying. An animal just like him had attacked me, who knew how many hours ago. I didn't realize I was pressing back against Ash til he shifted slightly, his arms moving against mine.
Christians wolf ears twitch towards us, his body still. Then his ear twitches towards the forest, then back again. His tail, which is horizontal to the ground jerks upright slightly, then lowers again, as if undecided where to go. Then he changes back and I have to look away, because he's naked.
"Now if you don't mind, I'm going to get dressed," Christian say, unfazed that I'd just seen him naked.
The door opens then closes "Believe me now?" Ash whispers in my ear, still sounding dark and scary.
I give a short nod. "But I still think you're the devil.
"You mean there are more than Carson, Ash, Bray, Sky and you?" I splutter. Christian nods lazily. "Yeah these still Ember, Vic, Ally and Tori," he says still flicking across the channels. I hear a door open and a draft of cold air reaches into the lounge room a second after the laugher and voices. Three girls clutter into the hallway, all semi-naked. I look away. Why was everyone naked all the time?! Even if you're wearing a bra and underwear doesn't mean you can just walk around like it! "Oh, and there's Mikki," Christian says totally unfazed by the nakedness of all three women. "What about me?" Someone asks. I didn't know which, but I wasn't going to cheek. I didn't need to see them naked. Gross. "Just telling Irana about the pack," Christian says glancing towards them. Either, this was a daily occurrence, or he was gay because he didn't seem interest in their bodies at all. "Oh..." Miki didn't sound too happy, instead she seemed a little put out and frosty. "Where's Ember a
"Come on Irana, you can do it!" Tori shout's suddenly. Her and Ally were so close they were like sisters. "Go Miki!" Ally calls without missing a beat and throws her fist into the air. I glance at Mikki. She had golden blond hair and dark brown eyes. She didn't seem to like me that much. But I wasn't sure if that was because she didn't like my personality or if she didn't like that there was a new wolf. Mikki had been changed only two weeks before me, about three weeks ago and she was still trying to learn how to change. All of her changes happened at random, just like mine did. So now, we were standing in snow past our ankles, half naked and shivering. We were told you're more likely to shift when you're cold, so that's why we're shivering our butts off. Mikki took a deep breath and closed her eyes. I felt the air around her shift and my skin prickled. Everyone turned to Mikki. Even I turn to Mikki to see if she'll get it. So far the best we'd done is made our selves feel sick. "I
I closed my eyes briefly, wondering how long it had been since we'd started this fight. It had to be over half an hour ago. Ash still had me pinned in the snow, and I still refused to give up. Everyone had wondered away a while ago. Bray was the only one left, telling me to just submit already also that if we were real wolves I would be dead by now. I pull in another sharp breath and open my eyes. Ash was looking towards the forest. I knew he'd rather be doing something else than wait for me to submit. But that wasn't my problem now was it. Nope, not at all. My problem as that Ash was nearly crushing me under him. All his weight was leaned onto me, pressing me into the snow so I couldn't move, pressing into my neck so I could hardly breathe. My fur was the only thing keeping me warm, oh, and whatever little body hear Ash's body radiated onto me. I wanted to scratch so badly! And not because of flees. I didn't have any....well; none that I was aware of. The snow had started to melt
I sat up strait, my breath catching and my nerves oversensitive. The sound came again, a head slitting howl that made my skin prickle and my breath to catch."Christian! Ember!" Bray shouted, doors slamming. "Ash, get your fucking asses up! Sky, move!" Bray barked and I heard people running around urgently, a thump on the wall, curses and people running scuttling around the halls and rooms.Another howl ripped through the night, making me flinch and throw myself out of bed. I didn't even see the clock as I stumble to the door. The hallway light was on, harsh and bright against my eyes. Bray stood in the hallway, only wearing a pair of sweats. I noticed he too had scars criss-crossing his chest and wondered if it was from him and Ash fighting like Ash and I had last night.Carson tumbled out of the room behind Bray as Sky entered the hallway and tears down the hallway before throwing himself down the stairs. "Irana..." Carson says surprised and stops, looking jittery. "It's nothing to w
I grunt at them and push my face into the pillow. It was too early! It was still night! I draw a deep breath, my ribs pressing into the mattress since I was on my stomach. I let out a small half huff, half groan and pull the pillow closer to my face. Another finger is jabbed into my side, harder. I grunt again and fling my arm lazily at them. "Wake up," Ash mutters jabbing my side. "I'm already away," I mumble into the pillow, remembering what had only happened last night. It already felt like a year ago however. Remembering I'd submitted to Ash made me angry. Why hadn't I pushed through? Why did I have to back down. "Get up," Ash says collapsing onto the bed. The bed dips under his weight, making me half roll into him. I make an unimpressed sound, still cuddling my pillow. My hip pressed into Ash's through the blanket. "Get up!" Ash complains jabbing at my ribs. I grumble some nonsense at him before shifting so my head was stuffed under the pillow. "Go away, the suns not up, so n
I leap a fallen log and keep running, feeling body's pressing into my sides. It felt too crowded, too suffocating. I knew this wasn't the whole pack but it felt like too many, too many body's, too much heat, too much fur. I could hear them panting, their barks, whins, yaps, their feet touching the ground, leaves crunching, sticks snapping. Uncomfortable heat pressed into my sides, too many scents made my head spin and the sunlight which pierced though the tress hurt my eyes. Mikki's shoulder rubbed against my ribs and I shy away, wanting to turn and snarl at her but feared I would trip. My shoulder brushes against Vic's, my tail flicks someone's chest and I'm nearly running into Sky's butt. Someone's paw brushes my back ankle and finally pushed over the edge, I turn to snap at them, fur rising. Christian recoils and skids to a halt in front of Ash who collides with him. The pack comes to startled standstill, bodies pressing into each other. Christian drops his head, ears back and sni
Water flicks onto my wrist and onto the back of my neck. I twist my wrist again, forcing the hair tie over my wet hair. It slides off my finger and holds. I lower my hands and look in the mirror. My hair was pulled into the crap bun, still wet. I wore a thin singlet and pyjama pants. I pull in a deep breath before heading down to the kitchen. Ember was in there alone, toast in hand. She looks up at me as I enter. "So you found your way out of the room. For a while I thought you may have got lost in there. My mistake." I ignore her and open the fridge. Cold air floods around my feet making my stomach clench uncomfortable. Finding nothing appealing in there I close the fridge and turn around only to find Bray standing in the door way. He didn't look as angry as I had expected him to be. Instead he looked calm and collected. And somehow that was worse. I say nothing and open the pantry door. I stare at the pancake mixture. I hadn't had pancakes for ages, I was craving them now. "What
Tori and Ally were so silly as wolves. I watched from my bedroom window as they played in the snow outside. They raced over the snow like race horses over a track, or like a grey hound after a rabbit. But they had no goal, no finish. They raced along the tree line, squirmed under a fence then tore across the open ground until they reached the house, disappear around a wall and come back a minute later on the other side before starting all over again, only changing a minor things. How they had that much energy I didn't know. It was almost like someone had given them too much coffee and energy drinks and now they couldn't sit still. Tori and Ally suddenly clash together and I hear them yelping playfully at each other as they crumble into the snow. Movement catches my eyes and I look down to see a tanned wolf skirting the house, keeping out of sight of the other two wolves playing. Embers ears flicker towards them and she freezes, listening to them playing. A few seconds pass before sh