Chapter 2: A Horrible Crime

Because my Captian said so, I took a week off to ease their worry, but that doesn’t stop the nightmares and the news; it only makes me sick now. The killings were getting worse, happening more frequently, same as my nightmares.

I needed to feel safe, to feel grounded. So, I finally decided to call my parents; if anyone made me feel safe and comfortable, it was them. Their phone goes to voicemail, which is unlike them. They were the type to have their phone on loud, like blaring loud so they could hear every call, even in other rooms. 

“That’s fine; I’ll just surprise them!” I start to pack some things, knowing they will probably want me to stay the night with them because of how I'm feeling. I put on a dark hoodie and leggings and make my way to my car.

The night air felt crisp against my face; I pulled up my hood and started to drive over to my parent's house. They were a little farther from me, but that just gave me more excuses to stay with them. I smile to myself.

After half an hour of driving, I finally arrived at the baby blue house. If it wasn’t so dark out, I could see mother’s garden. She babied her flora, and every time I came back, I would see something new, but the house was dark.

“They can’t be asleep,” I look at my phone, “It’s only seven.”

I walk to the porch, and a chill breeze carries the scent I know all too well. 

Blood.

My heart picks up, and I see that the door is slightly ajar. My senses start to tell me that something is very wrong. I quickly go to my car and get my gun.

I kick the door open, “Mom! Dad!? Where are you!?” I shout, then I notice everything in the house was in shambles. I tried to turn on a light, but it didn’t work. I turn on my cellphone light and behold a Gorey scene that has me fall to my knees.

My mother and father, laid in a pool of blood, mauled to death. I wanted to scream, but my voice cracked and turned into sobbing. 

“No, no,” I grabbed my mother’s hand and felt her ice-cold skin. I checked both of their pulses, but I felt nothing. A weight so heavy I could barely get up smothers me.

Why didn’t I see this?! Out of all the fucking attacks! This was the one attack I didn’t see!?

“I-I have to call the police,” I try to dial 911 with shakey blood-smeared fingers, but it slips out of my hand, “Damn it!” I slammed my fist against the wall. I took this job to save people, and I couldn’t even protect my own family….

Suddenly, someone grabs me by the shoulder; I quickly spin around with the gun in my hand, “Get back! Hands behind your head!” I shout. 

“Wait-” the man tries to say.

“Do it! Or I’ll blow your fucking head off!”

The man does it, but then his eyes glow a golden hue, “Wha-” I gasp, and I drop the gun, feeling an overpowering sense of knowing this man….

He quickly stands and kicks the gun away, but I suddenly feel that he isn’t a threat, “Wha-What did you just do?”

He grabs my hand again, “I’m sorry, but I had to. We're going to have to shift to run-” Sirens start to blare from a far distance cutting him off, “Shit,” he hisses.

“What?! What are you talking about?!”

He grabs my shoulders, “You're a Werewolf Evette, and I can explain more later, but I have to make you shift now.”

The shock of the fact he knew my name made me freeze up, “How did you-” the sirens are closer now, and I could see the flashing of the lights.

“I’m sorry in advance, this won’t feel pleasant, “ He holds his hand to my chest, “Lycania” as he whispers this, my body starts to convulse and twist. I could hear my bones crack, but I couldn’t scream. But, suddenly,  I was gazing through different eyes. The man’s body seems to do this effortlessly and takes the form of a giant silver-haired wolf. 

“Come, follow me; you can’t stay here, Evette.” 

I can hear the man’s voice through my thoughts, and I look back to my parents. I start to whimper, and it startles me; I raise what I think is my hand, but it’s a pure white paw. Did I turn into a Werewolf? But, how?

A car door slams shut; I quickly look down at my mother and take the bracelet from her stiff wrist; I had a feeling I wouldn’t be back to bury them. But I wanted something to remember her them by.

“I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect you guys.”

I hear myself say through my thoughts, then the man nips at my paw, “Hurry! We have to go!” His voice was urgent; I decided to take my chances and run away with him. So I follow him in this new body that oddly doesn’t feel abnormal, which shocks me. 

“Hey! I saw some giant wolves over there!” I hear a policeman say; I start to bolt in front of the man, not knowing where I was going but knowing I had to get far away from here. 

“Evette! Stop!” He calls out to me, but I can’t, I don’t want to….

Everything was wrong; they weren’t supposed to be dead! They were supposed to be alive enjoying my life!

I don’t know how far I ran until my body suddenly shifted again.  I was back in my human form; I slipped and fell over a root. The man comes up behind me, “I told you to stop.”

I glare up at him, “What did you do to me?” I ask

In the Moonlight, I can see the glistening of his hair, the same color as his fur, “If you went any further, you would have passed my car,” he points, I follow his gesture to the black car a ways ahead of us.

“Come on, “ he holds out his hand to me; this strange feeling of knowing a person without recognizing them was different. I almost felt like I was supposed to know him…

I take his hand and feel a nasty nip of chill on my skin; I gasp, “I’m freezing….” I then look down and find that I’m naked, “What?!”

“Don’t worry, it’s normal; clothes down stay on once you shift,” I suddenly realized that he was bare as well; good thing I couldn’t see so clearly in the dark. That would have been awkward.

He pops his trunk and hands me a sweater and leggings; I tilt my head and look at him; for some reason, these looked like something I’d wear. I can’t help but feel creeped out.

“Do you always wear leggings and a sweater?” I ask sarcastically.

I can hear the smile through his voice, “ Are you always this feisty?”

I swallow slightly, “Okay, I’ll ask in a definite way, why are these clothes similar to what I always wear?”

He grabs another repair of clothes, “I know what you like,” he simply says, which is a very vague answer; I lean, “So you claim to know what I like, but I’ve never seen you before in my life. It sounds like you’re a stalker.”

He starts to laugh, “Really? If I was stalking you, I think you would notice the big ass wolf behind you.”

I raise a brow, “ So, you're a Werewolf?” I was finding this all very hard to believe.

“Yes, and so are you. Also, you're my mate, “ he shuts the trunk as if solidifying something, my scorned look makes him explain further, “Werewolfs, have soulmates. We find them by smell, and when we come of age, but sometimes your mate has to be within a certain range for you to know their there,” he pauses,  “Or upwind, which you were.”

“Is that why I feel like I know you?” I say softly, not sure I believed him, but all the things I was experiencing he seemed to know the answer to.

“Yes, and that was always why I was able to get you to shift.”

I wrapped my arms around myself, “I’ve never done that in my life….”

“ A ceremony usually triggers it. I’m guessing you didn’t get to go through that, “ He starts to get into the driver's seat, I quickly dress and get into the passenger seat. 

But it’s when he turns on the light in the car, trying to find something, that I see him more clearly. A dark tie pulled his hair back, but some strands of flyaways played with his eyes, which held a sense of leadership, “Whoa….” I said, probably louder than I expected, and when he caught my gaze, he smiled at me.

“What?”

“Nothing…” Then I suddenly get distracted by his muscles underneath his thick, dark, turtle neck sweater.  

Suddenly I hear a faint purr in my head, “Wha the-” I start looking around, “Did you hear that?”I ask.

He looks around, “No, what did you hear?”

“Ugh, it felt like it was in my head….”

He then smiles, “That’s your wolf talking; they can connect with you once you awaken? What is she saying?”

I feel a sudden rush of heat to my cheeks, “Nothing.” My wolf freaking purred…

“What’s your name anyway?” I ask.

“Thane. I’m the Alpha of the Redwood pack,” he says with such warmth and pride. 

“So, where are we going now?” I ask, uncertain of the future that lay ahead of me. He starts up the car, “I’m bringing you back to my territory, where you’ll be safe.”