Dead Moon Rising

Chapter Six

The full moon hung high in the sky as Belle stood in the Herveaux backyard with nearly 20 other people. She was among the four she knew, intentionally avoiding eye contact with Reggie. She knew he disapproved of her plans and wanted to keep her intentions a secret. Despite feeling Reggie's gaze piercing into her, she maintained her resolve. She needed to be her own guardian now, not because of his past actions, but because of the secrets he had kept. Belle didn't blame Reggie for being temperamental—werewolves often struggle with anger—but she was frustrated with the secrets he harbored. His evasive behavior and hidden knowledge made him seem unreliable and only fueled her frustration. 

Belle surveyed the pack. Most of them were tall, strong men—some with tattoos, others with facial hair—all wearing typical shower robes. Belle wore a similar robe, baby blue and a bit shorter than she would have liked. Alcide had given it to her before the others arrived, telling her it was once Reggie's when he was younger. Though she appreciated the gesture, she felt uneasy being surrounded by so many new faces in such minimal clothing. Helen stood by Alcide in the center of the yard, adorned in a matching grey robe. Her robe was loosely tied, revealing some cleavage.  With her motherly demeanor and ample figure, Helen seemed to be a perfect match for Alcide. However, Belle found Helen's intensity unsettling; her calm demeanor at breakfast had transformed into something fierce. 

Alcide made a motion to remove his robe, and the pack followed his lead. Belle hesitated, watching everyone disrobe before finally revealing her petite frame. She shrank into herself as a rough, familiar hand touched her back. She glanced up at Reggie's face, finally making eye contact. His expression revealed worry, fear, and embarrassment. Belle's gaze then shifted to the other young werewolves she had met that morning.

"Belle, you ready?" Marsha asked, extending her hand. Belle nodded, releasing Reggie's embrace and taking Marsha's hand. Belle found Marsha to be oddly captivating and wanting to unravel why. She gave the three wolves a soft smile and joined them. She heard the cracking sounds of Reggie shifting behind her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw he had joined Alcide and Helen.

"It won't be too bad, Chère," Slick said, offering a dropper to her. Belle took it, scanning the faces before her, then took a drop of the thick, dark liquid on her tongue. It had a metallic undertone with a hint of citrus. The effects kicked in almost instantly, her vision blurred and she fell back onto her butt. Marsha and Alexander helped her up, their eyes wide with dilated pupils, the whites nearly gone.

Belle's sense were on overdrive. She could hear the blood rushing through her new friends' veins, the birds chirping in the trees, and the subtle hum of the moonlight. She was excited, her senses heightened. The yard had transformed into a vivid fairyland; the grass glowed in vibrant hues of yellow, lime, and jade. She could hear each blade of grass whispering in the wind, while crickets and toads sang a song that made her want to dance. She noticed sparks trickling off the bodies of her new friends and grabbed them requesting they join her dance. Her friends joined in, forming a circle, arms linked, dancing nude in the yard. They only noticed the other wolves had disappeared into the woods until Alexander pointed toward the tree line.

"Let's go in," he said, stumbling toward the trees. He shifted into a small grey wolf, followed by Slick, and they pranced off, disappearing behind the trees. Belle took Marsha's hand and ran toward the woods, Marsha's laughter filling the air and dancing around Belle's ears. Their heartbeats seemed to sync perfectly as they shifted together. Belle had never felt so alive; the thrill of the moment was nearly overwhelming. Her wolf and human forms felt like one, a unified soul. With Marsha, she felt a deep connection.

The moonlight against Marsha's mottled white fur made it look like snow. Belle needed to touch it, so she tumbled into Marsha, and they fell against a large willow tree. They looked up at the swaying leaves, entranced. Belle snuggled into Marsha, feeling their warmth mingling.

Though they couldn't speak directly in wolf form, Belle sensed a strong connection between them. When she spent time with Reggie she felt a bond forming that allowed them to communicate in small bits. Almost psychically. Only single words or emotions came through typically. With Marsha she could feel the world between them. They're sensations flowed between them like running water. It was easy with her. 

This moment was disrupted when a distant howl pierced the night. One howl led to another, and soon the woods were filled with them. Belle and Marsha broke apart and sprinted toward the initial sound, which seemed about 10 meters away. Belle leaped over woodland debris until she arrived at a naked Slick, being held by Alexander. Slick's expression was terrified and haunting, trembling in Alexander's arms.

"It's so fucked up! Why?!" Slick exclaimed, tears streaming down Alexander's face. They looked like children in that moment. 

Belle noted the stale scent in the air she had become accustomed to in the days of living with Edmund, Vampire. The scent was old and similar to mothballs and dust but also floral in a way, it filled her nose and she focused every last cell of her body toward the aroma. She sniffed the air intently. Marsha arrived shortly after Belle and began to howl, breaking Belles focus. Marsha was in hysterics directed towards a mound near a tree. 

Belle approached, the scent becoming stronger with each step, in a moment she saw what had horrified Slick, upset Alexander, and riled up Marsha—a body lay face down in the dirt, half-covered by topsoil at the base of the tree. Belle didn't recognize the body but deduced it was someone known to the three. She needed to call for help quickly. 

She began howling loudly, kicking dirt over the body to hide it from her friends.  Soon, a black wolf, flanked by a tan wolf on the left and a brown wolf on the right, emerged from the shadows. The black wolf sniffed the air and let out a small chuff before approaching her. Belle recoiled and realized the wolves were Alcide, Helen, and Reggie. She moved aside and stayed back with her friends, nuzzling Marsha to calm her. Alcide sniffed the dirt and nudged the body onto its side. Reggie joined him, assisting the Pack Master.

They howled in unison, and Alcide glared at Belle and her friends. It was clear that Alcide wanted them gone, so they quickly left the woods. Belle and Marsha shifted back to their human forms and held each other in silence. As the high wore off, Belle silently wondered about the identity of the body.