Wolf's Creek (Book 1 of the Wolf's Creek Trilogy)

Chapter 13: Fragile Family Hearts

Chapter 13:

Fragile Family Hearts

            The next day Charles Alaric had a crew of people at the Smith’s home helping them pack up everything to move. At first the Smith’s were a little reluctant, not wanting to leave their house defenseless and vacant in the woods, but were persuade by Charles and A.J once they learned the consequences could be fatal. The house Charles had set up for them was slightly smaller than the Alaric home and was very close by to Mark Smith’s dismay and Darren’s joy. A.J was not permitted to help with the packing at home, the alpha and Darren not wishing for the hunters to take the chance to strike if they saw her there, but helped with the unpacking once they arrived at the house. It took from seven that morning until seven that night for all of their things to be moved in and unpacked, a feat they were surprised to have completed in only one days time.

            “This is an amazin’ house Charles,” Mark complimented as he plopped down in his beaten up lounge chair and turned on the television, Charles and Jonathan taking a seat beside him in other, equally tattered, furniture.

            “I hope you all will be comfortable here,” Charles said to Mark as they flipped through the channels to find a game to watch.

            “Ok I’ve ordered the pizza,” Eliza called from the kitchen where she, Albert, and Joan were sitting. Albert was asking the black haired ten year old about being a werewolf, something that Joan talked about easily and was more than happy to inform the human boy about.

            “Awesome,” Paul replied as he walked down the stairs, Angelica following behind him as they carried folded up cardboard boxes.

            “So, Angelica,” Eliza began as she pointed to the pile where the two could put the folded up boxes. “My Paul is your mate is he?”

            Angelica nodded, taking hold of Paul’s arm in hers as he stood there and stared at her strangely. “He is and I’m so happy I’ve finally found him.”

            “Look Ang I think we should talk this over,” Paul said as she continued to hold onto his arm sending strange waves of electricity through his body.

            “I know this is weird for you Paul,” Angelica chided as she looked into his eyes. “But I promise you it won’t seem so strange for long.” Paul sighed in defeat and nodded as he moved the two of them into the living room to take a seat on the couch where Darren was seated. Everyone soon migrated into the living room to wait on the pizza and chat about the strange turn their lives had taken. All of them but A.J who was lying on the back porch with Marrok at her side as her eyes stared up at the rising moon.

She waited with baited breath as the moon rose higher into the sky, the anticipation for the coming change thrilling her. It was strange. Ever since her first transformation she longed to be normal again, to never have to worry about being struck with pain when the moon would rise into the sky at night and turn into something that looked as if it belonged in a J.R.R Tolkien novel. But when she didn’t turn during the new moon she felt empty, like a part of her was missing and because she had been in the midst of sleep the previous night she didn’t have the chance to fully appreciate the transformation when it took hold her. True there were aspects about being what she was that still terrified her but those worries seemed to drift to the back of her mind as she laid there, smiling softly when she felt her stomach spasm and the tingles of electricity spread through her. When she accepted the transformation there was no pain, only pleasant tingles and surges of electricity. Once it was over she looked up at the moon with her silver eyes and rubbed Marrok’s head affectionately.