Apple Martini

Chapter 8 - One's Determination

...Too much...

...Wolfless...

...Live with it...

...They will pay...

...You have me...

Ethel woke with a start, all the voices that had been echoing in her head as she slept vanishing from her mind just as quickly as they had come.

On instinct she wondered why the alarm clock hadn't rang and started to ponder on what to cook for Alpha Thomas and Liana...only for her brain to quickly catch up to reality and make her relax and lie back in bed.

You don't have to do that now. She reminded herself. They're not here anymore.

She recalled the surprisingly deep conversation she'd had with Morgan the night before, that warmth in her heart returning. After so many years of feeling alone, unwanted, and deserving of it, to finally receive affirmation from all these people she'd just met, that the treatment she'd endured in the Wild Blossom Pack was uncalled for, encouraged her even further. Though her fighting spirit had been suppressed throughout the years, it was as if being away from her childhood home for the first time had imbued her with new purpose.

Ethel climbed out of bed and padded on her bare feet to the bathroom, intending to brush her teeth, get dressed, and start this new day - and her new life - on a good note.

A part of her was still wary of Alpha Regan's intentions with their matebond, but she decided she would allow herself to trust Morgan's words to her the night before. The man had shown nothing but kindness and understanding to her these past few days when for most of her life she had received none of it from those who had been supposed to care for and love her as their own.

Still, she wanted to return the favour by expressing her resolve in emulating what she believed a good mate would be like - composed, polite, and in this case, punctual since they were going to leave to continue their way to the Black Sun Pack in a few hours.

Ethel reached for the toothbrush, applying toothpaste as her eyes glanced up to her reflection. Less than a second later, something occurred to her and she did a double take.

She'd had to face her reflection many times throughout her life. Each time she saw her pale face, those gaunt cheekbones and her one white eye, it only served as a reminder of how shameful and disgusting she was. So it didn't escape the young woman that this morning she suddenly looked...different.

Her face appeared fuller, the colour seemingly having partially flowed back into her overnight. There was a soft flush on her cheeks, accentuating the pale freckles that dotted her skin. Her lips were no longer dry and chapped, looking more full and pink if that made sense.

She lifted a hand to tousle some of her dark curls. They'd felt closer to hay these past few months, and to her surprise her fingers closed down on soft silky hair this time round.

Even with the first decently fulfilling meal she'd had in her existing memory the day before, she hadn't expected her physique to recuperate so quickly. It wasn't perfect; compared to the average werewolf she still fell short a little, but for one night it was definitely more progress than one would think.

Once she had brushed her teeth, Ethel lifted up her nightdress, finding the same had occurred to the rest of her body as well. Where had once been frail, sickly near-bone, were now strong, yet shapely arms and legs.

A small spark of hope lit up inside her, but after trying for a while and still being unable to hear the other entity that resided with her being, she decided to focus back on getting ready.