Chapter Two

Loria’s POV

Sitting in my room I start to work on a paper for English Literature. It is 4:30 and dinner won't be ready until six. Andy is stretched out on my bed deep in a calculus project. Since we skipped school today we thought the responsible thing to do would be to do some of the school work we had with us. 

I told mom that I skipped school, usually she would throw a fit but she knows that i didn’t feel right this morning. She also said i get a get out of jail free card since it is my birthday. Andy called him mom and explained but she didn’t ground him. Andy always does what he is supposed to do. 

I keep trying to type up the paper but the words keep coming out wrong. It is supposed to be a creative writing assignment. 

After about thirty minutes, I slammed my laptop shut with frustration.

“Whoah, Liora, are you okay?” Andy asks looking up from his text book. 

“I wish everyone would stop asking that,” I say with a sigh. “I am just frustrated, I can’t get the words to come out right. I’ll worry about it later”

“You know if you want to talk I won’t say anything, I always keep your secrets.”

“I know that Andy, and when I know what is going on I will talk to you about it but even I don’t know what is going on.”

“You wanna go sit in the old treehouse and read?” Andy proposes.

“Yeah let me run to the bathroom and grab a book, I'll meet you out there”

Andy nods while standing up, he slips out of the bedroom with me on his heels. He goes towards the stairs and I go to my bathroom. I quickly wash my face with cool water. But I still don't feel right. 

In the hallways there is a huge bookshelf, absentmindedly I grab a book without even looking at the title. 

The treehouse sits in the only tree in the yard. I can see Andy's feet hanging over the side of it. The old rope ladder hangs waiting for me. It doesn't take long to climb it. 

Andy is laying with his head in the center of the floor with his feet hanging over the side. I lay opposite of him, our heads right beside each other, my feet hanging over the other side of the floor. 

Now for the first time glancing at the book I notice that it is one of the werewolf books my mother likes to read. It feel like ice sliding down my spine. I have read a few of these books. 

Shaking away the strange icy feeling I flip open the cover and start to read. 

The sun has started sinking, the sky painted with hues of purple, orange, and red. This is truly my favorite time of day. The book was short but there was a lot of information on werewolves. Information, what do I mean, werewolves don't exist. 

Or do they?

It is that voice again. 

The same one from this morning. A voice that isn’t mine. A voice inside my head.

Maybe I am going crazy.

You’re not.

My heart almost stops in my chest. I think I need to go to the hospital. 

You Don’t.

“Andy, I’m gonna go see if dinner is done yet.” I stand abruptly and start to descend the rope ladder. 

“Wait, I’ll come with you, I need a bathroom break anyway.”

Walking through the back door the aroma makes my mouth water, lasagna, and breadsticks. Mom wasn’t lying when she said she was making my favorite. 

The table is set and mom is placing a bowl of salad in the middle. 

“I was about to come get you kids. I am about to pull the lasagna from the oven. Breadsticks are on the counter, can you grab them?”

“Yeah mom I’ll grab them.”

Ten minutes later we are all sitting around the dining table with plates fixed. But my appetite is gone. I am hearing voices that nobody else can hear.

Not “voices” , just one voice.

There it is again. 

I think I need sleep.

“Mom, I know it is my birthday, and I know you worked hard on this meal but im not feeling well may I be excused?”

Her eyes raked over me, “You don’t want cake?”

I just shake my head in response.

“Can I still stay the night?” Andy asks. 

“Of course you can,” both my mom and I say in unison. 

“Go on hunny, we will bring your cake up to you so that you can blow out the candles.” My dad says.

Nodding, I push my chair back and stand up. I don’t really feel sick just off. Maybe it is the full moon.

It is.

Ughh why can’t this stupid voice go away?

Because you are stuck with me. It will make sense soon. 

My room is dark but I don’t bother to turn the light on. Walking to the window I throw the blinds open and raise the glass pane. My eyes catch the shine of the moon and it feels like a jolt of electricity shoots through my body. 

My ankle snaps, and a scream leaves my lips. Then it snaps back into place. I don't even hear the footsteps of my family and my best friend. Blood racing through my head drowns out all the noise. I can't even hear myself screaming. 

My bones start snapping then taking another form. Golden fur sprouts all over my body. Then all of my bones snapped simultaneously. The blood rush was wearing off. Opening my eyes I see that I am not standing on my feet. I can feel four paws on the floor.

Paws?

What the hell is this?

“You are a werewolf, Loria.” 

“Who are you?”

“I am your wolf, my name is Zerina.” 

“My wolf?” I ask dumbfounded.

“Yes, your wolf.” She says, “Why are our parents human?”

“Probably because this is just a bad dream and nothing that is happening is real.”

“But it is real there is no way they are biologically our parents.”

What are you saying?

“They either adopted you or they stole you as a baby.”

Trembling as I am suddenly back in human form. 

But my body is naked and covered in blood. Looking up I see Mom, Dad and Andy all standing in the doorway. 

Mom has tears in her eyes. 

Dad is white as a ghost. 

And Andy poor poor Andy his best friend is a freak. 

“Loria... baby…” Mom says softly 

“Whatever just happened is not normal,” dad whispers. 

“What... what the hell just happened,”Andy whispered. 

 He takes a step back, like he’s not sure if he’s still dreaming. He pinches his arm then walks over to the wall hanger and grabs my robe. Politely he holds it up for me to put it on. 

“Loria… you just—your face—your body—you were a wolf!”

My entire body shakes as he wraps my robe around me.

“You saw it. You saw it too?” I ask desperation evident in my voice. 

“Mom, Dad, you're not my biological parents are you?” I half expected my voice to come out shaking but instead it held strong. 

“I am going to start you a shower, then I will make tea. We need to talk.” Mom said.

“I want to talk now and I am not getting a shower until I get an explanation to what in the hell just happened to me.” my blood is starting to boil.

Then inside my head that same voice, the voice of my wolf? 

“Yes I am your wolf, they are scared. Take it slow.”

“And I’m not?” I scoffed back.

“You are confused and angry, we share emotions. Though I agree with the confusion.” she tells me thoughtfully, “let's hear them out, please”

“Fine,” I say, rolling my eyes.

Refocusing on surroundings I realize everyone is staring at me.

“What,” I ask no one in particular.

“Your… Your eyes. They were flashing from your normal green to bright gold.” Andy says in awed shock.

I shake my head not understanding. Looking at mom she looks fascinated, but dad, he looks terrified. 

“Mom, go make the tea let me throw on some clothes, dad you can go with her.” I tell them.

“Can I stay with you,” Andy asks. 

I just nod my head. Mom and dad retreat down the hallway. Looking around the room I see the damage that was done during that umm…

“Shift,” Zerina plugs in the word I'm looking for. 

I don’t think I will ever get used to this.

“You will,” Zerina laughs.

“Look, could you not read my thoughts,” I started to become annoyed.

“Kinda hard to do that, I am in your head after all,” she rolls her eyes.  

Andy snaps his fingers in front of my face.

“Earth to Loria,” he says grinning.

“Sorry I was talking to Zerina,” I told him. “Why do you look so happy?”

“My best friend just turned into the most beautiful thing. How could I not be happy,” he asks with excitement in his voice. “God, I wonder how fast you can run now?” 

“Andy, this is serious.” I smack his shoulder but even I am trying not to crack a grin. 

“I know but it is still cool as shit.” He shrugs.

“Did you see the look on my dads face?” I whisper.

“I did but I think he is just scared.” He places his hand on my shoulder, “Sit down, I will get you some clothes.”

Doing as he says I sit on the side of my bed. The comforter now ripped but Zerina’s claws. Running my finger along the slice marks, I see why my dad is scared. 

But he isn’t even my dad is he?

Andy comes out of the closet with a tshirt and a pair of shorts. 

“Here put these on and we can go down stairs.” he tosses the clothes into my lap.

I pull the shorts on and untie the robe letting it fall. Slipping the shirt on, I realize that I am extremely sore.

“I think it is normal.” Zerina says.

“So I will feel like this every time?” I ask shocked.

“I dont think so.”

“You don’t think so? Aren’t you supposed to know these things?” I rattle off.

“I don’t know everything, but I do know what you have read in those books.”

“Are you going off of books written by humans?” 

“For your information I am in the dark just as much as you,” she struts off into the back of my head. 

I can feel her irritation but I know she can feel mine as well. 

Andy is waiting for me at the door. 

“Andy, hold on,” I say.

He turns back to look at me, “Yeah?”

“They did not give birth to me. But that doesn’t change the fact that they are my parents…” I swallow, “Right?”

“They are your parents for every reason that matters. Being a parent doesn’t necessarily mean giving birth to a child, it is caring for a child, loving it, teaching it, and watching it grow. There is so much more to parents that dna.” He tells me seriously. 

“Okay then, time to go hear mom and dad out. I know dad has no idea what is going on. All he knows is that his little girl just turned into a really big dog.” shaking my head I walk towards the door.