Chapter 3

I don’t really get the sudden change in Juan’s demeanor. It seemed like his son and son-in-law didn’t either, yet Marco showed me to a guest room on the second floor, where I had a private bathroom and a huge bed. He said I’d be staying there until Juan said otherwise. He also said he would ask his friend to lend me some clothes, so I now have a whole duffel bag of clothes inside the guest room. I decide to take a shower, and get into some of these clean clothes. I really need it. I’ve been washing up in rivers for too long, occasionally sneaking into a public pool or something, to use the showers there. It works, but nothing beats a real shower, like this.

I undress myself before I walk into the bathroom. It’s small, but cozy, and the water is warm almost immediately after I turn it on, which is nice. Still, I find myself looking into the mirror. I haven’t in a long time, and I almost immediately regret it. I’m looking scrawny. Boney, even. My ribs are sticking out a little, and my elbows look sharper than I remember them being. My cheeks are hollow, too, and my big eyes has bags under them as deep as the sea. My irises are the same as ever, though. They’re black as night, contrasting my pale skin and red hair. My hair is unevenly cut, due to my own adventures with a knife I found a couple months ago. I was getting tired of having to deal with my long hair without a brush or conditioner, so I cut it. Or sliced it, is more correct.. It’s already grown a little since then, reaching down to the top of my breasts, now, but it doesn’t look too bad. Maybe I can make it look even better after some shampoo and conditioner, and the hairbrush that Marco’s friend donated to me.

A sigh escapes my throat as I finally rip my eyes away from the horrifying truth in the mirror, to step into the warm shower. The steam was already fogging up the glass anyway. I dip my head under the running water, letting it consume me. It feels a hell of a lot better than the cold rain outside, and my feet are already feeling ten times better. My knees sting a little, though, and I look down to see the dried blood run down from them, after my fall. I still don’t know what that horrible sound was, but I’d put my money on it being some sort of alarm system for the village, since Alessandro and Marco were there to meet me so fast. I still feel a little horrified after meeting them. They’re wolves, just like me.

Who would have thought?

The label on the shampoo says it smells like white roses, but I don’t really smell any difference from regular, red roses. The conditioner says the same, and it feels really amazing to run my fingers through my hair, as it’s filled with the thick substance. It feels like heaven. Even if the Crescent pack turns out to be bad people, this shower is worth it.

The shower gel smells like blueberries and lavender, and it feels amazing to scrub off all the dirt and rain from my body. It’s like I’m refreshed after years of only bathing in the river. I was stupid, and blew all my money right away when I was kicked out. I was naïve, thinking I would get a job somewhere and my life would be easy, but it wasn’t. Not at all. I’ve lived off dumpster diving, like I always thought was gross, and then I slept in the woods on the nights around the full moon, and on old mattresses from the junkyard otherwise. Occasionally on some stranger’s bed, after sleeping with them, if I was lucky and someone wanted to take me home on the days I managed to wash myself thoroughly. Those were the best nights, where I got the best sleep.

I’ve changed a lot since I was fifteen, and I’m not sure it’s all for the better. I was naïve and spoiled, I’ll admit that, and I was a big brat, thinking I was better than everyone else because my parents were rich and respected. Now, however, I’m a lone wolf. Literally. I only have myself to care about, and I’m skeptical about letting other people in. Yet, I’m intrigued by this “pack”, as they call themselves. They’re like me, so of course I want to learn and know more. Juan seemed to know where I came from, too, so I’ll have to get on their good side.

And, of course, there’s the issue of Marco and Alessandro being able to shift into wolves whenever the want to. I can’t do that. That’s so unfair! Maybe they can teach me?

Once I feel clean enough, I rinse myself off one more time under the warm water, before shutting it off. I wrap a clean, soft towel around me and step out of the shower. I can almost wrap the towel around me two times, I’m so skinny. It’s creeping me out a little. I dry off, and go back out into the guest room to find some clean clothes from Marco’s friend. I find some undergarments, still with their tags on luckily, a white sweater that’s a little big, but warm and cozy, and a pair of black jeans, that I think is intended to be skinny, but they’re a little baggy on me. I put on some socks and pick up the hairbrush I was given. 

It hurts a little to get all the tangles out from my hair, but it will be worth it. I’ll look and feel much prettier instantly, and I take a deep breath once I’m done. I’m ready now. Juan said to meet him and his family downstairs when I was, so I guess I’ll go back out there.