Teethmarks and Wolf Pelts

"The steak would be lovely," I tell our waiter. I had expected to go out to Chinese food or something, but Mom had taken us to Sophistication, the fanciest restaurant in our little town. Mom had dressed up in her finest- classy red cocktail dress with a floral sash around the waist. She put her hair up in a bun, tendrils hanging down around her ears. Her soft hazel eyes seem to shimmer in the dim lighting and her lips were curved into her famous, genuine smile. I had just adjusted what I was wearing a little before leaving, but I feel as if I look just as nice. Before the waiter can even ask, the animal in me answers. "Rare."

"Thank you, madam," he says and leaves after taking my mother's order. We giggle immediately.

"Well he was cute, Priss! You should get his number," she suggests but I shake my head. I like, I start to think but the thought fades away. I like them both. Both Felix and Lewis. My mother drops it and he returns with our food. I immediately dig in, praying my mother doesn't notice my soft moan of pleasure when I taste the blood from the cow, still in the slightly cooked food. I feel a little disgusting, but this is who I am and who I'm about to become. I'll have to accept it sooner or later. My mother does glance at me once or twice but she seems to be oblivious.

The night continues on smoothly, but my last bite of steak leaks a little blood onto my lips and I shiver. With a soft delicate moan, I use my tongue to lick the blood and bring it back into my mouth. I swallow it with a hazy kind of high to my body. The blood wasn't as fresh as I would have preferred, but I'm not picky. It's not even how delicious I found it that scares me, however. It's not even the fact that I'm losing control over my human self. It's the way my mom is staring at me with curiosity and a sense of knowing.



School isn't canceled the next morning, but that's partially because this boy didn't go to our school, but I'm sure some knew him. Some people are missing, but other than that school seems completely normal. The whole pack is there as well, their excitement from the full moon is now dead and gone. They welcome me to the table at lunch, but there's an air of respect around them. Lewis must have told the pack the news of my soon-to-be turning. Felix's eyes are filled with anger, but the way I see it, it's my choice, not his.

"So," grins that annoying Mason kid as I set my tray down. "Anyone else think she'd make a great she-wolf?" The group starts to laugh a little and a blush raises to my cheeks. Lewis shoots the dark haired boy a glare and he instantly stifles his giggles. Everyone does.

"Priscilla, we're cutting class today," Lewis says with a bored tone of voice. "You, Elijah, and I."

"We'll get in so much trouble and my mom will kill me." What are they thinking? We can't just skip!

"Oh, that's covered. You know Jeremy Lane, the guy who works in the office? He's two natured. We're covered," He watches as I take a bite of my chicken nugget. I sigh inwardly. Cooked meat just doesn't taste as well after last night. "If we want to get you turned quickly, we're going to start training you as fast possible."

I think it over. Somebody would cover us for skipping, plus I need the training. I'm sure my homework or classwork will be compensated for. The sooner I can become two natured, the sooner I can start my search for Connor. It's worth a shot, right? "Can I finish lunch first?" Lewis laughs, but nods.

After I finish eating, me and the two boys head outside without even looking back. Everyone stares, teachers included but they reassure me that this is just fine. They do this every so often. Everyone hardly even remembers afterward, they tell me. Once we're outside we walk to the back of the school and sit on the soccer field, which happens to be blocked from view by trees. Elijah sits down in the shade, leaning up against the trunk of the tree. Lewis sits down as well but I stay standing. "What are you going to teach me?"

"The basics," he says. "Things that Felix probably didn't tell you, things about how we work. Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"We'll start with family stuff," he closes his eyes, as if teaching me is boring. "Okay, well when two wolves, or any other two natured, have a baby, any of their offspring will born two natured. But, if a wolf, bitten or pure-blood, mate with a human, the first born will be two natured. If they have any other children, they can pass the gene on still, but they aren't two natured themselves. Do you understand that?"

I nod my head a little, but he can't hear me. "Yeah, I think so."

"Okay, next thing. If you're born like us, you won't turn until roughly fourteen. Puberty tigers it, though the person may not change right away. If you're bitten, you'll have to be induced into your first Change, like we'll have to do with you."

"That's one question I do have," I say, hoping that Lewis won't be mad that I've interrupted his lesson. "How exactly do you turn someone?"

Lewis opens one eye. "It's a long, scary process. We strip the victim down to their underwear. We don't have too, but it works better with bare skin. Then, the pack shifts and then we each take turns biting them. In this case, Carter won't bite you since he's a fox."

"And then what?" I ask, already not liking this process at all. Biting doesn't seem all that bad, but I've seen people get bit by wild animals on TV all the time and they usually are screaming in pain, blood every where. I'm starting to feel a little scared. But, then when I think about it, becoming one of them will mean that I will heal quickly, so I'm not all that worried about it.

"Then we leave them in the woods for the whole night," he smirks when he sees how appalled I am. "If our bites are successful, the victim will have sort of a prophetic dream. What happens in that dream is a mystery and should never be revealed to anyone. If you can last the night without dying, you'll wake up and you'll be two natured."

"Oh," I close my eyes and think this over. This seems like just a lot of pain for me to withstand, but Connor is worth it. As much as Lewis's words have scared me, I'd have to get over it. Elijah smiles softly and sends me a feeling of serenity which is greatly appreciated. "So, why is Elijah here again?"

"Oh, him," Lewis smiles. He nods over to the other boy and they both stand. "Before we turn you, Elijah thought it'd be good to teach you some calming techniques and other techniques to start or stop a shift. You'll only need to use them until you get the hang of it. Shall we work on some and then get back to the lesson?"

I shrug. "Whatever you guys want, you're the teachers."



Felix offers to drive me home just as I'm about to call my mom to come pick me up. She's off today, but I can feel that Felix really wants to talk to me. Lewis, Elijah, and I spent the rest of the school day practicing mediation and stuff, along with him giving me more information. I'd only known these creatures have existed since Saturday, but here I am trying to become one. It's for a good reason, I remind myself. I nod to Felix and text my mom and tell her that I have a ride.

Felix, for the first time, doesn't take my wrist and pull me to his truck. He still has to give me a little boost to get me into the big truck, but other than that he's quiet. His face is blank, expressionless, but it's not hard to tell he's upset with me. He waits until a few cars in the parking lot drive away, leaving us -mostly- alone. "Why the hell are you doing this, Priscilla?"

"You know why! To get Connor back!" Felix groans and puts the truck into drive, exiting the parking lot.

"I can't just let you do this to yourself! I didn't have a choice, Priss! I was born this way! You have a choice. There are other ways to find Connor!" His brow furrows and he grips the steering wheel as hard as he can.

"None that are as effective or as quick as this. I can bring him home," I silently add, "I'm the only one who can."

"I don't see why you have to do this! You should have never been told about us, let alone become one!" Felix raises one hand in anger, his brown eyes in a dark haze. What does it matter to him if I do this or not? If he doesn't even have the courage to kiss me when he says he wants too, then he has no right to talk about making choices. I sigh, exasperated. Boys can be so goddamn frustrating!

"You need me and you know it! I don't know what you're deal is, Felix, but I want you to stop acting so righteous. I may have a choice but I'd chose my friend or your commands any day," I yell. I'm usually not an angry person, but if he's going to be an ass for of something I'm doing as a selfless act to save the life of another, than he can sit here and listen to my argument. "I don't know who you think you are, but you do not own me."

Felix doesn't respond and a moment later he pulls us into my drive way. I reach for the door handle, but his voice stops me. "Wait." I sit back in the seat and wait for him to speak. "I know that I don't own you and as long as the Alpha is permitting this, I have no say in the matter. I just... I care about you and your well being. I want you to have a normal life. I want," he sighs and doesn't continue. Instead, he leans over and places his lips softly on my own. They're soft and full, warm to the touch and electrifying. With a sudden interest, I kiss him back, the kiss a little deeper than the first.

"I shouldn't have," he says, his breathing heavy. "You better go." He's panting and I can feel a bit of fear in him, but I can also feel that he wants to kiss me. Kiss me again, and again, hard, softly, sweetly. He wants me to kiss him. I want it too, but I do as I'm told. Just before he pulls out of my driveway, I can hear his thoughts. I'm not sure if he's trying to project them to me or if his thoughts are too powerful and troubling that even those sworn to the pack could hear. I close my eyes, more or less impressed by what I hear.

Lewis told me not too, he thinks before driving away. He'll kill me if he finds out.