Chapter 4

It has been five years since my parents were killed. It has been five years since I was brought to this hell hole called the pack house. It has been five years of constant abuse; constant broken bones, constant lashes with either the silver dipped whip or the whip with the silver claws. I’ve been in the dungeons so many times that I have become friends with the guards in there. They smile after Alpha or Luna leave. They talk with me and joke around with me. They can’t stop what the Alpha and Luna do to me, but they do help me when they are ordered to hit me. I make the small noises that I make when the Alpha and Luna hit me while they crack the whip against the floor or in the air. I love them like brothers and they take care of me while I’m in the dungeons. They also make sure I don’t eat or drink wolfsbane.

I also have another secret. I have been whipped and cut with silver so much that I am now immune to it. When I am in the dungeons, Alpha and Luna come down to whip me and Ayame comes down to cut me with silver blades. The Moon Goddess came to me one day last week, after a particularly bad whipping with the claw whip. She shed tears over my back and the backs of my legs and cried, “I am now going to make you immune to the effects of silver. It will still scar you, but you won’t feel the burn from it anymore.” I nodded, “That will help me a lot.” Then she told me something that scared me. She continued, “Isabel, I’m also going to let you shift on the next full moon. The full moon will help ease some of the pain of the shift. I will also be there to help ease the pain.” I gasped, “You’re going to give me a wolf early?” She smiled, “Yes, your wolf will help you heal after every time they hurt you. She will also help you avoid problems with everyone. You just need to make sure you are in the dungeons on the full moon. If you aren’t, you should try to sneak out the back door and run into the woods.” I smiled, “I will link you and let you know where I am.” She smiled, “I will know. Thank you.” I asked, “When is the next full moon?” She answered, “In one week.” I laughed, “I will probably be here.”

It has now been a week since my talk with the Moon Goddess. Tonight is the night that I am supposed to shift. I have decided to try not to get in trouble today. I want to try to get out tonight. I haven’t smelled fresh air in a while. I would rather be able to get out during daylight hours, but fresh air is fresh air. As I washed the dishes after dinner, I heard footsteps walking up behind me and then I felt a knife slashing the back of my shirt. I didn’t even have to look to see who it was, “Ayame, what can I do for you?” She cackled, “I don’t want you doing a damn thing for me. I just thought you needed a few fresh cuts. The back of your shirt was looking a little too clean.” I just shook my head, “Okay.” I was not going to argue with her, hit her or anything else. I just let her do what she was going to do, then I walked up to my room.

Gabrielle followed me up to my room and pulled out my first aid kit, “I really wish she would stop this. I know you don’t have any choice but to take it, but your back is really looking awful. The scars are out of control.” I shrugged, “It’s okay. My mate will reject me anyway. I’m not worthy of a mate.” Gabrielle stopped me, “You need to stop that way of thinking right now, young lady. You are more worthy of a mate than any of the witches in this house.” I asked, “Can I tell you a secret?” Gabrielle nodded, “If you want to.” She held up a finger and put it up to her lips while she quietly walked to the door. She listened, then opened the door quickly, “Ayame! Get away from here. There is nothing going on up here that you need to know about.” Ayame sneered, “She’s up to something and I will find out. She doesn’t deserve anything good happening to her.” Gabrielle growled, “Leave before I make you leave!” Ayame turned and walked back downstairs.

I sighed as she walked back to me, “Write it down… just in case she comes back up.” I took my notebook out of my desk and a pen out of my drawer. I wrote, “The Moon Goddess is giving me my wolf tonight.” Gabrielle gasped, “You’re so young!” I nodded and wrote, “She will be there to ease the pain. I have to get out the back door at midnight tonight.” Gabrielle asked, “Can I help and go with you?” I shrugged, “I don’t know if the Goddess wants me to bring anyone with me. It would help me if you could keep Ayame away. I can’t get caught before I shift. If I get caught on the way back, I will be okay.” She nodded, “I will watch out for her.” I added, “She also told me that she is making me immune to silver now. It will still scar, but it won’t weaken my wolf and it won’t slow my healing anymore.” She gasped, “That’s awesome! I know that’s their favorite weapon to use on you.” I sighed, “I know.”

Minutes later, I was sneaking out of the house, trying to avoid any squeaky areas in the floor. I made it down to the first floor and was at the back door when I tried to unlock it. I realized it was already unlocked, thanks to Gabrielle. I started hearing footsteps, so I rushed out the door, shutting it as quietly as possible. I ran as fast as I could to the woods behind the house, trying to stay out of the glow of the lights to avoid being seen. As soon as I got behind the first row of trees, I ran to the area that the Goddess told me to meet her.

As soon as I got there, the Goddess appeared and smiled at me, “Are you ready, Isabel?” I nodded, “I am.” She revealed a soft smile, “Usually, we would have a ceremony for this, and I’m sorry I’m taking that away from you.” I shrugged, “I never would have had that anyway.” She smiled, “You are correct. Well, then, let’s get going. She put her hands on top of my head, “I grant you, Isabel Claw, your wolf spirit, Tasha. She will protect you, teach you, and guide you.” I immediately heard a voice in my head, “Hello, Isabel, are you ready to have some fun?” I smiled, “I’m very ready.” Tasha instructed, “Okay, you should take off your nightgown so you can put it back on after you shift. We will rip it when we shift.” I took off my nightgown and Tasha suggested, “You should lie down so we can shift.” I laid down and the Moon Goddess put her hand on my head, “I will keep my hand on your head to take away some of the pain. You will start hearing your bones crack and pop and it may make your stomach turn a little, but you will get used to it. Now, close your eyes and look at Tasha. Step back and let her take over.” I closed my eyes and saw Tasha prancing around and wagging her tail, “Are we ready?” I chuckled, “We are ready. Go ahead and take over. I’ll just sit back and watch.” Tasha jumped up and down excitedly, “Sweet! Let’s do this!”

I took a deep breath as I started feeling my bones breaking and joints popping as they all started rearranging themselves. I started feeling my face elongate and my claws coming out from my nail beds. My skin started tingling as fur sprouted from every pore. Suddenly, I opened my eyes and my sight was so much better! Colors were more vivid and I could see a curious squirrel watching the activity. I wasn’t able to see that far before. My sense of smell was much better too. I could smell the moss on the other side of the tree that I was under. I couldn’t smell that before. I could also smell something else. What is that? I asked the Moon Goddess, “What is that smell?” She replied, “That, my child, is wolfsbane. There are some wild plants nearby. I want you to remember this smell. You will be able to smell it in your food and drinks from now on. You are immune to silver, but not wolfsbane.” I nodded, “Okay. Can we run?” She chuckled, “Of course, my child.”

She shifted into a pure white wolf and we ran at my full speed. She guided me through the forest, dodging limbs, jumping over fallen trees and giant rocks. I felt freer than I had ever felt in my life. When we reached a pond, I took a drink, then looked at my reflection. I was a beautiful grey and white wolf. I had a white star on my forehead. I smiled, “What is the white star for?” The Goddess replied, “That is a sign that you are blessed by me. You are protected by me. Anyone who sees Tasha will not know that she is blessed by me.” I nodded in understanding, “Okay.” She then explained, “You will not tell anyone that you have Tasha until your seventeenth birthday. Tasha will mask her scent, so there won’t be a problem.” I sighed, “So I won’t be able to use my wolf strength to fight back?” She shook her head, “Fighting back will only make the abuse worse and could get you killed.” I lowered my gaze, “Okay. Can we go back now? I’m sure they will be looking for me soon.” The Goddess guided me back to my nightgown and Tasha told me to come forward and imagine myself in my human form. I shifted back with very little pain and put on my nightgown. I thanked the Goddess for everything she had done and walked back into the house.

 I made it all the way to the attic where Ayame was sitting on my bed, “Where were you, brat?”