The Bitten

Changes

On waking, Accalia listened to the world coming alive with the raising sun as she stretched. Music was playing from downstairs, little familiar chirps from the local birds that called the trees around her home theirs and the on time morning barking from Mrs. Hacefree's, black and white Chinese temple dog. The room was alight from the suns ray beaming against and through her yellow sheer curtains. Opening her eyes wide, she abruptly sat upright and held the side of her neck as last nights experience replayed in her mind.
Running to her dressers mirror and sitting in the chair, Accalia extended her neck out to find the puncture wounds, but there wasn't any. Confused, she rubbed her neck, contemplating if last night had all been a dream. Had she drunk to much at the party?, too much, to not remember getting home? Looking down at her dresser, she rotated her upper half as she leaned back grabbing her phone from the bedside. Unlocking it and wanting to put her mind at ease, she messaged Freya.
A- how did I get home last night? I don't remember a thing!
Placing it down on her jewellery box awaiting a response, Accalia released her tangled hair from the band. Scratching the tips of her fingers and nails against the sides of her head near her roots, they became concealed by the strands as she shook her tangled mess in attempts to loosen any knots or soon to be tangles before collecting the brush to neaten her locks.
The phone pinged before vibrating off of the box. Collecting it, she turned the screen toward her, eager to know how she arrived home.
F- you disappeared :( when we went looking (#)^(#) for you Finn <3 suggested we check your room. He jumped up upon the roof (crazy monkey) and saw you in bed. Another message came through.
F- is everything ok? Before Accalia could respond, Freya's ringtone started to play. Rolling her eyes she then answered her curious friend.
"Good morning Freya" Accalia greeted her friend before being drowned out by how much she talked.
"I cant stand when you take forever to reply" she groaned into the phone.
"Dude, you didn't give me time to respond".
"Anyways, what's up? How don't you remember getting home last night?" Freya asked even though she already knew exactly how Accalia made it back.
"I don't know, I'm not even sure what was real and what was a dream".
"You're sounding a little loopy A, talk to me".
"I don't know how".
"Start from the beginning, try to recall your steps".
"it makes no sense, I cant expla-"
"A," Freya called her sternly. "Take a breath and calm yourself, your getting worked up over your own thoughts and imagination".
Accalia took a deep breath. "Your right I'm over thinking it".
"Lets do something today yeah, maybe make a day of it, do something fun to distract you from that big beautiful head of yours that homes that downer of a brain".
"Hey!" Accalia responded a little offended.
"A, you know I'm playing, but its still true". Both girls giggled a little. "Have some breakfast, ill come pick you up at 9 and we can plan the day from there k"
Accalia smiled. "ill see you soon".
The call ended and she returned the phone to her bedside. Still puzzled she locked her own eyes together in the mirror, staring at her self, expressionless. Applying her hand to her neck once again, she rose from the chair and over to her walk in robe to select todays outfit.
She leaned her head against the wardrobe door, the same color white as the walls, as she took in the sight of the assortment of clothes. Flicking through the hangers, she selected an orange, Lookwoild Long Sleeve, off shoulder, Ribbed Low Cut V-neck Top before throwing it atop her bed. Proceeding to her draws, Accalia grabbed a pair of dark navy, tight flare jeans. Completing her outfit with her pair of high shaft, pointed toe, tan ankle boots, she styled her hair by lifting strands from just above her ears and pulling them back from her face to the back of her head. This section of hair was left in a small pony tail that flowed into the lower half of hair she left loose and down.
Down stairs, Accalia smeared her toast with a coating of peanut butter and quickly ate them once noticing the time. Freya would arrive soon and todays events were so far a mystery. Noticing Freya's Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback, Accalia headed out the front door to await. It was kind of hard to miss considering it was bright pink. Freya loved the colour, not only was her car a bright pink but majority of this woman's room was decorated in pink attire. Pulling over against the curb beside the front lawn, Freya stopped her vehicle and got out. Accalia ran over to her, embracing her into a hug.
"You smell different" Freya informed her as she moved back from her, taking in the appearance of here friend who appeared to be different.
Accalia smiled brightly at her friend. "What do you mean?" she asked her.
Freya's facial expression was unsettling. She was observing Accalia in a worried like manner. like she was examining every detail, deep in thought. Shaking her head as if almost attempting to move her thoughts from her mind she then smiled. "Nothing, you ready to go?". Freya turned to get back inside the car. Mrs Hacefree's dog started to whimper toward Accalia, wanting to say hello from behind the fence
"Give me a sec" Accalia told Freya before stepping towards the fence to greet the little pooch. As she drew closer, only a few steps away, his sooks quietened before being replaced with a deep low growl. Accalia called to the dog, making sure it was aware that it was still her but instead of receiving a wagging tail, the dog turned savage and tried to attack her through the fence. Stepping back in shock, Accalia jumped when Freya placed a hand atop her left shoulder.
"Fuck Frey you really got to stop scaring me" Accalia informed her.
"What the fuck is Fluff's problem?" Freya questioned with a small grin. "He usually loves you".
"I, he," Accalia couldn't piece together a sentence, never had Mrs Hacefree's dog acted towards her in a hostile manner.
"Come on lets get this day started". Freya once again headed for the car this time Accalia followed.
Driving down the road, the girls decided to venture to Serpent Falls for the day. It was a few miles out from the entry into Wood-Pine.
Serpent falls had received it name from an old legend. Many years ago, a tale was told of a ginormous snake that lived and roamed the falls. Several residents reported seeing this long snake over the span of a few years, but as the tale became legend, so too did the sightings. The falls were home to a large waterfall. The liquid cascading from the top 35 meters above the ground. Freya parked the car before both girls got out. Accalia looked around, speechless at the soaring trees reaching high into the cloud cover. Monstrous gray rocks projected up from the earth and found themselves entwined with the lightning bolt shaped pool of collected water at the base. It looked like an oil painting. Venturing down to the rim of the water, Accalia knelt on the beach area consisting of a stretch of pebbles and dirt. The feeling of coldness against her fingertips was soothing as she whisked them in the shallows.
Hearing a squeaky set of breaks, Accalia turned to see behind her. Just like always, Finn and his goons arrived, two of them being Ben and Troy. Diverting her sight over to Freya, she was met with her smiling face before she mouthed the words sorry. Accalia knew she wasn't. How else did they know where the girls were? Clearly she had messaged Finn.
Accalia observed Troy remove his shirt. He then placed his hands against the side of the waterfall and started climbing up the side towards the peak. Once at the top he stood at the edge peering down below.
"Do a flip" Finn called out to him, cupping his hands around his mouth to help the sound travel. Once the other males noticed where Troy was, they followed his lead and joined him atop. The fellow three men took off their shirts as Troy launched himself down into the water. Finn cheered and the excess water from Troy's splash, covered and wet Accalia.
Troy only emerged half of his head, the water just under his nose, allowing him to breath air. He floated and stared at Accalia before he raised his eyebrows at her. Suppressing the urge to laugh wasn't easy, but she managed it. Troy suddenly, without warning, splashed some of the water towards her. He laughed at the expression upon her face as the coolness took her breath away. Retaliating she splashed him back before the rest of his face appeared from beneath the water. Troy turned his lips into a spout, spraying water from his lips in her direction.
"Yuck Troy" Freya's unpleased, disgusted voice directed their attention towards her. She was taking off her clothes and was now standing in her underwear. "Coming in?" she questioned Accalia before diving in.
Standing Accalia started to strip, first removing her shirt then lowering and removing her pants. Feeling vulnerable, she quickly stepped into the water to submerge her exposed body. The liquid was icy and her body tingled to the cold. Letting her body float, Accalia became one with the water as she looked up at the sky. It felt as if she was floating into to another time. The sound of nature abuzz with life mixed with the crashing waterfall was like music. The atmosphere relaxed and elegant adding to the feeling of serenity. As small ripples waved against her left arm, Accalia turned to see a butterfly swimming Ben towards her and reemerged her body beneath the water as she tread to stay afloat. Once closer she observed his face change almost the same as Freya's did when they greeted this morning.
"Enjoying yourself?" he asked her and she nodded. His eyes examined her curiously, his head slightly turning like a dogs when hearing something unusual. "You seem different".
"Freya told me the same thing this morning" Accalia responded, receiving an eyebrow raise from Ben. "I don't understand how. Nothing is different, nothing has changed, I'm still me. I'm still the same anxiety ridden Accalia". She spoke that in an fed up manner. In less than a span of an hour, she had been told this twice and she didn't understand, all she knew was the next one to comment on her so called changing was going to cop a mouth full of heated and abusive words in a blasted fury. Ben expressed a small bit of shock. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get that agitated" Accalia apologised to him.
"I get it, everyone's starting to form an opinion on you when you don't see or fell it" he lifted his hand full of water to wet his hair, flicking little droplets in all directions as he scuffed it up. "Maybe you should spar it out like Troy and Thomas did" he started to crack a smile. "What do you say" his smile now fully formed, "want to fight it out?"
"With you?" Accalia giggled and splashed water at him.
"Why not" he splashed back. "You will get to release some anger and ill get comedy entertainment".
Grabbing ahold of his shoulders, Accalia dunked him underwater for his remark. Once Ben resurfaced, he spat the water he collected into his mouth at her. Accalia squealed a little before dunking him back down, using that as her opportunity to swim away from him.
"Up for a camping trip?" Freya asked her as she rejoined the others closer to the shallow edge allowing her to stand upon her feet. "We leave tonight if your in".
"We?" she asked in return, pushing the stranded strands of hair away from her face.
"Yeah the group, maybe a few others, are you in?".
Deep in thought contemplating every pro and con from saying yes and comparing them against the lot for saying no, she hadn't noticed Ben swim up behind her. How could she go camping with this mental lot. The lads could barely go three hours without something resulting in a physical altercation, Freya would desert her to suck up Finns ass, leaving her alone with others that would try and conversate with her. All this would be out in the wilderness for a night, She would be trapped with them. The only pro she could think about was the fact that Ben spoke to her and he made her feel not so alone when Freya was to busy coo noodling with her lover boy. At least he was someone she could talk to without feeling like a nervous wreck. After all he did push her out the way at Charlottes party that night didn't he? Accalia wanted to ask them all about that night but for now she remained quiet not wanting to cause tension. That night she saw things that didn't seem possible and thought they would call her crazy if she was to discuss it, not to mention last night in the woods and how she couldn't remember anything from the moment she looked up into the nights sky as she laid atop the forest floor. She couldn't remember saying goodbye, let alone how she got home and into bed. Every time she tried to recall anything further, it became black and fuzzy, almost static like and made her head hurt.
"I'm in" Bens deep voice scared her as he spoke from behind her. To her it had sounded like he had yelled straight into her ears, causing them to ring and She jumped that much everyone went quiet and gawked at her.
"You scare easy" Troy cried out before he taunted her with a loud cackle.
"You dismiss her to early Troy" Ben informed him. "So quick to judge and make assumptions but never considerate enough to take the time and get to know someone" Ben then walked onto the gravel part, the water flowing to the bottom of his shorts to drip off onto his feet as gravity pulled it down. Taking a quick glance back at Accalia, he gave her a smile before turning his sight to Troy. "My opinion, we know nothing, and if we did know something, it would be the most minute fragment like a single crumb to a loaf of bread. I think you jumped the gun and she's going to surprise us all and when she saves your ass one day I hope you hate yourself".
Troy appeared angry. There was this display of some distaste they had for one another, that similar to competing opponents. Both staring the other in his eyes as clenched fists hung at the ends of their arms. Ben raised an eye brow at Troy before smiling ear to ear. He knew he had pushed his buttons but he didn't care. Ben was patiently waiting for the day he would get his fight with Troy, but for now he had to wait. As Finn stood both boys lowered their heads and separated, Ben heading over to the boot of the car. Collecting her shirt from atop the rock as she got out, Accalia tied the sleeves around her waist in attempt to cover her bum and followed him. She sighed as she leant back against the back door, her arms vertically crossed over one another as her hands hooked onto her shoulders covering her chest and focused into his eyes. Extending his hand towards her he held a bundled black shirt out to her. "Here" he jerked his hand making Accalia take it. Poking her head through the head gap she lowered her sight onto the front of the tee. Ben had given her a shirt with large white bold writing across the front in the word moist. Underneath it smaller white writing that read, because at least one person you know hates this word. The shirt was big and covered the top half of her thighs.
Returning to his face she smiled. "Seriously of all shirts"
Ben peered round from the boot and instantly grinned. "Do you hate it?" he asked
"Hate what the shirt?"
He pointed to the writing. "The word".
"No, in fact I love it". She joined him round the back before continuing. "When I'm in a situation and I feel unsteady, I like to use that special word in my vocabulary to make people feel just as awkward as I do and stop them interacting with me".
"When Finn told me you were quiet and kept to yourself to the point of no other human contact than the regulars I thought he was exaggerating, but clearly he was selling the story short".
Accalia lowered her head. "I've been hurt a lot" she started in a soft voice. "I have scars from a childhood I only partially remember and some I have absolutely no recognition of getting, you have no idea how worrying it is to wake up and have no remembrance of how a permanent mark altered your body or how it got there, the feeling of loosing your own mind as you overthink everything, trying to figure out if there are days of your life missing. There are reasons for the way I am. Do you think I wanted to be this concealed, this afraid or be this constant burden everyone makes me feel like" she started to get teary. The look on her face made Ben want to hug her so he did. Wrapping his arms around her, one around the torso, the other upon the back of her neck, he pulled her head towards him and rested it on his bare chest. His broad chest and shoulders looked powerful up close and gave her a calming feeling. His skin was icy cold but also warm. Propping her chin on his chest and looked up at him. She watched as he quickly jerked his head to the back left as if he had heard something before rotating it towards the front, he then turned to Finn. Finn gave him a nod before whistling to troy and the other three lads informing them on the situation. All boys then darted off in different paths, The girls meeting each other half way between them.
"What is it?" Accalia asked Freya.
"Ben heard something" she answered.
Accalia paused for a moment. How could Freya have known that when no one spoke a word and she hadn't heard a thing? Freya was no where near them when Ben started to act like an owl, no one was, yet some how in the silence everyone but her had understood the noiseless, unspoken words and leaped into action.
"You're lying to me Freya" Accalia told her as she stepped back from her friend.
Freya refrained from looking at her or displaying the shock she felt at the fact Accalia had finally called her on the bull shit. She knew this day would come, but she thought she still had time, years in fact before this conversation would need to be had. There was a lot she needed to educate Accalia on but there would need to be proper segments in place, elders to advise and then Accalia's world was going to get a whole lot more complicated.
"A, I will tell you whatever you want to know tonight ok but now is not the time" Freya informed her finally looking at her.
"No Frey tell me now, you haven't explained Charlotte's party, I couldn't have just disappeared last night, I would never leave without telling you and now, this! I feel like I'm going fucking crazy".
The boys emerged from the trees, as they got closer, Accalia appeared calm not wanting to alert everyone to her outburst.
"She's worked it out" Freya told them as she walked down towards Finn, causing all of them to look at her in unison.
"What do you mean worked it out?" Finn asked her.
"She knows we've been lying to her".
"Told you Troy" Ben called out to him. "Judged to early". He then gave him a grin and a wink.
Finn daggered him quickly before turning back to Freya. "How much does she know?".
"Talk to her yourself, shits about to explode and I need a drink". As Freya tried to walk toward the cars, Finn grabbed ahold of her arm stopping her.
"She's your responsibility" he told her sternly.
Pulling her arm free she stared at him. "She's my friend! You don't know her like I do, once she finds everything out she's going to change, more than once and you know just as much as I do there is only one of two ways this can go, the choice is hers and hers alone. The only thing I can do for her now is tell her and just hope I don't lose my best friend in the process". Freya then walked away.
Hearing the ground crunch, Accalia lifted her vision upon Ben who was no longer clean. He was now slightly dirty with brown patches of muck apart of his attire.
"You clicked on pretty early" he told her as he stood beside her. "your mind is about to get blown".
Accalia squinted her eyes at him. Even he knew. She had only met this guy three days ago yet he knew all about her and the secrets being kept. How was he trusted but not her?
"So it was all of you?" Accalia asked him. He looked at her confused. "You all have been lying to me?". His silence gave her all the answers she needed. Tight pressing her lips together, she half smiled before rotating on her hells to head and join Freya at the car.
Plonking her behind into the passenger seat, Accalia exhaled before twisting her torso towards Freya sitting in the drivers seat. "Tonight" she begun. "You promise to tell me everything? Explain the things I don't understand? Finally tell me why all the secrecy?" she questioned. Freya nodded with her head lowered. Leaning back into the chair Accalia sighed as she lifted her foot upon the dash. "The last few days have been replaying in my mind, the situations are downright bizarre, So many things not adding up, I felt like I was going insane". she paused. "But the worst part is knowing you lied to me".
Freya remained quiet. Right now she had so much hatred toward herself. Lying to Accalia wasn't a choice she wanted to do but she was ordered to deceive her and keep her safe until the time arose where they could no longer keep it hidden. That shouldn't have happened for another few years but due to certain events, Accalia was now piecing the puzzle together and now she was aware they were concealing elements. Both girls jumped as Finn banged the top of the roof before leaning his forearms on the door frame and peering in through the open window.
"We're going to head home and pack for the camping trip, will we see you there?" he asked them, shifting his gaze to Accalia. Freya and Accalia exchanged a look.
"It's the only way I'm going to get answers" Accalia responded.
Tapping his hand twice against the roof, he then proceeded to join the other males in the car. Freya started the ignition and both cars backed out and headed back towards Wood-Pine, back to civilisation.
Back inside the comfort of her room, Accalia grabbed her backpack from the wardrobe and started to cram clothes inside it. Freya had dropped her home before heading home to pack herself after informing Accalia she would be back at six so they could head up to the cabin.
Finns family owned the cabin they were occupying for a night. It had been in their family for generations, passed down to the eldest son of the strongest family. The dwelling was a 1,100 square foot cabin on 165-acres of land. Freya had told Accalia all about it after the first night Finn took her there. She was eager to see this mighty building Freya had described to her, it sounded absolutely beautiful. Hearing a horn beep, Accalia peeked through her window. Idling out front was Finn's Ute. Sitting through the open window gap of the passenger side was Freya. Zipping her bag closed, Accalia grabbed her light brown leather jacket off the hook and headed down. It was so lovely of Freya to decide without her that Finn would be driving them there, she thought sarcastically as she crossed the lawn. Her plan on getting a head start with extracting information from Freya on the drive was destroyed by her lover boys presence. Hoping into the back, they drove towards the mountains, into the thick of trees arched high, some crooked and curving, shadowing the road, forming a darkened underpass. Miles down the road, the car incased in silence, Finn pulled off the road onto a dirt one, that gradually narrowed and climbed through hills covered with brush and huge pine trees. Coming to an opening, Accalia took in the majestic view of the cabin situated a great distance from the main road, in the heart of the forest, secluded and quiet. The windows were illuminated with warm yellow lights, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Under a wooden pergola laid a big deck with a large fire pit. String lights hung and wrapped down the support beams and weaved through the roof. That was a place where evenings could be spent in the company of family, friends and good people.
The entirety of the cabin was built from logs laid horizontally and interlocked on the ends with notches. Inside were four bedrooms and three baths. Accalia was completely in awe at the size of this wooden dwelling. Large open plan family room with high, gorgeous wood ceilings. A stunning fireplace made of stone. The kitchen, black and white was open and spacious with a large, black granite island and six white bar stools placed to one side. Stainless appliances, big and small, including a dishwasher and a large, light oak wooden dining table that sat eight. Large glass windows provided the residents with beautiful scenery of the green forest. On the main floor were two good size bedrooms with king sized beds, a full bath with double sinks, tiled shower and a private toilet, upstairs the remaining. This place even some how had a basement with couches, pool table and tv.
"Every time I gaze at this place its hard to believe your ancestor's built this" Freya spoke as she took in her surroundings with her hands upon her hips.
"Wait, what?" Accalia asked.
"I know right, but its true, she didn't look this amazing in the beginning, but when the times changed, so did every owner and bit by bit she changed and now, look at her, amazing" Freya smiled. "It would be truly amazing to live here" she plonked her self down into the three seater sofa.
Standing in the middle of the living room floor, Accalia heard tires crunch on the dirt outside. "Who else is here?" she questioned the two.
"The usual" Finn told her before heading out the front door to greet them.
"And maybe another girl or two" Freya added with a worried face.
Accalia rolled her eyes, of course there was someone else. As Freya went to follow Finn, she stopped her. "I'm still getting the truth tonight" she told her sternly. "You owe me it. If you brought others to try and get out of it, you thought wrong". Their altercation came to an end when the others entered the cabin. Sensing the tension between the girls, Finn looped his arm around Freya's neck.
"Give us a hand putting this shit away" he told her as he turned her with him and walked off with the others.
"Going to be an interesting night for you" a voice came from behind her. Changing direction, Accalia faced the voice to see Troy with a stupid smirk on his mouth. "You sure you're ready for the truth?"
"I want to know. I deserve to know" Accalia turned to walk away from him but stopped to face him. "The lies end tonight". Troy chuckled a little at her seriousness as she stepped away.
A fire burned brightly in the firepit, blazing in the midst of the nights black gloom, slightly lighting up the branches and trunks of trees. The others were sitting around the fire, talking, laughing and trying to keep themselves warm. Accalia sat next to Freya and grabbed a beer from the cooler, twisting the cap off and taking a large mouthful. Half standing, Freya lifted her chair and turned it to face Accalia before sitting back down and leaning forward. "Do you want to talk here or go for a walk?" she asked.
Lifting her eyes to her friends face, Accalia hesitated, pondering what to choose. Here they would discuss her business in front of the others who knew and the two new comers who had nothing to do with her or her life, let alone the lies being withheld. If they went for the walk, she could stall, play out a fake scenario, possibly disappear by slipping into the woods, Freya did know this place better than she did but, if they took the walk they could talk one on one and she would finally get the truth. An explanation for all the weird shit that's happened the last few days and how everyone associated it together but deprived the one whom it referred too. The sound of Finn dragging his chair over diverted their attention. Hanging from his mouth was the neck of his beer as he had both hands upon the arm rests pulling it behind him in a crouched position. Once between the girls he sat his bottom on the edge, took the beer from his mouth and smiled.
"We telling her yet?" He asked Freya. Coping daggers from her, Finn turned to Accalia. "I say we talk here by the fire, the boys can take their plus ones and pre occupy them for a bit". He then leant back into his chair and took a sip of beer.
"You're staying?" Accalia questioned him confused as to why he would need to remain.
"You'll understand shortly" Finn responded as he tilted the head of his bottle towards her before getting up and heading over to Troy. Accalia watched as the two spoke before Finn started his journey back. Troy then spoke to Ben prior to the two of them calling out to the rest. After a small discussion, one by one they walked out onto the deck, heading towards the woods. Ben came out the door last and made eye contact with her. Pausing for a moment he gave her a small grin and wink before jogging to catch the others already stepping into the unknown.
"Sorted it" Finn said as he took his seat again, nodding to Ben prior to him running off. Once they had all disappeared from sight he continued. "Where do you want to start?".
"Start with why you have been lying to me" Accalia broke the silence. "Why all the secrets? What happened that was so troubling that everyone felt the need to cover it up? Why couldn't you just tell me?".
"There's a lot you don't understand" Freya responded.
"Just fucking tell me" Accalia slightly raised her voice as she demanded answers.
"She's a werewolf." Finn interrupted their exchange bluntly. Freya looking at him like she wanted to kill him.
"Fuck off with the jokes" Accalia told him.
"I'm serious" he took a mouthful of beer. "Tell her" he instructed Freya, laying his ankle atop his other thigh.
Transferring her sight back upon Freya, Accalia examined her face. She was very nervous, her hands fidgeting as the heel of her right foot bounced repetitively. "Frey" she spoke softly. "Please tell me".
"I am a werewolf" She spoke raising her head to see Accalia throwing herself back into the chair, angry and fed up they were spinning a werewolf story thinking it wasn't the truth. "So are you" she added.
"Seriously!" Accalia responded standing from her chair. "This is the story you guys are going with? A mythological, make believe, bullshit tale,rather then admit why you're being dicks?".
"Its the truth A" Freya told her again.
"Fuck off!" she shouted back.
Standing, Finn remained quiet as he stared at Accalia. When she widened her eyes and lifted her brows to say what with her face, he grinned proudly as his body started to change. Accalia's face dropping to fear as he morphed into a werewolf. The beer from her hand falling, as she loosened her grip from shock and smashing over the decks surface. In werewolf form, Finn was covered in a thick light brown fur, he snarled at Accalia causing her to step back as she saw the sharp white fangs inside his mouth.
"That's enough Finn" Freya told him as she stepped between the two.
Going silent Fin transformed back into his human form. "Believe it now?" he asked Accalia, his proud grin still upon his smug face.
Completely confused by what just happened, Freya had to help Accalia to sit down. Placing another bottle into her hand, still in the form of gripping the last, Freya then took her seat, observing her friend in complete shock. Using her hand, Freya took a hold of her wrist helping her guide the top of the bottle to her lips, trying to help her to process something else, trying to give her mind a break. As the cold liquid touched Accalia's lips, she took a mouthful. "Were you born a werewolf?" she asked, her voice sounding dry and scared as she spoke.
Freya nodded. "Yeah, we find out at a certain age or when they think were ready".
"We?".
"Finn, myself, Troy, Ben and others including you".
"I- I cant be".
"We know its a lot to process, I went through the same thing when my father told me but deep down I knew I was different" Finn tried to help her relax. "Everything will be alright, you wont go through this alone" He put a hand on her shoulder blade.
Accalia's mind shifted focus to the hand upon her back. This was the nicest and friendliest Finn had ever been to her. Did the fact that she now knew she was a werewolf grant her access to his nice side? Sure he had offered her a beer every now and then or said the odd hi but this, this was a whole new side of him. "How can I be one of those?" she mumbled.
"Your the last in your family" Finn told her.
"Finn!" Freya scolded him.
"She deserves to know it all, not as much as you think she can handle". Everyone was silent for a minute before he continued. "Your blood line runs deep within the wolves, some of your ancestors indulged themselves in delights forbidden, put their trust and lives in the wrong people and wrong allies resulting in their deaths".
"She doesn't need to know this" Freya quickly told him.
Ignoring her, Finn continued. "We have been protecting you, hiding you".
"Hiding me from what?" Accalia asked. The sound of laughter turned their attention towards the pines. The others were back.
"We'll continue this another time" Finn informed them.
Ben dragged a chair over to sit with them. "Bunch a piss heads you lot" he said as he noticed the empty cooler.
"I'll get some more" Freya spoke as she stood. "Help me?" she asked Finn. Both left to go inside with the others leaving Ben and Accalia at the fire.
"How does it feel to know she wolf?" He asked her as he laid back into the chair, using the top of the back piece to rest his neck as he peered up into the stary deep, dark navy blue filled sky.
"Its unbelievable" she replied. The look of shock still expressed.
"Did they tell you about transforming?" he rolled his head to face her. Accalia shook her head no. "That's the worst part, during the transformation, the body is twisted in an unnatural way as your bones reshape, shifting into the form a wolfs skeleton. The immense physical and psychological pain during this stage is gruesome and excruciating". He smiled at her cheekily. "The first transformation is slow, taking hours of intense, bone-breaking pain before transforming into your wolf for the first time. Once morphed you grow body hair, your coat and your irises will change in colour, turning the shade golden-yellow. The best part is the teeth" his smile grew bigger. "The teeth lengthen into large canines" Ben then snapped his teeth before laughing a little. "Don't worry she wolf" he continued. "We only transform into a wolf under a full moon, but after the first change they become easier or is it because you get use to it?" he questioned himself briefly. "Regardless its easier and once reverted back to normal you, it will almost feel clearer, the world and its scents. You will posses superhuman physical prowess like strength. speed, energetic healing, agility and astounding senses".
"Like a superhero" Accalia asked causing him to laugh at her.
"Yes," he shook his head. "Like a superhero".
Returning back with the others and more booze, all conversations on the topic was avoided. They laughed, talked and drank, everyone was having a good time including Accalia besides the fact that, one minute she felt calm, drinking, enjoying herself, the next, a wave of anxiety and troubled thoughts, bringing with them more questions and unanswered ones. This would be a night she would remember, a night she would never believe was real, the night she was finally let in on the secret.
As the night progressed, the group got hammered before calling it bed time, Accalia and Ben flopping themselves upon the two three seater couches. Accalia laughed as she saw Ben's face all smooshed into the cushions because something in that drunk boys mind thought it was a good idea to fall forward. Everyone said goodnight except him, he just grunted with his eyes closed. With the house encased by forest and blanketed in black, they drifted off to sleep to the silence.