Lycanthropy and Me: The First Semester(mlm)

Day 43, Sunday Waxing Crescent (final part)

Cw: implied animal abuse, violence

As the hours passed, a sensation crept under Serena's skin. Still fighting with her new urges, she put on a tracksuit and ran across the lawn.

Running. It seemed she did a lot of that lately.

A darkening campus surrounded her, and the occasional eyes of passerby trailed after her frame.

Eyes. Too many eyes.

They can see you.

Her eyes went beyond the buildings and into the trees. With a chill she remembered Ashley's attack--and the sweet euphoria she had tasted that night.

So she went back into those trees. Ran across that dirt and grass. The police tape didn't stop her, nor did the faint light of a guard's flashlight.

When was the last time she had not felt safe at night?

She had always felt safe. Always. Her life had been a set of appointments and matches, and classes and--

Branches snapped in the distance and she paused.

Eyes. Glowing eyes.

A wolf.

The animal stood yards away, further into the trees. Watching. Blinking.

Her hands clenched into fists. "This is your fault."

Sensing danger, the wolf stepped back before breaking into a sprint.

"Get back here!" She growled.

As the wolf picked up speed, so did she, running and laughing as they moved through the trees. 

Again she let her arm twist and warp and soon the air was thick with the scent of blood.

Day 43, Sunday Waxing Crescent

The room was quiet as Serena brought her story to a close. Evangeline stood near the door. Kale watched her from the door frame. Grayson, who had been at her bedside, had recoiled from her in disgust.

Now that her tale was done, he had  questions for her. "Why are you telling us this? Why now?"

"I told you." Serena turned her head to look at him, a strand of hair falling between her eyes. "This will be the last time you see me."

Before Grayson could come up with a reply, Serena's eyes rolled to the back of her head. She began to convulse, body sweating and limbs flailing.

Grayson was on his feet and Evangeline rushed towards the bed as Serena writhed and twisted on the bed, her mouth foaming.
"I'm going to get help!" Kale shouted as he dashed from the room.

Serena's cast and mitts began to crack before bursting apart, and her growing form snapped from her shackles.
An enlarged hand grabbed for Grayson's neck, lifting him from the ground as Serena rose from the bed.

"No!"
Evangeline reached for her gun but was kicked away, the wind knocked out of her as she was tumbled across the floor.

Grayson gasped for air, trying to pull himself free from Serena's grasp to no avail.

Down the hall, Hunter and Abner immediately cut their banter short, both looking to the door.

Hunter grabbed hold of his blanket. "You feel that?"
Abner reached for gun. "I'm on it."

Serena, now three times her original size, had shed her hospital and morphed into something unlike Grayson had ever seen. She didn't look the way Hunter had after his shift, or even look the same as she had the other night. Now her limbs were longer than usual, and twitched at random as if her muscles had stretched thin. Her bones protruded from beneath, 
Evangeline grabbed for her gun and aimed for Serena's still stretching legs.
Still in her grasp and losing oxygen Grayson could do nothing as she jumped away from the gunshot, one large hand grabbing hold of the ceiling light.
"That was your warning shot!" Evangeline yelled, aiming again. "Put the boy down, NOW!"
Serena's mouth stretched back with a grin, revealing gleaming teeth. She made a noise between a laugh and a growl.
Evangeline fired again and Serena darted across the ceiling, claws breaking through the tiles above.
Blood spurted from one of her legs, and a ripple went through the flesh before the bullet was pressed back out of the wound.
Holding on but losing consciousness, Grayson tried to keep himself in one piece as Serena quickly crawled through the door frame and out into the hallway.
"Jesus!" Abner almost jumped back at the sight of them. He aimed for her arms, emptying the magazine. Qith a cry, Serena dropped down to the floor. Her claw relaxed, allowing Grayson to bounce away from her still dazed.
Disoriented, the last thing he saw before passing out was Lena sprinting down the hall before she landed a flying kick in the middle of Serena's face.

Hunter tried to drag himself to the scene but found that he couldn't. Tears of frustration blurred his vision, and the shouts and gunfire only terrified him. Two of the people he cared most about in the whole world were just beyond the door, and he couldn't even get out of the bed to see them.
It was then that he heard the elevator arrive and a rush of footsteps.

 
Cries and growls turned to whimpers as Kale frantically tried to read Serena her rights.
"...You're under arrest f-for the attempted murder of Ashley Smith...You...You have the right t-to remain silent! Anything, anything you say or...Uh, Any audible howls made will be seen as a sign of resistance..."
"For Pete's sake!" Came Abner's exasperated voice. "We got her! It's over!"
As orders were barked and things were moved about, Hunter slumped back against the bed.

It was over.

When Lena eventually returned to the room, Hunter could only stare and nod as she filled in all the details. Abner's unit had headed off to wrap things up, Grayson was taken away for evaluation, Serena was now in custody... And despite it all, Hunter could barely keep his eyes open.