What Has Become Of Me?

“But it’s a good film” Seb sniffles still clutching his ‘Little Mermaid’ DVD.

Brian and Chase are standing in front of the DVD player preventing Seb from putting in his Disney film.

“Put the movie down” Chase says calmly.

“But I want to watch it!” Seb yells hugging the case to his chest.

“All those in favour say I” Nathan says calmly sitting cross-legged on the ground.

“I!” Seb yells but silence follows.

“Out voted” Dom chirps from the arm of my chair which he has perched himself on.

“But… but” Seb mumbles.

“Put the movie down” Brian says.

“Only if you accept the last movie in Annie’s stack, will I be forced to set this aside” Seb says with a tone of finality.

Everyone looks to me. I reach over to the last movie in my pile.

“Wanted?” I ask reading the cover.

“Sure” Chase nods.

“I’m in” Jett says and more agreement follows.

“Fine!” Seb sighs loudly before walking over to me and falling into my lap.

Whilst Brian moves off down the hall, Chase takes the movie from me and slots it into the player. Jett walks off into the kitchen and I hear rustling before the microwave sounds. The smell of popcorn fills the air as Brian returns with armloads of pillows.

Finally everything is set up and Jett walks in carrying armloads of snacks as well as a bowl of popcorn. I’m sat in the middle of the three seater couch on Nathan’s lap. His arms rest crossed on my lap to keep me from being snatched away. Brian is to our right and Chase to our left. Seb has once again sat by my legs but this time they are thankfully closed. Dom is sat in one armchair and Jett grabs the other. The play button is finally pressed and the movie begins.

The movie was just reaching its highest point of tension when my eyelids finally fell closed for good. My body slumped back into Nathan but already I could feel myself slipping off his lap a bit. Sleep welcomed me and I wasn’t one to reject it.

Fingers tracing over my legs woke me but I was too content where I was to bother opening my eyes, besides it felt good. I frowned when I realised instead of being in a sitting position in Nathan’s lap, I am sprawled out. Only when I heard the song ‘Under The Sea’ begin to play did I actually bother with remembering where I am. Opening one eye I glance around. Seb is singing along with a massive grin whilst staring at the screen. Jett is asleep in his arm chair. Chase is tracing his fingers along my legs looking bored out of his mind. I roll over a bit to look at Nathan next. He’s reading the label to his peanut butter jar but I wonder how long that can really hold his attention before boredom kills him. Brian is last as he is hardest to see since my head is in his lap. I look up at him and he smiles back at me.

“Morning sleepy” he tells me brushing a loose strand of hair from my face.

I mumble incoherently at him as I clutch the pillow tighter, someone must have shoved under my head at one point or another. Seb turns around and shushes us but suddenly goes completely still. His eyes are fixed on something behind the couch. Slowly we all watch, except Jett because he’s snoring loudly, as Ghost comes slowly strutting into the room. She looks over the group as if to make sure no one is messing up her house before her careful cat eyes land on me. With a long, loud meow she walks towards us. Seb is being overly dramatic by pretending to hyperventilate from the cat’s proximity. Ghost struts over to me and everyone watches her carefully. She gives me another long meow. Carefully I stretch my hand out to her and hold my fingers in front of her face. She sniffs my fingers carefully accessing the newcomer to her house before she shocks everyone by licking me. Without anything more, she struts off sparing only a moment to hiss at Seb.

“That was amazing”, Brian chuckles.

“How come she doesn’t attack Annie?” Seb demands.

Brian shrugs and everyone else just smiles. Our silence is broken by a ring of a bell that even wakes Jett up. It’s a well known noise. Children flock to it. It’s none other than the distinct noise of a-

“Ice cream truck!” Seb yells jumping up and sprinting to the front door.

Everyone else just rolls their eyes.

“You’d better go with him to make sure he doesn’t throw himself in front of the truck again” Brian tells me before nudging me.

I grumble but get to my feet and follow the small man outside. He’s already jumping up and down at the end of the drive way. I shake my head. The feeling of being watched crawls over my skin and I glance around. The night has rolled in since I was last outside and the cool air is refreshing. My eyes scan over the neighbourhood. Only three other people are around that I can see. A mother and father with their daughter, or what I presume to be. None of them are looking at me but still I can’t shake the feeling. As the truck draws nearer Seb crosses the road to get to where it will stop. I stay at the drive way and that’s when I catch a peculiar smell in the air.

My heightened wolf senses will tend to fluctuate as a pup before they level out but at the moment I can smell and hear everything. The world is alive with scents and noise. I can’t quite put my finger on the particular scent that’s caught my attention. With deep breaths I try to determine what it is. I’m reminded of damp rain forest by it but also stale beer. I glance around looking for the owner but I see nothing.

Seb is rocking on his heels impatiently by the truck as the family decides on what they are buying so I decide he is safe for now. Following my nose, I walk from the driveway down the road a bit. Finally the scent gets stronger then I find its owner. Something about his smell is different to humans. Humans smell like… humanity. There is no way to describe how they smell and it is even harder to find a way to describe werewolf scents. Werewolf scents however cause a small tickle at the base of my throat and that is exactly what I was getting. Lying on the hood of a red car with his back on the windshield was a scruffy guy. His dark hair is askew atop his head. Stubble is becoming visible suggesting he hasn’t shaved in a day or two. His defined cheekbones sit high on his face and his eyes glow in the darkness almost yellow. A lazy smile spreads across his face.

“Evenin’,” he greets but doesn’t move from his spot.

I back up a step already remembering past experiences with other male werewolves. My senses stay on high alert as the thought of the rest of his pack passes through my mind.

“Hi” I respond.

“Can I ask a favour?” he asks me.

“Depends” I reply slowly not wishing to commit to something I don’t know.

“Could you please keep my presence a secret?” he asks politely.

“Why?” I ask but before he can reply I hear Seb come running.

The man jumps up off the car.

“See you around” he says but not in a menacing way before jogging off into the darkness.

“What are you doing here Annie?” Seb asks clutching his freshly bought ice cream.

“Can’t you smell that?” I ask him confused.

Sure he his the youngest in the pack but two years should be long enough for him to be able to smell other wolves. After a deep breath, Seb shakes his head.

“Nope, why?”

“Nothing I guess” I say shrugging it off as I push my confused thoughts aside.

What a weird occurrence?

“Oh well, enough going crazy I want to get back to my movie” Seb tells me grabbing my hand and dragging me inside.

Who was that guy and why could only I smell him?