Among The Wolves

Full Moon

I looked around frantically for the source of the growl but as quickly as I had heard it, the sound went away. I hugged my plate closer, staring straight ahead. Had it been a figment of my imagination?

Once Hem'Lar got into a car and drove toward the wall, disappearing  from my sight, I began eating the food, although I no longer had an appetite. I watched tensely as random people came to and fro. A man in a black onesie, a stable boy with a pitchfork, a businessman with a brown briefcase, a young woman in a spunky, black dress  and cheetah handbag, a group of three maids talking about the coming full moon, and no wolves. I was thankful for that.

I got off the steps once the food was gone and when I was sure that there were no werewol- wolfbloods around and made my way past the thistle bushes. It took several hard yanks, but I managed to get the door open. When I closed the door, I made sure to lock it. Hem’Lar’s warning was still fresh in my mind. I made my way to my new bedroom. I took the map from the desk and studied it until the daylight was no longer bright enough for me. I looked at the time on my new watch. “Purple tissue paper! It is almost nine! I need to hurry and brush my teeth so I can lock my door!” I jumped up from my bed and rushed to the bathroom. After brushing my teeth, I went back to my bedroom.

I locked the door, turned off the lights, and quickly went to bed. I just sat there looking at the shadowed form of the door. I didn't know what to expect. Would a wolf smash the door down and kill me, or was the door strong enough?

A realization hit me. I forgot about the note in my pocket! I stuck my hand in the pocket of my jumper and pulled out the slip of paper. The note was simple.

Thank you

I frowned, looking at the back of the paper and then the front, reading it again. Who on earth would tell me thank-you? It couldn't have been Hem’Lar because he would have just told me. Oh, you know what… it's probably Dr. Mee. She is probably telling me thank you for being her first human patient. Even with the reasonable conclusion, I was still left with a shadow of doubt.

A howl sounded in the still of night, causing me to jerk. It's okay, it's far away. A series of howls began to follow suit. Soon, it was all I could hear. It sounded similar to a low distant moan.

It's okay, Kejyta.

I leaned back and placed my feet on the bed, hugging my knees to my chest.

It's gonna be alright.

My heart was spasming in fear despite my attempts to comfort it. My fingertips tingled as my system seemed to prepare my adrenaline, ready to shoot it into my bloodstream when the occasion called for the need.

Then, the room illuminated. Almost glowing a bluish color. It looked impossibly magical. It was like I was submerged underneath the sea peering up at the sun. Watching the aqua waters swirl in motion. Reaching out to see if this was real, I saw my dark shadow disrupting the blue beauty. I turned to where the light was coming from. Through the small window, a bright, radiant, full moon hung in the sky. It was so big, so powerful. The pull it had was evident, forcing every creature to gaze at its numbing majesty. Though the same, the moon that presented itself in Vakusi was simply small and irrelevant. Merely an ornamental decoration in the bleak sky. No, this moon was the king of the night. Brightly radiant and starkly fearsome.

The sounds of the howls changed. It was almost a tune now. A rich melody in the moist air, trapping my mind to only the moon. I could not judge, only able to focus on the tantalizing scene before me. I stood up on the bed and leaned on the window sill. I wanted to simply fall asleep, to dream of home. I think… my mind was so muddled I was not even sure I wanted. The music was having a siren-like effect with my neurons. Involuntarily, my body relaxed. It's so beautiful, I've never heard anything like this.

When my eyelids became heavy, I simply closed them. I am experiencing something no other living human has ever gone through. It is the moments like this I will take home with me. I will pull Toulinska onto my lap and tell her of the songs of the wolves, what they do, how they transform, and their habits. This way, she will be the only other human to ever know what truly lies beyond the sign that says:

WOS’THEON
NO TRESSPASSING
ANY AND ALL WILL BE KILLED

Will she be able to forgive why I left her at home? Maybe she won't hate me then.
After a few minutes of nodding my head, I decided that it would be best to go to sleep. I opened my eyes and looked up to take one last look at the brilliant moon.

I was met by diamonds. Blue, sharp, glowing, diamonds is how I would describe how those intimidating eyes looked. Laying its head on the metal arch was a colossal wolf. The size of its head was immense, with billowy, black fur.

"Whoa." My breathless awe left my throat.

How is it's eyes glowing like that? The wolf looked so otherworldly with the halo the moon cast around its ears.
The wolf's nose was just a foot away from my face and had only glass and the steel bars to separate us. I knew it would be nothing for the wolf to shatter it and maul my face lounging right next to the bars. Still, I got lost in the intricateness and intensity of its eyes. A likeness I had never seen before. The wolf only stared back at me. Watching… waiting.

I remembered what Hem'Lar said to me earlier about wanting to protect me. Did he send for someone to watch me? My respect for the older man grew. It touched me that he'd go this far for a girl who was a part of his ending military career. Thank you. I mean it.

I thought of giving a smile, for Hem’Lar's sake. He deserves it. He is being so kind to me. Or should I be more serious and let them all know that I will not give up? Commander Tevit never smiled and said that smiling was a weakness except for when used to portray a side that can successfully detour the enemy. I remember thinking that it must be so depressing to keep a straight face all the time… I don’t know, I’ll figure it out later. Before I lost the courage, I allowed my lips to turn up. It wasn't long before embarrassment crept along my skin like goosebumps. Scorching my veins like scalding water. I ducked from the window before my face could turn red. I lay on my new bed and curled up. Hugging my thank you note to my chest.

Even in this position, knowing that the wolf-blood was still looking at me, I was relaxed. I felt that, with the music, it was impossible to be tense at all. It wasn't long before the lullaby of the howls lulled me to sleep. Dragging me down to a world where only my mind was my enemy. I slept that night with bliss.

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You finally met the black wolf! He's one of my favorite characters, and you will be seeing more of him later on!

Take care, ya'll!