Apollo's Wolves

Chapter Five -- Amari

Blinding sunlight wakes me up the next morning and I sit up in bed, stretching and popping my back. Today's the day! I get to start my new life at Camp Jupiter. But, I won't make the mistake of hiding my identity. I'll make sure to be honest, and maybe I'll be able to make some new friends. I stand up and walk into the bathroom, starting the water to get warm.

After my shower, I put on my undergarments, a pair of jean shorts, a purple tank top, socks and sneakers. Then, I comb my wet hair and brush my teeth before packing my bag up.

Someone knocks on my door. "Amari? Are you ready?" Leo calls through the door.

I shoulder my bag and walk over to the door, opening it. "Yup!"

"Okay, let's drop your key off and get going," Calypso says.

I nod and step outside, shutting the door. "Let's go." We walk to the office where I drop off my keys. Then, we walk back out to the parking lot where Leo leads us to a pick-up truck. "Nice truck."

"Thanks. Fixed it up myself," he answers with a smug smile. "It works like a charm."

"This will get us to California, right?" I ask as Calypso climbs in so she's in the middle seat.

Leo shakes his head. "No; this'll take us to Kentucky. I have to drop this off to a client before we continue on our way," he replies.

I look at him through the truck. "What the heck are we going to use as transportation after we drop the truck off?" I ask incredulously.

He smirks. "Don't worry about that. I have that covered." He seems so sure, that I don't say anything.

I shake my head and climb in beside Calypso on the passenger side. "How long do you think it'll take? And where in Kentucky are we going?" I really hope that it won't be a long car ride. I hate being cooped up for super long periods of time.

"Well, we're in Blacksburg, Virginia and we have to go to Sparta, Kentucky, so I estimate two to three hours at most," Leo replies as he climbs in and shuts the door. "Please shut the door so that we can go."

I pull the door shut as Leo starts the car. "I could run there in like five minutes," I mutter as he pulls out of the parking lot.

"What was that?" Calypso asks.

Shaking my head, I mutter, "It's nothing."

The car ride is surprisingly quiet and calm. Occasionally, we have some small talk, but most of the time we stay in comfortable silence. I've even dozed off a few times. Before I know it, though, I find that we're pulling up to a nice house.

"We're here," Leo exclaims as he parks the truck. "Phew! Now we can take a break before heading off again."

We get out of the car and stretch. Calypso and I stay outside while Leo goes and gets his client. As we're standing there, I start to feel a pull again; at the same time, a sense of unease washes over me.

I shiver slightly. "Whoa ... it's like I'm sensing the hostility of someone or something," I murmur, rubbing my arms.

"Are you feeling the pull?" Calypso asks.

I raise an eyebrow as I look at her. "Pull?" I question.

She nods. "The pull of Lupa. Yes, you might be Greek, but you are also a werewolf. You'll feel the pull of Lupa at some point in time in your life. Plus, we're heading closer to where she has her pack. It's only natural for you to feel a pull. That's good, because then we definitely won't get lost," she explains.