Teethmarks and Wolf Pelts

This time when we arrive at Jordan's house, we're lead inside the house and into a large, spacious living room. There's a long, black leather couch that stretches along the full length of the back wall. There's also a TV, a bookshelf, and a small coffee table. It has to be the emptiest living room I have ever seen. Jordan takes my coat and offers me a seat on the couch and I gladly accept. Jordan is a tall boy with curly black hair and chin stubble. He has green eyes that give nothing about him away. After going to school with him for years, though he's a grade ahead of me, I know he's just as quiet as he is mysterious. Suddenly Lewis claps his hands and all of our heads turn to meet his eyes.

Lewis's mouth is twitching like he wants to snarl or growl and he itches his arms like it's the only way to live. He must of had to shift back into a human- they all had to. Looking around, it's easy to notice their all in anxious state. All itching, twitching, or even whining softly as a dog would. Lewis clenches his teeth and forces the animal inside him away so he can speak. "I was contacted earlier by Beau."

My heart suddenly leaps. Beau and Nicolette have found Connor! I want to scream and cry, get on my knees and pray to God for bringing my friend home. But through watching Lewis's expression, he doesn't have the good news I'm hoping for. His lips are in a remorseful frown and his eyes refuse to meet my own. "What did he have to say?" My voice is quiet, but he picked up the noise with his sensitive hearing.

"They can barely smell him. They can smell traces of him," Lewis pauses. "He's there, but they can't be sure where. It's like he's hiding from them."

"What do you mean they can't smell him?" My voice is louder, more demanding. Can't they smell just well as a bloodhound? Give or take?

"He's using a technique that will hide his smell from us. He's de-scenting himself."

"Decenting?" I ask, confused as can be. Lewis shakes his head.

"No. De-scenting. Scent as in smell. When a werewolf or other two natured refuse to shift, they're distinctive scent slowly fades away. He must have been doing it this whole time he's been gone. De-scenting is a long process, it takes months for the full effect to take up. But, as it is, he's been at it for more than a month. His scent is almost gone," Lewis's voice grows a little shaky, as if he's angry. I imagine losing a member of the pack is just as bad as losing a family member or friend. You don't have to like who's in the pack, but if they disappear or die- you're bound to feel badly about it.

"So, you can't track him?" I'm trying not to let the determination in my eyes show, but it's a pathetic attempt. Everyone's eyes are either on me or Lewis. Lewis shakes his head ever so slightly.

"Yes and no. The twins are searching, but his scent is fading everyday. We'd usually go find some of his clothing or something of his, but being a werewolf, his animal scent is all over it- so it's fading as well. We never talked to Connor until he became two natured over the summer- so we've never smelled him as a regular human," He looks down again. "It's impossible to find him without that scent."

"I.. You have too! You can't just let him die out there!" Tears have streamed down my face by now, but it's already to late for me to care. They can all see me cry. They can all make fun of me for it too, but it's not them losing their best friend is it?

"See, that's why I called you over it," his eyes dart over to Felix. Felix has taken a seat on the far side of the couch- as far away from me as possible. His teeth are clenched, as well as his fists. Lewis scratches his arms and then continues. "Priscilla, did you know that a human brain stores the scents of every being they've ever smelled? It's not exactly pick and choose about who's smell we keep, but it happens."

I furrow my brow. What's he getting at? I fold my arms and cross my legs, but by this Felix is already standing and his fingernails are digging into his palms. He looks like he could bite Lewis's arm off and I don't doubt that he can. They stare each other in the eyes for a long moment, sending their thoughts back and forth. Everyone in the pack can hear them, though they've tuned me out. Lewis just leaves the room, his blond head the last thing I see before Felix grabs my wrist and tries to pull me to the door. I pull back. "I'm tired of being pushed and pulled around by this pack!" My eyes are still bleary from my tears. Maybe I'm not exactly angry about this, but my anger and worry for Connor is fueling my fire. "Let me go."

Felix drops his hand immediately and looks down at himself. He's sorry for what he's done, though it truly isn't that big of a deal. He just regrets whatever actions he committed that have caused my anger. His head turns to the left. "I'm sorry," he takes a breath, "I think it's time for me to take you home."

A quick glance down at my watch and I know he's correct. Shyly, I lock arms with him -much to his disdain- and we exit Jordan's house. The night has grown much colder, though we were in there for less than ten minutes. Before he opens his truck door for me, uses his large, rough thumb to wipe my tears away. I smile. "Even if we lose his scent, we'll know if he's alive. Once you're part of a pack, we can feel if you're living or not. We'll use it to find him, I promise."

After Felix and I climb into the truck, it's a silent ride until I get home. Just as i put my fingers on the door handle, I turn to him and ask, "What exactly was Lewis trying to say? With the whole humans store all the smells thing?" I have to admit, my impression of Lewis is pretty great.

"Ah, nothing really," Felix lies. His face turns away but I just glare.

"I'm not going in until you tell me." I can be pretty persuasive when I want to be. Felix turns his head to me, his caramel eyes trying not to give anything away. After thinking it over, he decides it's best just to tell me.

"He means that you're the only one -who knows about the two natured- and who knows Connor's human scent."

"What does that mean?" I ask, leaning towards him.

"It means, Lewis wanted you to find him. He wants you to be like us... One of us." I stop breathing for a second. How can I respond to this? It's bad enough to experience the cravings for raw meat, but becoming an animal means I'll definitely want fresh meat.

"He wants me to become two natured?" Felix nods and there's nothing I can say. Nothing I can do, no one I can talk to, no one I can explain this too, so I just get out of his truck without another word and head into my house. I smile at Mom the best I can and tell her what I can about the movie. i then feed her the "I'm tired" lie and head upstairs to my bedroom.

Me? Two natured? I ponder the possibility. All my enhanced senses would become even more enhanced. I'd run even faster, endure even more, and heal as quick as lightning. There are downsides that I ponder as well. Such as the full moon, the grotesque Changes, and the fact that I could get into a fight with something like a werefox and there would be no justice for it. On the other hand, I am the only one who has Connor's scent- well, the only one they can trust who has it. Connor's parents are two natured as well, I assume, so they'd only have his werewolf scent from his more recent finding of himself. I'm the only one.

Am I even capable of it? That's my biggest question. Could I handle a whole life style? Sure, I wouldn't worry about that until I bring him home, but it's a big change to consider. My children will be just like me, from what I can tell. My mother would have to let me out of the house more often- or I'd have to sneak out more. Or would I be allowed to tell her? So many questions plague my mind, but there are other things that bug me. Like, why would Lewis just assume I'd make this change? And was it really Felix's place to rush me out of there, not giving me my own chance to make a decision.

I crawl into the bed, still struggling with my decision. But as the night grows darker, I know I've had my mind made up since Felix told me what Lewis had meant. I turn on my side and stare into the darkness that is my room, closing my eyes. Sadly, I whisper to myself.

"I'll do whatever it takes to bring you home. I'll change for you."

After that, I'm out like a light.