Chapter 3 - Scent *Updated*

I just managed to fall asleep, but it was such a light sleep that I kept waking up. Every single noise inside the house or even outside, bothered my ears. Even the light of the full moon agitated me and I growled in frustration at the brightness filling my bedroom.

I growled at it? Frickin’ hell, I actually growled at it! I sounded just like Dad or another Werewolf when they growled about something. It was deep and guttural as it traveled up from my chest, up my throat and through my clenched teeth…speaking of which, they were all aching for some reason.

I’m not talking about just one or two teeth but ALL of them were hurting. Actually come to think about it, my hands were sore as well. It was primarily the skin around my nails that were stinging. I lifted up my hands and looked on them in the moonlight.

Before my very eyes my nails grew longer! My eyes widened as my breath caught in my throat… oh my God! Did I just see that then? Did I just watch all of my nails grow an inch longer in seconds?! Oh oh, they weren’t just longer, but they were pointier as well. When I ran my fingers over them, I noticed that they didn’t bend and that they were suddenly a lot stronger too.

What the hell is going on here?!? What’s happening to me…?

I felt my breathing was so hard and fast that it sounded like I was panting. I began to pant harder as I felt my clothes and especially my blouse, grow tighter and tighter about me as if it were shrinking! Next, I heard the material begin to tear…my blouse is magically shrinking while it’s still on me?

I sat up, startled as I looked down on myself. My eyes bulged when I saw that it wasn’t my blouse that was shrinking - it was me that was expanding! I suddenly looked like a bodybuilder or something, as my muscle tone was huge.

Oh my God oh my God oh my God oh my God!

My eyes filled with frightened tears as I gaped at the long, sharp nails and my huge body. However as my lips parted over my teeth, I noticed that my teeth felt sharper against my lips! My hands flew up over my mouth as I felt that all of my teeth were longer and jagged, in particular my canine teeth.

Next, I felt my toenails begin to change. I literally felt the nails on my feet also grow long and sharp as they tore out of my socks. Within minutes, I was looking on claws at the end of my feet poke through the tops of my sneakers!

“MUM!” I screamed out...

… but I didn’t just scream, what came out of me was a ROAR! Even my voice had changed! It was deeper and more growly, almost like thunder.

“MUM! MUM! MUM!”

“B?”

I heard her footsteps quickly exit her bedroom and cross the hallway. She flung open my bedroom door when she looked on in complete and utter horror… My Mum looked on as if I was a stranger, a monster, a creature had taken the place of her daughter.

“Oh my God B…oh my God!” she froze as she stood petrified in my bedroom doorway.

I could hear her heart pound as loud as a drum. I could see clearly in the dim bedroom her expression of fear. Hell, I could even smell the blood pump beneath her skin! We stared on each other in terror…

I didn’t just feel afraid, but I felt wretched that my own mother could look on me if I were a monster and I couldn’t stand it!

I leapt up from the bed and ran to my window to open it to jump out. But I didn’t know my own strength and I broke the glass. Screw this, I’m outta here! I smashed through the remaining shards as I leapt from my upstairs window. I easily landed on all fours, which weren’t harmed in the slightest.

In awe, I looked back up at the broken window which Mum had now rushed to as she looked out for me. Then her eyes further widened when she saw my crouched position on the ground. I growled at her, angry and hurt that she could be so repulsed and alienated by my appearance before I took off into the woods!

I ran barefoot so fast in only my jeans and bra, it startled me at first. However my heightened instincts guided me safely, as I wove through the trees that seemed to fly right at me! I ran in supernatural speed, leaping over fern, bush, log and rock in a single bound.

I was starting to like this…my strength and speed gave me a new sense of empowerment as amazingly I could see everything as clear as day! I ran down the forest-encrusted hill towards the river, with my sensitive ears picking up the noise of the flowing waters hundreds of meters away.

As I leapt onto the river bank I landed on all fours again. I remained in my crouched position, panting not because of the exercise, but because it felt normal to breathe this way. I looked back over my shoulder at the direction I came from. Frickin’ hell, I had just run a 25 minute walk from my house to the river within one minute!

I sniffed at the air as I listened to the noises of the night, like the crickets and frogs which reverberated loudly in my ears. But then I smelled something other than the water of the river, or the moist earth surrounding it or the trees and other vegetation of the forest… and it smelled good.

The smell made my hunger pains return as agonizing cramps ripped through my abdomen! I have to eat, man I have to placate this horrible hunger! I leapt to my feet and took off through the woods towards the delicious smell.

As I ran in a supernaturally fast speed through the wood, my mouth watered as the delicious smell lured me further on. Right now, it was more tempting than one of Great Grandma’s roast dinners with her special gravy. The smell seemed to hypnotize me, as my craving got worse and my stomach pains drove me to run faster.

Oh I need it - I want it - I want to eat raw red meat tonight!

These painful urges continued to drive me onwards as I picked up speed. I was running so fast through the trees towards a direction I know not what, but all I knew was that the smell was this way. But then something else started to happen… I sensed I wasn’t alone.

I picked up the sound of footsteps of something or lots of things, chasing me. When I briefly looked back over my shoulder, I saw the forms of my Grandfather, Grandpa, Uncle Julian, Uncle Ian, Grant and the eight other Lokoti Werewolves come through the trees. I spotted their different coloured glowing eyes first and then their topless forms second, as they only wore jeans or tracksuit pants.

They were running after me in a supernatural speed which matched my own. As they were running, they began to fan out to surround me. Oh no, they were coming to stop me, I could feel it. I suddenly felt afraid like I was in trouble for doing something wrong as my Lokoti Werewolf kin came closer. I even heard their unhappy growls.

Suddenly Dad in Werewolf form leapt out in front, cutting me off! His eyes glowed red as he snarled loudly! I stopped dead still, as I faced him off.

“B!” Grandfather growled as he leapt beside, with his glowing blue eyes glinting warningly.

Grandpa landed on all fours on the other side, as Uncle Ian and Uncle Julian took the direct rear of me and the eight other Lokoti Werewolves encircled them. I was completely surrounded…all of their different coloured glowing eyes burned in anger. My heart raced and for the first time in my life, I felt scared of my Dad and my Werewolf relations.

“B, you must come back with us.” Grandfather growled.

NO! The scent of the delicious food was getting stronger the closer I came to it and the pains in my stomach were not going away…

“B, you must control your bloodlust!” Grandpa roared. “You have to fight it and you have to learn to master it!”

Bloodlust, what bloodlust? What the hell were they talking about? I wasn’t experiencing any kind of bloodlust… all I wanted to do was track down that delicious smell, to make the pain go away.

My heart raced as I sniffed the air. The delicious aroma smelled so close I could almost taste it. I looked from my father to Grant, standing behind him as my mind began to work with ways of getting around this and away from them.

“B, come home.” Uncle Julian growled next with his glowing golden eyes.

I shook my head as my refusal then I jumped in fright when Dad edged closer! His red Werewolf eyes hypnotically tried to hold my own as they burned into my very soul… No! Go away! Get away from me! Don’t come any closer!

“B, you must come with us.” Grandfather ordered.

His glowing blue eyes narrowed, as he watched me suspiciously. All of them started to move closer, making me feel trapped in and very, very scared…

*You’re faster than them* a new voice spoke inside of me, taking me by surprise. It sounded cold and cunning. *You’re not just Lokoti Werewolf but you’re a Circulator too*

The pains in my stomach were so bad that it felt like I was being stabbed! I cried out as I almost sunk to my knees… oh the smell, the smell! I need to eat!

“Come home with us B.” Grandpa growled softly.

*Run towards the smell* the strange, cold voice goaded. *Run and eat your fill and the pain will go away*

Dad edged even closer as I saw him reach out towards me with his clawed hand…

“NO!” I roared.

In lightening fast speed I first jumped backwards from Dad. When both Uncle Julian and Uncle Ian tried to grab me from behind I leapt forwards as I completely leap-frogged over Dad’s crouched form. Next, I streaked past Grant who too tried to catch me.

I bolted away from the Lokoti Werewolves who turned and ran after. I ran so fast that the trees just looked like a blur! But I trusted my new Werewolf instincts as I was able to weave between the trees in my path.

I ran so fast that even the other Lokoti Werewolves couldn’t keep up! I sensed that they dropped further and further back until I could no longer hear or smell them anymore. I ran and ran… bolting out of the woods and into a clearing on the south border of our land that separated us from the township of Alma.

Oh, now I knew where I was going and where the intoxicating smell was leading me to - straight to Alma. I slowed to a stop as I started to wonder if I should go any further? What if this IS the bloodlust making me feel this way? What if I wasn’t running towards an actual food, but towards a person? Was I craving townfolk to eat?

*EAT!* My stomach hurt so bad, I whimpered as I bent over in pain. *FEAST! FEED! RED MEAT! FRESH MEAT! HUMAN MEAT!*

Oh no…! My mouth didn’t just water but my teeth grew longer at these very thoughts. This strange voice kept goading me on. It made me fall forwards onto the ground, as if an invisible hand had pushed me from behind. It was like the voice itself was trying to take control of me…!

However, my new Werewolf instincts were also whispering something else… that I wasn’t alone.

I smelled him before I looked up and saw him. I saw Declan in European Werewolf form, step out of the tree line to the side. My eyes widened in fear as they took in the sight of his huge, hulking, hairless, monstrous body.

I had never seen Declan in European Werewolf form this close before. A couple of times in the past when I was over his house, I had vaguely caught sight of him morphing in his dark back yard before he quickly disappeared into the night. But his size was intimidating as Declan was twice my height whilst he walked on his hind legs and three times as wide with his muscle bulk, which rippled underneath his hardened skin.

Declan started to stalk towards me as his razor-sharp teeth glinted in the moonlight, inside of his canine jaws. His bright green eyes with the black slits for pupils were trained my way. He was a light-tanned colour all over, almost the colour of cream. The claws on his hands and feet were black and sharp. He settled on all fours as he engaged me in a face off, ready to pounce on me in either direction I might run.

Oh oh, now what do I do? I’d heard he was not only stronger than the Lokoti Werewolves but he was faster as well… can I outrun him too? Declan snarled warningly, his glowing green Werewolf eyes flashing as if he meant to say, ‘don’t even think about it!’

Has he come to stop me from crossing the border too? I guess so, as he walked on all fours to stand directly in front, as if to use his large size to block the way.

In a lightening-fast move I tried to duck sideways but in a lightening-fast move Declan jumped in front. I jumped sideways in the other direction and immediately he appeared right in front of me again! I jumped backwards a couple of times, to get some distance between me and him so I could try to run past? But he sensed this and jumped forwards, closing the distance between us.

What do I do? I certainly didn’t want to get into a fight with him, he would tear me apart! Frickin’ hell, now what?

Declan snarled viciously in my direction as he came even closer. He slowly stalked forwards on all fours, tense and ready incase I made any further sudden moves.

In desperation I roared out “NO!” as I took a swipe at him with my right claw! He easily ducked from my blow before he leapt upon me! “NOOO!” now I roared in fear as I couldn’t move from his overbearing weight!

I was scared that this was it and that I had gone too far. I was scared that this was my punishment for trying to make it into town to eat a townsperson; of being eaten by Declan. I honestly thought that the punishment for my crime for the attempted eating of a human was to be eaten myself.

Declan’s hot breath on my face felt so scorching it could have scolded. His glowing green Werewolf eyes burned into mine and I heard him snarl and snap his jaws! As he lowered his head over mine, I closed my eyes, thinking that this was it. I thought that today was the day I would die…but I didn’t.

Just as I was expecting to feel his huge jaws rip into my face or my neck; instead I felt something hot, wet and strong lap at my ear.

When I opened my eyes, to my surprise I found it was Declan’s large tongue. He was licking my ear before he moved across my face and over my lips! What was this, a Werewolf kiss? Was I going to get licked to death as Declan slobbered all over me?

My mouth opened in surprise just as my eyes did, when his tongue went right into my mouth and lapped at mine. My heart was already racing in fear for my life; but now I felt it start to pound in my chest because I liked what Declan was doing. I couldn’t stop myself as my tongue started to lap back at his.

I heard him whine softly as he kept me pinned to the ground. Strangely I even started to like the feel of his claws digging into my skin, which heated up by doing this with him. His two hot, heavy front claws released my shoulders and brazenly rested over my breasts instead. I growled hungrily as I tried to kiss him back, not just by lapping like we really were two wolves licking each other, but I wanted to use my lips. However as I found out, it was frickin’ hard trying to passionately kiss something with a snout.

Declan sensed what I was trying to do, so he turned his head sideways and opened his larger jaws wider. He set them over the bottom half of my face with his sharp teeth digging into my cheeks. But I didn’t mind the discomfort as instead I liked this… especially how his tongue could go deeper into my mouth, which never stopped moving against mine.

As I excitedly clawed at him, it occurred to me; this is what I had been secretly wanting that Derik as my best friend couldn’t give. I wanted passion that I just didn’t feel for my closest childhood friend. I certainly felt no inclination to do this with him instead.

Declan released my face from his jaws as he lifted up his head and his glowing green eyes glared down. His tongue darted out twice more, as I stuck out my tongue to meet it. Then he moved his large jaws away as he begin to sniff around my face and my hair before he ducked his head to nuzzle my neck. I growled in a satisfied manner as I felt him teasingly use his sharp teeth to even chew on my ear.

This turned me on so I twisted my head around to kiss him again, but for some reason he raised his head higher away. Declan started to snarl again, as if he was angry at me for doing this with him. His Werewolf eyes flashed brighter still…when suddenly he ducked his head in lightening fast speed.

Using his stronger jaws, he gripped the side of my neck and began to bring his teeth down. It sent a sharp, blinding pain up the muscles of my neck and into my brain and – and – and – I think I blacked out?

*****

As I started to come to, I felt myself lying on a cold, hard surface. I opened my eyes and for some reason the first thing I saw was the side of my bath tub. I raised my head as I looked about myself in confusion.

I’m lying on the bathroom floor? What am I doing, sleeping on the bathroom floor like this? I sat up and when I looked down, I found myself still in my jeans and bra and I was covered in dirt. My feet and my hands were the dirtiest and my hair was mangy with leaves in it. I examined my dirty nails, which thankfully looked normal again and I saw that my body was its human size once more.

Slowly I stood up, flinching from my sore neck which felt like I had pulled a muscle, to look on my reflection in the bathroom mirror. My normal face looked back… Did last night really happen? My dirty appearance and my missing clothing like my top, confirmed it did.

I shivered as I hugged myself, as I recalled how the Lokoti Werewolves surrounded me in the woods. A cold chill shot down my spine as I knew why they had acted that way last night - to stop me from running into town and eating a townsperson. My stomach pains along with the craving for human flesh must have been the infamous bloodlust I’d heard of.

Then I remembered something else about last night; I had kissed Declan – if you would call that kissing – while we were in Werewolf form.

I KISSED Declan?! Eugh! B, are you nuts? You frickin’ hate the guy! And rightly so, as he was a jerk most days and a complete asshole in between! Then after he made out with me, by probably leaving more slobber on my face than inside his own mouth, he bloody well bit me.

He bit me! He knocked me out cold! But how the hell did I get here, in my bathroom, passed out on my bathroom floor?

I wanted to see my parents and ask them what happened. However when I walked over to my closed bathroom door and I tried to open it; to my surprise, it wouldn’t open. It was locked in from the outside, which meant somebody had locked me in here.

I’ve been locked inside my bathroom? Surely this must be some kind of mistake…

“Hey!” I cried out worriedly as I shook the doorknob. “Hey! Mum! Dad! I can’t get out!”

Just then I heard two voices talking outside the bathroom door, of Dad and Grandpa talking.

“It sounds like she’s changed back.” Dad said.

“Let’s hope so.” Grandpa said unhappily back.

After a moment I heard the door unlock and Dad slowly opened it as he looked on worriedly.

“Dad!” my eyes widened when I saw the fearful expression on his face.

“B.” he said seriously before he and Grandpa stepped aside to let me pass.

I walked towards my bedroom to get ready to have a shower to wash all this dirt off. But I stopped in my bedroom doorway when I saw Grandfather and Uncle Julian standing in my room, examining my broken window. Oh shit, I had forgotten that I did that.

Grandfather and Uncle Julian glanced my way, not looking too happy either. When I turned around, I found Dad and Grandpa right behind as if they were guarding me. I looked from them, back to Grandfather and Uncle Julian, confused.

“How are you feeling, B?” Grandfather asked.

“Fine.” I answered.

“Do you remember what happened last night?” Dad asked.

I tried to joke, “either I went to one hell of a party,” I inferred my missing clothes and dirty skin. “Or I turned into a Werewolf last night.”

“Can you remember what happened to the window?” Grandfather asked.

I vividly recalled Mum’s look of horror on me, her daughter, changing into a monster, yes. I remember that I felt so sickened at frightening my mother that way that I had to run away from her. Since she was in the bedroom doorway, the window seemed the only other option. My eyes watered as I felt everybody’s unhappy expressions that seemed to look on with disappointment.

Do they always look like this when a new Werewolf is created? Or is it just me that’s earned this? Are they really, really angry with the way I behaved last night?

“Mum looked at me like I was a monster… the same way you’re all looking at me now. I couldn’t bear her disgust, so I jumped out the window.” My voice wavered as I spoke.

“You’re not a monster B.” Dad said sadly as he put his hand on my shoulder. “But you are the very first female Lokoti Werewolf in the history of the tribe.”

“And you’re a Circulator.” Grandfather frowned. “Last night you ran away from us at the speed of light.”

I did?

“It’s going to make it harder for us to help you control the bloodlust because we can’t contain you.” Grandpa said gravely.

I looked in surprise at Grandpa and Dad before I turned back to Grandfather and Uncle Julian. “I ran at the speed of light?” I echoed.

“You did.” Grandfather verified. “I’ve only seen your mother and your grandmother, other Circulators, move that fast.”

That was news to me! So last night I didn’t just change into a Lokoti Werewolf, but finally my abilities as a Circulator were also kick-started! No wonder I was able to outrun them last night.

“It’s why we had to lock you in the bathroom.” Dad said seriously. “If we can’t catch you, we can’t stop you.”

“Stop me?” I gave him a funny look. “Stop me from what?”

“Bianca, you were running right for Alma.” Dad said gravely. “You were hunting human. You would have attacked the town folk, if Declan hadn’t of caught up to you.”

This hit me like a physical slap in the face; I was hunting HUMAN? I was actually hunting human? That was the delicious smell last night? I nearly killed a townsperson? Declan was the only one who was able to stop me?

I nearly killed last night… I nearly became a murderer… I nearly murdered a human being to feed and stop the horrible pains in my stomach!

*Eat!* My stomach hurt so bad, I whimpered as I bent over in pain. *FEAST! FEED! RED MEAT! FRESH MEAT! HUMAN MEAT!*

Like a blow to the stomach, my legs suddenly gave away and I landed on my arse on the floor. I felt all the blood drain away from my face as I stared at my broken window in horror. Mum was right to be afraid… because I’m a killer.

Dad knelt on the floor beside as he tried to put his arms about my shoulders, but I pushed him away. No wonder they all hate me… I’m dangerous! I felt worse than horror, I felt worse than terror, I even felt worse than wretchedness or guilt.

I felt like the Judge and Jury in a high-profile murder case, listening to the sins of the convicted. I was surrounded by evidence that I was now a murderer! And like any murder trial, which I now found myself in… it was time to accept my charges. It was time for my punishment and since bars probably wouldn’t hold me for long, it meant that it was time to consider capital punishment.

When I thought that Declan was going to eat me last night, I realized it was because I was thinking that I deserved it. The bloodlust… it hurt me, tormented me, made me lose my self control. If it wasn’t for Declan’s actions last night, I could be very well covered in blood as well as the dirt of my sins.

I’m a killer… I’m a stone-cold killer… I’m even an abomination to the other Lokoti Werewolves!

“Dad!” I grabbed his arm as I looked at him fearfully. “You’ve still got that hunting rifle, haven’t you?” Dad looked on, askance. “You have to shoot me in the head!” I cried out. “I nearly killed a person last night! The voice and the pain and the hunger… it nearly made me do it! I very nearly did it!”

Dad’s eyes watered as he looked on worriedly. “We know about the hunger B, and the cold voice that comes from it. It’s called the bloodlust. We can teach you to control it -”

“No! No!” I shook my head as I dug my fingers into his arm. “You don’t understand - you don’t know how powerful it is!”

Grandpa knelt down beside Dad as he looked rueful, “we know exactly how powerful it is, Bianca Grace Wisetail. And we’re going to teach you how to control it and in battle, to use it when you fight for your people and your land.”

I maddeningly shook my head. They don’t get it! They don’t see the point of this at all. I’m more dangerous than them!

“But how can you teach me self control when you can’t control me and I can’t control IT?!” I yelled.

“Bianca Grace!” Grandfather growled fiercely, as his blue eyes flashed brighter in anger. Grandfather walked over and knelt by my other side and he cupped my face to force me to look at him. “You will NEVER talk that way again!” Grandfather growled firmly. “You are now the fifteenth member of our pack. You are one of us! What happens to you affects us all. We felt you change last night. We feel your fear now. We CAN help you and we will! And one of the ways you can start learning to control what’s happening to you is to stop fearing IT and yourself!”

Even Uncle Julian came over to crouch beside Grandfather. “We’re all in this together, B.” Uncle Julian put his hand on my leg. “The Lokoti Werewolves are more than animal. We’re more than human. We are one, it’s how we stay strong and we fight strong.”

“Welcome little wolf.” Grandpa smiled sadly as he reached out and stroked my dirty, matted hair.

No! I don’t want this, I don’t! The immense power and the freedom that I felt last night? As I ran through the woods in the speed of light, using my Werewolf reflexes to weave between the trees? The exhilaration that rushed through me because of it, no longer seemed worth it.

“I don’t want this!” I turned to Dad. “Activate someone else! I don’t want this! You were at Uncle Ian’s house last night! I thought Leaf was going to turn, not me!”

“We can’t control whose Werewolf genes are activated and whose are not.” Dad said tearfully. “The spirit of the Lokoti Wolf that’s combined with the spirit of Aru, the tribe’s first Lokoti Werewolf, are the ones who pick the warriors to make up the pack, just as they did in the beginning.”

“But it wasn’t much of a choice then.” I remembered the story of old. “Aru picked the remaining fourteen warriors who were still alive. There are way more better choices than me.”

“Maybe and maybe not.” Grandpa disagreed as he exchanged a look with Grandfather. “Em told me that the Circulate once had a rule that no other Circulators were meant to be born after 1985. But your Great Great Gran, Elisha broke this rule when she gave birth to your Great Gran, Alexandrina, another Circulator. Alexandrina had your Gran Arabella, another Circulator and your Gran had your mother, Jessica yet another Circulator. And now Jess and Arabella tell us that you will be the last Circulator in human history. Perhaps this is the reason why the spirits of Aru and the Lokoti Wolf picked you to become the first female Lokoti Werewolf.”

Grandfather nodded back to Grandpa and then he, Uncle Julian and Dad looked on with grave expressions.

“B? B!!” Mum’s frantic cry interrupted us, as suddenly she came rushing into my room with Gran right behind her. Both women also crouched down beside with Mum almost knocking Dad out of the way and Grandfather considerately moved aside for his mate. “B!” Mum pulled me into her arms and squeezed tightly in relief.

“Mum! Mum!” I cried in her arms. “I’m a monster, Mum! I’m a monster!”

“No you’re not sweetie!” she instantly disagreed, as she partially released her hold so she could look on with motherly love. “You’re not a monster, you’re a Circulator. Now you’re a Werewolf too? Some adjustments have to be made, that’s all.”

“Adjustments?” I raised my eyebrows in disbelief.

“Let’s find out first what we’re dealing with here.” Gran said firmly as she looked from me to Mum. “Let’s take B to Circulate HQ and get checked out by Vincent.”

“Good idea.” Mum nodded enthusiastically.

She and Gran instantly acted upon their idea as they stood up and then they too pulled me up from the floor.

“We’ll come with you.” Grandfather said to Gran.

“OK.” Gran gave a nod. “Gentlemen?”

The male Lokoti Werewolves were well used to Gran and Mum’s mode of travel as Circulators. They had the ability to instantaneously phase to anywhere and anytime of their choosing. As Gran and Mum placed their hands on my shoulders; Dad, Grandfather, Grandpa and Uncle Julian placed their hands on theirs. In a bright flash of light, all seven of us disappeared from my bedroom in Alaska in 2084…

… when we next found ourselves standing in the Medical Lab of the ultra-futuristic Circulate HQ. We were inside the habitation dome on the green surface of Mars. The HQ was constructed using 25th Century technology, ironically 250,000 years in the past when the planet still had vegetation. This little hypocrisy were one of the many that these time travelers could revel in.

Usually I loved to travel by phasing here with Mum or Gran. I loved the feeling of having my biological body turned into light as even my very molecules were altered. I liked the rush of warmth and the tingling sensation. I loved the momentary feeling of being absolutely free from constraints such as gravity or the laws of physics so much so, it felt like I was floating.

Just as much as I enjoyed traveling like this, I also enjoyed my visits to Circulate HQ. I liked to marvel at the technology of the future integrated with the smooth lines of the uber-modern lay out of the base. Aside from the black floors, glass was everywhere as it was used for doors and of course, the dome that HQ was inside allowing as much natural light to come through. Even the computers here were glass-like with specialized crystal chips that had computer programs etched into them, which was accessed by concentrated beams of light.

Once upon a time the Circulate was made up 696 people, with two-thirds of its members being Calculators and one third were Circulators. This figure increased when Elisha Worthall began a female lineage joining the ranks of Circulators. What was truly marvelous about this, was for the fact that the ability to circulate or even to calculate, is not an ability that can be passed down genetically.

‘Mother Nature’, ‘fate’, ‘destiny’ or whatever you wanted to call it, decided on what minority of humans on planet Earth could turn their biological bodies into ones made of light to pass through time. Spread across all cultures and races, Circulators and Calculators were born different. This was supposed to ensure that the Circulate remained an elusive and highly exclusive club. Did this stop Elisha who bore Circulators and even changed a man into a Circulator? Nope! With her on-going light, she continued to re-write the history books as she recreated the future.

With the onset of World War Three, the Circulate departed Earth as they evolved from their human existence to one of an eternal nature inside of the space time continuum. As their parting gift to mankind, they were able to dissipate over a quarter of the nuclear blast which protected their remaining human families from fall-out.

Our Calculator Vincent Moher, preferred to spend the most of his time here even if it was alone; as he and the Circulate Mainframe monitored the entire time line of human history. With Vincent as the only Calculator left, he had the task of watching over the last three Circulators in my Gran, Mum and me.

Vincent Moher was named after his forefather Vincent Worthall who Elisha became romantically involved with. In an alternate timeline, Elisha married and procreated with the World War Two Spitfire pilot. However Elisha decided not to follow that timeline and she instead married Jarrod Worthall, a Med student she met at Cambridge whom was Vincent Worthall’s Grand Nephew. Elisha was such a strong force in the time line with her bio-electromagnetic frequency being in temporal flux; her progeny to Vincent Worthall didn’t cease to stop existing. They continued to exist apart from the timeline, almost in temporal flux themselves. The good thing about this was that Gran, Mum and I have a Calculator now in our distant cousin.

Within a minute of our arrival inside the Medical Lab, Vincent who must have foreseen our arrival; he next walked through the automatic sliding glass doors of the Lab to greet us.

“Arabella and Jess? I need to talk to you…” Vincent began but he pulled up the moment he saw my dirtied, half-dressed appearance. “…good god B, what happened to you?”

Grandfather, Grandpa, Dad and Uncle Julian all glared dangerously upon our blonde haired, blue eyed English cousin.

“What’s the wrong Vincent, can’t you ‘see’ what happened to B?” Dad growled out.

“Funny you should say that, Hunter.” Vincent growled back. “But no I can’t. That’s what I need to talk to Arabella and Jess about.”

“Well what a stroke of luck, coz we came here to talk to you about B.” Mum sung sarcastically.

Vincent became aware of all seven unhappy faces were aimed his way.

“What did I do?” Vincent asked, taken aback.

“What didn’t you do more like!” Dad fired up. “You call yourself these girls Calculator? Why didn’t you see this happening to B?!”

“And if you did see it, why didn’t you tell us?” Gran asked in a low voice.

“Hold up a minute people.” Vincent held up his hands. “Before we all tie the Calculator to a stake and burn him for either Witchcraft or Heresy, how about I hear the charges first?”

“B’s a Werewolf!” Mum cried out.

Silence… Vincent blinked and then he blinked again as he looked in disbelief from Mum to me.

“You’re a Werewolf?” Vincent looked on my disheveled appearance.

“She’s the first female Lokoti Werewolf in the history of the tribe and pack.” Grandfather advised.

“You’re a Lokoti Werewolf?” Vincent wanted to clarify as he stared in my direction. “So you weren’t bitten or changed that way…?”

“One of the pack died and B’s Lokoti Werewolf gene was activated last night, the first night of the full moon.” Uncle Julian put his hands on his hips.

“I thought you understood from Elisha Worthall’s SSIT notes on Lokoti Werewolves that our bite or blood can’t change a human into one of us.” Grandpa’s eyes narrowed as he looked on Vincent.

“I do remember that fact thank you, Fern.” Vincent said in annoyance. “But I also remember that females can’t change into one of you and that only the males in the tribe can.”

“Well don’t just stand there, examine her!” Dad demanded.

“Then if you lot get out of the way, maybe I will!” Vincent snapped back.

The male Lokoti Werewolves all stepped aside from standing protectively around my position. This enabled Vincent to lead me over to the bench underneath the main scanner to begin his medical examination. I sat up on the bench and just before I laid down, Vincent handed me a papery-hospital smock to wear. Then he helped me to lie in position underneath the scanner.

Vincent gave me a funny look as he openly looked me over, “B you’re taller, plus you’re more bulky. I think your height and your weight have changed.”

“Has it?” I raised my head in surprise.

Vincent next pushed my head back down as he walked over to the control panel and he activated the machine. It hummed to life as a green light ran over my body from head to toe, as the technology collected its readings and results of my physical changes.

“B, when you changed into a Werewolf last night, did anything else strange happen?” Vincent inquired.

“She ran away in the speed of light.” Grandpa told him.

“That explains her higher bio-electromagnetic frequency.” Vincent thought out loud. “It appears when your Werewolf gene was activated, it also triggered your Circulator’s ability to phase.”

Gran and Grandfather stood together, holding hands as they looked on; Mum and Dad stood together holding hands as they looked on; Uncle Julian and Grandpa stood side by side with their arms crossed, listening in to the results.

“Aha!” Vincent remarked. “I was right! You’re now 10 cm’s taller. You’ve grown from 160 cm’s to 170 cm’s tall and you’ve gone from weighing 60kg’s to 70kg’s from your extra muscle.”

“Am I fat?!” I anxiously raised my head.

“No, but you are bulkier with your extra Werewolf muscle.” Vincent replied. “Even your shoulders look broader.”

“What? Do I look masculine?” I now sat upright in alarm.

“I wouldn’t say ‘masculine’ but definitely more athletic.” Vincent mused.

I looked worriedly at Mum and Dad, “but I don’t want to look athletic!”

“You’ve always been a bit of a tomboy growing up.” Dad gave a rueful grin. “You always played soccer with Derik and the other boys of the tribe instead of dolls with the other girls.”

“Do I look ‘butch’?” I anxiously looked at Mum.

“Nah, of course not!” Mum was quick to reassure as she and Dad came to stand beside, as I was sitting up on the bench. “You’ve always given the boys a run for their money, so now you can definitely beat them at sport being a Werewolf.”

“Derik’s never minded that you were always as strong or as fast as him.” Dad tried to use as his consolation. “I’m sure he won’t look on you any less now that you’re even stronger or faster.”

“Don’t worry B, it just means that a guy has to work extra hard to impress you.” Uncle Julian gave a wink.

Vincent next came back to where I was sitting as did Gran, Grandfather, Grandpa and Uncle Julian.

“Well.” Vincent took a deep breath. “From the read outs, I can see a change in her dental structure, her muscle tissue, her calcium deposits around her nails and even with her irises and her ocular sensory input, that confirm her change into a Lokoti Werewolf.”

“My irises?” I echoed confused. “My ocular sensory input?”

“It means that now you can see better in the dark.” Vincent put it simply.

“Oh yeah, I could see through the dark woods last night as if it were daylight.” I confirmed. Then something occurred to me which made me look at the other Lokoti Werewolves, “did my eyes change colour like yours do?”

“They did.” Grandpa confirmed with a nod.

“What color did they turn?” I asked out of curiosity.

“Turquoise, like your Great Great Grandfather, Flint Riverclaw’s eyes.” Grandfather announced.

“They did too!” Mum recalled as she looked from Grandfather to Uncle Julian. “I forgot what colour Great Grandfather’s eyes were.”

“Same coloured eyes is a family trait in Lokoti Werewolves.” Uncle Julian informed his twin sister. “I have yellow eyes like another Riverclaw ancestor had. Dad has blue eyes like his Dad did. Now B has Grandfather’s turquoise colour when she changes.”

“At least she’s keeping it within the family.” Mum joked.

“At least we know she’s a Riverclaw Werewolf that way.” Uncle Julian joked back.

“And not a Werewolf from the ‘Milk Man’ or something?” Mum laughed.

“THAT’S not even funny!” Dad rolled his eyes at his wife’s and his brother-in-law’s sense of humor.

This just made Mum and Uncle Julian laugh even more as they next elbowed each other in their brotherly/ sisterly banter.

“C’mon kids.” Grandfather smilingly pulled them up. “Let’s focus here.”

“The ‘Milk Man’!” Mum couldn’t stop laughing.

“Actually that IS pretty funny.” Vincent even ducked his head as he chuckled. “Pity the poor man should he ever have an affair with a Werewolf’s wife!”

Dad emitted a low and dangerous growl as he glowered at our Calculator.

“It wouldn’t happen.” Dad said staunchly. “We would smell it as well as sense it. Hell, I can even smell your testosterone stink on Jess when you hug her or kiss her on the cheek.”

That quickly put an end to the laughs, from both Dad’s tone of voice and the dangerous look he was now giving Vincent.

“Moving right along now.” Vincent cleared his throat as he straightened. “B should start her training as a Circulator now that her ability to phase has started to surface.”

“Yes, about that.” Grandpa spoke up. “We need to find a way to stop her.”

“Stop her?” Vincent gave the older Werewolf an incredulous look for even suggesting it. “Now I see where Hunter gets it from when he tried to stop you from training your ability.” Vincent turned to Mum.

Grandpa ignored this as he glared at Vincent, “last night B ran right for Alma and she ran as a new Werewolf from the bloodlust as she ran as a new Circulator in the speed of light.”

“Oh.” Vincent’s face fell as he now caught their meaning.

“The pack couldn’t stop B because she ran as a Circulator. If her Circulator grandmother and mother stopped her, they wouldn’t be able to stop a Werewolf acting on its bloodlust. We need to find a way to stop B from trying to eat a human in Alma until we teach her control over the bloodlust.” Grandpa said firmly.

“I see.” Vincent frowned as he next thoughtfully stroked his chin.

“Vincent, what did you have to talk to Mum and I about?” Mum next queried.

“What?” He gave her a funny look.

“When we first arrived and you walked through the door to the Lab, you started to say that you needed to talk to us about something.” Mum reminded him.

“Oh right! Yes!” Vincent suddenly remembered. “I needed to talk to you about B.”

“What about me?” I asked.

“I can’t calculate for B properly using the Viewing Room or on the Circulate Mainframe because her energy signature in the time line keeps disappearing at odd intervals.” Vincent announced. “And now that I’ve found out she’s now a Werewolf? That might explain it.”

“What do you mean her future keeps disappearing?” Mum asked concerned.

“B is the Last Circulator.” Vincent began to explain slowly.

“Yep, we got that memo.” Gran said coolly. “What’s your next point?”

“And now she’s the first female Lokoti Werewolf.” He went on.

“Yep, we also got the notification for that too.” Dad crossed his arms and glared at Vincent.

“I didn’t see this happening to B.” Vincent said, looking flustered. “I can’t see half of what’s going to happen to her, because there’s something blocking my sight as well as the Circulate systems. B’s future is cloudy because her bio-electromagnetic frequency is not just high - it’s not just in temporal flux - but because of this Werewolf business, it’s like there’s something that’s not permitting us to see her future.”

Grandfather and Grandpa sucked in their breath sharply.

“Our father the Lokoti Wolf is guiding her.” Grandpa decided.

“It would explain why the Last Circulator would be picked to be the tribe’s first female Lokoti Werewolf.” Grandfather agreed.

“Oh yeah THAT would really explain the meaning of life!” Vincent sneered.

Suddenly he was met by the sound effects of the dangerous growling being emitted by four unhappy male Lokoti Werewolves.

“Vincent.” Mum raised her eyebrows. “Please don’t diss somebody else’s religious beliefs. That’s one of the reasons why War is fought.”

“True.” Gran said coldly as she crossed her arms and she gave Vincent the ‘skunk eye’.

“Quite.” Vincent cleared his throat once more as he looked downwards.

“So you’re saying you didn’t see B turning into a Werewolf just like other parts of her future are cloudy to you?” Mum wanted to reconfirm.

“Yes.” Vincent clarified. “I can calculate your future, Jess. I can see what’s in store for you, Arabella.” He next looked on me. “But B’s future is hazy. I could no more see her turn into a Werewolf like I can see if tomorrow she gets hit by a truck.”

Gran was the first to notice the threatening growl to come out of her mate as Grandfather looked on Vincent in displeasure at his choice of words… especially since his own father died this way.

“OK.” Gran said firmly to take control of the conversation. “Let’s take affirmative action here.” All of the male Lokoti Werewolves looked on her for leadership. “Vincent.” Gran looked on him. “I think Fern is hoping to borrow some DYSTAR to give to B during the full moon to prevent her from running away and eating somebody before they can train her.” Grandpa gave a nod to show his agreement to this. “Jess.” Gran looked on Mum next. “You should probably be on stand-by with me since we’re the only two that can catch B.”

“Right.” Mum gave a firm nod as she and Dad put their arms about my shoulders.

“Em.” Gran looked at her husband next. “Jess, Vincent and I can try to contain the Circulator element in B, but you should keep the pack updated. Just incase we need them as back-up.”

“The pack are already aware of the situation and are ready.” Grandfather said seriously.

“Very well then.” Gran said primly, before she looked Vincent’s way again. “Vincent?”

“Yes?” our Calculator stood to attention.

“The DYSTAR if you please.”

Vincent frowned but after another moment he reluctantly turned away from our circle. He walked over to a medical cabinet on the other side of the room. When he returned, he was holding a tiny glass vial of blue liquid and a futuristic syringe.

“There is enough DYSTAR in this vial that should weaken her ability to phase for at least 7 days.” Vincent spoke gravely as he next placed the spray-syringe and the vial of blue liquid in Gran’s awaiting hands.

I felt my stomach shrink as my shoulder muscles tensed up. “What’s DYSTAR?” I finally asked.

“DYSTAR is a drug that can temporarily dampen a Circulator’s ability to phase. This means you also won’t be able to run in light speed neither.” Gran stated.

“Oh.” I looked down at the blue liquid in the tiny glass vial. My eyes widened as I blanched upon the sight of the deceptively small medicine bottle. “Um, do I really need it?” I tried to point out, “I mean it’s not like I’ve actually gone into phase yet. All I can do is run really fast.”

Grandfather’s face was a mask of consternation, “that’s apart of your ability to phase, B.”

“It is?”

“You have the ability to change your biological body into one made of light.” Gran said matter-of-factly. “From this, you can phase through time and space. It’s also linked to your ability to move in the speed of light since you become light.”

“Oh.” My mouth turned sickeningly salty. “Well um, how about I just promise never to do it again?”

The male Lokoti Werewolves all looked worried as Grandpa spoke; “When the bloodlust controls you, you lose control over the rest of your body.”

“B.” Uncle Julian looked wary, “the pack can train you as a new Werewolf but we can’t control you as a Circulator.”

“The pack will teach you as a new Werewolf and then Vincent, your mother and I can train you as a new Circulator.” Gran put her hand supportively on my leg.

“But first things first.” Dad said gruffly. “First we ride out the full moon’s pull on the bloodlust of a new Werewolf. Second, we temporarily stop a Circulator from using their new ability to phase just as the moon goes through its phases. Then we’ll begin your training as both a new Werewolf and a Circulator.”

My shoulders slumped as I looked frightenedly on the blue liquid. “If you say so…” I gulped.

“Fine then.” Vincent said narkily as he looked on my male Lokoti Werewolf relatives. “We’ll do this your way but I want to come with you. I want to be the one who administers the DYSTAR to B. This drug can be dangerous if handled incorrectly.”

“As you wish.” Grandfather gave a nod.

*****

Vincent prepared a medical kit to take with him before we instantaneously phased back to my house in Alaska.

“Before we can give B the DYSTAR she has to be unconscious.” Vincent advised, as he loaded up on more drugs to take with him.

“How come you didn’t say that before?” Dad accused as he watched him suspiciously.

“Why didn’t you tell me that the Lokoti Werewolf gene was in every Lokoti, even if it were only the males who were usually activated?” Vincent retorted.

Dad rolled his eyes before he turned back to Mum, however Mum had to quickly look away to hide her laughter. She had always thought it was funny, the constant fighting between her Lokoti Werewolf husband and her Calculator.

When we were all transported back to Mum and Dad’s house in Alaska, Vincent was holding onto Mum’s arm too.

The sight of the futuristic Medical Lab disappeared and reformed into the semblance of my living room. Medical beds and the sterilized smell of the Lab were replaced with the vision of couches, the dining table and the smells of recent cooking from our kitchen.

Our house was decorated almost the same as Gran and Grandfathers; Nana and Grandpa’s or even Uncle Julian and Aunt Danika’s was… country style with a pine dining table set and second-hand couches in the living room. Our house was simplistic, spartan and yet homey as it was kept warm with life, food and company. Plenty of family photos adorned shelf space or sat over the mantle piece.

Everyone released their hold on Mum and Gran as Vincent immediately set to work by opening up his med-kit on our dining table. I watched hesitantly as he prepared two futuristic syringes that would spray the drugs at high pressure into the applicant’s skin. One syringe was filled with a knock-out drug and the other with DYSTAR.

“Um, do we need to do this right now?” I asked nervously as I watched.

“It’s best to, especially since you need to be asleep for the procedure.” Vincent replied as he filled the futuristic syringe/ sprays with the drugs.

I subconsciously took a step backwards away from the scary-looking blue liquid… when I accidentally walked into Dad who was standing behind.

“It’s only temporary B,” Dad squeezed my shoulder, “as it’s only for two more nights of the full moon.”

“Uh huh.” I tried to swallow but my throat felt constricted.

Just then I jumped when we heard; KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

It was pretty loud, so loud that our front door shook from the impact. Uncle Julian moved first as he went to answer it. He didn’t say a word as he simply stood to the side and held the door open.

My eyes widened when I next saw the ten other members of the Lokoti Werewolf pack led by Uncle Harry, walk into my living room. Oh and Declan was here too.

Declan walked in last as the honorary member of the pack. He threw me a quick glare before he went and stood behind Uncle Fin to avoid eye-contact with me. That bastard! He’s the one who kissed me and HE’S the one who’s acting like it’s the other way around!

“B.” Uncle Harry greeted with a nod.

“Uncle Harry.” I gave a polite nod back.

“You are the first female Lokoti Werewolf.” Uncle Harry said.

“Yeah, so I heard.” I almost rolled my eyes but Dad nudged me to mind my manners.

Uncle Harry smirked, “and you’re the last Circulator born in human history.”

“Um yeah, I heard that too.” I muttered and this time it was Grandfather who gave a warning look.

“You are the fifteenth member of the pack.” Uncle Harry continued, unperturbed by my petulance.

I looked from him to the other members, but I purposefully skipped over Declan. To be honest I felt a little self-conscious standing there with in my jeans and the papery-hospital smock. Especially now as I would be the only female in a male dominated pack.

“So.” I forced myself to sound cheerful. “Do I get a membership pack or something? How about a name tag that says ‘Hi I’m Bianca the First Female Lokoti Werewolf?”

“Yeah, it’s in the post.” Uncle Ian snickered and then so did several other members of the pack.

Considering that postal deliveries were sketchy at best since the War? It made me smirk at the, ‘don’t hold your breath’ quality of the answer. I pressed my lips together while I quietened.

“The Lokoti Werewolves have a long history as well as a noble one.” Uncle Harry said seriously. “We uphold the tradition of protecting the Lokoti Tribe. We were created to protect all that a Lokoti Wolf holds important, his mate, his young and his territory.” Uncle Harry’s chest expanded in pride. “As Circulators have the responsibility to protect the timeline, you Little Wolf are now apart of history by becoming one who fights as apart of the pack.”

“OK…?” I tried to swallow again but my throat was too dry.

Uncle Harry next stepped up so he could place a heavy hand on my shoulder. “You will always be remembered in stories of the pack, just as you will be remembered as one of the tribe’s Light People. You are both the Last Circulator born to the human race as you are the first female Lokoti Werewolf to the tribe. You are legacy, Little Wolf.”

My breath caught in my throat as my eyes widened, before I looked from Uncle Harry, to Ian, to Grant, to Fin, Quinn and all of the Lokoti Werewolves until my gaze ended with Grandfather, Uncle Jules, Grandpa and Dad. With the Werewolves differing ages, some in their twenties to others in their hundreds, I truly did see Lokoti history in my very own living room.

“I am First.” Uncle Harry proclaimed. “Your Grandfather is Second to the Lokoti Werewolf pack.”

I nervously licked my lips, “OK…?” But I was completely clueless what all of this meant?

Uncle Ian recognized the lost look in my eyes, “it means B that when Harry gives an order, we follow it.”

“Oh.” I said puzzled. “But I always thought that you lot were empathic and operated on a group consensus or something.”

“All organizations need a leader, do they not?” Uncle Harry smiled in amusement.

Next I looked at Grandfather, “so what does Second do?”

“I make sure the will of the First is adhered to.” Grandfather said simply.

Oh…then for some reason I next found my eyes sneaking towards Declan to see how he reacted to all of this. I couldn’t imagine him obeying just one person. I always thought it took the entire will of the pack to keep him in line. To my surprise, I found Declan looking on Grandfather with great respect which was almost reminiscent of a son looking on his father in admiration.

“So um,” I tried to keep my voice from wavering as I felt dwarfed being the only female in a pack full of males, “does this mean that I’m going to start patrolling the borders of Lokoti land too?”

Suddenly the reaction from not only Uncle Harry, but all of the Lokoti Werewolves took me off-guard. They all growled loudly by the very idea!

“No.” Uncle Harry proclaimed as if his word was law.

“No?” I echoed.

“You are the pack’s one and only female Lokoti Werewolf. You may be faster than us also being a Circulator, but we are stronger than you. As a female, you will not patrol.” Uncle Harry declared.

As uneasy I was feeling being the only female Werewolf in this room full of male Werewolves? I was also curious…so like a beginner I put up my hand to ask my questions.

“But why?” I queried. “Mum helped the tribe fight off the marauders just before I was born. Gran helped ready the tribe for the Third World War and she was the one who took down the European Werewolf that turned Declan. So why can’t I patrol?”

“Because you are female.” Grant spoke.

“Because not only are female Werewolves rare in this world, let alone this tribe…” Uncle Quinn added.

“…healthy human females are fought over thanks to radiation sickness.” Uncle Fin ended.

“You will not be seen by outsiders or strangers.” Uncle Harry said firmly.

“No outside human or non-Lokoti may know of your existence.” Grandpa agreed.

“Just as the identity of the Lokoti Werewolves are protected by the tribe…” Dad spoke up.

“…as are the identities of the tribe’s Circulators are hidden from outsiders,” Grandfather finished, “the tribe’s Last Circulator and first female Lokoti Werewolf must never be known to the rest of the world.”

Then all of the male Werewolves in the room including Declan, gave a firm nod in agreement of this.

In the pack, I saw uniformity as well as a hierarchy which served as a support structure. The male Werewolves in the room shared a comradeship from years of fighting together in their roles as the tribe’s protectors. To be honest, right then I didn’t want to make waves especially since I was the first and only female Lokoti Werewolf, which really threw a spanner in the works. So I too gave a nod to show that I would obey the will of the First.

Grandfather, Grandpa and Dad came to stand behind me as they placed their hands on my back. Then Uncle Harry gave me a pat on the head, as well as a wink before he turned and departed from my house. The ten other members with Declan as the eleventh, all followed him out as they decided as a group that they would all leave.

Declan was the last one out as he closed our front door behind himself. He passed me one last look, before he gave Grandfather a nod of respect. Then he too disappeared.

“Oh well then.” Mum looked to Gran. “That was nice wasn’t it? By welcoming B like that?”

“If that was a ‘Welcome’ party remind me never to become a female Werewolf in this tribe.” Vincent sneered.

“Trust me Vincent.” Dad said dryly. “If you ever turned into a female Werewolf? We wouldn’t greet you like that… in fact we would actually turn and run the other way.”

*****

Before I was drugged with DYSTAR, my captors were at least good enough to allow me to shower and change into an old tracksuit with even a plate of food prepared. But I didn’t eat, I couldn’t. As I sat at the table pushing around my food with my fork, the syringe of DYSTAR seemed to stare up at me from the middle of the table.

Eventually I was led upstairs by Mum, Dad, Gran and Grandpa who as the tribe’s Medicine Man, he wanted to observe. Grandfather and Uncle Julian remained in the living room, as they milled around restlessly.

I noticed that my bedroom was now looking tidier with the broken glass vacuumed up thanks to Mum’s cleanliness. I lay down on top of my bed, as Vincent and Mum and Dad sat beside. I nervously looked at each of them individually as the whole room looked on.

“What’s going to happen?” I asked worriedly as Vincent readied the syringe of sedative first.

“You’re going to fall asleep for a couple of hours and when you wake up you won’t be able to phase.” Vincent replied. “Don’t worry B, it’s just for seven days and then your ability will come back.”

I looked on Mum and Dad, feeling so scared that I was trembling.

“Does it hurt?” I asked Mum.

“I don’t think so sweet heart.” Mum promised. “All it does it make you stop phasing for a little while.”

“This is only temporary B.” Dad rested his warm palm against my cheek. “As soon as this full moon cycle is over, we can start training you to be ready for the next.”

“I’ll be watching.” Grandpa tried to reassure as he stood at the end of my bed. “You have two Medicine Men looking out for you.”

“Just relax B.” Vincent tried to give an encouraging smile to put my fears at ease.

He next placed the syringe/ spray against my neck and I next felt a tickling sensation as I heard the tell-tale HIIISSSSS…!

“Woah…” my eyes started to close by themselves, “…that was faasst…” and then I didn’t get to finish my sentence.

All of the muscles in my body simultaneously went loose as a heavy black curtain fell over my eyes. I was more than ‘out like a light’, I frickin’ well didn’t even have a light bulb anymore to turn on!

*****

To be honest, I don’t remember the next two evenings very well let alone at all clearly. I think the first night I woke up in the bathroom, on the bathroom floor again. I remember waking up on a cold, hard surface, wondering why I was locked in the bathroom once more?

Wouldn’t being drugged with DYSTAR mean that I don’t have to be locked up? But I soon got my answer as I felt my chest quickly rise and fall as I was panting. When I caught sight of my hands I saw my nails were long, sharp and claw-like. Oh… I’m changing again.

I think it was night time, as the bathroom was partially dark but for the light of the full moon spilling onto the white tiles. I hated the bright, eerie light of the full moon because of what it brought…pain. I felt excruciating, horrible, agonizing pain!

Oh my gosh, I think there’s a fire burning in my stomach! My stomach, it hurt! It hurt so much I could barely move!

I writhed on the bathroom floor in complete and utter hideous torture. I felt like acid was eating me up inside and out! Oh my God, did they inject me with DYSTAR or frickin’ poison?!

“MUM! MUUUUMMM! THE PAIN! WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?! THE PAIN!!” I thought I was screaming in anguish but what came out of me was a thunderous Werewolf’s roar!

I want my Mum! I want my Dad! Where are my parents? I want them to take away the hurt!

I felt my tracksuit tear as my body expanded with it’s Werewolf muscle and my teeth grew long and sharp just like my nails. I cried as my entire body ached from my change. Even the bathroom seemed to turn brighter, as my human eyes switched to my Werewolf night vision.

“did my eyes change colour like yours do?” “They did.” Grandpa confirmed with a nod. “What color did they turn?” I asked out of curiosity. “Turquoise… like your Great Great Grandfather, Flint Riverclaw’s eyes.” Grandfather told me.

As our previous words reverberated inside of my head, I had to see it; I had to see what I had become. Using the bathroom sink for support, I next pulled myself up from the floor and onto my unsteady two feet. As my eyes lifted upwards I saw IT.

I saw a female Lokoti Werewolf look back in the small bathroom mirror, over the medicine cabinet. Two glowing turquoise eyes stared with an open mouth full of jagged, elongated teeth looked threatening. I saw the tops of my broad muscled shoulders peeking through the torn tracksuit top.

I look hideous! I look absolutely disgusting! I really am a monster! Declan kissed THIS?!

“YOU FREAK!” I roared out with my hideously deep voice.

My clawed hand jutted out to punch through the mirrored door of the medicine cabinet! Glass went flying everywhere, as the shards landed with a ‘tinkling’ noise onto the bathroom floor.

I don’t remember much after that but I think my Dad must have come inside the bathroom with me at some stage.

I recalled for apart of the night he sat on the bathroom floor with his back against the tub, holding me in his stronger Werewolf form. His bigger arms were wrapped tightly about my torso as he held me firmly against his chest, his glowing red Werewolf eyes filled with tears as I writhed in pain. He desperately tried to hold me still to try to soothe the pain somehow.

Dad couldn’t ease the pain as he couldn’t do a thing to help. The bloodlust was boiling the very blood in my veins, as my dangerous mouth watered by the very thought of meat…human meat. Fresh, juicy, bleeding meat off the bone that belonged to one of those delicious humans in the township of Alma which was 7 km’s away.

As much as these thoughts taunted my Werewolf senses…a tiny remaining human part of me wanted to throw up in disgust.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

13th September 2084

I survived... somehow, I managed to pull through the transition into a new Werewolf.

The first night I changed, I broke my bedroom window and I tried to eat a townsperson but I was stopped by Declan. The second night I changed, I was locked inside my bathroom, unable to phase thanks to the DYSTAR with Dad sitting with me. On the third night I changed, again I was locked inside my bathroom, unable to phase with Grandfather sitting with me through the night.

I slept all day as I writhed in agony thanks to the bloodlust, at night. During the day I had Mum, Gran, Great Grandma and even Aunt Danika to tend to me. The women fussed about as they took away my torn clothes to be mended and they tried to feed me meals that they had prepared. But I wasn’t hungry and all I wanted to do was sleep.

Then during the night I had Dad, Grandfather, Grandpa and Uncle Julian to tend to me in their roles as jailors. They kept me locked inside the bathroom so I couldn’t escape and try to make a run for Alma again. As either Dad or Grandfather sat with me, I heard the whispering of Grandpa and Uncle Julian on the other side of the locked bathroom door.

This was the worst experience of my entire life. It was even worse then the first day I got my period when I was 14 years old. It happened during a game of soccer with Derik and the other boys when Rachel and Mandy waved me off the field so they could whisper that a red patch was beginning to form on the back of my shorts. That day I thought I would die of embarrassment, as Mandy calmly tied her jumper around my waist then she and Rachel walked me home. However that day now paled in comparison, when I rued the facts of life for being a female human? These days I rued being the first female Lokoti Werewolf.

Yet somehow I survived, although I thought I would die from the pain the murderous bloodlust brought upon me for not indulging its dangerous craving. But I didn’t die, instead I carried on. Albeit, a broken bathroom mirror, a broken bedroom window and three sets of torn clothes later; I survived the change into my new Werewolf existence.

Last night, I went over to my newly-repaired window after I changed into my pajamas, for bed. I examined the handiwork of my father and Uncle Ian as I admired their skill. The new glass in my window was perfectly cut and installed. I sighed wistfully as I looked on the shiny new glass… if only my life could be repaired so easily.

I didn’t want this because I was scared of who I now was. The pack along with my Dad, Grandpa, Grandfather and Uncle Jules were right there and willing to train me. The pack felt proud, even if they were also apprehensive that I was the new Lokoti Werewolf.

I was the first female Lokoti Werewolf just as I was the Last Circulator. Boy, what a contradiction! I’m both the first and last…oh no, that’s not complicating my life at all, is it? Ha!

Just as I took a step back from the window to pull the curtains closed, I saw something. Or, I think I saw something… Hang on a minute, what is that?

My eyes squinted and I think my Werewolf-vision must have kicked in, when I could suddenly see much clearer into the dark woods. I spotted a pair of glowing green eyes, watching me from the forest. Uncle Quinn, one of the Lokoti Werewolves had glowing emerald green eyes but these glowing green eyes were a different kind of green. They looked brighter and burned more fiercely, hungrily even.

They were Declan’s European Werewolf glowing green eyes, I knew it.

He was watching me from the woods, via my bedroom window but why was he spying on me? Was Declan guarding me somehow, to make sure I didn’t make another run for the townspeople in Alma? Why was he here? But as my heart began to pound, I started to think differently…

I remembered his kiss three nights ago, when he stopped me on the border. I felt warm and a little giddy, as I recalled the heat that was generated between us…that was until his huge jaws clamped down on a nerve in my neck. Declan knocked me out cold, to carry me back home. Bastard! I bet he probably enjoyed rendering me unconscious even more than the kissing part!

I whipped my curtains closed as my sign of ‘get lost!’ and then I climbed into bed before I switched off my lamp.

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