Chapter 4 - Scent *Updated*

13th September 2084

I was sitting at the dining table reading a book on Ancient Greek Mythology, when Mum walked out of the kitchen carrying her shopping list.

“OK.” She spoke to both me and Dad, who was sitting on the couch with another book. “I’m going down to the Store to pick up a few odds and ends. I hope that you both remembered to write down anything you needed.”

Normally Dad would volunteer to go with her to hold the carry basket as she trolled up and down the small aisles, but today he didn’t. Today, as well as for the past three days; he stayed home to keep an eye on his daughter, the new Lokoti Werewolf in the family.

I’ve been housebound the past three days, so much so I might as well have been in jail with all of these new restrictions! I couldn’t have visitors; I couldn’t go out and visit; as I had to meditate or study, to get my mind off the bloodlust.

Grandpa gave me these meditation exercises, but to be honest I found them as about as useful as small puncture repair kit whist trying to plug up a hole in an inflatable life raft, whilst being tossed about a storm-driven sea… In other words, they did diddly-squat in helping me try to ignore or even control the menacing voice of the bloodlust.

Mum had just started to walk towards the front door when I jumped up and cried out, “can I come too?”

That made Dad quickly stand up with apprehension, “I don’t think so B.”

“Why not?” Mum turned his way. “It’s just to the Store.”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea Jess.” Dad said.

“But we won’t even be leaving tribal lands!” Mum argued back.

“B’s supposed to be meditating right now.” Dad said simply.

“She’s been ‘meditating’ for three days straight.” Mum stated. “Even Buddhist Monks leave the temple now and again from their ‘meditation’. When she comes back from the store she can ‘meditate’ again.”

I started to snicker at the tone of voice Mum used every time she said the word ‘meditate’. But then I stopped when Dad next turned his unhappy look my way.

“Sorry.” I quickly sat back down again.

“No.” Mum said firmly. “C’mon B, you can help me shop.” She pulled me towards the front door with her.

“Jess…” Dad started to object.

“We’ll be home in thirty minutes!” Mum called back as we left the house.

As we walked over to Dad’s parked truck, the outside sun warmed my skin. Along with the gentle wind blowing through the trees, the weather instantly picked up my spirits as I felt glad to get out of the house for a little while. Mum hit the remote to release the truck’s central locking and then we climbed in.

“Thanks Mum.” I said appreciatively at her stubbornness which could stand against a Lokoti Werewolf’s resolution.

She gave an affectionate pat on my arm, before she started the engine and reversed out of our driveway. I caught sight of Dad standing on our veranda with his hands on his hips as he reluctantly watched us leave. The frown on his face was so deep, it not only made his face look grave but it looked older.

*****

After we pulled up into a free car space by the store, I hopped out before Mum did. With my new strength and energy, I started to notice Mum moved slower than I did. She closed the door behind herself, locked it and dropped her keys into her handbag as she next pulled out her shopping list.

Whilst Mum spent a few seconds doing all of this, my head turned towards the Garage beside the Store.

I could hear music playing loudly, as ‘The Cult’ belted out of the speakers of the portable stereo that I had once seen on a shelf inside the Garage. I could see a pick-up truck was parked halfway inside of the Garage, with its front half out in the open air. I guessed it was parked so to save on electricity and the mechanics could use the sunlight to see into the motor’s dark crevices.

I saw that a mechanic which looked to be Ben, was lying underneath the truck and somebody was leaning over the top of it, as the bonnet was propped up.

My heart picked up speed, as I recognized the familiar male body wearing scuffed black boots, dirty jeans and a tight grey t-shirt, also covered in dirt and grease. My breath almost caught in my throat, when I recognized the large muscles straining underneath the t-shirt. I think I stopped breathing as if by sensing me, Declan’s head rose and he turned my way. As quickly as his eyes widened by the sight of me, I also saw them next narrow into a glare.

“OK, let’s get this over and done with.” Mum sung, with the shopping list now in her hand. “This shouldn’t take long and besides, your father is probably timing us on his watch!”

I quickly ducked my head as I followed her into the Store, with Declan’s eyes following us.

I picked up a carry basket from beside the door and held it for Mum as she walked ahead. She was almost speed shopping as she didn’t stop, she just simply grabbed as she passed. The basket quickly began to fill up. I started to appreciate my extra Werewolf muscle, as the basket began to strain under the load.

“Bread…milk…butter…eggs…cheese…juice…toothpaste.” Mum read out the list under her breath, as she breezed down the small aisles.

As I walked behind Mum, I noticed that we attracted a lot of looks from passers-by. But then I realized that people weren’t looking at Mum, they were looking at me. They were all watching with curiosity in their eyes.

Frickin’ hell, word travels fast in this tribe! Does everybody now know that I’m a Werewolf? It looked like it, as I ducked my head to walk quickly after Mum.

As we passed a group of teenaged boys who were hanging around the sweets shelf, their eyes widened as they took me in. I think I even overheard one of them inhale deeply as I walked past. I stopped and turned to give the youth a peculiar look, whose eyes bulged because I looked in his direction.

“Oh, hi B!” the 14 year old raised his hand to give a small wave.

“How’s it goin’ B?” his 13 year old friend asked next.

“That’s a nice er, top that you’re wearing, B.” the other 14 year old boy standing with them, fumbled out.

I looked on the kids as if they were nuts! I was wearing a two year old, faded and stretched, red woolen jumper that Grandpa had given me as a Christmas present. Not to degrade Grandpa’s workmanship, but there was no way that this jumper looked ‘nice’ anymore, especially with all of the holes I accidentally put in it.

“Come on B.” Mum grabbed hold of my arm to pull me after her.

Just as I was yanked away, I overheard one of the youths critique the one who remarked on my top; “you don’t say nice top you dumb-ass! You’re supposed to compliment women on their shoes!”

When I turned my head back around to give the three a funny look, they instantly stood to attention and waved back. I continued on, shaking my head to myself as I followed Mum to the counter.

I placed the basket on top of the counter and began to pile everything onto the surface. This way, the elderly Mr. Barley who owned the General Store could mark it off in his book what we were ‘purchasing’. He would put it on our family account for us to make up in a future barter or trade. Since the War, no-one in the tribe used money anymore, as the majority of our money went to trading with Outsiders.

“How are you, B?” Mr. Barley asked politely.

“Good thanks Mr. Barley.” I answered.

“I suppose with your change, carrying this load isn’t a problem anymore.” He joked, meaning the large amount that Mum was shopping for today.

“Um, no.” I answered awkwardly.

“B’s been stronger than me since she passed her sixteenth birthday. After she turned sixteen, I was getting her to take lids off jars whenever her father wasn’t around.” Mum laughed jovially.

Mr. Barley laughed along with Mum, before he looked on me closely. “I swear you look taller, as it usually happens to a young Lokoti who goes through the change.”

“I think you might be right.” Mum agreed. “I swear B used to be my height, now she’s ten centimeters taller.”

Mr. Barley nodded in acknowledgement as he finished up writing a tally of what we were ‘purchasing’ today. “Here.” He threw in a bonus chocolate bar as he gave me a wink. “A new Werewolf needs to keep up their strength.”

“Oh, isn’t that nice!” Mum smiled on his gesture. “Thanks Mr. Barley!”

“A Circulator for a mother and a Lokoti Werewolf for a father? Now we have our tribe’s first female Lokoti Werewolf who’s a Circulator.” Mr. Barley said proudly.

Just then I noticed that the other people in the Store smiled and nodded in agreement, as they were watching this transaction take place. The three teenaged boys by the sweets shelf waved at me again.

I could feel my cheeks start to burn as I ducked my head in embarrassment at being the centre of such attention. I was relieved to pick up the shopping in the cotton carry bags Mum brought, as I walked out of the Store first. But because my head was lowered, I didn’t see where I was going and I walked into somebody who was coming in as I was going out.

“B!” Roger’s eyes widened and I caught him suck in his breath and hold it as he looked me over. He stood almost stuck to the spot whilst he stared, as we were standing outside of the Store.

Mum passed by and she took one look at Roger’s face and I caught her snicker, as she walked over to Dad’s truck.

“Um, how are you B?” Roger asked, reaching out his hand to place on my arm. “I heard what happened, are you alright?”

I passed him a look that questioned his sanity, as I moved away from his touch.

“I’m fine thanks Roger, how are you?” I forced out to be polite.

“Me? Oh, I’m fine.” he gulped nervously. “But I’ve been thinking about you a lot, especially now that I’ve heard what’s happened.”

“I’m a Werewolf Roger, I’m not dying from rabies.” I said uncomfortably.

“Oh yeah, I know that. But um, is there anything I can do to help? I mean, can I get you anything? I guess what I’m trying to say is, is there anything you need?” he prattled off.

“No thank you Roger, I’m fine.” I stood there holding four carry bags of groceries. I thought he was being a bit rude or desperate, making me stand here and talk to him when he saw my hands were full.

“Oh, can I get those for you?” he started to reach out for my bags of food…

… but I quickly pulled back. “No thank you Roger, I’m fine. They’re not heavy but my Mum’s waiting for me -”

“Oh, that’s right.” He nodded quickly. “Lokoti Werewolves are a lot stronger than humans and I guess so are you, now that you’re one and all.” I opened my mouth about to excuse myself, when he interrupted again. “I know that when a Werewolf goes through their first change and all, they’re supposed to be in training or whatever and you can’t socialize much. But um, I could come over if you like? I could bring a couple of movies over to your house and -”

However he was interrupted from a low, dangerous growl coming from the Garage. Roger’s and my heads quickly turned, to see Declan standing beside the car he was meant to be fixing. Declan’s head was lowered but a fierce look was directed right at Roger. His teeth were bared and I swear they were looking sharper and I guess so thought Roger.

“See you later B.” Roger almost flew through the glass door of the Store as he quickly darted inside.

A laugh escaped as I watched Roger take off and then I turned back around to look on Declan in amusement.

“Did you forget that you already have a boyfriend, B?” Declan asked sulkily. Then he turned back around to continue his work on the engine of the truck.

I knew Declan was inferring his little brother but it pissed me off by him saying this. He just acted like Roger’s behavior was my fault! I shook my head in disbelief at Declan’s primitive behavior, as I marched over to Dad’s truck where Mum was waiting inside.

I placed the shopping bags in the back and then I walked over to the passenger’s side door to climb in. Mum turned the key, started the ignition and she reversed out onto the road. However as she pulled out, I caught Declan watch us leave. I quickly turned my head away to glare out the windscreen, as Mum drove back around the sports field and headed towards the hill we lived on.

Mum abruptly laughed, “I haven’t noticed that much attention to Werewolf pheromones since I married your father.”

“Shut up Mum.” I said darkly as I felt myself blush, which made her laugh again.

As I stared out at the trees whizzing past, I couldn’t get Declan out of my mind. He was the one who put his hand over mine that morning he drove me home. Declan was the one who kissed me on the borders of Lokoti land when he stopped me from running into town. And he has the hide to remind me of MY loyalty to Derik…?

Mum was still laughing about what happened when we arrived home. As I put away the groceries in the kitchen, I had to relive the experience as Mum told Dad all about it. Whereas Mum could laugh about it, I noticed Dad didn’t. In fact, this just made Dad even more unhappy.

“B, I don’t think you should go out again where people will be, not for a while at least.” Dad frowned.

“Hunter.” Mum looked on Dad unimpressed. “What’s that going to prove? B didn’t try to EAT anybody while she was away.”

Dad frowned even deeper, “THAT’S not what I’m worried about.”

“Hunter - ” Mum began to object, but I interrupted.

“It’s fine with me!” I huffed as I turned away from the two.

I left the kitchen to run upstairs to my room to hide underneath the cover of another history book.

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

14th September 2084

I read and re-read all of my books about Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome and even Ancient Egypt. I studied the ancient myths of Greek Gods and their related cousins, the Roman Gods. I daydreamed about what it would be like to study these at Cambridge University. I either read on my bed or downstairs sitting at the dining table with an ever-watchful Dad always hovering nearby.

This morning when I was in my bedroom reading a book on Tutankhamen, I overheard a knock on the front door downstairs.

Since becoming a Werewolf, my hearing has become sharper than what it used to be and I could eavesdrop a hell of a lot better. As soon as I heard the knock, I looked up from my book as I next listened to what took place when Dad answered the door.

“Hi Uncle Hunter.” Derik’s voice greeted.

Derik? He’s here? I sat upright in anticipation of seeing him.

“Hello Derik.” Dad said formally.

“Um, is B home?” Derik asked.

“Yes she is.”

“Can I um, see her?”

“No you can’t.” Dad said gruffly. “I’m sorry Derik, but since B’s change she can’t have any visitors for a while.”

“Oh.” I heard the disappointment in Derik’s voice. “Well um, can I leave something for her?”

Pause… and then Dad said; “I’ll see that she gets this.”

“Thanks Uncle Hunter.” Derik sighed reluctantly as he prepared to leave.

“Bye Derik.” Dad said. “Send my regards to your mother for me.”

“OK.” Derik said as his voice grew more distant… sounding like he was stepping down from our front veranda.

Derik! I quickly jumped up from my bed as I raced over to my window to watch my best friend slowly walk down my gravel driveway. Derik! Anxiously I knocked on my window, minding the glass with my increased strength, then I waved furiously hoping that my best friend would see. But he didn’t turn around as his eyes or ears didn’t pick up my efforts to attract his attention since he was only human…

…only human…

…I was no longer human and I felt like this Werewolf business was pulling me away from my bestest friend in the whole world because he still was.

I was about to open my window to poke my head out and yell, when Dad walked into my room. He saw me standing by the window and he immediately guessed what I was looking at.

“Here.” Dad placed on my bed what Derik had given him. “He left this for you.”

“Why did you turn Derik away?” I cried out, upset. “He’s my best friend!”

“I’m sorry B, but you can’t have any visitors right now.” Dad said gravely. “Not friends and not even family. It’s why you haven’t seen your Gran or your Aunt or your cousins for a while. They know you’re supposed to be using this time to learn self-control.”

Then he turned around and left me alone in my bedroom. I watched the back of my father disappear down the stairs before I walked over to my bed and I picked up what was left for me.

It was a square envelop with Derik’s writing scribbled on it. On the front of the envelope was a huge ‘B’ and I quickly and yet carefully opened it up when a CD and a letter fell out. I picked up both as I unfolded the letter to read;

‘Hi B, I’m not sure if I’m going to be allowed to visit you so I wrote this just in case. Declan says as a new Werewolf you’re going to be in ‘lock down’ for a little while as you train. I just want you to know that I’m thinking about you and I miss you. I was really worried about what happened to you as Declan won’t tell me about the first night you changed. I wish I had walked you home from our place now so maybe I could have been there for you and helped you somehow. Please know that as soon as your Mom and Dad tell my Mom that you’re allowed to see people again that I’ll be there in a flash. Rachel and Mandy say ‘hi’ and they came over yesterday. Mandy was getting books about teaching from my Mom and Rachel helped me to put together my assignments that I’ll be submitting to Cambridge. She brought her laptop with her so I could type my stuff out in an email to Cambridge with my application letter. Mandy and Rachel are worried about you too and when they asked Declan what happened since he was there the first night you changed, he refused to talk about it and stormed off into his room again… like he always does. Your Grandfather only repaired Declan’s broken bedroom door from where the wood split with Declan always slamming it two days ago… what’s the bet he’s going to have to fix it again? LoL! Anyways just know that I’m there with you in spirit and that my thoughts are with you always. I made you this CD of our favourite songs for you to listen to and think of me. I love you B… Your best friend Derik.’

My heart hurt as my eyes filled with tears whilst I stared on those last four words; ‘Your best friend Derik’.

I miss my best friend so much, it was apart of the reason why I couldn’t concentrate on the meditation exercises I was given to do. It was even part of the reason why I wasn’t enjoying studying either, because I was so used to studying with Derik.

My best friend and I always studied together. We sat together in school and when school finished we went to the library together, to get more books to self-school ourselves. We either sat at his dining table or mine, reading and making notes. Derik’s mother, Aunt Susan as well as Gran, would set assignments for us and together Derik and I would do them and hand them in to be marked. Derik would do something scientific and I would write up a paper on a topic in ancient history. Half of the time, Rachel and Mandy joined in. As Rachel began to study Naturopathy, Mandy would brush up on a broad range of subjects to become a teacher.

Occasionally, Derik and I would go to either Rachel’s or Mandy’s houses, but most of the time we hung out at Derik’s place. Aunt Susan would come home from teaching the tribe’s younger generations and she would then check on our independent studies. Her patience and ‘welcome one and all’ view on education ran at levels which could reach sainthood. Sometimes Declan would complain when everyone stayed for dinner at Aunt Susan’s invitation.

“What, you’re not only educating them but we’re feeding them too?” Declan whined when Aunt Susan checked that he was cooking enough for six people instead of three.

Derik’s patience with my mischievousness or even my temper, came from his mother. I knew I had it good, having a best friend like Derik as he always supported me in everything I did. He never ridiculed my ‘tom boy’ ways or he never felt that his masculinity was threatened by me occasionally beating him in running races. He always jumped at the chance to be on the same soccer team with me. Derik and I were nicknamed ‘the terrible two’ by our parents or even the tribe. He became my partner-in-crime in everything… even when I used to misbehave.

One Sunday afternoon at the Sabre’s house when I was 10 years old, I remember being babysat by a 13 year-old Declan along with Derik, Mandy and Rachel. Our parents were attending a tribal meeting held by our Tribal Elders. I think it was during the period of the full moon so Declan was not only his grumpy self, but he was also tired from hunting all night with the pack. Declan repeatedly yelled at us to shut up as he wanted to nap on the couch in the lounge room so Derik, Rachel, Mandy and I, went to go and play in the back yard.

It was a quiet Sunday afternoon in the middle of summer and we were bored. Then I had happened to notice a large bag of flour that Aunt Susan had recently picked up from the Store, I guess to use to make bread and pasta. It was sitting just inside the kitchen by the back door.

I don’t remember the specifics now, but there were no adults around to stop us; so Mandy, Rachel, Derik and I got into a ‘flour and water’ fight! White flour went everywhere! White flour was sprinkled over not just our clothes, but all over the back yard and it was spilt all over the floor in the kitchen as well!

Mandy, Rachel, Derik and I had a wonderful time, not only throwing flour at each other but water as well, which made the flour congeal and turn into glue. So four 10 year old kids had flour-glue all through their hair, their clothes and over the walls of the back of the house! When Declan woke up from our shouting as we threw the clumps of flour-glue in our hands…to say ‘the shit hit the fan’ would have been an understatement!

“What the frickin’ hell have you done?!” Declan’s blue eyes turned their Werewolf green in anger. “When Mom sees this she’s gonna freak!”

Declan’s temper scared Mandy and Rachel as they froze with fear. But since my Dad and Grandfather were Werewolves, I knew that Declan wouldn’t be allowed to hurt me. I marched up to Derik’s bigger brother with his enraged green eyes and I threw a handful of wet flour over his flannel shirt!

“B, no!” Derik blanched, terrified of his older brother and his supernatural temper.

Declan slowly looked down at his messed-up t-shirt and then he slowly looked back up, as I started to hear a low growl build up in his throat…oh oh!

When I turned to run away, Declan grabbed me with his faster reflexes. He picked me up and slung me over his shoulder! With a worried Derik, Rachel and Mandy looking on, Declan carried me over to the tap where he dropped me onto the grass. He held me down with his strong foot, as he sprayed a torrent of water over me from the garden hose!

“Derik!” I screeched. “Derik, stop him!”

Derik tried to run to my aid but Declan turned the hose on him, sending him scurrying away! Then he did the same to both Rachel and Mandy! Declan’s eyes returned to their human blue colour as he stood there, laughing at us. He kept me on the ground with his foot on my stomach, as he washed all four of us down with the hose. Once he had washed off the flour from us and the walls of the back of the house, he yelled at Derik; “you’re on clean up duty!”

Declan marched all four of us in our wet clothes, into the house to clean up the spilt flour from the kitchen floor. He sat up on the kitchen bench to supervise and any time we complained or started to slack-off, he growled dangerously which prompted us to clean faster.

“I’m cold.” Rachel whined as she shivered.

“You were already wet before I turned the hose on you.” Declan said coolly.

“We should change out of these clothes so we don’t catch our deaths.” Mandy tried to talk like an adult.

“I wish!” Declan scoffed at the idea.

“B, Mandy and Rachel can borrow my clothes to put on.” Derik said helpfully.

“Change later and clean now!” Declan barked loudly.

He scared Mandy and Rachel, sending them frantically sweeping with the dust pan and brush.

“I hate you.” I glared at our bully of a baby-sitter.

Declan looked long and hard on me before he eventually said back, “likewise.”

As I angrily returned to our cleaning, Derik tried to give me a goofy grin as he gently nudged my side.

“It was worth it.” Derik smiled my way, which made Mandy and Rachel giggle in agreement.

Then all four of us burst into laughter as we looked on each other’s wet hair and soaking wet clothes with the white flour sticking to us…

…and as I returned to the present, I still laughed at the memory of that day.

I picked up the CD that Derik had burned and put it in Dad’s second hand CD player I had ‘inherited’. As I lay on my stomach on top of my bed, I listened to bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Live, Blur, Oasis, The Verve and of course Iggy Pop, play.

Derik and I grew up with these old 20th Century bands thanks to hearing our parents or our grandparents play this music. Declan was a ‘grunge band’ enthusiast so he was always listening to this kind of music at home or at the Garage. I think when Derik came over with these CD’s, he must have been borrowing them from Declan’s collection.

This fact came to light another time when I was at the Sabre house. Declan came storming out of his bedroom over to where Derik and I were studying at the dining table, with his eyes glowing green in anger.

“Have you got my U2 CD?!” Declan demanded of his little brother.

“Er, which one?” Derik asked back.

“‘Rattle & Hum’!”

“Yeah, but you said I could borrow it.” Derik reminded him.

“I said that last month Derik!” Declan growled out. “That was over four weeks ago! When you borrow my stuff, you frickin’ return it or else!”

With that, Declan spun on his heel and he stalked off to retrieve it from his little brother’s room himself.

“Meeeoow!” I commented to my best friend about his older brother’s behavior.

“Er, Declan’s a Werewolf B.” Derik said in good humor. “I think it’s more like, ‘woof! Woof!’”

“Shut up you little pipsqueaks!” Declan roared back before…

…SLAM!

He closed his bedroom door so loudly that we felt the vibrations from where we were sitting.

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

16th September 2084

I walked along the muddy track with the wet ferns brushing against my jeans. It was still drizzling, but at least the rain was light and I didn’t mind my clothes turning damp.

I just had to get out of the house! I had to get away from my parents. I had to get away from their quiet talks and their worried glances. I couldn’t stay a prisoner inside my bedroom forever.

Being inside for too long always gave me a head-ache, even in the dead of winter. Mum could sit in front of the fire, snuggled up with a book for hours. As much as I shared her love for reading, I had to take regular breaks and go for walks, even if it was in below freezing temperatures. So being cooped up inside in fall with winter coming, depressed me. Although it had been raining all day, I just had to get out.

“I won’t go anywhere near town, I’ll go down to the river.” I snapped at their concern.

“I’ll come with you.” Dad made a move to stand up from the table.

“No Dad.” I glared at him. “I want to be alone.”

“B - ” Dad started to object.

“I promise I won’t eat anybody while I’m away!” I rolled my eyes.

That was it, I was storming off into the woods before my parents knew it…

I had to walk off this anxiety, this tetchiness, this caged-in feeling. The bloodlust was making my heart pound so hard it made me shake, even when I was sitting still. I could smell the blood in my mother’s veins, as I noticed the blue veins under her soft white skin. I could hear her heart beating. I could smell her at the end of the driveway when she came home from visiting family or friends.

I didn’t want to eat my mother, but she reminded me of those delicious townspeople on the other side of the border. It was driving me insane! So I thought I could walk off these cravings.

I walked down to the river and I probably stood there for like two minutes. However I couldn’t sit and think like I usually liked to do, I had to keep moving…so I turned around and deliberately took the longer way home.

I was trudging up the muddy path, in the drizzling rain. The woods were silent, with no bird noise from the trees which dripped the odd raindrop. Even the frogs were quiet, like everything else was. I started to think that perhaps everything was a little too quiet. I thought I was alone, but now I wondered?

I stopped walking as I couldn’t explain it, but I knew I was being watched by the skin on the back of my neck tingling. I sniffed the quiet air as I could vaguely smell something. I listened with my keen hearing and I heard the quiet footsteps of something large, stalking me.

Then I heard it, a faint growl. I couldn’t see it as it expertly hid, but I sensed that it stopped moving because I had stopped moving. It was watching me and it was aware that I was aware of its presence.

“Grrraaaaaaaawwwllll!!!!”

I barely caught sight of the lightening fast figure leap out, before I felt my feet leave the ground as I went flying through the air…

… something had just leapt upon me and this something made me land on the ground over five meters away from where I had been walking. This big strong creature was suddenly a naked man, lying on top and he was doing something to me with his hands.

It was Declan, he had reverted back to his human shape. He was unbuttoning my jeans, unzipping them and shoving them halfway down my thighs, which stopped me from moving my legs. All of this was done so quickly in lightening fast speed, I was barely aware of what was happening. I didn’t cotton on to what was going on until he started pushing himself inside.

He was moving so quickly as he grunted was like he was in some kind of pain, or that the pain was leaving him somehow. I was lying there on the wet ground almost pinned, as I started to become aware that this was called something. This was happening to me right now, in fact.

I was having sex… I was having sex with Declan… or he was having sex with me… it did seem rather one sided.

What, this is sex? I laid there almost unimpressed by the mundanity. This is what all the fuss is about, with our parents telling us to be careful with? He held me so taught, I couldn’t move. It felt so strange that I realized if I could move, I wouldn’t know what to do anyway because I’ve never done this before.

Declan cried out - he literally cried out - and when I caught sight of his face? He had tears in his eyes as his face was bright red. At first he kept his face turned away as his movements were mechanical, but the way he was holding me seemed desperate. At first it felt strange, having this foreign body part being pushed into me over and over again… then it started to hurt a little… and then it went back to feeling strange. Now I felt really warm and wet down there, but I didn’t know if that was because of my body? I suspected it could be because of Declan.

He slowed down, gasping and uttering, making helpless noises. Finally he looked down and his face was a mask of fear and regret.

“Are – are you OK?” he asked weakly.

“I can’t move.”

Declan immediately raised himself, pushed my jeans now past my knees and down to my ankles. As he did this, he opened my legs as he raised my knees on either side before he started to move again.

“Is that better?” he checked.

I nodded as I looked past him. It did feel better this way because when he pushed, I started to push back by using my hips. It felt more… natural this way. I started to like it.

I stared through the trees, up at the grey sky as we moved. My back felt wet from lying on the cold, wet ground. But I stopped noticing this so much as something else started to happen… I started to feel warm and tingly.

To my surprise, I was starting to really like this. I felt something strange but nice happen inside my abdomen and then I felt like I couldn’t stop. It felt like I had to go on, to reach somewhere. I grabbed hold of Declan’s arms and pushed harder against him. As he watched my face in partial surprise, he even began to push faster as if to help somehow.

The harder and faster Declan pushed, the more these feelings intensified. It occurred to me that this was pleasure, no this was RAPTURE that I was feeling! I couldn’t stop and I liked feeling this way so much so that I wanted it more and more…

Abruptly these sensations felt like they took off and it actually gave me a spasm! A brilliant spasm! A wonderful spasm! I accidentally made this whimpering noise as I dug my fingers into his skin.

“Oh gees…oh yes…oh no…oh shit!” he winced as he seemed to push extra hard.

Declan closed his eyes and turned his face away as he kept on moving. It was like he was powerless to stop and he didn’t look happy about it. He gripped onto my thighs, squeezing them against his waist. He kept pushing himself harder as he moaned whilst he kept his eyes shut.

Being this close together, I smelled his body odor or his ‘scent’ as my Dad or Grandfather would call it. Declan smelled like – like - like a food or something, I tried to think of it. He smelled like something that was sweet and buttery, something like Maple Syrup…

…Declan smells like Maple Syrup?!

I looked on the scar of the teeth marks near his left shoulder, as well as the long white scar that looked like a claw mark going down his chest. It reminded me of the story of the night a three year old Declan and a pregnant Aunt Susan arrived. The tale of the European Werewolf which followed them here and killed Declan’s father and nearly Declan as well, came alive inside my mind from seeing the monster’s marks it had left behind.

Declan came six times, I counted. I almost stopped counting after five, because I thought that we had finished when he stopped moving for about 15 seconds, before he started up again. He moved so quickly, it was like this was a release for him, a long held release that he could finally let go of. This coupled with how tight his fingers were digging into my thighs? Or the helpless grunting noises that came out of his mouth?

“Take off your top.” Declan asked in a pleading voice. I unzipped my parker and unbuttoned my blouse, before I slowly opened it. “Yeeesss…” he breathed, instantly ducking his head. He used his teeth to pull away the cup of my bra to get at my breasts.

He started to slow down as he sucked and bit into my breasts which sent my pleasure sky high! The feel of his sharp teeth scraping over my nipples, followed by his hot tongue? It was like the icing on the cake, with his rhythmic movements which were already sending warm, waves of pleasure through my body.

“Oh my - oh what the - oh shit Declan!” I cried out, throwing back my head.

And that was number six...he made himself stop after that. Declan rolled off and onto his back, lying on the wet ground beside me. We were both panting and I guessed he was feeling the same way as I was then, fading glory and extremely wet.

“I really am an animal.” Declan said unhappily when I didn’t say anything. “I should go straight to hell.” He moaned which made me looked over and watch as he rubbed his face with his hands and growled, angry at himself. “Since your stupid pheromones started up, I can’t get you out of my mind! When we fought on the border, I liked it. I liked knocking you unconscious. I liked carrying you back, because I got to hold you…” Declan rubbed his face harder. “Argh! Why the fuck do I feel this way?! You’re my little brother’s girlfriend!”

I looked away to stare up at the canopy of trees, with my feelings of bliss quickly dissipating as the horror set in.

I just had sex with Declan… I just had sex with Derik’s older brother, with the guy that I hated the most in the world. This happened behind Derik’s back and Derik loves me…I blanched upon my betrayal of Derik.

I sat upright as I started buttoning up my blouse again with trembling hands. I was about to stand up so I could pull my pants back up, but instead I jumped when Declan quickly grabbed my arm.

“What are you doing?” he gave me a funny look.

“I’m getting dressed, what does it look like I’m doing?” I returned the look.

“Not yet.” Declan sat upright too. “I filled you to the brim, now I have to make sure that you don’t get pregnant.”

“Excuse me?”

“Up the duff! A bun in the oven! With child! Do you want me to spell it for you?!” Declan snapped.

What an asshole! Indignantly, I tried to stand up, but he wouldn’t let me. In fact, he pushed me back down to the ground!

“Declan!” I cried out annoyed as he moved over me again. I put out my hands to stop him. “What about the feelings of remorse you were just talking about?!”

“Shut up and stay still!”

He pushed open my legs and then to my shock, he went down on me! What the…?! I didn’t know what to do that was until I felt a sharp pain and I tried to move away.

“Oow! Declan!” I objected.

“Do you want to get pregnant and have everybody to find out about us?” he looked up in annoyance. The very fear of that idea made me pause… “That’s what I thought.” Declan glared, before he lowered his mouth once more.

He went back to whatever it was he was doing and when the pain returned, I bit into my fist as I forced myself to stay still. However the pain didn’t last long…actually the pain very quickly turned into something else. I had to remove my fist as I sucked in my breath from surprise!

“Oh Declan, don’t stop.” I uttered out as I felt him chuckle in amusement at my change in mind. “Oh Declan… don’t stop… oh Declan… don’t stop… oh Declan…don’t stop don’t stop don’t stop don’t stop!”

A lot faster and a hell of a lot stronger, the pleasure rushed up through my abdomen and spread through out my entire body like a tidal wave! It left tremors of ecstasy in my crotch as I felt my body open itself inside out.

“Frickin hell that was awesome…!” I moaned.

I vaguely became aware his mouth had left that area of my body. Declan began to kiss his way up my torso, tearing open my shirt and helping himself to my breasts again. I looked down as he used his hands to squeeze my breasts before kissing them.

My thoughts began to reorganize themselves and I began to think clearly again, which also made the guilt return.

Declan paused when he realized that I was watching him. “It’s not like I’ll be doing this again, to you or any other girl in this tribe. I might as well enjoy it while it lasts.” He shrugged.

“What?” I asked in further surprise.

“It’s not like I have a lot of options, with you being the only girl around that I can do this to, with out accidentally killing her or worse, turning her.”

“Thanks a lot!” I pushed him off, offended.

Now I stood up as I pulled my jeans back up and then I rebuttoned my blouse before zipping up my parka.

“And it makes it a whole lot worse when you’re my brother’s girl.” Declan glared as he stood up too.

“Well don’t worry, because it’s not like I’m proud of what we’ve done!” I glared back.

“Then you won’t tell Derik?” he asked warily.

“What?”

“Then you promise that you won’t tell Derik?” Declan demanded. “I would quite happily live with this guilty secret and he would never know about us.”

“There is no ‘us’!” I shouted as I turned to walk towards the muddy path again.

“Good as that’s exactly what I want to hear!” He followed after.

I returned to trudging up the path when abruptly I was pushed off it once again. This time I was pushed up against a tree! Declan looked longingly on my face as he held me pinned with his greater strength, before he leaned in to kiss hungrily.

Oh shit that felt good and as much as I hate to say this? He was even a better kisser than Derik! His entire mouth smothered mine whilst we had a wrestling match with our tongues; of him trying to be the dominant, with me fighting back. We kissed over and over again, as my heart raced and I began to feel hot and bothered once more!

“There.” Declan pulled back. “If we really had to cheat on my brother, then at least we did it properly.” Huh?! I looked on him in disgust as he released his hold. “And don’t tell your girlfriends about us either! I know how you chicks like to talk.” He frowned.

“You’re a pig!” I rolled my eyes as I turned away to continue walking again.

“This was a one time thing!” Declan called out. “Don’t come looking for it again!”

I don’t believe this…I really don’t believe this! He pounced on me and he’s carrying on as if I were the one who started this?!

“I’m serious! This can never happen again! Even if I’m the best lay you’ll ever have…” he went on. I hurried away by power walking up the muddy path, up the hill in the direction of my house as Declan raved like a loony; “Even if you’re the only chick I can touch, I can control myself!”

Finally I turned around to shout back, “go and put some clothes on, would you?!”

Declan was standing naked amongst the ferns like he was Adam in the Garden of Eden. He laughed before he morphed into his huge Werewolf shape once more. Like this, he snarled with his sharp teeth glinting in the poor light, with his glowing green eyes flashing.

Lastly, he leapt away from the track to disappear into the trees and just like that, he was gone.

*****

As I walked out of the woods and onto my property again, I hastily straightened my clothes as I worried over my appearance.

My heart was pounding so hard, I was scared that my Lokoti Werewolf father would hear and then he would ask what was wrong? Which I certainly couldn’t tell him! Just as I felt guilty about what I had done, I was also worried about anybody finding out.

Nervously, I walked up my veranda steps before I cautiously opened my front door to see where my parents were. I heard Mum banging around in the kitchen but I couldn’t see Dad. I quietly came inside, shutting the front door behind and I began to creep over to my staircase…

“B?”

Frickin’ hell! I almost jumped out of my skin as I whirled around to find Mum looking up, questioningly.

“B, why is your back all wet like that?” Mum asked, concerned.

“I slipped over.” I lied automatically.

“Oh,” she frowned, “are you alright?”

“I’m fine.” I said hastily. “Um, where’s Dad?”

“In the greenhouse planting some new vegetables.” She implied that he was right outside. “Did you want to give him a hand?”

“Um, not today.” I shook my head, which earned a peculiar look from my mother. “I’m going to have a shower now.”

“OK.” Mum gave a funny look as she watched me quickly run up the rest of the stairs.

Hurriedly, I stripped off my wet and dirty clothes in the bathroom before I turned on the shower. I stepped under the scalding hot water in an attempt to wash my transgressions away.

My behavior was probably seen as suspicious as Mum knew that I enjoyed working in our greenhouse. My family would put on music and work away to the tunes in a comfortable silence. Mum and Dad knew that I drew great enjoyment from planting, watering and then harvesting my efforts, as the vegetables grew to delicious perfection.

Just before World War Three hit, Gran prepared the Lokoti by organizing that every house on tribal lands had a greenhouse to grow fresh fruit and vegetables in; as other kinds of food were put into secret underground bunkers. That way during and after the War, the Lokoti were able to survive the ensuing years of chaos and looting, safe and well-fed.

However if my father found out what I had done this afternoon, there would be another War – between enraged Lokoti Werewolf father and European Werewolf cad.

That day in the shower, I used my strawberry-perfumed shower gel and loofa twice. I sponged myself down a second time to make sure I had removed the last traces of Maple Syrup scent from my skin.

*****

Last night after dinner as I lay on top of my bed in my pajamas, instead of reading the book I stared at it vacantly. My eyes were looking at the words but my brain was in no way processing them. I couldn’t concentrate as my thoughts were elsewhere.

Absentmindedly, I traced my fingertips over my lips which were still tingling from Declan’s hot, stronger ones smothering them when we had our tongue-wrestling match. When we were on the ground amongst the ferns he didn’t kiss me then, well not on the lips anyway. Now I wondered why? Why did he kiss me afterwards and not during…?

Frickin’ hell B…why are you even thinking about this?!

You hate the guy, remember? You can’t stand the arrogant asshole. He was still rude to you after he did what he did. I mean, I should have wolfed-out then and there and swiped at his smug face with my claws!

Then my eyes squeezed shut, as my body vividly recalled the hypnotizing pleasure I felt with Declan Sabre. I remembered his blue eyes were wide and watching me as he moved, like he wanted to see me come… Oh my gosh!

My face turned bright red as I fell face-first into my pillow from lying on my side. I can’t believe I just used those words in the same train of thought with Declan Sabre! Hell, I can’t believe that I actually had sex this afternoon.

It’s strange because I had deliberately never thought about it much. I used to hear about it from either Rachel or Mandy, as we exchanged gossip who was secretly ‘doing it’? But I always thought to myself that it would be ages until I ‘did it’. Now that I have ‘done it’ I felt half elated and yet half let down. In the beginning I thought to myself, so THIS is sex? THIS is what the big deal is? But it wasn’t until the second round that I started to like it when Declan changed our positions so we could both move differently.

Oh why? Why did I have to do what I did with Declan Sabre? I should have done what I did this afternoon with his little brother Derik who was in love with me. It would have been what Derik would have wanted…but I just don’t feel that way for Derik.

I don’t feel that way about Declan either, so what was the difference? If I had to choose between two evils, I would pick my best friend over his bullying older brother every day of the week and even twice on Sundays. Then how come it was Declan and not Derik who could make me feel all funny inside? How come I didn’t like to kiss Derik but I liked kissing Declan?

Maybe somehow my internal wires have been crossed because of this stupid ‘bloodlust’ thing? Maybe it was the bloodlust making me feel this way about Declan instead of Derik? I growled in frustration when I knew that it couldn’t be true because of the butterflies in my stomach, which appeared the morning Declan drove me home and he put his hand over mine. This happened before I turned into a frickin’ Werewolf, so what now?

I sighed in defeat, as I sat upright and slammed my book shut. I stood up from the bed and made a move towards my bedroom window to close my curtains…when I paused.

Through the glass, I spotted in the dark woods a pair of glowing green eyes as Declan was watching my window…again. My heart raced, making my face flush and I quickly pulled my curtain shut before I backed away.

What’s he doing here again? I thought he said he could control himself. So why is he here in the woods outside my house - again? However what really scared me was the compulsion I felt to run outside to relive this afternoon all over again. No, I can’t risk this turning into a ‘thing’.

I turned off my lamp on my bedside table before I crawled under my covers as I tried to ignore my pounding heart or how my skin was heating up.

“No Bianca Wisetail. This isn’t a ‘thing’ you’re having with Declan Sabre. It isn’t.” I said firmly to my dark bedroom.

Ignore him and ignore your feelings… do this for Derik. This is just some weird Werewolf thing, I know it is. We can ignore it and we will.

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