Everyone around us seemed to shrink under their desks, avoiding the gaze of this boy. A prickling sensation radiated outwards as he spoke. "Who are you?"
"L-Lyra," I stammered.
The search for a mate was brutal, a relentless pursuit for some. I knew werewolves who’d dedicated their lives to the hunt, only to return empty-handed. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing my own, yet he seemed utterly indifferent.
He turned and walked away, and the tingling subsided.
"Who is that Lunar?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
Lunar shook her head slightly. "I can't say yet, not until he’s ready." She paused. "Let's just say he's incredibly important to us."
---
After school, I returned home to a quiet house, a strange absence where Ryan usually lingered. My mother was particularly emotional, her grief a tangible weight.
“My babies are growing up!” she cried into my arms, her voice laced with sadness. I hugged her tightly, offering comfort until I could excuse myself and retreat to the sanctuary of my room.
A sudden urge seized me – a need to explore, to understand this new place. My mother had left with her friends, so I approached my grandparents.
“Can I go out and explore the town, Gran?” I asked politely.
“Sure, dear,” she replied, concern etched on her face. “Take your phone and call if you get lost.”
“Okay, Gran, I will.”
I hugged her goodbye and stepped outside. Instinct drew me towards the forest, a dense expanse of trees that beckoned with a wild, earthy scent. I wanted to sniff them all, to absorb the essence of this place.
“Where are you?” I asked my wolf, Tilly. “Are you there?”
“Yeah! What’s up?” Tilly replied, her excitement bubbling through our connection.
“Oh, I was just wondering… how would you like to go for a run?” I asked casually.
“REALLY?!” Tilly squealed, her energy almost overwhelming.
I walked deeper into the woods, seeking a place far from human eyes. When I sensed the solitude, I released Tilly, letting her instincts take over.
“Don’t panic, Lyra!” she reassured me. “It won’t hurt this time.”
I began to run, transforming mid-stride. My bones shifted, reshaping themselves into the form of the magnificent wolf I was destined to be. This time, I embraced the change, savoring the freedom and power it offered.
My head swelled, doubling in size, and I was complete. I ran through the forest with newfound speed, sniffing at every tree, reveling in the scent of damp earth and pine needles. Then, I caught another werewolf’s scent – faint, but unmistakable. I inhaled deeply, and the familiar tingling surged through my veins.
A twig snapped behind me. Without thinking, I snarled. A low growl answered from the shadows. Before I could react, a black and red blur lunged for my neck, and darkness consumed me.
---
I awoke in my bedroom, groggy and disoriented. Was it all a dream?
My mother called me down for breakfast and school, but my grandmother’s entrance changed everything.
“Why didn’t you tell me you had a boyfriend here!” she winked, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
I stared at her, my vision still blurry. “You what?”
“He brought you in last night, said you fell asleep on his couch.” My grandmother exclaimed, her voice laced with amusement.
I was about to deny it when I realized the events of last night weren’t a figment of my imagination.
“Don’t worry, I won’t tell your mama,” she said in her thick Scottish accent.
She walked away, muttering to herself. Perhaps she was simply eccentric.
I pushed myself up in bed, stiff and sore. A throbbing pain pulsed in my left shoulder. What had happened?
I walked to the mirror and lifted my shirt. A clover-shaped mark marred my skin, a brand that signified ownership. It was a claim, a declaration that no other wolf could touch me. It was also the emblem of his pack.
The boy belonged to the Clover pack…