"You mean there are more than Carson, Ash, Bray, Sky and you?" I splutter.
Christian nods lazily. "Yeah these still Ember, Vic, Ally and Tori," he says still flicking across the channels.
I hear a door open and a draft of cold air reaches into the lounge room a second after the laugher and voices. Three girls clutter into the hallway, all semi-naked. I look away.
Why was everyone naked all the time?!
Even if you're wearing a bra and underwear doesn't mean you can just walk around like it!
"Oh, and there's Mikki," Christian says totally unfazed by the nakedness of all three women.
"What about me?" Someone asks. I didn't know which, but I wasn't going to cheek. I didn't need to see them naked. Gross.
"Just telling Irana about the pack," Christian says glancing towards them. Either, this was a daily occurrence, or he was gay because he didn't seem interest in their bodies at all.
"Oh..." Miki didn't sound too happy, instead she seemed a little put out and frosty.
"Where's Ember and Vic?" Christian asks flicking through more channels.
"Vic's chasing his tail and I last I saw of Ember she was dead to the world. That girl can really sleep," someone says.
An awkward silence fills the room, the only sound coming from the TV as it flashed from show to show, Carson fumbling around in the kitchen and a shower running upstairs. And If I was right, someone was snoring their head off upstairs.
"I'm going to get dressed." One of the other girls says and I hear her footstep move away. Without missing a beat another pair trotted away. The last pair didn't recede. After long few second the last pair padded away.
A queasy feeling enters my stomach and as if sensing it Christian looks at me briefly. Seconds later he throws a blanket on me. I pull it off my head and look at him. "It will stop you from shifting, for tonight anyway. We can start you shirting tomorrow."
"I don't want to..." I confess. All the bone breaking and snapping I'd heard from Christian may have seemed nothing to him but to me it seemed to haunt me in my bones, a content ach with seemed to linger in my core.
"You'll have to," Christian says unfazed.
"If I don't?"
"You will. Your body will force it upon you. It's like getting a cold, you can't stop it; you just have to wait for it to disappear on its own agenda" Christian pauses. "Look on the bright side, you won't get sick again, expect maybe rabies," he chuckles shaking his head. His black hair shivered in the movement, making the shadows on his face quiver.
"Christian, when can I go home?" I ask softly, my gut twisting. I wasn't sure if that was more to do with wanting to shift, or with already knowing what the question would be.
Christians smile melts away and he pauses on one channel. After a long pause he turns to me. "Irana, so you want to truth or something easier to swallow."
"Easier," I admit. I didn't know if I could handle the truth.
Christian smile, one obviously fake and too bright. "Soon! Every soon! So soon you'll see then tomorrow morning."
I wait a few second, just staring down at the floor. Finally I lift my eyes to Christian's. "And the truth?"
Christian smile vanishes again, like I'd flicked a switch. "The truth is, Irana, you can't go home til you can control your changing. And that could take up to two days, or two months. Possibly even a year. I'm sorry but you'll probably be put on the 'Missing or Kidnapped' list before you are able to go home."
I slouch in the corner of the couch, the blanket pulled up to my neck. Possibly a year? My parents wouldn't even know I was alive. Not that they notice much these days. What would my brother think? He was only 3 years younger than me, a bit on a douche, but he was always a good brother, most of the time.
"Why was I attacked?" I ask brokenly.
Christians quiet for a minute. "I can't answer that one for you, sorry"
"Why?"
"Cause no one knew we were going to....It just....happened."
"Things don't just 'happen' Christian," I shoot back suddenly aggravated.
He shrugs a shoulder, unfazed by my hostility. "Maybe. But I wasn't the one who attacked first, nor was I the one who thought it would be a good idea to drag you into this." Feeling shameful I hunch lower, cursing my stomach for twisting and turning. "Okay bed time" Christian says randomly. "If you go to sleep you won't worry about the shifting. In the morning you probably won't even get breakfast before you shift.
Christian was right. I woke up groggy and disorientated, a dull ache pinching my bones. I rolled over, looking to go back asleep and was surprised when I rolled onto my back and couldn't grip the blankets properly. I looked down, and surprise, surprise, my 'arms' are furry and my hands are paws.
I let out a startled scream which came out as a strangled yelped howl and jump, the movement so odd I go from four feet to sitting on my butt. I feel my ears lay back, my tail tucking between my legs and was shaking.
Suddenly the door flies open and smacks against the wall and at the same time someone screams; "She shifted!"
Startled I jump, turning towards the door to see the person, but all I end up seeing it the walls spinning then the bed disappearing. The next thing I know I'm lying on the floor, my ass in the air, my chin squashed into the ground and the tip of my tail bushing my back. Attractive, I'm sure.
I stand up, shaking myself off. In the doorway stood some girl I didn't know and Ash. Ash appeared to just have gotten out of bed, hair messy, eyes dark and chest bare. His torso had thin pink lines running along it, some strait while other appeared jagged.
He was so incredible sexy I wanted to go over to him and lay at his feet, or if I was human run my fingers over his scars. No way was I going to over to him if he looked like he could, and would kill me if I so much as laid a finger of his smooth but scared chest.
The girl long brown hair with tanned skin. Her eyes were blue cross grey, like they couldn't decide what colour to be. It was nice to see she'd found some clothes to wear since the last time I'd seen her.
"She's so pretty!" the girl gushed.
"She's tiny," Ash snort disapprovingly. I frown in confusion, but I'm sure it looked weird being a wolf. Without my consent one ear lays back against my head, but the other one stays perked upright, swiveled towards Ash and the girl. It must have looked funny because Ash looked amused.
She slaps a hand on his chest and gave him a glare. "Most of the girls are. Just because when you're a wolf it looks like you've eaten a cow whole doesn't mean she's tiny!"
I suddenly like the girl a lot more, mostly for being able to have the courage to slap Ash's chest. I could never do that without tthe fear of loosing an arm.
Bray appears in the door way before Ash can say anything back. "Give her a minute and she'll shift back."
Ash rolls his eyes and closes the door. And I wonder if it's more to do with my privacy, or that he didn't want me running out of the room and making a break for it.
"Come on Irana, you can do it!" Tori shout's suddenly. Her and Ally were so close they were like sisters. "Go Miki!" Ally calls without missing a beat and throws her fist into the air. I glance at Mikki. She had golden blond hair and dark brown eyes. She didn't seem to like me that much. But I wasn't sure if that was because she didn't like my personality or if she didn't like that there was a new wolf. Mikki had been changed only two weeks before me, about three weeks ago and she was still trying to learn how to change. All of her changes happened at random, just like mine did. So now, we were standing in snow past our ankles, half naked and shivering. We were told you're more likely to shift when you're cold, so that's why we're shivering our butts off. Mikki took a deep breath and closed her eyes. I felt the air around her shift and my skin prickled. Everyone turned to Mikki. Even I turn to Mikki to see if she'll get it. So far the best we'd done is made our selves feel sick. "I
I closed my eyes briefly, wondering how long it had been since we'd started this fight. It had to be over half an hour ago. Ash still had me pinned in the snow, and I still refused to give up. Everyone had wondered away a while ago. Bray was the only one left, telling me to just submit already also that if we were real wolves I would be dead by now. I pull in another sharp breath and open my eyes. Ash was looking towards the forest. I knew he'd rather be doing something else than wait for me to submit. But that wasn't my problem now was it. Nope, not at all. My problem as that Ash was nearly crushing me under him. All his weight was leaned onto me, pressing me into the snow so I couldn't move, pressing into my neck so I could hardly breathe. My fur was the only thing keeping me warm, oh, and whatever little body hear Ash's body radiated onto me. I wanted to scratch so badly! And not because of flees. I didn't have any....well; none that I was aware of. The snow had started to melt
I sat up strait, my breath catching and my nerves oversensitive. The sound came again, a head slitting howl that made my skin prickle and my breath to catch."Christian! Ember!" Bray shouted, doors slamming. "Ash, get your fucking asses up! Sky, move!" Bray barked and I heard people running around urgently, a thump on the wall, curses and people running scuttling around the halls and rooms.Another howl ripped through the night, making me flinch and throw myself out of bed. I didn't even see the clock as I stumble to the door. The hallway light was on, harsh and bright against my eyes. Bray stood in the hallway, only wearing a pair of sweats. I noticed he too had scars criss-crossing his chest and wondered if it was from him and Ash fighting like Ash and I had last night.Carson tumbled out of the room behind Bray as Sky entered the hallway and tears down the hallway before throwing himself down the stairs. "Irana..." Carson says surprised and stops, looking jittery. "It's nothing to w
I grunt at them and push my face into the pillow. It was too early! It was still night! I draw a deep breath, my ribs pressing into the mattress since I was on my stomach. I let out a small half huff, half groan and pull the pillow closer to my face. Another finger is jabbed into my side, harder. I grunt again and fling my arm lazily at them. "Wake up," Ash mutters jabbing my side. "I'm already away," I mumble into the pillow, remembering what had only happened last night. It already felt like a year ago however. Remembering I'd submitted to Ash made me angry. Why hadn't I pushed through? Why did I have to back down. "Get up," Ash says collapsing onto the bed. The bed dips under his weight, making me half roll into him. I make an unimpressed sound, still cuddling my pillow. My hip pressed into Ash's through the blanket. "Get up!" Ash complains jabbing at my ribs. I grumble some nonsense at him before shifting so my head was stuffed under the pillow. "Go away, the suns not up, so n
I leap a fallen log and keep running, feeling body's pressing into my sides. It felt too crowded, too suffocating. I knew this wasn't the whole pack but it felt like too many, too many body's, too much heat, too much fur. I could hear them panting, their barks, whins, yaps, their feet touching the ground, leaves crunching, sticks snapping. Uncomfortable heat pressed into my sides, too many scents made my head spin and the sunlight which pierced though the tress hurt my eyes. Mikki's shoulder rubbed against my ribs and I shy away, wanting to turn and snarl at her but feared I would trip. My shoulder brushes against Vic's, my tail flicks someone's chest and I'm nearly running into Sky's butt. Someone's paw brushes my back ankle and finally pushed over the edge, I turn to snap at them, fur rising. Christian recoils and skids to a halt in front of Ash who collides with him. The pack comes to startled standstill, bodies pressing into each other. Christian drops his head, ears back and sni
Water flicks onto my wrist and onto the back of my neck. I twist my wrist again, forcing the hair tie over my wet hair. It slides off my finger and holds. I lower my hands and look in the mirror. My hair was pulled into the crap bun, still wet. I wore a thin singlet and pyjama pants. I pull in a deep breath before heading down to the kitchen. Ember was in there alone, toast in hand. She looks up at me as I enter. "So you found your way out of the room. For a while I thought you may have got lost in there. My mistake." I ignore her and open the fridge. Cold air floods around my feet making my stomach clench uncomfortable. Finding nothing appealing in there I close the fridge and turn around only to find Bray standing in the door way. He didn't look as angry as I had expected him to be. Instead he looked calm and collected. And somehow that was worse. I say nothing and open the pantry door. I stare at the pancake mixture. I hadn't had pancakes for ages, I was craving them now. "What
Tori and Ally were so silly as wolves. I watched from my bedroom window as they played in the snow outside. They raced over the snow like race horses over a track, or like a grey hound after a rabbit. But they had no goal, no finish. They raced along the tree line, squirmed under a fence then tore across the open ground until they reached the house, disappear around a wall and come back a minute later on the other side before starting all over again, only changing a minor things. How they had that much energy I didn't know. It was almost like someone had given them too much coffee and energy drinks and now they couldn't sit still. Tori and Ally suddenly clash together and I hear them yelping playfully at each other as they crumble into the snow. Movement catches my eyes and I look down to see a tanned wolf skirting the house, keeping out of sight of the other two wolves playing. Embers ears flicker towards them and she freezes, listening to them playing. A few seconds pass before sh
"No!" I shriek staggering into the hallway. "Your hands are cold!" I complain half running half spilling down the hallway. Christian laughs at me. "Really?! I didn't notice!" he says grabbing me with arms that still had water glimmering on them. His cold hands raise goose bumps over my arms and make my stomach feel funny. "Stop! Let me go!" I laugh hitting his arms. I was still naked but I didn't care, I wanted to get away from his cold hands, his cold skin. "No! I told you I'm make you pay!" he grunts as I struggle, nearly choking on his own laughter. We'd been hunting earlier, looking for some pray and a found a river. We'd been following it when I'd playfully bumped Christian. He'd growled semi-playfully, telling me he didn't want me pushing him in the river. 10 minutes later he was climbing out of the river, soaked to the bone. He pulls me to his chest which was still damp. "I just thought I'd give you a nice big hug!" Christian laughs and lifts me of the floor, his arms still