Here Lies

Chapter 1

A woman approached the door, I had been dragging myself and finally saw light flooding through a window. The door opened and I cried out and the woman's head jerked in my direction. "Hello?" She called out.

I cried out again and used my front paws to drag myself, my claws dug into the mud and a shudder went through me. I had been freezing for hours now, this cold rain that seemed endless didn't help matters either. The woman gasped as she saw my dark, tattered form.

"Can you understand me?" She asked uncertainly.

"Help..." I barely managed to say, it was very hard to speak in my wolf form, it was possible just not easy.

"Oh god! Hang on dear, let me help you!" She said as she hurried to my side. "Eden! Get the fire started!" She called into the house as she placed a foot on either side of me and grunted as she lifted me. I helped lift myself as much as I could but with the condition I was in, it wasn't very fucking easy.

After much struggle the brown haired woman managed to get me inside. I folded in on myself as my body shuddered and quaked, as if I was going to change forms. After a few moments it passed and I lay there in pain as I tried to keep breathing.

I saw the warm glow of a fire and crawled towards it which used all the strength I had left. I heard quick footsteps and a little boy that was about 10 years younger than me stopped and stared at me with curiosity.

"Whoa, I've never seen a werewolf in real life before! Your even prettier than I imagined! Or at least I bet you are really pretty when you aren't hurt... What happened to you? Can you speak as a wolf?" He asked.

Slowly he held his hand out, palm up. At first the wolf in me recoiled at the sight of the tiny hand but I reasoned with myself. I didn't move so the boy slowly turned his hand and placed it on my head. "Your fur is like silk when it's wet..." He whispered.

I let out a whimper as pain shot up my back leg and into my hip. "My name is Eden by the way, that woman is my momma. She loves taking care of the injured. My pops isn't as nice though, maybe we can play you off as a stray dog if he's in a good mood and you don't change forms." Eden said.

"Eden give him space baby, he's hurt." Eden's mom said.

"My name is Hannah, don't mind Eden here. He gets so excited about everything. Can you tell me your name?" Hannah asked.

It took a few tries and it came out as growls and snarls at first but finally I managed to get my name out. "August." I told them.

"Well then August, let me see what's wrong with you." Hannah said as she rolled up her sleeves. She pushed my black fur around trying to see my wounds. When she took a hold of my rear left leg and bent it I yelped and instinctively snapped my teeth at her before snarling.

"Easy August, I didn't mean to hurt you..." She said from where she had jumped back in surprise. I snarled some more before slowly laying my head on my paws. Gently Hannah felt around my leg and hip before finally she found the issue.

I had been shot by someone three times, in my leg twice and my hip once. "August, I might not be able to help you. If this is silver then I can't extract these without burning you in the process." Hannah said.

"Why would he get burned?" Eden asked Hannah.

"Werewolves are allergic to silver basically, if silver touches an open wound it burns them, if I were to take out these bullets then they would burn him on the way out." Hannah explained.

My body spasmed again and I let out an ear piercing howl of pain. "August! Hang on!" Hannah said as she ran out of the living room. When she returned she had a syringe in hand. "This will help with the pain but it will also make you fall asleep, while your sleeping I'll try to remove the bullets and close up your wounds okay?" Hannah asked.

I lay my head down and held still as she poked the needle into my neck. I winced slightly but it was more of a pinch than anything else. Slowly Hannah injected the pain meds into my body and after a few moments I began to relax.

I awoke with a start as I heard a car door slam. Heavy footsteps stomped towards the house and I continued to lay there as if I were still asleep. The front door opened and I heard Hannah rush to set something down. "Is my dinner ready yet woman?" A voice said darkly.

"Yes, I just set it on the table." She said.

"Good, grab me a cold one out of the fridge." He said a little lighter.

"Yes dear." Hannah said, it was as if she was a different person. I felt Eden grab a fistfull of my fur and I could smell the fear and uncertainty rolling off of him. No child should be afraid of their father like this.

I felt a spasm of pain as the medicine Hannah had given me finally wore off. I choked back a whine but the pain was increasing. I yelped as more pain jolted through my leg and hip. "What in the hell is that?" The man asked.

"Please don't be mad dear, it's only staying until it can get around on its own." Hannah said quickly.

"What is it exactly?" He asked again.

"It's a dog." Hannah said.

The heavy footsteps came closer to me and I winced again in pain. I opened my eyes to see a tall man crouching down in front of me. "This ain't no dog Hannah, it's a fucking wolf." The man said. "Even though there isn't many left in this state I'd bet it's a werewolf." He said.

I froze, why did this man care what I was? "Okay you beast, turn into a man or woman, whatever you are, so that we can have a conversation..." The man said slowly. Oh no, I don't know if I could change forms yet...

"Marty, I just finished removing three bullets from him a few hours ago. He's in no condition for that type of thing if he is a werewolf." Hannah said.

The man, Marty, raised his hand, about ready to strike Hannah but I jumped to my paws and snarled at him. His hand descended towards Hannah and I knocked him over and had him pinned before he knew what was happening.

I snarled but it quickly turned into cries of pain as Marty kicked my hind leg, the one that was wrapped in gauze. "Marty!" Hannah yelled as Marty rolled us over so he was kneeling with a leg on either side of me.

His belt was in hand, raised as if to strike me with it. I received a blow to the head and something rose up inside of me, something I have feared my whole life. I pulled my lips back into a terrifying snarl and Marty seemed to falter before I found myself closing my teeth around his arm.

Just as soon as I sunk my teeth into Marty's arm, I was letting go and kicking him off of me. I rolled onto my paws and backed away quickly. I never attacked anyone unless it was self defense, I guess this was self defense but the feeling that surged through me terrifies me.

"You stupid fucking animal, you bit my arm!" Marty bellowed at me in rage.

"Don't hit me. Ever." I growled out which was surprising for me.

"Your lucky this time, next time get my gun Hannah." Marty said.

I felt the pain in my leg big time then, it was also bleeding again. Slowly I felt myself sway before darkness swallowed me...