It has been few days since the incident at the diner. My dad has been so strange lately. I don't know what his deal is, but he's been super protective, not letting me walk to the bus but driving me to the bus stop or school. When he had his shift at work, he called the house line rather than my cell phone to make sure I was at home where I always am. If he knew how to track my cell phone, I'm sure he would have.
He also hasn't been drinking, which, unfortunately for me, means he's super on edge and snapping at me over everything. I wash the dishes too loudly; I use too much laundry detergent, leave my hair on the sink, and don't check in enough throughout the day. All I know is I hope he calms down soon. My birthday is in five days, and my dad has decided to take me on a camping trip to celebrate, which is also weird. We don't do camping trips. I don't even want to go camping, but I also don't want to say no. It's just not worth the fight.
The next couple of days went by horribly slowly, with my dad continuing to be strange and overbearing, even stopping in at my work to check up on me. Nova had been quiet, too. That changed last night, though. I had been sleeping in my room, and I woke up because I heard my dad talking to someone.
"I don't think so. Gemma swore Lila wasn't one of them." He said to someone on the phone.
I usually wouldn't eavesdrop, but Gemma is my mom's name. I don't know much about my mom. My dad has always gotten angry if I asked about her. I know he said she died during childbirth. I've always assumed that's why my dad drinks so much. He doesn't date. I'm sure he's lonely. I think maybe that's why he's been so weird lately. He knows I will be eighteen soon; if I leave, it will just be him. That makes my wanting to leave this place so difficult. I don't want my dad to be hurt more than he already does. Losing my mom had to be hard on him, and then being stuck raising a daughter on his own.
"No, I don't think Gemma lied. If Lila were, I would have seen signs by now. Her birthday is in a few days, though. I'm taking her camping, though, just in case. If it turns out Gemma lied, I'll make sure to take care of it."
Nova was getting really upset, so I stopped listening and went back to my room as quietly as possible. I didn't want my dad to hear me.
I woke up the next morning. It was Saturday, and I didn't work today, and my dad was on shift, which thankfully means I finally get some peace and don't have to tiptoe around him. My dad was gone when I woke up and went into the kitchen. A note on the table was just a reminder to pack for the camping trip and not to go into town and text him if I planned to leave the house at all.
Nova was eager to get out and go on a hike. I decided to shoot my dad a quick text
"Hey, Dad, I'm going to go on a short hike to break in my hiking boots. I haven't worn them in almost a year and want to make sure I'm ready for the trip."
My dad responded almost instantly.
"Sounds like a great idea, Lila. I'm glad you are excited about the trip. Take your pepper spray and text me the minute you get back at the house."
I replied with a thumbs up. I have hiking boots from last year when I thought I was going to pick up hiking as a hobby. That didn't go far. I realized hiking alone just isn't very fun, and it interfered with my ability to pick up extra shifts at the diner.
I went out back of our house and just started walking into the wooded area. I didn't have anywhere in mind but there are lots of little game trails I can follow. Most lead to a creek so I just choose one and go.
Nova starts talking about five minutes into our hike. "Lila, I need you to go to the little cave by the creek."
"I don't feel like going that far today. I want to enjoy the quiet of the house." I whine
"Just please listen. I'm your wolf and I need you to shift today."
What on earth is going on with my thoughts today? I have obviously been reading way to much lately. My wolf that's laughable.
"Lila, shut up! This is serious. Something isn't right about the camping trip, and normally, you wouldn't have your first shift until your eighteenth birthday, but it needs to happen today."
I can feel her pushing on my mind, and something isn't right. It's as though I'm losing control of my body, and she's taking over. My feet move without my permission in the direction of the cave. I don't know what's happening, but something isn't right. I think I might be losing my mind. I don't know anything about my mom's side of the family. I wonder if this is genetic. Maybe I need serious help from a professional.
I hear Nova laugh. "Lila, you're not crazy. Everything is going to make sense here very soon. We just need to get to the safety of the cave.
We get to the cave and Nova starts going inside.
"No way Nova. We aren't going in there. Something could be inside." I say.
"If anything was in there we needed to be worried about I'd smell it." she says.
I get into the cave, and suddenly it feels very warm, and Nova is telling me to strip out of my clothes.
"No! H*ll no. I'm in the cave. We came all the way out here. I'm not undressing in some creepy cave, Nova." I said and can't help the quiver in my voice.
"Lila, if we don't undress you will be walking home naked. We need to keep your clothes intact, or it's going to be really obvious something happened out here." She says in a soothing voice.
"What is happening out here Nova?" I ask fear strong in my voice.
"Lila, please trust me. Have I done anything to hurt you far.?" I think about it. Since Nova popped into my mind, things have actually been better for me. I feel like I have the best friend I always wanted in her. I thought having her is what it might feel like for kids who have an imaginary friend. Mine just came much later in life.
I undress and stand in there waiting to see what she wants me to do next. I am hit with a sudden sharp pain that goes down my spine, causing me to fall to the ground with a scream so loud I could shatter glass.
"I know it hurts. It won't be like this every time. If we could have waited till your birthday it would have been less painful. I'm so sorry," says Nova.
"What is happening?" I cry out
"I told you I'm your wolf. You are shifting. It will be over soon. Try to relax as much as you can." She says soothingly.
I can't talk anymore. The pain is too much. I think this is what death feels like. I think I might be dying. I have never felt anything like this. I hear cracks and pops as my body twitches and contorts. Then, as quickly as the pain came, it stopped. I lay on the ground afraid to move or even open my eyes.
"Lila, you need to get up," says Nova gently.
"I don't think I can."
"Lila, get up. We don't have much time. We'll need to get you back home to check in with your dad soon."
She's right. He will get mad if I'm out too long. I go to push myself up, but something isn't right. Where my hand should be are paws. I have paws.
"Nova, where are my hands?"
"I told you I'm your wolf." That's all she says.
I look around the cave and decide to go look at myself in the creek to see what I look like. Maybe it will just be my face staring back at me, and I'll know this is just me completely losing it.
I get to the creek and see my reflection. It isn't my face, though I truly am a wolf. I see a dark brown wolf with copper highlights shining through the sun. My dark green eyes look otherworldly now; they are bright green. I can hear and smell everything around me with a clarity I didn't know was possible.
"Lila, go back to the cave now." Nova almost screams.
I don't hesitate. I hurry to the cave, and as soon as I'm inside, my body is shifting again. It doesn't hurt nearly as badly this time. Nova keeps telling me to be quiet. I'm on the ground in my own body again and Nova is telling me to get dressed. I don't hesitate. I'm putting on my hiking back when I hear footsteps just outside the cave.
Whoever is out there comes into the cave, and I step back, staring in complete disbelief. "Dad," I say in almost a whisper.My dad looked around quickly, turned on a flashlight he had with him, and examined every crevice of the cave. I stand there watching him. I don't know what's going on with him lately, but something is bothering him. I'm sure it has something to do with his phone conversation I overheard last night."What on earth are you doing here, Lila?" He asks me as he still looks around the cave."I found this cave and just thought I'd check it out and see if there was anything cool in here," I say in a very calm voice, looking in the eyes. I don't lie to my dad, but he seems unhinged and, for the first time in my life, I feel afraid of him. I've always been anxious around him, but I knew he wouldn't hurt me. He was just a little unstable and a bit unpredictable. This is different, though."Well, what did you find?" He asks, looking at me in a way that makes the hair on my n
When my birthday came, I was excited to know I didn't have to worry about shifting in front of my dad, thanks to Nova. I have also come to terms with being a werewolf. It is actually really nice to know I'm not alone. I have spent so much of my life feeling alone and like no one really cared about me. I mean, I've always had my dad, but that's been a weird relationship. Sometimes I feel like he hates me or like I'm just here to take care of him and make his life easier, but then there are time when I think my dad really does care. He will show up at my work and want to spend time together. I've always loved those rare times.My dad has been checking in on me a lot lately, to the point where it's almost suffocating, and when he's checking in on me, it is like he is just waiting to catch me doing something wrong. He seems surprised when he finds me just going about my day like always. He will relax and give me a side hug or tell me I'm a good kid. All I know is it's weird, and I hope he
Nova and I ran until she physically couldn't go any further. At that point, we shifted, and I dressed, taking over. Nova had gotten us close to a little town. I walked into the town until I found a bus station. I wasn't sure where I was going to go. I lived in a small town in Idaho. I always hated the cold, so looking at the map, I decided to go to Arizona. I remember a time when my dad was really drunk; he had mentioned my mom was from Arizona. I wanted to see if Nova liked the idea of going to Arizona, but she was asleep. She was exhausted from running so far.I bought my ticket and boarded the bus. I didn't have any friends I was leaving behind. The only people who will probably even notice I'm gone are my teachers and the people I work with at the diner. I won't be able to reach out to them, though my dad will be giving everyone a hard time trying to find me. That's one thing I can be sure of. Luckily I hadn't opened a bank account because my dad could never be bothered to go with
Since discovering Lila is my mate, I have been following her around as discreetly as possible. Jake has been looking into her and her father in as much detail as possible. Donte has been speaking to people around town to try to dig up what he can. I return to the hotel, trying to control my temper. I am getting really irritated by Keith, Lila's father, because he seems to be guarding her, and I can't get close to her. I need to be near her more than I have ever needed anything.I barge into the room. "Luke, I've got something on her." I have never been so happy to have Jake as my beta."What did you find?""She did have a birth certificate to enroll in school. Someone just went into their system and wiped it. I was able to pull it from the state records, though. Lila Anneli Parker is her full name. Her parents are Kieth Parker and Gemma Woods.""Gemma. Her mother is Gemma. I need to call my father.""Wait, dude, there's more." I brace myself for what else Jake found."She came here wi
Betty is wonderful. She is the grandmother I wish I had growing up. Stephanie said she could be difficult, but I haven't found that to be true. Betty is opinionated and likes things a certain way, but who doesn't? Betty doesn't need a lot of care, more, so she needs companionship. I go out and do all the shopping, I keep the house tidy and tend to Betty's garden. Betty likes to cook. I have never had such good food. My dad didn't cook often, so we ate microwave meals and ordered out a lot.I tried cooking for Betty but was horrible at it. She tried one bite, stood up from the table, and dumped the dinner I made straight into the bin. I almost started crying, but Betty laughed and said she's had a lot of bad meals in her time but that my burnt yet raw chicken was probably one of the worst things she's ever been served, and from that point, she's been determined to try to teach me how to cook.After spending time with Betty, I can proudly say that I can now make scrambled eggs only, som
I just bit him. I literally bit someone. I feel Nova is absolutely delighted with herself. I, on the other hand, am completely mortified. I step back from the beautiful man I just physically assaulted and he is smiling down at me."Well, hello there, my sweet little mate." He chuckles, looking down at me."I... I... am so sorry. It's my wolf."He is all smiles, though, as I realize I am still standing much too close to this man he pulls me into a hug and plants a gentle kiss on the top of my forehead."I see you have met my grandma." I hear Betty coughing behind me.Betty is still where I had just walked past her when trying to leave. I told her I had met my mate, but we hadn't discussed it yet. That's one of the things I was hoping to ask her about before things fell apart today."Good thing you arrived when you did, Luke. Your mate is a runner. You caught her just in time." She has a lightness in her voice as she says this, and I see a smile in her eyes.My eyes dart between these t
I sighed and knew I needed to tell Lila everything. Her wolf chose me, but I want her, the woman, to want to choose me as well. I have been watching Lila for weeks, and she is an incredible woman. She is strong, hard-working, kind, and gorgeous."I came to your town to find Gemma."Lila let out a gasp. "My mom?""Yes, I was supposed to be looking for her to see where she might have gone. My dad has been searching for her for years.""Well, I can help with that. My mom died during childbirth." Her voice is quiet, and it quivers as she holds back tears for a mom she never had the chance to know, and my heart aches for her, knowing her world is going to be turned upside down yet again."That's not exactly true. Me and the two men you saw me with at the diner, Jake and Donte, we've been looking into her. We also looked into it once we saw you at the diner." I looked at her, and she didn't seem surprised."Okay, what did you find out?" She bit her lip, a nervous gesture I guessed. If this
I feel as though I'm living in a movie. Nothing feels real right now. I want answers to my questions, and I'll take time to process them later."Well, your wolf bit me because she has chosen me to be her mate. What this means is that she has committed herself to me. It will be very difficult for you to leave me now. Your wolf will pull you toward me. There are a lot of things that come with being a wolf and being mated. Your wolf has linked you to me. I can feel your emotions." Did he seriously just say he can feel my emotions that can't be possible? He is miscommunication.I interrupted him, "Can you elaborate on the feeling my emotions bit?""Well, your wolf is tethered to me, so I can feel what you feel, but not quite to the same extreme because we aren't fully mated yet. My wolf hasn't bitten you yet. Once that happens, you'll be able to feel my emotions too and more." I can tell he's hesitant to tell me everything. So I just move on to my next questions."My wolf, Nova, can I get