Chapter 5

Cass's POV

Two Years Later...

It was my eighteenth birthday. I laid in bed that morning staring at the ceiling, not thinking about anything in particular. I got up and dressed in my favorite pair of skinny jeans, white fitted short sleeved v necked t-shirt, a black blazer, and a pair of red converse. I went with curling my hair, and natural makeup. Comfy yet stylish - That was my jam. I grabbed my backpack and jogged down the stairs. I could smell the food my mother had been cooking since I first woke up. I've got a good sniffer, what can I say? From the smell of it, I knew she'd made bacon, eggs, and french toast. Half of the way down the stairs I heard my dad call my name. I knew based on where his voice came from, he must be in his office. I walked the short distance past the kitchen to his office and walked in without knocking.

"Hey Sweetheart. Happy Birthday!" My dad was eyeballing me with concern and added, "How are you feeling?" Dad asked a little more inquisitive than seemed normal. Maybe he's just worried about my nerves with the big game coming up tonight. "Um. I'm good. Thanks Daddy!" I answered. He studied my face like he thought maybe I was lying. It seemed odd. "I'm not worried about the big game if that's what your asking. We're going to crush those bitches!" I declared confidently. 

"You better not let your mother hear you talk like that." He chuckled. "Get out there and eat before she comes looking for you. She worked hard on that breakfast."

I walked into the kitchen and sat at the bar. My mother had already put the food out and fixed me a plate. "Thanks mom! Best Birthday Breakfast Ever!" I said, honestly thankful. I love food. All food. I can't get enough of food. I am one of those lucky girls that can eat all day and never get fat. I don't know how, but i don't argue. I'm just grateful. 

After finishing my food, I hopped into my black Jeep Wrangler that I got for my birthday last year and headed to school. I turned on the radio and let the music from the local rock station play in the background. I wasn't really listening though. My mind started to drift and like always it drifted to a pair of icy blue eyes. They were as vivid in my mind driving to school as they had been that day.

It had been two years this summer since I saw him at Disney World. Two years of his face randomly popping into my mind. Two years of obsessing over a boy with no name. How lame am I? I did everything to forget him. I tried to date, but couldn't make myself interested in anyone enough to be fair to them. I thought about sleeping around, but I just wasnt that kind of girl. So, I threw myself into school and sports! I was always good at sports. I don't know why but the speed, agility, and coordination required for sports just came naturally to me. My dad kept me in what I liked to call survivalist training of course. I could survive out in the wild if there was ever an apocoliptic event I guess.  My unknown condition continued to plague me. You know, the one where I felt like I would internally combust! I had every test and study under the sun. Ive been to children's hospitals all over the country. The doctors found nothing. My mother of course stressed over this all the time, but my father seemed to focus less on the cause and more on teaching me to endure it. That shit hurt, but the more it happened, the more I learned how to mentally divert the pain. I no longer became incapacitated. I burried the pain and went on. I embraced it and used it to produce adrenaline. That adrenaline made me sharper and faster.   

My senior year was close to done. It was March and time for end of season tournments to start in basketball. I was 5'8 and the best player in the state with a scholarship to play college ball at the University of Conneticut. I couldn't wait to go off to college. I loved my family and friends here in the south, but I was ready to get a fresh start elsewhere.  I was determined to lead my team to the state title. Our school was hosting the state tournament for 4A Arkansas High School basketball. It was round one of the tournament and I was ready. 

I parked at in my usual spot in front of the high school, and hopped out of my Jeep with my backpack in tow. My friends were waiting for me of course. Being a star athlete came with lots of perks. Friends were one of them. Today was going to be a good day!

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The  buzzer went off, indicating the third quarter had ended. We had a pretty big lead, but we couldn't let up yet. Our coach gave us the next play to run and we left the huddle to start the 4th quarter. Just as the ball was about to be thown in bounds, I felt a sharp pain in my chest. It wasn't like the internal fire I felt sometimes. This was worse. Much worse. I doubled over at the waist grabbing hold of my basketball jersey trying my best not to scream. Before I knew what was happening I fell to the ground. My heart rate had increased what must have been ten fold. Then I heard it, my bones - they were snapping and breaking. 

I threw my head back and screamed in agony. I couldn't hear anything but my breaking bones and my thundering heartbeat. I couldn't be sure but I felt like the gym had gone silent. Suddenly I felt someone lifting me from the ground. I didn't know who it was, but they were running - to where I wasn't sure. "I'm taking her to the hospital!" someone yelled. The sound was muffled, but I was almost certain it was my father.

Another wave of pain ripped through me and I was sure I was about to die. I opened my mouth to scream again but nothing came out. I couldn't even scream anymore. "Hold on Cass. Just breath. It's going to be okay. I promise." My dad told me as he loaded me into the back of his truck, jumped into the drivers seat, and we took off. I had no clue where we were going and I couldn't form words to ask.

"Yes Janine! Of course I'm taking her to the ER. She is steady but still in pain. I don't know what is happening. It could be another one of her spells. Just stay there. She wouldn't want too much fuss about this." I heard my dad talking to my mother on the phone. Why wouldn't he want her to come with us? I can't believe he got out of there without her to be honest.

We must not have gone far because in what felt like no time at all, my dad was pulling me out of the back seat and we were running again. I could hear the sound of old leaves crunching under his feet. I kept my eyes closed. I was afraid to open them. The sound of breaking bones and a wave of pain hit me again. Only this time, instead of a scream, a loud roar ripped from my throat. It scared the shit out of me and could have sworn I heard my dad groan in pain. I must be hallucinating...that's what was going through my mind when my dad spoke. 

"Hold on sweetheart. I see a clearing up ahead." He said in a soothing voice.

We entered a small clearing and my dad quickly put me down. I could hear him take a few steps back, but before I could ask him anything I felt what would be the last and final wave of pain. The cracking of bones was louder than before. I could feel the bones in my face breaking, and the taste of blood filed my mouth. I rolled onto my stomach a dug my fingers into the earth. My spine cracked and elongated. My legs and feet grew. With one last growl a blast of pain and energy burst through me, and then i felt nothing but relief. The energy that burst from my body sent a bright blue wave through the clearing, and through the woods scaring every animal around. I heard birds scatter, the startled sounds of other unknown animals, and the howls of wolves. Or maybe they were dogs.  

My heart rate regulated back out, and I began to relax. I opened my eyes slowly. Blinking, I tried to raise my head to look around. Everything seemed surprisingly clear for how dark it was outside. I could hear everything that blew in the breeze, from the leaves to the branches in the trees. Then I heard a heartbeat. It wasn't mine. It was someone elses. I looked to my left and saw my dad. He looked scared - like really scared. I'd never seen him scared before. I stood up, and in doing so realized something was not right. I was seeing things from a much taller vantage point than I should be. I looked down at the ground and that's when I saw my feet. They weren't feet anymore. They looked more like paws than feet. I then held my hands out and what i saw terrified me. My fingers no longer looked like they should. They were longer, and had claws that looked like they could slice through someone with ease. My clothes were tattered and on the ground. I was standing on two legs, and from what I could tell I was covered in jet black fur or hair. I wasn't sure which or what to call it. I also appeared to be glowing or maybe shining. It looked. like a blue hue surrounded me.

Again I looked to my dad. This time I really looked at him. His shirt was ripped and he was bleeding. I took a step towards him and he held out his hands for me to stop. "Whoa Cass. It's me. Daddy." Was he scared of me? Don't get me wrong, I'm scared of me but I would never hurt my dad. I was in my right mind. I was just...well, I don't know what the hell I am right now.

"Dad what the hell happened!?" I said. Well, I thought I did, but the look on my dad's face made me wonder. He was shocked.

"Did you just speak to me in my mind?" He asked looking like he hoped I wouldn't answer.

"What are you talking about? What is happening Daddy? Please! Wait! Are you okay? You're bleeding." I was rambling. 

"Yep. That was definely telepathy. Fuck." my dad said as he ran his hands over his face. "Honey I'm fine. I got a few scratches running out here. I don't know all the details of what is going on, but I know a little. Look, I thought your great grandfather was crazy, but he used to tell me stories about our family being decendants of a royal Lycanthrope bloodline. My dad never mentioned it, but my grandpa did. Let's get you calmed down and see if we can get you home." He spoke the words to me, but he spoke slowly like he was afraid I was going to explode any second. "You need to try and shift back. I don't think this is perminant." He didn't sound sure.

"Wait, what the hell am I Dad? I need to see." hearing my request in his mind again, he took out his cell phone and took a picture. He then turned the cell phone towards me where I could see the screen. I took a few steps closer to him. i still felt awkward. What I saw on that phone screen was so unbelievable that I couldn't react. I looked like something out of a horror movie, but less evil maybe? Almost beautiful. This somehow brought me comfort. 

"Okay. I'll try to shift back. I have no clue what to do though." I said in his head again. I still had no clue how that worked. Fuck. I closed my eyes and tried to visualize myself as a human. Without warning, I felt the stinging and burning of my shrinking bones. The shift back was much less painful than the shift into lycanthrope form, or whatever the fuck it is. If I hadn't felt it and seen the picture on the phone for myself I wouldnt have believed it. My father ran to me and threw his shredded shirt on me. I guess this was better than nothing. He hugged me, and before i could hug him back i saw a lone tear run down the side of his face.