15. The beast

"Victoria! Come back here! Victoria!"

She continues shouting, but I don't look back. I run down the stairs, through the living room, and burst out the door.

‘Good,’ I think to myself when I see her car is still parked outside. One less obstacle blocking my car's path.

I go straight to the garage and input the door code. The door slides up smoothly. I step inside and immediately notice that my Daddy's car isn't there. Maybe it hasn't been brought home from his office yet. My car is where it usually is, parked beside the family sedan.

The tears I've been trying so hard to hold back spill freely when I see that the cover has been removed, I guess in readiness for my return. My daddy just never forgets. I wipe my tears with my fingers as I walk over to the key holder on the wall and retrieve mine.

The sweet, fresh fragrance that greets me when I open the driver's door further confirms that the car has been recently vacuumed.

"Oh, Daddy..." I whisper. I lay my head against the steering wheel and cry.

"I miss you... Please come back. What am I going to do without you? What are we going to do without you?" I cry until I'm spent.

Once I've gotten my emotions under control, I raise my head and glance at the dashboard.

6:05 p.m.

It will soon be dark. I'd better get going.

I pull some tissues from the holder in the center console to wipe my eyes and nose before turning on the ignition. The engine roars to life, and I relax into the seat, allowing the familiar sound to soothe my frayed nerves.

My car is a Porsche 911 Turbo S that Daddy gifted me for my eighteenth birthday. A high-performance sports car known for its exceptional speed–something I absolutely love, and my mom absolutely hates for the same reason.

It's night by the time I arrive at my destination, which is exactly what I want. The place will be closed to hikers by this time of day. I turn the car onto a familiar dirt road and park in a secluded spot hidden from view by dense foliage.

Now it's time to wake Snow.

It's been four months since I put her to sleep, so I know it's going to take more than simply calling her name to wake her from her hibernating state. To reach my inner world, where she resides, I first need to free my mind of all emotional distractions.

I lean back in my seat, close my eyes, and begin taking slow, deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling until I'm relaxed enough to see her. She's sleeping on her side, stretched out with her legs extended. Because of her hibernating state, she has no idea what has been going on in my life over the last four months. But the moment I wake her, she'll automatically absorb it all like a sponge.

Snow, it's time to wake up, I say, combing my fingers through her thick, white fur. Come on, girl. Wake up!

Her eyes open. The moment she sees me, she rises.

My wolf is majestic and graceful, standing exactly five feet, seven inches tall on all fours. She's the biggest I've ever seen–bigger than both Mom and Dad's wolves.

‘Good to see you too, girl.’

I laugh as she nuzzles, bumps, and rubs herself against me. Then she stands on her hind legs and places her forelegs on my shoulders so she can look into my eyes.

‘Reef?!’ she exclaims questioningly. ‘I'm so sorry.’

Reef is my daddy's wolf.

‘Yeah...’ I say with a nod. ‘Come on! Time for exercise!’ I add quickly, trying not to dwell on my grief.

‘We will kill them all for this! Whoever is responsible,’ she growls.

I shake my head, immediately correcting her.

‘No, Snow! Remember, we can't go around killing people just because we're angry about something they did to us.’

‘We can't kill them? Even when they killed your daddy and Reef?’

I think about her question for a few seconds before replying.

‘I will be the one to determine when it's time to kill and who to kill, all right?’ I make sure my voice is firm, reminding her who is the master between us.

‘Yes!’ she replies.

I nod.

‘Although we can't kill them, we'll make sure they're prosecuted to the full extent of the law.’

‘Yes!’ she replies again.

When I'm done with her, I open my eyes and step out of the car. I can clearly see in the dark now, thanks to my wolf eyes. Although I'm as excited as Snow to go on the run, I'm also sad because this is the first time I'm coming here without my Daddy. He went far from home and found this place so I could exercise my wolf without people gawking at her like she was some rare exhibit in an exhibition.

Since Dad isn't with me, I strip down and throw my clothes onto the passenger seat. I lock the car and walk around to the driver's side to place the key on the wheel, so I won't lose it while running. Then I set off on foot toward the place my daddy named Snow-Haven.

The moon is high in the sky. Indeed, it's a perfect night to shift. I follow the dirt road until I arrive at a steep, stair-like path. The silence and solitude of my surroundings are already working their magic on my emotional state as I walk down the path. Then I finally see the secluded valley of Snow-Haven, originally called Raven Falls.

I leap forward and fluidly shift, allowing my wolf to land at the bottom of the valley. I can't help but laugh as she leaps and rolls around in the grass like a pup, obviously enjoying her emergence after four months of hibernation.

Since she knows our routine, I leave her in control to do as she wishes. We have many hours ahead of us before daylight, so there's no rush. After she's played to her satisfaction, she begins to run leisurely. Snow is a very fast and hard runner. I know she'll pick up her pace when the time is right.

Gradually, her speed increases. The night wind ruffles her fur as she runs harder. She's almost abreast of an oak tree–our personal landmark when she suddenly veers left and begins sprinting up the rugged slope of the misty mountain.

The thrill of the run courses through every cell of her body, making me feel alive and itching for what's coming next. The best part of the evening for me. Up and on she climbs, pushing herself to the limit, the pounding of her heart perfectly synchronized with the rhythmic thud of her huge paws against the mountain trail.

Nearing the cliff's edge, I take over and swiftly shift back into my human form, just in time to launch myself over the edge, down about four thousand meters below.

"Whooo-hooooo! Yeahhhh!" I scream in excitement as I dive.

Now, unless you're a skydiver, you won't understand how incredibly liberating and peaceful the exhilarating rush of free-falling through the air is. The adrenaline pumping. The wind blowing in your face. But that feeling is nothing compared to plunging into the welcoming arms of the ocean. There's no other word to describe it than magical.

The moment my body slices into the water, I glide effortlessly down into depths that seem unending. Contrary to what some people say about the depth of the ocean, the deeper I dive, the more I love it and the more at home I feel.

Strange, right?

As a werewolf, how do I explain to people the sense of belonging and freedom I feel whenever I swim in the vastness of the Atlantic without sounding crazy? How do I explain how peaceful I find myself underwater compared to on land? How do I explain the deep connection I feel with aquatic creatures–more than I feel with those on land?

"Unless you want to become a specimen in some underground government lab, then you will keep this to yourself, you hear me?"

My daddy once warned me sternly. No one else knows about this part of me. Not even my mom.

The ocean is beautiful and awe-inspiring. Whether it's day or night makes no difference to me since I can see clearly either way. It's just a shame that most of the sea creatures are sleeping at this time of night. I would have loved to play with them.

Knowing how easy it is for me to lose track of time whenever I'm underwater, I change course when I feel I've gone deep enough and begin to ascend.

"This is awesome!"

I can't help shouting into the night when I resurface.

Laughing, I paddle around for a while, gathering momentum before suddenly launching my entire body out of the water. I plunge back in with a huge splash, causing a shark that probably thinks I'm food to scurry away.

I laugh.

"Hey! Friendlies here! Come back. I won't hurt you!" I shout after it. "Why can't we be friends, though?" I add when it continues swimming away.

"Aw, I'm sorry. I don't speak shark. Just English and French." I laugh at my own silliness.

I play and paddle around for a while, hoping the shark will come back so I can play with it, but it doesn't.

‘Oh well. Perhaps next time.’

I swim toward a rocky promontory. I climb onto it and sit for a while, simply appreciating the beauty of nature before I start heading home. I don't know how long it will be before I'll be able to return here again.

A splash in the water far to my right catches my attention, and I smile.

Did the shark come back? Or could it be another sea creature? An octopus, perhaps? I hope so as I quickly stand, ready to dive in again. Octopuses are masters of disguise, and I'm yet to meet one that isn't imprisoned in a tank.

‘Wait!’ Snow's voice rings sharply through my mind, making me freeze in a diving pose.

Immediately, my instincts flare. I become alert, looking intently at the vast expanse of water before me, but I find nothing. That only intensifies my unease. Especially when I feel the unmistakable sensation of being watched. A piercing gaze that makes my skin prickle.

My heart pounding, I turn sharply, hoping to catch whatever is sneaking up on me.

‘Something like what?’ I wonder as my sharp gaze scans the rough terrain of the headland.

Ever since I discovered I could breathe underwater, I've never been wary of any sea creature. None has ever attempted to harm me. They shy away from me, just like the shark I encountered earlier. But now, although I don't see anything, I can't shake the feeling that I'm being watched. And the fact that I can't smell whoever–or whatever–it is bothers me.

I turn my attention back toward the area where the splash came from. A cold prickle traces its way up my spine as my eyes zoom in, carefully scanning the water and the headland beyond it.

Then I freeze.

A wolf-like beast with blood-red eyes is staring intently at me. Its black fur blends so perfectly into the shadows that I wouldn't have been able to see it if not for those gleaming red eyes.

Even though we're separated by a wide stretch of water, I stand rooted to the spot, staring at him with my heart slamming hard in my chest as his predatory eyes gauge me. He steps out of the shadows when he realizes I've noticed him, and my heart nearly bursts out of my chest.

His piercing red eyes gleam with malevolent intent as he watches me with an unblinking stare.

By God, he's massive. And I thought Snow was big.

His muscles ripple beneath his sleek fur as he moves with an almost imperial grace. Every step is calculated, as if he has a purpose.

He looks dangerous. Like he eats werewolves like me for dinner.

I'm naked. I should run, but my body refuses to move. It's as if I'm spellbound. My legs seem to have stopped working. Even Snow, who is always quick to suggest that we kill, has suddenly gone quiet.

As our gazes lock, I begin to feel an urge to submit. To acknowledge his dominance. But something inside me refuses to yield. My fear of him can't change the fact that I have Alpha blood running through my veins, and I cannot be easily dominated.

With my heart still racing, I take a tentative step backward. Although my legs feel like lead, I manage another. He bares his fangs menacingly. I take it as a warning to stay put.

I can see from his expression that he knows I won't. He's toying with me. Waiting for the perfect moment to strike. He wants me to run so he can chase. He wants to hunt me before carrying out whatever sick intentions he has.

Sick bastard!

I'll be damned if I make it easy for him. I assess the distance between us. Even if he possesses superpowers, I doubt he'll be able to catch me because of my swimming ability and Snow's speed.

I laugh at him mockingly.

"You want this?" I shout, indicating my naked body.

He growls, menacingly baring his fangs.

"Then catch me if you can, sicko!" I say and dive into the sea.