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Chapter 57

Twilight had started to descend by the time Sophia dragged her exhausted body up the steps to her house. The lights inside were off, save for the one in the front entryway, and the door was locked. It took her a few moments of panic to remember she had a key in her backpack and a few more to remember she had human hands capable of using it.

Back to pretending to be a two-leg, she fumbled with her key until she somehow got it into the lock and turned it. Damn, it hurts to be away from him.

Opening the door, she begrudgingly stepped inside. She turned to close the door, but paused at the threshold as she caught a hint of the mountains and trees in the breeze. It faded as quickly as it came, leaving behind a dull ache in her heart. She closed the door, and her nose brought in the familiar smells of the house, although there were a few notes in the air that hadn’t been present that morning.

At least Dad got food before he went drinking. She focused, trying to see if she could identify anything definite. Hopefully lots of meat; I can’t rely on Shadow every day.

Sitting on the bench, she quickly removed her hat, gloves and boots. Rid of the bulky footwear, she slid off the bench onto all fours. She felt her backpack start to slide forward and pushed back her feet to level out her body. For a moment, she held the pose, contemplating the dissonance between what her body was telling her brain and what her brain expected.

I’m changing, but how far will it go? Her human muscles, already exhausted from the day, started to give out and she stood back up. Will I ever be able to join Shadow with the form I know I should have?

Leaving the front hall, she shrugged off her backpack just outside her bedroom before continuing to the bathroom. She flipped on the light and immediately cringed.

It looks like Shadow missed a couple of spots. She craned her neck while keeping her eyes on the mirror as she examined herself. A really good thing Dad isn’t home, and no one passed me on the way home. Hopefully, that washes out.

There were spots of crusted blood and other fluids on her neck, face and the collar of her snowsuit. A bit of gray fur from the unfortunate vole that Shadow had managed to nab stuck to a blood spot on her snowsuit. A smudge of… something was visible on the skin just under her nose. As if to underscore how it had all gotten there, the dull ache in her stomach intensified briefly.

Poor - what was it? What Shadow had called it echoed in her head. That’s right, a vole. She folded over her snowsuit’s collar and sniffed at it. It had a bit of an earthy taste, but it was a bit easier to eat than the rabbit. Although maybe I should have chewed up the legs a bit more. The memory of how Shadow had easily taken the parts she had been unable to eat in his maw and readily consumed it - bones and all - after a few rounds of chewing sparked a sense of jealousy. Of course, Shadow had to show off…

She sniffed at her collar, smelling the rich aroma of the Vole’s blood there. Running her tongue across the largest spot several times, she tried to clean it off without apparent effect.

I’ll need to be more careful; two-legs wouldn’t understand. Feeling self-conscious, she shut the bathroom door before unzipping her snowsuit. It’s still hard to believe it would have horrified me not too long ago.

While pulling off the suit, she opened her mouth and examined her teeth. A thrill of giddy excitement ran through her as she ran her tongue over her small fangs.

I can’t believe I had my first real wolf meal today! She finished peeling off the snowsuit and bent down to pick it up. Well, besides during the full moon, of course.

Turning on the faucet, she placed the suit’s collar under the stream and started working out the spots. The sink water turned red for a few seconds as it swirled down the drain. Once the spots were no longer visible, she shook the collar off and dropped the suit on the floor.

I’m going to be hungry again soon; half a vole isn’t very satisfying. Leaning in, she cupped her hands, filling them with water to splash over her face. It’s going to be hard going back to boring two-leg meat now; they’re missing all the best parts!

After a bit of scrubbing, no hint of her meals remained on her skin. The cyan collar of her snowsuit still had a few blemishes where the blood stains had been, but they just looked like any other stain now. Turning off the water, she nearly shook her head to dry it before deciding against shaking water all over the bathroom. Instead, she just grabbed a towel and patted her face.

I can’t wait to go back out! Shadow will have to teach me to hunt! Her heart fluttered with excitement as she picked her snowsuit off the floor and headed out of the bathroom. Then we will be able to catch prey together, something more filling than a rabbit or vole!

---

“Soph, where have you been?!!” Candice’s voice echoed over the phone’s speaker. “I’ve been sending you messages all day!”

Sophia lay sprawled on her front across her bed, the phone off to the side. When she saw that Candice had sent her multiple texts, she had sent a quick reply, not expecting the latter to try to call her immediately. The unexpected call set off a scramble to pull on her underwear and shirt. Her embrace of her wolfish nature hadn’t been quite enough to overcome the ingrained human taboos surrounding nudity - even over a phone.

I’m sure Candice would appreciate it at least. She tried to block her body’s sense of betrayal over being forced to wear clothes so soon after tasting freedom. It does seem a little silly, though.

“I told you I had plans,” she reminded her friend, slightly annoyed. “What’s up?”

Movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention and she snapped her head towards it, just to discover it to be a loose strand of hair floating around the room.

“School is tomorrow and I wanted to make sure you were ready,” Candice told her, sounding ever like an impatient mother. “I didn’t think you’d be unable to get messages all day. Where were you?”

Out in the woods, accepting a proposal from my life-mate-to-be. Sophia hesitated, uncertain of what to say. He’s a wolf by the way. How was your day?

“Just enjoying the weather,” she answered evasively, trying to keep her voice neutral. “It really sucks being a wo- werewolf and being forced to be inside.”

“Wait, you didn’t go anywhere?” Candice asked, sounding hurt. “We could have hung out outside if that’s what you needed! Then we could have prepared you for school tomorrow. Have you even done any of your homework yet??? You missed several days last week! You’re going to get behind!”

Oh yeah, school, Sophia swallowed anxiously.

“Well, no, I haven’t done any of it,” she admitted dourly.

“Sophia!” Candice chided in exasperation. “Remember, you promised me you’d go to school tomorrow!”

“And I’ll be there!” Sophia insisted. “Really!”

“You better be!” Candice exhorted. “I don’t care if you’re a werewolf, or whatever; you’re not allowed to fail high school! I’m not graduating without you!”

Sophia winced. How am I going to tell her?

Her friend continued, “Tell you what, meet me at the corner of Main and Forest at 7:00 AM tomorrow morning, and we’ll head in together. Would that help?”

“A little, yes,” Sophia conceded absently as she bent to sniff at a suddenly fascinating piece of fuzz on her bed.

“You should sit with me at lunch!” Candice suggested brightly. “Then you can meet my other friends!”

“That… might be asking a bit much,” Sophia said in alarm. “Being around hu… people makes me anxious - even more than it used to.”

Two-legs constantly moving and talking on top of all the smells and noises in the cafeteria? She shuddered. What am I going to eat tomorrow? I wish I knew how to hunt.

“Alright, we’ll work up to that,” Candice conceded. “I could sit by you…”

“That’s okay,” Sophia declined. “Lunch is hard enough when I’m by myself, and you should be with your other friends.”

Candice sighed in disappointment, “Okay, just as long as you’re there tomorrow.”

“I will be,” Sophia promised firmly and then added skeptically. “Did you just want to get a hold of me just so you could mother me about school?”

“Well…” Candice teased. “I was missing you too…”

Oh Candice… Sophia instinctively tried to lick away whatever was irritating her shoulder, just to find the dry cotton of her shirt.

“But… I do have something else,” her voice turned smug. “Get this, Rachel got back to me about where she heard the legend, and it’s someone in town!”

Sophia pushed herself onto all fours, her heart thudding loudly in her chest. “Really?”

“Yeah!” Candice exclaimed brightly. “The guy who runs the antique store is a member of the Shoshone, and Rachel interviewed him for a school project last year on local Native American societies and legends! I bet he knows even more, and we can figure out how to turn you back to normal! Or at least control it! Then you won’t have to be scared about going to school or… or…”

Normal? It’s not like that at all… Sophia sank back onto the bed as Candice continued excitedly.

The other girl finally ran out of steam before adding, “So, anyway, I thought we could go after school tomorrow.”

I was hoping to see Shadow after school… Sophia’s face warmed as she found herself craving the feeling of him pressed against her naked body.

“Oh,” Sophia responded hastily. “Uh, I guess we could do that.”

She gently bit her lip as she buried her libidinous desires. Shadow will understand; I need to know what’s going to happen.

“Coolies! I’m so excited!” Candice cheered. “Okay, I need to get some stuff done before bed. Love ya! And get your homework done!”

“You too,” Sophia replied distantly as the call ended.

What am I going to do? If she finds out what I really want, it’s going to break her. But pretending to be something I’m not might break me.

---

There’s another female wolf in my territory! A surge of anger flashed through Sophia as she recognized the definitive mark of a female canine. I need to find out more about this wolf and make it clear this territory and Shadow belong to me.

She slowed as she approached the spot where the dog had very recently relieved herself.

No, I don’t have time to find out who that wolf is; it’s already past when I was supposed to meet Candice.

Reluctantly, she forced herself to keep walking, leaving the spot undisturbed. The scent quickly faded, and she sped up her pace. Ahead, she could see Candice’s familiar white hat, jacket and trademark blonde hair.

What’s gotten into me this morning? Her anger towards the dog had subsided with the scent but hadn’t disappeared entirely. I don’t think I need to worry about anyone stealing Shadow from me. Heat flared in her lower stomach, and her breathing quickened at the thought of the wolf. Could he get me..? She stumbled as an empty feeling appeared below. Great, on top of everything, I’m also horny today.

“Sophia! Hey!” Candice called out from the corner. “You made it!”

Of course, I made it. Irritation flared, but Sophia kept herself from snapping.

“Yep, I’m here,” Sophia said when she got close, forcing herself to smile. “Sorry, I’m late; I lost track of time.”

“No biggie,” Candice’s voice was carefree, but her eyes seemed to bore into Sophia. “We still have twenty minutes. How was your night?”

“Fine,” Sophia replied as they stepped onto the road. “Got most of my homework done.”

Well, I wrote something on most of it; I think. Staying focused was hard.

“Woo!” Candice cheered. “See, you’ve got this, girl! Are you using the balm?”

“Not yet, I was going to put it on just before we went in,” Sophia replied. “Not being able to smell sucks.”

“Fair enough,” Candice conceded as they stepped onto the opposite curb. “Relax, you look really tense. You’ll be fine!”

I am? Sophia turned her head to track a bird flying overhead. Probably wouldn’t be worth the effort, but I wonder what that would taste like?

“Oooh oooh… I think I found the dress I want for the Winter Formal!” Candice announced excitedly. “I was browsing dresses online while talking to Rachel yesterday, and I found the perfect one!”

“Oh, uh, cool!” Sophia replied, forcing her attention from the bird. “I can’t wait to see it!”

“Yeah!” Candice enthused. “When it gets here, I’ll show it to you! Then maybe we could pick one out for you, even if you’re not going. Unless you’re too busy being by yourself.”

“I’m allowed to do my own things, Candice,” Sophia snapped.

Candice winced, “Sorry, that came out wrong. It’s just… we used to spend time outside together all the time.”

Sophia took a breath to steady herself, making a face at the pungent scent of deodorant on the boy who had just hurried past. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings not inviting you, but there are things…”

I’m not going to lie to her.

“I’m not ready to share yet,” she finished as they turned down the path to the school entrance. “Hold on a moment.”

Stepping off to the side of the path, she took off her right glove and reached into the pocket of her snowsuit where she had put the balm. Candice watched curiously as she came abreast of Sophia.

Sophia eyed the stick warily. Okay, maybe just a tiny bit won’t hurt so much.

Holding her breath, she removed the cap and quickly touched the end of the balm to her upper lip as lightly as she could. The strong smell of menthol wafted into her nose as she resumed breathing. Pain accompanied the sensation of ice shooting up her nose, but it was tolerable.

It’s not nearly as bad as Saturday, but God, I hate this stuff. Replacing the cap, she threw it back in her pocket. A wolf is supposed to be able to smell.

“You okay?” Candice asked sympathetically.

“It hurts,” Sophia replied, rubbing her nose.

Gah, I feel so disoriented. She stumbled slightly as they resumed walking towards the school entrance.

“Well, hopefully you won’t have to use it much longer,” Candice said encouragingly. “We’re getting some answers tonight. I know it!”

“Yeah…” Sophia replied distantly, fighting rising panic as her nose started to return… nothing.

Gripping her backpack tightly, she passed through the school doors. Her pulse increased as her brain frantically searched for the olfactory information that it expected. The constant movement and cacophony in the halls only worsened her disorientation. Someone dropped their books, and she tensed, ready to fight or flee. She could sense students looking at her, hear them whispering about her…

Two-legs everywhere. Can’t smell. Need to escape. Danger.

“Everything’s okay,” Candice said quietly from next to her and gently steered her to the side of the hall. “You’ve got this.”

I’m a wolf. Don’t resist it… Sophia mentally focused on Candice’s familiar voice and used it to anchor herself amidst the tumult. Ride it, welcome it.

Her heart rate and breathing slowed as she let the information provided by her senses wash over and through her. Every time she saw a sudden movement, she allowed herself to focus on it; process it. Her nose twitched as she tried to piece together a chemical picture of the world. She accepted her instincts, even as they told her this was no place for a wolf.

I’m a wolf pretending to be a two-leg, but still a wolf. The commotion remained, her anxiety about it remained, but she no longer felt like she was drowning. And I’m in control.

“Sophia?” Candice prompted, suddenly sounding agitated.

Sophia turned her head to look at the other girl. Candice’s eyes were wide as she gazed at Sophia. She seemed to shake herself as Sophia’s eyes met hers.

“I’ll be okay,” Sophia reassured her quietly. “Thanks for being here for me.”

“For sure!” Candice replied, apparently back to her cheery self again.“I do have to get to my locker and class, though...” She gave Sophia’s shoulder a squeeze.

Sophia nodded, “Go ahead. I’m doing better now.”

“Come find me if you need me!” Candice told her and started to walk away. “Bye!”

I can do this. Sophia watched her friend disappear into the stream of students and then headed towards her own locker. For Candice.

---

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