Daughter of Luka (LGBT+)

Thirty-Two 🌑

I was grateful to Kate because I knew without her guiding me through school, I probably would have been a lot lower on the class list- ordered by grades. 

However, I had started off with Us and I was now getting Bs on average, so I supposed that I was doing a little better. That was an understatement. I was doing a lot better, but school honestly didn't even feel that important anymore. It just seemed like an element of my life, and it wasn't even a particularly large one at that. 

After all, how on Earth could it be? I was a werewolf, now. Nothing was ever going to be the same again. 

"Hey, we only have a few more exams until break. Are you feeling alright, Ophelia? You look as though there's a lot on your mind," Kate told me. 

There indeed was a lot on my mind, though I wasn't sure how, if ever, I could tell Kate about what was going on in my personal life. 

"I'll help you study some more later, if you want me to. And if there's anything on your mind, then you know that you can talk to me about it. I've missed you. It's been far too long since we've had a proper conversation. Just so you know, you don't have to shut people out," she told me. 

"I don't know if I can tell you," I said honestly. 

"Why? Are you sworn to secrecy?" she mock-gasped, then, "Are you a member of the MI5?" she asked me, her eyes widening a little in feigned curiosity. 

I sighed. 

This was somehow far, far less believable than that. 

"No," I admitted. 

Kate put her head into the palm of her hand and leant into the cafeteria table. 

"Then what is it that's going on exactly, Ophelia? Please talk to me. I care about you. I want to look out for you," she said. 

Knowing Kate, she probably cared far too much for other people than she did for herself, but I admired her altruistic nature. 

"I don't even know if you would believe me, Kate. Trust me, this is completely crazy," I said quietly, so that I wouldn't attract the attention of any of the athlete guys who were getting into the chicken burger queue. 

"I'd believe you," she said. 

I could tell from the genuineness in her voice that she meant what she said. 

"Okay...I can't talk about it here, though. Actually, it's probably easier if I show you, but first we need to head to the gym department," I said. 

As I stood up from the table, Kate's eyebrows crinkled together slightly, creating fine lines between them. 

"Okay," she said, despite her unconvinced expression. 

The two of us made our way to the gym department and I got myself a change of clothes. 

I can't believe that I'm even doing this, I thought to myself. 

"Let's go," I said and the two of us walked away from the main school buildings and into the forests a fair distance away from them. "Promise you won't freak out?" I asked her, as I breathed in the rich piney-scented air. 

Kate's eyes widened a little. 

"I promise," she said, "I'd do anything for you," she added. 

"Alright, Nancy," I joked. 

I then focused. Focusing was the main part involved in my wolf transformations. 

At least, I assumed as much. It wasn't as though I had transformed much since becoming a wolf. 

I placed the spare change of clothes into my bag, ready for later. 

It was a good thing my blouse and pair of jeans were old, otherwise this would be a terrific loss. 

After my change of clothes was settled, I stared down at the path beneath me and willed myself to become less human. 

This was not an easy task, might I add, and the pain that coursed through my veins was simply unimaginable. Just imagine being set on fire and then thrown into a volcano on top of that. Yeah...not pleasant. 

Nevertheless, it worked. 

I opened my eyes and found that I was on all-fours again and my legs were much fluffier than they had been when we first arrived in the forest. 

I then looked up at Kate and she stumbled backwards into the trunk of a tree. 

"Shit. What the fuck? Wait a minute...what the actual fuck?" she asked. 

I hadn't painted Kate to be someone who swore, but I supposed that in this situation her colourful language made sense. 

It wasn't exactly a daily event that you would observe someone turn into a wolf before your very eyes. 

A Canis lupus Linnaeus, to give it its biological name- take that, tenth year biology teacher. 

A few moments later, I willed myself to become human again. 

"You wanted to know what was going on with me..." I said, as I quickly changed into the new P.E. shirt and shorts while Kate had her back turned, respectfully. "Believe me, you're not the only one who's surprised. Up until a few days ago, I didn't even know that I could do this." 

"What? Become a forest creature? Just how much else have you kept quiet, Ophelia?" she asked me. 

I couldn't give anyone else's secret, only my own. It wouldn't be fair, otherwise. 

"Just this, I swear," I said. 

"Yeah? You don't happen to have a vampire friend or a zombie cousin, then?" she asked me. 

I chuckled despite myself and Kate's features seemed to relax a little then, too. 

"You better appreciate me for being a really understanding friend. I don't know how many people wouldn't run off scared shitless," she told me. 

"Trust me, you are appreciated, Kate," I said. 

That was one of the main reasons why I trusted her enough to reveal my true nature to her. 

"I am pissed that you didn't tell me ages ago, though," she said. 

"I know...trust me, it wasn't exactly the easiest thing to slip into a conversation," I said. 

Kate took a step back and her shoulders untensed. 

"No, I suppose it wouldn't be," she said and her eyes reflected sympathy, "I'm glad I know, now, though," she admitted and her gaze warmed to reflect her unwavering kindness. 

"I'm glad you do, too," I said.