The Last She-Wolf

7_ Full moon legend

The tension in the air was thick as Dylan paced back and forth in front of me, his hands gripping his hair, eyes wide as he muttered under his breath. “This is crazy. This is insane. It can’t be true.”

I sat on the edge of the bed, my heart racing as I tried to make sense of everything that had happened. How had I howled? I didn’t even realize it. It was like something inside me had responded without my knowing, something primal and deep, something...wolf. But Dylan, he was struggling, teetering between disbelief and the reality that was right in front of him.

“Dylan,” I called his name softly, trying to bring him back to the moment, away from whatever thoughts were tearing him apart. “What’s wrong?”

He stopped pacing but didn’t turn to face me. His shoulders were tense, his breathing uneven. “I don’t know what’s wrong, Katrina. I mean, I thought I was helping a human, someone who just needed guidance. But now… now I don’t know. You’re telling me you’re a werewolf, and then there are the signs that...” he trailed off.

There was fear in his voice, a fear I could see in his eyes when he finally turned to look at me. It hurt. It was like a knife cutting into me. I wanted to reach out, to touch him, to make him see I was still the same Katrina, but when I stood up and moved toward him, he backed away. The action was subtle, but it was there. It made me stop dead in my tracks.

“I would never hurt you,” I whispered, swallowing the lump forming in my throat. “You don’t need to be afraid of me.”

He let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. “Your kind is dangerous, Katrina. Werewolves. They’re... they’re predators. How can I not be afraid?”

My kind? I felt a pang of sadness and anger mix together. I didn’t choose this, I didn’t ask for this life. And yet, I couldn’t blame him for being scared. How could I? The world believed wolves were monsters, and maybe he had grown up with that belief too.

“I have no reason to hurt you,” I said firmly, taking a step closer but stopping when I saw the conflict in his eyes. “I won’t hurt you, Dylan. You have to believe me.”

He glanced away, looking torn between wanting to believe me and the weight of what he had read about werewolves. “What happens if a reason comes up, Katrina? What happens on a full moon?”

I froze. I hadn’t thought about that. My wolf had been missing for as long as I’d been in human form. The full moon...I had no idea what that meant for me now. I couldn’t answer him, and my silence seemed to solidify the fear he had. His voice was low, almost broken. “I’ve read about your kind. I know what happens on a full moon.”

He turned his back to me, signaling the end of the conversation. “I’m going to sleep. You should do the same.”

“Dylan,” I called his name softly, pleadingly, but he shook his head without looking at me.

"It’s too much. I need to process this.” And then he left.

I stood there, staring at the closed door, my heart aching. I’d never felt so alone. Not even when I was a wolf in the wild. This was a different kind of loneliness, one that came from rejection, from the fear in his eyes that still haunted me. He was the only person I had now, the only one I trusted, and he was scared of me.

The rest of the night, I couldn’t sleep. I tossed and turned, my mind replaying everything that had happened. I needed him to believe me, but how could I prove something so unreal?

Morning came too quickly. I heard Dylan’s door creak open, and I jumped out of bed, racing into the living room. Fear gripped me that he was going to leave without saying anything.

He stopped mid-step when he saw me, eyebrows raised in surprise. “What’s wrong?”

I stared at him, breathless. “You...you weren’t going to leave, were you?”

He blinked as if the thought hadn’t even occurred to him. “No. I was just going to make breakfast. You should go shower.”

I stood there, confused. His tone was calm, almost normal. The fear from last night seemed to have faded, but how? I watched him move around the kitchen like nothing had happened. “You’re...you’re not leaving?”

He turned to face me, shaking his head. “No, Katrina. I’m not leaving.”

Relief washed over me, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. I slowly backed away, heading toward the bathroom like he suggested, but the entire time, my mind raced. Why was he so calm? What had changed overnight?

After a quick shower, I came back to the kitchen, surprised to see him still there, placing plates of food on the table. I sat down, eyeing him cautiously.

“I know, You’re probably wondering why I’m so calm after last night,” he said, sitting across from me.

I nodded slowly.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’ve been thinking. In fact, I thought about it all night. I’m still not sure what to believe, but I’ve decided I need to be open-minded about you. About everything.”

My heart skipped a beat. He wasn’t fully convinced, but he was willing to believe in me. That was enough for now.

He shrugged. “The reason I left yesterday was because I was scared, and I didn’t know what to do. But I’ve realized that if you wanted to hurt me, you would’ve done it already.”

I smiled at him, relief flooding through me. “I told you, I won’t hurt you.”

He smiled back, a little more relaxed now. “Good. Because the last thing I want is to be eaten by a wolf.”

I blinked at him, confused. “I’ve never eaten a human before. Only animals.”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “Very reassuring.”

The tension between us eased, and once again, I felt hopeful. Maybe things would be okay. Maybe he would understand me better now.

"Thank you for believing me," I said.

“Like i said, I’m still not sure what I believe,” he reminded me, his tone more serious now. “But I’m willing to try.”

“That’s all I can ask for,” I replied.

He leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. “So, now that I’m more open-minded, what did you mean when you said your wolf is gone? You said something like that the day I found you.”

I frowned, trying to explain something I didn’t fully understand myself. “I don’t know. I can feel her inside me, but she won’t come out.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Her?”

“My wolf,” I clarified. “She’s a part of me. But I can’t shift anymore. I don’t know why.”

Dylan’s eyes flickered with curiosity. “Have you heard of the full moon legend?”

I shook my head, confused. “No. I’ve been a wolf for as long as I can remember. I don’t know much else.”

He leaned forward, looking thoughtful. “From what I’ve read, werewolves are supposed to turn, taking their wolf form on every full moon.”

I blinked, stunned by the information. “Every full moon?”

He nodded. “The night I found you was a full moon, and I think that might be why you tried to shift that night. Maybe,... maybe you’ll be able to shift again on the next one.”

I felt a spark of hope light up inside me. “When’s the next full moon?”

He glanced at his phone, then back at me. “In 14 days.”

Fourteen days. It was much time, but it was enough to hold onto hope. Maybe, just maybe, I would feel my wolf again. And this time, I wouldn’t lose her.